After tragedy, Taste of the Danforth festival to proceed but with ‘mixed emotions’

For businesses in Toronto’s Greektown, late July normally represents a frantic time filled with last-minute food orders and planning for the city’s largest street festival.

This year — after a shooting that left two dead and 13 injured in the heart of the Danforth — the community is spending more time mourning than preparing.

“We’ve been struck with an incredible tragedy,” said Greektown on the Danforth BIA spokesperson Howard Lichtman, who’s been organizing Taste of the Danforth for more than 10 years.

“It’ll be with mixed emotions that we have the festival.”

But with the festival’s 25th anniversary now just over two weeks away, Lichtman and neighbourhood businesses say they’re resolved to move forward, honouring the shooting victims in the process.

“I think it’s also important to demonstrate the resilience of the community,” Lichtman said. “We’ll walk those streets during the 25th anniversary with some sadness reflecting on what went on.”

The festival organizers say they plan to honour the victims and commemorate the incident at some point during the festival, which runs from Aug. 10 to 13 this year.

Standing behind the counter of the bustling cafe Mocha Mocha, owner Marijan Tripkovic said doing something will be appropriate and necessary.