Food, music and a Euro win what a party!

Thousands pack College Street to eat, dance and cheer the Azzurri

- MAHDIS HABIBINIA

Music and dancing in the street brought a festive atmosphere to the Taste of Little Italy festival on College Street Saturday. Right, from top, Natishia George enjoys a squid skewer; two-year-old Alice, left, and four-year-old Thomas discover electronic music isn't for them; Italian superfan Joe Rauti dresses to the nines for every Euro Cup.

Aromas of grilled meat and fresh cannolis wafted over a crowd decked out in red, green and white as they celebrated the Taste of Little Italy in Toronto on Saturday.

The second day of the annual festival drew thousands to College Street, under sunny skies and 22 C temperatures, where people danced in the street to music and Euro 2024 fans donned blue jerseys and celebrated watching Italy claim victory over Albania.

The two events merged on the two-kilometre stretch from Bathurst to Shaw streets, in the heart of Toronto’s Little Italy, where Daniel Polesel and his wife Jessica broke a years-long ritual to watch the match with those in the community.

“We used to sit in our living room and we didn’t move,” said Daniel, 34. “We sat in the same exact spots. Before the game, I’d kiss my dog. Half time, kiss my dog. After the game, kiss my dog.”

But this year, the couple decided to support their team without dog Mocha, a shiba inu and Jack Russell mix who’s a “big” Italy fan.

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea or a bad idea,” he said during the second half.