Honest Ed Mirvish's
87th Birthday Party

Toronto, 2001

Honest Ed Mirvish is a Toronto tradition.

No, he's more than that. Honest Ed is the uncrowned king of Toronto.

Dollar-store magnate, theatrical entrepreneur, restaurateur of the budget-steak-house variety, eccentric, Jewish shop-boy made good, friend of our appalling Mayor Mel Lastman (yes, the one who worried that the natives would put him in a pot when he went to Kenya), Honest Ed is all of these and more.

Truly, the man embodies cheese.

Each year in July Ed throws himself a birthday party and invites anyone who wants to come and guzzle free cake and free pop and apply (I kid you not) free deodorant.

Well, last year's was fun ( you can see some of the pictures here) but this year... well, this year was... beyond description.

I toyed with the idea of telling the story of what happened but really I think you get the idea. Mix a lot of very strange people, free stuff, torrential rain, balloons and a food riot and you have the recipe for one of the most extraordinary and enjoyable afternoons I have ever experienced.

See you there next year.