Event Spotlight: BurgerMania with Adam Panov
BurgerMania is a three-day food extravaganza focusing on, what some would say, the best invention of all time: burgers! Hosted at Yonge-Dundas Square (YDS), BurgerMania features Toronto’s top burger chefs and restaurants as they serve up their finest patties along with everything else related to the burger experience.
We spoke with Adam Panov, organizer of BurgerMania to find out what it is like to host the largest burger festival in Canada. Check it out!
Q & A
Q: How did you get into events?
A: It’s a bitter-sweet story, actually. My family initiated a foundation, in conjunction with Mount Sinai Hospital, named the “Panov Program”. The primary objective of it was to raise the funds necessary to bring “Precision Chemotherapy” to Canada – a treatment that played an integral role in extending my father’s life by 7 years after a grim cancer prognosis. Fueled by a heavy desire to contribute, in 2015 I organized my first ever Gala fundraiser. Five annual outings later, “The Gala” had raised almost $1,000,000 in proceeds for the cause. It was during this period that I discovered my passion for event production and subsequently decided to launch my own company.
As it pertains directly to BurgerMania, my reasoning is simple - my passion and love of food! With the spike in popularity associated with food festivals over the last decade, I decided to snatch the opportunity and produce one for myself. I know my late father, Lucian, would be proud.
Q: What can people expect at your event?
A: Food, live music, beer and much more! The family friendly event aims to amuse by offering a diverse selection of outstanding local establishments all in one spot.
Q: Why do you host your event at Yonge-Dundas Square?
A: The paramount reason would be the excellent location. The venue’s central setting in the heart of downtown Toronto not only makes it convenient for people to participate, but the pedestrian and road traffic garners additional exposure to any passerby who may be interested.
Q: How has COVID-19 made you see your event differently?
A: It’s definitely an eye opener. The pandemic will forever change the way we approach event production and how we view the industry as a whole. Not only to significantly intensify sanitary measures moving forward, but it’s made me realize that everything we work for can be taken away at a moment’s notice. Moral of the story? Never take any opportunity for granted.
Q: How would you describe your event and the YDS experience to someone visiting the city for the first time?
A: Though BurgerMania is fantastic for helping familiarize the people of this city with some fine neighborhood food gems, it truly is a one-stop shop for the best burgers in town. Additionally, I believe the full combination of community, artistry and culinary offerings grant a very unique experience for all attendees. So, if your tourism goals revolve around searching for gastronomic excellence while immersing yourself in local culture, BurgerMania is the place for you.
Q: What is the funniest/craziest thing that’s ever happened on event day?
A: In the past, someone of high profile attended one of our productions. This person’s intentions were simply to come and promote the experience. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse as this individual ended up being swarmed by a mass of news outlets bombarding the scene for reasons irrelevant to the event. The spotlight of the day quickly shifted away from its key focus and the situation turned into quite the media frenzy!
Q: What is the most challenging thing about producing your event?
A: It’s a large-scale production that requires plenty of meticulous work. The nature of events happening in real time means you always have to ensure that you’re prepared for just about anything to go wrong…and trust me, things will go wrong. Luckily for me, I have an amazing team that helps get the job done and I couldn’t do it without them. It’s an all hands on deck environment.
Q: How can the community support your event as you move forward?
A: All we ask is that you keep allowing us to entertain you. Our greatest motivation is to provide fun and joy in whatever we produce and we will forever be grateful for your willingness to take part in any capacity.
Q: What is your favourite Toronto event (other than your own, of course)?
A: As someone who loves cinema, I would probably have to go with TIFF. With regards to weekly occasions however, there is nothing I enjoy more than watching the Leafs in action from the stands.
Q: How can people get involved with your event?
A: We always love getting the community involved in any way we can. If you ever have interest in participating, whether that’s in the form of a partnership or simply wanting to enjoy the festivities as a fan, please don’t hesitate to contact us through our website.
For more information on BurgerMania, visit www.BurgerMania.ca.
