The free turkey giveaway, a tradition dating back decades in Toronto, is being revived in honour of “Honest Ed” Mirvish.
Mirvish Productions announced Wednesday that 500 frozen turkeys will be given away on a first come, first serve basis beginning at 11 a.m. on Sept. 28 outside the CAA Theatre on Yonge St., south of Bloor. St.
The gesture is also in honour of Thanksgiving Day and to mark the beginning of the Canadian premiere production of Broadway comedy The Thanksgiving Play, the theatre company said.
“Thanksgiving is just around the corner, on Monday, Oct. 14th. With groceries priced out of many people’s budgets, now more than ever giving back to our communities should be top of mind,” Mirvish Productions said in a statement.
Ed Mirvish, who opened Honest Ed’s in the late 1940s, became famous for his marketing stunts. He began giving away turkeys to customers before Christmas Day decades ago.
The generosity continued even after Mirvish’s death in 2007, right up to the year before the store closed in December 2016.
The turkeys will be given away by the cast of play, which includes Rachel Cairns, Colin A. Doyle, Craig Lauzon and Jada Rifkin.
The play, which is described as a smart, wildly entertaining and deliciously wicked comedy, runs from Sept. 27 to Oct. 20.