I have been going to the Taste of the Danforth for quite a few years and I would have to say it's one of the more overrated festivals that occurs in the city of Toronto. It's a great for the businesses along the Danforth but I think it's become a victim of it's own success. Here's are the positives and negatives of attending the Taste of the Danforth and the negatives definitely outweigh the positives hence the two star rating.
Positives:
1. The festival is very transit friendly since it's on the Bloor Danforth subway, you can got off anywhere from Broadview to Donlands station and walk right outside the subway station and the festival is right there.
Negatives:
1. It's way too crowded and this is why I think it's become a victim of it's own success. Over the past 10 years, attendance has skyrocketed and now it's like a zoo, where it's so crowded, it takes forever to get anywhere. Most festivals in Toronto are quite busy but nothing like the Taste of the Danforth where it's very uncomfortable.
2. Food lineups are ridiculous, most places, the wait is a minimum 20 minutes and closer to 30-40 minutes. Go any other time and because it's so competitive on the Danforth and you won't have to wait at all. You shouldn't have to spend the whole festival waiting in line for food. They should allow food trucks to alleviate the long lineups.
3. Lack of portable washrooms, for the amount of people attending the Taste of the Danforth, you would think they would have a reasonable amount of portable washrooms but they don't which results in pretty long lineups.
A fair comparable of what a really good festival in Toronto is would be the Beaches International Jazz Festival.