Import car festival comes to Toronto
IMPORTFEST, an annual festival celebrating import car culture, will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The event will showcase modified vehicles and related vendors. The festival is a popular gathering for car enthusiasts and the general public in the city.
- Founded by Basit Mirza, IMPORTFEST debuted on September 29, 2001, at the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre), where it drew 25,000 attendees to see 450 modified cars. - The event is now considered the largest and longest-running aftermarket car show in Canada, occupying over 185,000 sq. ft. of space and attracting more than 10,000 attendees annually. - Competitors from across Canada and the United States vie for over 150 awards, with top honors like the "Biggest & Baddest Champion" receiving a cash prize. - The festival displays a wide variety of makes, including Japanese, European, and domestic vehicles, attracting hundreds of participants. - The show's origins trace back to the informal, late-night car meetups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, evolving into a professionally organized exhibition. - Over the years, the event has taken place at various locations, including an outdoor show at Downsview Park, before making the Metro Toronto Convention Centre its regular home.
