On September 6, Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge-Dundas Square) was transformed into a 12-hour spectacle of food, music, and mayhem as Smoke-A-Palooza 2025 took over downtown Toronto.
The annual extravaganza, part street party, part rock concert, part eating showdown, has become a signature event for the franchise system, pulling in over 20,000 fans and raising $1 million to date for We Care, a charity supporting children with disABILITIES.
A record-breaking celebration with purpose
And it isn’t just a food fest, it’s an all-out rock ‘n’ gravy revolution! For Smoke’s Poutinerie, Smoke-A-Palooza is about giving back to fans and communities in a way that feels authentically “Smoke’s.” From truckloads of free poutine to live performances and mind-bending acts, the brand spares no expense in putting on a show that doubles as a fundraising powerhouse.
“It’s our way of saying thank you to our fans in the most epic way we know how, while celebrating all things poutine and what we stand for,” said Mark Cunningham, president & COO of Smoke’s Poutinerie. “Reaching the $1 million milestone raised for We Care is something we’re incredibly proud of, and it’s only the beginning.”
That spirit of giving back was brought to the spotlight in the Ryan Smolkin Memorial CEO Challenge, named after Smoke’s Poutinerie’s late founder and chief entertainment officer. The high-energy corporate showdown, all for the kids, pitted business leaders against each other in a two-minute poutine face-off, another reminder that philanthropy can be fun, outrageous, and impactful all at once.
The main event: Smoke’s Poutinerie World Poutine Eating Championship
Front and centre of the day’s festivities was the Smoke’s Poutinerie World Poutine Eating Championship (WPEC), the largest poutine-eating competition in the world, sanctioned by Major League Eating (MLE). The stakes were high, the curds were squeaky, and the competition fierce.
And the winners?
- #1 Joey Chestnut – 26.5 lbs of poutine
- #2 James Webb – 19 lbs
- #3 Miki Sudo – 16 lbs
While Chestnut fell just shy of smashing his 28 lb world record in 10 minutes set in 2019, the crowd roared as he cemented his place as the undisputed GOAT of competitive eating.
A party beyond the plate
Of course, Smoke-A-Palooza is never just about eating. Fans rocked out to tribute bands like Sheer Heart Attack, 80s Gone Wild, and Destroyer Canada, while jaw-dropping performers — contortionist Flexy-T, Guinness World Record fire eater The Fire Guy, and Rock Opera by Steve Goodtime — kept the energy pulsing between sets.
Franchise power through culture
What makes Smoke-A-Palooza a must-watch for the franchise world is how it exemplifies brand culture in action. Few franchise systems create community engagement on such a large, unapologetically bold scale. By blending philanthropy with fandom, and outrageous fun with real community impact, Smoke’s Poutinerie demonstrates what happens when a franchise’s brand story leaps off the menu and into the streets.
Whether fans showed up to support charity partner We Care, for the free poutine, to rock out to 4.5 hours of amped up bands, or the spectacle of world-ranked eaters stuffing mountains of poutine into their mouths in record time, one thing is clear: Smoke-A-Palooza 2025 was more than a party, it was a brand statement, and a loud one at that.
