Toronto’s First Annual Thai Festival

A photo of a woman with a microphone adjusting a woman performing with a man standing behind. They are on a stage. — The stage at Sankofa Square held many traditional Thai performances, like the one pictured above. “I think a lot of people in Toronto are very interested in the performances,” said Tanta Siriporn Na Rajasima. “[The] energy is really good and Thai music has really distinct melodies.” She said the traditional performances were led by Kai Whitcomb, the director of the Thai Cultural Council of Ottawa. (OTR/Emma Amodio)

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While anti-immigration sentiments grow across Canada, Toronto’s First Annual Thai Festival attracted thousands this weekend to celebrate food, music and the city’s multiculturalism.

Tanta Siriporn Na Rajasima, the festival organizer, said the festival helps to show that Thai culture has many dimensions.

“[The] Thai population in Toronto and across Canada has been growing a lot,” said Tanta. “I came to Canada in 2016 and back then it was very hard to find Thai people in Canada.”

She said, despite the current political climate, the festival was a success, with vendors saying it was the best festival experience they have had.

A photo of a woman standing behind a booth with signs advertising "Larb Muang." — Pictured above is a vendor advertising Larb Muang, a Northern Thai restaurant located at 45 Baldwin St. which features traditional Northern Thai dishes. “A lot of vendors, they told me that this is the best event that they, went to,” said Tanta Siriporn Na Rajasima. “They told us that this is the first event that they actually earn profits.” The festival featured over 40 vendors and Tanta said there was significant public attention, which made the festival a success. She said the festival attracted 10,000 people for both days combined. The festival ran on Sept. 20 and 21.
(*OTR*/Emma Amodio)

This is a photo of two people doing taekwondo, the teacher is holding a board while the student kicks. — *Black Belt World* is a Taekwondo school in Toronto. Although the martial art is Korean, the sport has become increasingly popular in Thailand. Thailand’s own national sport is the martial art Muay Thai. However, Taekwondo became popular in the early 2000s in Thailand, with Thai athletes earning medals at the Olympic Games. Tanta Siriporn Na Rajasima said the festival prioritized Thai vendors, but also featured other Asian vendors to build community. (*OTR*/Emma Amodio)

This is a photo of a woman's hands preparing food with bowls in front of her. — Pictured above is a woman preparing *som tam*, often translated as ‘papaya salad’ in English. According to the Michelin Guide, papaya has only been a key ingredient in the dish for the past few decades. The dish originated in Northeastern Thailand, where cooks would use any seasonal fruits and vegetables with a tart flavour. Over time, green papaya became the staple, shaping the version of *som tam* that is widely recognized today. (*OTR*/Emma Amodio)

This is a photo of the Thai Mart booth. A woman stands behind adjusting something being sold. — The Thai Mart vendor sold many traditional Thai products, including a variety of chips, teas and instant noodles. Instagram user billfoodie posted about Thai Mart, saying it is her “one-stop shop for Thai groceries” as everything is imported from Thailand. Thai Mart is located at 496 Yonge St.
(*OTR*/Emma Amodio)

This is a photo of raw pork skewers being cooked on a grill. There is one skewer more cooked than others. — Pork satay, pictured above, is one of Thailand’s signature street foods, though the dish traces its roots back to Indonesia. Today, satay is a staple across Southeast Asia, from Indonesia to Malaysia to Thailand. What sets the Thai version apart is how it is served: with peanut sauce, a cucumber salad, slices of raw onion and either toasted bread or sticky rice. Satay is defined as a piece of meat or seafood on a skewer, grilled over an open flame and served with spices and sauces, according to *Saveur*. (*OTR*/Emma Amodio)

This is a photo of two hands holding Thai tea with a red lid and a red straw. — Cha Tra Mue opened its doors in Toronto just over a month ago and is famous in Thailand for being one of the first tea shops to serve the signature tea over ice, starting in 1945. Now, Toronto can enjoy the same traditional flavours at 341 Spadina Ave. (*OTR*/Emma Amodio)

This is a photo of three women smiling. — Pictured above are three volunteers for the Thai Festival, dressed in traditional Thai clothing, the Chakri. The Chakri dress is characterized by a “single shawl or sabai draped across the chest over the non-dominant shoulder, exposing the other shoulder,” according to The Thai Embassy, traditionally worn as an evening gown for special occasions. Tanta Na Rajasima Siriporn said young Thai people in Toronto were eager to volunteer. (*OTR*/Emma Amodio)

“I see that the newer generations, we, have a lot of potentials like the volunteers that came to help us,” she said. “I think because of the growing population that we have, people have been wanting this kind of space that they can […] do something together and just express Thai culture.”

Emma Amodio

Emma Amodio is a second-year Masters of Journalism student and a reporter for On The Record, fall 2025.

No AI tools were used in the production of this piece.

Business culture festival Thai

Toronto’s First Annual Thai Festival

Amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment, Toronto’s first Thai Festival offers a joyful counterpoint.

Emma Amodio

Emma Amodio

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