Toronto is getting a Halal Food Festival.
The internet buzz began in early December when the organizers announced, over
twitter and
facebook, their intention to hold Toronto’s first-ever halal food festival by the summertime.
Three months later,
Halal Food Fest TO has confirmed the festival dates, the venue, and some preliminary details about the entertainment, and of course the food, that will be on offer.
The Halal Food Festival will be held on June 1 and 2, 2013 and will be hosted at International Centre, located on airport road in Mississauga.
Organizers spent months choosing the "best" halal food the city has to offer. Though the final list of participants is still forthcoming, festival organizers have confirmed that there will be a wide-variety of food types on offer -- from restaurant food, to confections to raw ingredients -- and a diverse range of ethnicities represented.
In addition to the sampling tables, there will also be live cooking demonstrations, performances, and panel discussions.
While exact guidelines can vary by sect, ethnicity, or school of thought, Halal foods are those foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines.
"As a Torontonian and Muslim, it's a great feeling to be able to celebrate being both through a universally loved platform - food!" says Faizal Kagdi, president of Halal Food Fest TO. "With 250,000 Muslims living in the GTA, Halal Food Fest TO is really the voice of the community, a united one, and it's long overdue."
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Halal Food Festival Toronto