Toronto 
If free poutine, live ’80s rock and competitive eating sound like your kind of Saturday, Smoke-A-Palooza is returning to Toronto on September 19.
You can head to Sankofa Square for the 12-hour event, where Smoke’s Poutinerie plans to serve free poutine to thousands of visitors while hosting live performances, games and eating competitions.
This year also marks 10 years of Smoke’s Poutinerie supporting Canadian non-profit We Care. More than $1 million has been raised to help children with disABILITIES attend fully accessible summer camps.
“What makes this year especially meaningful is hitting the 10-year milestone supporting We Care with more than $1 million raised to date,” said Mark Cunningham, president and COO of Smoke’s Poutinerie.
If competitive eating catches your attention, you can watch Joey Chestnut return for the Smoke’s Poutinerie World Poutine Eating Championship. Chestnut holds a record of eating 28.5 pounds of poutine in 10 minutes. Miki Sudo and Nick Wehry are also set to compete in the Major League Eating-sanctioned contest.
You can also catch the Ryan Smolkin Memorial CEO Challenge, a two-minute competition involving corporate leaders that raises money for We Care.
For the music side of the day, Destroyer Canada, 80s Gone Wild and ACDC Eras are scheduled to perform. Psycho Circus Entertainers, interactive activities, prizes and a Beer & Merch Tent benefiting We Care are also part of the lineup.
And if you cannot make it to Sankofa Square, you can watch the event through Smoke’s Poutinerie’s YouTube and Twitch livestreams.
Smoke’s Poutinerie – Smoke-A-Palooza 2026
What: Smoke’s Poutinerie is bringing Smoke-A-Palooza to Sankofa Square for 12 hours of FREE Poutine, eating competitions, live rock n’ roll and over-the-top entertainment, all while celebrating an incredible milestone: 10 years supporting We Care and more than $1 million raised to help children with disABILITIES attend fully accessible summer camps.
When: Saturday, September 19, 2026 | 11 AM – 11 PM
Where: Sankofa Square, 1 Dundas St E, Toronto
How Much: Free
