For the 15th year in a row, Harbourfront will bring together the most sizzling delicacies and cultural traditions from around the world in a festival of all things hot-hot-HOT!

Some of the events we’re most excited for? It’s quite a list:

At the Taco Takedown on Friday, July 20th, from 6:30-9 pm, some of Toronto’s top chefs, including Fidel Gastro’s Matt Basile, will create their own spin on tacos, and you can order a sampler platter and try ’em all.

The Red Hot Market begins at 7 pm on Friday, and is open the rest of the weekend starting at noon. This is the place to score great gifts for the foodies in your life, or stock your own pantry.

The Farmer’s Market features some of the best Ontario produce, so you can pick up everything you need to act on the culinary inspiration the festival is sure to provide.

Past/Present/Future pairs a chef who has participated in all 15 years of the festival with an up and coming chef. The one we’re most excited for this year is all about Indian food as Banjara collaborates with Roti Cuisine of India at 1 pm on Saturday.

To beat the heat but, ahem, stay spicy, check out a free Savoury Cinema screening of Ratatouille on Saturday afternoon, or for more serious foodies, a doc about Ferran Adria and his culinary creations at El Bulli, which closes for six months at a time so his staff can hole up in their food laboratory in Barcelona, or brilliant chef Paul Liebrant, who wowed New York with his creations like Beer and Truffle soup.

For those who like their food with a side of cut-throat competition, check out the Iron Chef Competition semi-finals on Saturday afternoon!

Explore African culture at the Cabaret Noir, which incorporates traditions of food, music and dance.

Want to learn about canning? Extend the life of your vegetable garden with a free canning seminar led by top chef Andrew Chase. 

Hot & Spicy Smokehouse features demonstrations from great chefs like Zane Caplanksy from Caplansky’s on Saturday at 4 pm and David Neinstein from Barque at 6 pm on Saturday.

Get your hands dirty with a free foraging seminar from Slow Food Toronto. 

Heat up the dance floor with a flamenco performance and seminar from Urban Rhythms. Hey, you’ve got to work off all those tacos in time for…

FREE DONUTS!

This is just a sample platter of the amazing events on offer, which include music, cooking demonstrations, a street food spotlight, and more. See you there!

Hot & Spicy Food Festival
July 20-22, 2012
FREE!
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queen’s Quay W.

~ Haley Cullingham