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Upcoming festivals in GTA →Kothu Fest 2026: Toronto’s Spiciest Day Out
A free day of Tamil food, music, and culture in Scarborough
Date
Jul 4
Cost
Free
Where
Scarborough, ON
Hours
11AM–10PM
Now in its 11th year, Kothu Fest brings the sound of the griddle, the city’s best Tamil restaurateurs, and a full day of DJs and live performances to Albert Campbell Square — and it’s free to walk in.
🆓 Free admission
👨👩👧 Family friendly
🎧 Live DJs & artists
🍺 Beer garden (19+)
💡 It’s a cashless event — every food vendor takes debit or credit only, so leave the cash at home and bring a card instead.
✨ Why Kothu Fest Is Worth the Trip to Scarborough
There’s a reason people plan their whole Saturday around this one. Kothu Fest started small over a decade ago and has grown into Canada’s largest Island Tamil food and culture festival, drawing thousands of people to Albert Campbell Square for a single, jam-packed day built entirely around the sound, smell, and spice of Sri Lankan street food.
The name comes from the dish at the centre of it all — kothu roti, shredded flatbread stir-fried on a hot griddle with vegetables, egg, and meat or paneer, chopped right in front of you with two metal blades that clang out a rhythm of their own. It’s equal parts cooking and performance, and watching it happen live is half the fun of being there.
Around the food, the festival layers in a full day of DJs, artists, and dance performances, a 19+ beer garden, and kids’ activities, all for free. It’s the kind of event where you show up hungry, stay for the music, and leave already planning next year’s visit.
🎶 How the Day Unfolds
Kothu Fest is a single, full day rather than a multi-day event, so there’s no need to plan around a weekend — just one Saturday, start to finish.
11:00 AM
Gates open. Food vendors fire up their griddles and start serving — cards and debit only, since the festival runs cashless.
Through the Afternoon
DJs, artists, and cultural dance performances run continuously, with the kids’ zone — mini-arcade games, a popcorn station, and face painting — open throughout the day.
Into the Evening — 10:00 PM
Music and food service carry through to close, with the beer garden staying open for the 19+ crowd as the energy builds toward the end of the night.
🍛 What to Expect From the Food
Kothu roti is the headline act, but the vendor lineup goes well beyond it — think hoppers (bowl-shaped rice pancakes), string hoppers with curry, and short eats like rolls, patties, cutlets, vadai, and samosas, alongside sweets and drinks to cool things down between bites.
Kothu Roti
Hoppers
String Hoppers
Short Eats & Vadai
Sweets & Drinks
📋 The Essentials
Payment
Cashless event — debit or credit cards only for food and drinks.
Beer Garden
19+ licensed area on site; outside alcohol isn’t permitted anywhere on the grounds.
Seating
About 150 seats on a first-come, first-served basis. You can bring your own chair, just keep walkways and emergency lanes clear.
Pets
Leave pets at home unless they’re a registered service animal — it keeps things comfortable for the size of the crowd.
Best For
Sri Lankan and Tamil food lovers · families · music fans · first-timers curious about kothu roti
🚗 Getting There & Parking
Albert Campbell Square sits right beside the Scarborough Civic Centre, just south of Scarborough Centre station and steps from Scarborough Town Centre mall — easy to reach by car or by TTC.
By transit: Scarborough Centre station is a short walk away, making the GO/TTC connection one of the easiest ways in if you’d rather skip parking altogether.
By car: Scarborough Town Centre’s lot is a few minutes’ walk from the square, with metered street parking also available along Borough Drive.
📍 Get Directions to Albert Campbell Square
💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go
💳 Bring a card, not cash. Every food vendor is cashless, so a debit or credit card is the only way to eat.
🪑 Bring a chair if you can. Seating is limited to about 150 spots, first-come, first-served — your own folding chair is a safe bet for a long day outside.
☀️ Plan for sun. It’s an 11-hour outdoor festival in early July — sunscreen, a hat, and water are worth the extra bag space.
🚆 Consider transit. With Scarborough Centre station a short walk from the square, skipping the drive can save you the parking hunt entirely.
❓ Common Questions
Details may change — always confirm on the official Kothu Fest website before heading out.
