Ford Fest, the annual barbecue for supporters of the Ford family, is going ahead as planned after city hall granted a permit to the Fords on Tuesday to hold the event.
The free summertime barbecue will be held at Thomson Memorial Park in Scarborough on Friday. According to a Ford Fest Twitter invite that was sent out by the mayor on Monday, there will be live music and dancing.
The permit was issued one day after Rob Ford's mayoral rivals Olivia Chow and John Tory said the event violates the city's rules.
According to the city's municipal election rules, "no permits, licenses, leases, or any other agreement for the use of City of Toronto facilities, including civic squares and parks, will be issued for the use or promotion of a particular candidate, political party, registrant or a supporter of question on a ballot during an election."
Ford has previously said that the barbecue is a family tradition.
Some residents in Toronto, however, are questioning that after they said they received robocalls about the event.
So, I think I RSVPd to FordFest. The invitation robocall said "press 3 if I can count on your support". Awfully strange phrasing. #TOpoli
— janeschmidt (@janeschmidt) July 23, 2014
If Fordfest is not a poli event why did the Rob-o-call I just got ask me to press 3 if he could count on my support? #RobFord #TOpoli #lies
— Ivar Soever (@myknownworld) July 23, 2014
I got a call from @TOMayorFord inviting me for his party street in Scarb. Called the number (4166138038) got his campaign office #FordFest
— Enzo Rizzo (@EnzoLampGuru) July 23, 2014
An invitation to the event can also be found on Ford's campaign website.
