Eat up! Summer's here

   One-Tank Trip for July 30-16

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Ah, summertime and the eating is easy.

   Festivals and events revolve around a variety of tasty treats and refreshing cool beverages.

   Food aficionados can travel the world through many multi-cultural offerings without leaving Toronto.

   Upcoming tastes include Caribbean, Greek, Pan American and African while food trucks and vendors will be rolling into Woodstock for the annual street festival.

At your service at JerkFest.

   Do the jerk

   Jump up, mon for JerkFest at Centennial Park in Etobicoke, Aug. 5 to 7.

   The 15th annual Grace Jerk Food Festival is called “a fusion of jerk food, pulsating music, family friendly entertainment and good vibes, highlighting the Caribbean culture under the hot Toronto sun.”

   For food lovers, JerkFest is about the “unique tastes, mysterious flavours and captivating aroma of jerk cuisine,” said Anthony Plummer, executive director.

Hot and spicy foods featuring jerk chicken are a tradition of JerkFest.

   Along with the tantalizing tastes and array of jerk dishes – from chicken, pork and beef to lamb, seafood, vegetables – it’s a celebration of culture.

   There’s a “stellar” music lineup headlined by reggae legends Third World, with additional acts including Etana and L.U.S.T.

   Visitors can learn how to make traditional jerk dishes and there will be a vendor market and kids zone.

   There’s a Hot & Spicy Jerk Chicken Eating Competition where participants test their “bravery and tolerance” with some of the spiciest food.

  Jump up and dance at JerkFest in Toronto.

   Play dominos, a favourite Caribbean pastime, while the Culture Stage features music artists and artisans alongside non-music acts. Details: jerkfestival.ca

   Pan Am, Greek. African tastes

   The Pan American Food Festival brings international chefs, food competitions, demonstrations and Latin American cuisine to Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square.

   On Aug. 13 and 14, the free event provides an opportunity to “sample the continent’s delicious flavours and enjoy its fantastic music,” said director Daniel Garcia-Herreros.

   An outdoor musical stage features live performances, there are activities for children, vendors and food trucks featuring cuisine from the Americas.

   Bolivian food and culture will be featured along with a presentation of the carnival.

   Culinary curator Mary Luz Mejia said there will be Arepa-mania with chefs preparing the ubiquitous corn pancake and a Ceviche Smackdown of the classic seafood dish.

   A $10 ticket entitles guests to sample the six dishes and a voting ballot to pick their top contenders.
    Cuisine from the Andean region will be showcased, with 20 countries represented including St. Lucia and Trinidad for the first time. panamfoodfest.com

   Celebrate the fun flavours of Greece at Krinos Taste of the Danforth from Aug. 5 to 7.

   GreekTown will be hopping with dozens of tasty food stations, samples, contests and prizes from the area’s multi-ethnic restaurants. tasteofthedanforth.com

  Here’s a chance to experience the cultural diversity of global Africa at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.

   Habari Africa, Aug. 12 to 14, is co-produced by Batuki Music Society and celebrates traditional African music.

   It also highlights the rich assortment of cultures that shape Africa through dance, film, workshops, crafts, fashion and food. harbourfrontcentre.com/festivals/habariafrica

   Fresh and tasty

   Fresh Wednesdays and Tasty Thursdays are at Nathan Phillips Square outside Toronto City Hall through Aug. 25.

   Produced by the City of Toronto, Wednesdays include a farmers market along with food vendors serving from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Colourful Ontario produce is offered at Fresh Wednesdays in Toronto.

   On Thursdays, during the same hours, restaurants and food trucks serve Canadian and international cuisines, including Asian, Colombian, Greek, Latin American, Mexican, Turkish and Ukrainian favourites.

Toronto's "Old City Hall" is the backdrop

   There are also Live from City Hall concerts at 12:30 p.m. Thursdays. toronto.ca/special_events

   Sidewalk surfing

   They’ll be dancing and eating in the streets as Woodstock holds Summer StreetFest, formerly known as Sidewalk Days, Aug. 4 to 7.

Street entertainers are featured at Woodstock’s festival.

   The event will feature some 30 entertainment acts and 175 street vendors, attracting about 30,000 people, said Kelly Morrison, manager of the Downtown Woodstock Business Improvement Area.

   Taking place on Dundas Street, the farmer’s market happens on Aug. 4 and there’s Woodstock Spider-man and Foxxey the Clown along with a petting zoo and fun zone to entertain the kids.

Foxxey the Clown entertains at Woodstock’s Summer StreetFest.

   The StreetFest Cruise is Aug.7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with cars, trucks and motorcycles, and beef barbecue. downtownwoodstock.ca

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Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com

For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca