Taste of Lawrence 2026 – Scarborough, ON

Taste of Lawrence 2026: 22 Years of Flavour

Scarborough’s biggest street festival, now with a World Cup-themed Soccer Hub

🌐 Official Website Full Schedule

Lawrence Avenue East shuts down to traffic for three days of global food, live entertainment, midway rides, and a brand-new Soccer Hub timed to the World Cup — all free to attend, no ticket needed.

🌍 150+ vendors ⚽ TOL Soccer Hub 🎡 Midway rides 👨‍👩‍👧 Family Stage

💡 Friday kicks off with the Opening Ceremony at 6 PM followed by the Kick-Off Parade at 6:30 — get there early to line the street for the multicultural dance procession.

Why Go Schedule Soccer Hub Food Essentials Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why Taste of Lawrence Is Worth the Trip

For three days every July, Lawrence Avenue East shuts down to cars and turns into the biggest street party in Scarborough. Now in its 22nd year, Taste of Lawrence is organized by the Wexford Heights BIA and built around one idea: a few city blocks can feel like the whole world if you fill them with enough food, music, and culture.

2026 leans into that idea harder than usual. With the World Cup kicking off the same summer, the festival is adding a brand-new TOL Soccer Hub — a mini pitch built right into the street, free workshops, watch parties for live matches, and a youth 3v3 tournament running all weekend. It’s layered on top of everything that’s made the festival a Scarborough institution: well over 150 street vendors representing dozens of countries, two stages of nonstop live entertainment, midway rides, and the Friday night Opening Ceremony and Kick-Off Parade with multicultural dance troupes filling the street.

Whether you come for the food, the football, or just to wander a closed-off avenue packed with flags from every corner of the globe, this is the kind of festival that rewards showing up without a plan.

🎤 Weekend Schedule

The Main Stage and Family Stage run their own lineups all weekend, with the Busker Zone adding street performers in between. Here’s how the weekend kicks off and wraps up.

⚽ New This Year: The TOL Soccer Hub

Timed to the World Cup, the Soccer Hub takes over the section near Birchmount with free programming for fans of all ages.

Mini street pitch Free soccer workshops Giant LED foosball Soccer darts AI photo booth Match watch parties

🏆 White Haven FC 3v3 Tournament: A three-day youth tournament for ages 10–12, with 28 matches building to a Championship Final on Sunday, July 5. Registration runs $10 per player, with medals for the winning team. Spots are limited — sign up through the festival’s tournament registration link before the weekend.

🌍 A World of Food on One Street

Over 150 vendors line Lawrence Avenue East, with specialty stalls repping flavours from around the globe. Here’s a taste of who’s confirmed for 2026.

🇨🇴 Crazy Snack Inc. (Colombia) 🇯🇲 Tropical Foods (Jamaica) 🇹🇷 Sunny Hotdog (Turkey) 🇬🇭 Taste of Patience Kitchen (Ghana) 🇰🇷 Chung Chun Rice Hotdog (South Korea) 🇧🇪 Super Smash Juice (Belgium) 🇳🇬 Nigeria Palace Restaurant 🇨🇦 Beaver Tails (Canada) 🇪🇨 Mis Amigos Festival Catering (Ecuador) 🇲🇽 Picante Mix (Mexico) 🇧🇷 Hyper Acai (Brazil) 🇨🇳 Food + Drink ft. Mango (China)

🎈 More to See

📋 Essentials

🚗 Getting There & Parking

Lawrence Avenue East closes to vehicle traffic between Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road for the full festival footprint, so this isn’t a drive-up event — plan to arrive on foot, by bike, or by transit.

By transit: TTC buses serve Lawrence Ave E at Warden Ave directly, with the closest stop a one-minute walk from the festival grounds. The Birchmount Road end is also walkable from nearby bus routes.

Parking: Street parking near the closure is limited during festival hours. Side streets off Lawrence Ave E are your best bet, but expect to walk a few blocks — arriving early helps.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🌭 Bring cash and small bills. With 150+ independent vendors, not every stall will have fast or reliable card readers — cash keeps the lines moving.

🚶 Arrive early on Friday. The Opening Ceremony and Kick-Off Parade at 6:00–7:00 PM draw a crowd along the street — get there a little before 6 to find a good spot to watch the dance troupes pass.

⚽ Soccer Hub gets busy during match windows. If you want a turn on the mini pitch or LED foosball, swing by outside the watch-party time slots.

👟 Wear comfortable shoes. The festival runs the length of several city blocks — you’ll be covering a lot of ground between stages, food, and the Soccer Hub.

🐾 Catch the Ultimutts early. Showtimes (1, 3, and 6 PM Saturday and Sunday) draw families fast — arrive a few minutes ahead near Roselm/Ellington Drive for a clear view.

❓ Common Questions