Poutine lovers, get ready – Toronto’s ultimate poutine party is coming back this weekend!
On Saturday, September 6, Smoke-a-Palooza 2025 will take over Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge-Dundas Square) for twelve straight hours of food, music, and rock and roll.
The festival is brought to you by none other than Smoke’s Poutinerie, Canada’s beloved poutine restaurant (that also happens to be the largest in the world.)
Visitors can look forward to free samples of Smoke’s legendary fries, cheese curds, and gravy, served up all day long.
The highlight of the festival will once again be the Smoke’s Poutinerie World Poutine Eating Championship, where competitive eating superstar Joey Chestnut returns to defend his world record of 28.5 pounds of poutine consumed in just 10 minutes.
Another crowd favourite event taking place is the Ryan Smolkin Memorial CEO Challenge, a fast-paced showdown where Canadian executives go head-to-head in a two-minute eating competition to raise funds for We Care.
Entertainment doesn’t stop at the food. The festival will feature a full lineup of live performances from some of the best 80s rock tribute bands, including Destroyer, 80s Gone Wild, and Sheer Heart Attack. Between sets, festivalgoers can enjoy daredevil stunt shows, interactive games, and plenty of exciting activations guaranteed to keep the party going all day and night.
The event runs from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at Sankofa Square, with free admission for all ages. Be sure to come hungry!