There was merriment as well as melancholy at Taste of the Danforth, Canada’s biggest street festival, this weekend. It’s odd that having a shish kebab in the heart of Toronto has become a political statement, but that was the point as festivalgoers paid tribute to the victims of last month’s mass shooting on the Danforth, while emphasizing the fact that life goes on. “I really felt just personally that I had to pay tribute, especially to the two young girls who died,” said Tina Cyr, 42. Cyr and Alex Stratakos were sitting in front of a makeshift memorial on Saturday while a band played Greek music behind them. A cardboard sign read: “Reese Fallon died in this space 3 weeks ago. And four others were shot. Lest we forget.”Read more: Taste of the Danforth goes on just weeks after deadly shootingTaste of the Danforth has united Toronto for 25 yearsEarlier, Cyr had stopped by St. Barnabas Anglican Church to light a candle for the victims and make a donation. Outside the church, organizers had created a memorial for the victims where flowers, candles and stuffed animals overflowed on the sidewalk.A sold-out benefit concert on Saturday night, headlined by Canadian rock band Billy Talent, raised thousands of dollars for the #TorontoStrong fund in support of shooting victims. Cyr said this year has been especially tough in the city where she was raised. The April van attack on Yonge St. in North York that killed 10 people and injured 16 happened on her birthday. Two people were killed and 13 injured in the Danforth shooting on July 23.“I don’t know what’s happening. But I do know nothing’s going to stop us,” said Cyr, showing off the colourful henna tattoo on her foot that she had painted on minutes earlier.It wasn’t lost on some festivalgoers that the Friday opening of the festival coincided with a shooting in Fredericton that left four people dead, including two police officers. Mass shooting ...
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