The Harbourfront centre welcomes visitors with sights such as these lights.
Toronto’s Harbourfront centre
Toronto’s Harbourfront is one of my favorite places for festivals in the city. There are always a number of savoury food choices, combined with festive music, an eye catching architecture, and lots of seating to encourage one to take one’s time to enjoy it all.
The Food
Given my love of spicy food, the Hot + Spicy Food Festival taking place at the Harbourfront centre this weekend was a natural draw. Despite my love of cooking I missed the cooking demonstrations put on by various chefs during the day, but I did catch the great band near the end.
One of the spicy food selections at the festival.
Spicy food from around the world all in one place.
The Music
New Orleans is the home of a lot of very spicy cooking, so it was fitting that Irma Thomas the soul queen of New Orleans was invited to perform at the festival. I don’t know whether it was Irma alone or a combination of her and the spicy food, but whatever it was the Toronto crowd was getting LOOSE and moving with the drums and the ringing soul in her voice. Near the end Irma took a moment to remember Huricane Katrina and thanked Canadians for their generous support as well as thanking the crowd for their wonderful participation in the evening’s concert. With that I don’t think there was anyone there that didn’t feel the good vibes of The Big Easy as New Orleans is called. I hope Irma took back a little of Toronto’s friendliness too.
Irma gave a no holds barred straight from the guts rendition of pure soul.
All of a sudden the congo drummer picked up a trumpet and blew some riffs to take the music to a whole other level. The band held nothing back.
Irma and her band connected with the crowd who appreciated her and the band deeply.
Everybody felt the vibe of "The Big Easy" as New Orleans is called.
