
Smoked Festival Ignites Vaughan: Top Chefs, Live Fire Feasts & Summer's Hottest Sounds
TORONTO, June 3, 2025 /CNW/ - If summer had a flavour, this would be it. Smoked, a first-of-its-kind BBQ and live fire food and music festival, is taking over Vaughan July 18–20, 2025, serving up exclusive dishes from Canada's most celebrated pitmasters and chefs alongside some of the GTA's best party bands and DJs spinning the soundtrack of the summer.
Curated by the team at Nourish and produced by Influence Marketing, Smoked is part backyard cookout, part chef's table, and part community gathering, created for food lovers who crave great food, stories, and soul in every bite.
Every plate gives back.
All sample dishes (3-6oz) are $7.50, with $0.50 from each one donated to Feed Ontario, where just $0.50 is enough to provide a full meal to someone in need. Every time you eat, someone else does too.
The Firepower: Canada's Best in Live-Fire Cooking and BBQ
Smoked features a handpicked lineup of chefs and pitmasters representing the best of Canadian BBQ, from traditional wood smokers to global fusion innovators, with a combined following of almost 3 million fans, this lineup is not to be missed: Trevor Lui, Lawrence La Pianta, Chef Dwight Smith, Mel Chmilar Jr., Rob Reinhardt, Sylvia Nguyen, Chef Matt Basile, Patrick McMurray, Shucker Paddy, Rob Yu, Ryan & Jason Buising and Andrew Golden.
A Soundtrack that brings the heat
Great food deserves a great soundtrack, and at Smoked, enjoy unforgettable meals with live performances by Wing Night (July 18), The Free Label (July 19) and DJ Flohback all weekend long.
Ticket Info:
General Admission – $35 (Early Bird $27.50 – Limited Quantity)
Get full access to the Smoked festival and explore a curated lineup of Canada's top BBQ and live fire chefs, local food vendors, and music all day long. Food and drink tokens available for purchase on-site or in advance. Kids 12 and under get in free
VIP Garden Party – $99 (Early Bird $89 – Limited Quantity)
Looking to take your Smoked experience up a notch? The VIP Garden Party is your ticket to elevated comfort and exclusive eats. Enjoy a 19+ atmosphere and a curated tasting menu available only in the VIP area.
Your VIP tasting passport includes:
Fire roasted corn
Fresh oysters shucked live by world champion Shucker Paddy
Seasonal garden salad
Charcoal grilled lamb skewers
Slow smoked pulled pork sliders
Fresh pulled mozzarella station
Signature Jerk Chicken by Chef Dwight Smith, Red Stripe & Grace Foods
Please note: VIP food offerings are exclusive to the Garden Party area. Food from other chefs and vendors throughout the festival is available at additional cost.
Location:
Assembly Park – 80 Interchange Way, Vaughan Ontario
Steps from VMC subway station, Vaughan
Free on-site parking for ticketholders
Access to Go Bus Station
Easy access to HWY 7, 400 & 407
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