This week officially marks the first week of summer 2018!
Which means it’s time to get outside and check out some of the many events and festivals happening throughout the city.
From food and drink festivals to Pride parties and concerts, these are the biggest events happening in Toronto this weekend.
Indigenous Arts Festival
What: This festival is an annual celebration of traditional and contemporary Indigenous music, dance, theatre, storytelling, film, crafts, and food.
When: Now until June 24
Time: Friday, 10 am to 3 pm & 6 pm to 9:30 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 10:30 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 7:30 pm
Where: Fort York, 250 Fort York Boulevard
Price: Daytime sessions are free. Evening sessions are ticketed
At the Illusionist’s Table
What: Acclaimed Scottish illusionist Scott Silven hosts At the Illusionist’s Table throughout the festival, which is an intimate evening of fine dining and whiskey-tasting, interwoven with illusion, mentalism, and storytelling in a private dining room at Toronto’s historic Casa Loma.
When: Now until June 24
Time: 6 pm to 8:30 or 9 pm to 11:30 pm
Where: The Austin Room, Casa Loma
Price: $225 (Includes a three-course dinner by BlueBlood Steakhouse)
Burning Doors
What: Burning Doors is a moving performance about human rights from Maria Alyokhina, political activist, member of punk group Pussy Riot, and the Belarus Free Theatre. Burning Doors recently made the New York Time’s “Top 10 Plays of the Year” list.
When: Now until June 24
Time: Friday, 7 pm to 8:45 pm; Saturday, 1 pm to 2:45 pm & 7 pm to 8:45; Sunday, 1 pm to 2:45 pm
Where: Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, 227 Front Street East
Price: $78.32 for adults
Out the Window
What: If you’re in the mood to see something local, Out the Window is a documentary theatre performance from Toronto artist Liza Balkan about an incident she witnessed in 2010 of police brutality towards a mentally ill man, that resulted in his death.
When: Now until June 24
Time: Friday, 7 pm to 9:30 pm; Saturday, 2 pm to 4:30 pm & 7 pm to 9:30 pm; Sunday, 2 pm to 4:30 pm
Where: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West
Price: $39
60 Years of Made in Italy
What: June marks Italian Heritage Month in Canada, which is the perfect time to celebrate the Italian community in our exceptionally diverse country. And Yorkville Village is hosting a world-renowned fashion exhibit, 60 Years of Made in Italy, into the heart of Toronto, just in time for the occasion.
When: Now until June 30
Time: Varies by day
Where: Yorkville Village, 55 Avenue Rd
Price: Free
The Art of Banksy
What: A new massive exhibit curated by Steve Lazarides, Banksy’s former manager, is now open in Toronto displaying the largest collection of the artist’s works. According to organizers, with over $35 million in art, this is the largest Banksy exhibit ever assembled.
When: Now until August 19
Time: Friday, 11 am to 10 pm; Saturday, 9 am to 12 am; Sunday, 9 am to 9 pm
Where: 213 Sterling Road, Toronto
Price: Tickets start at $35
A Forest of Canoes at The Bentway
What: A Forest of Canoes by Dana Claxton, is a site-specific installation set up throughout The Bentway and is co-commissioned with Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival and curated by Bonnie Rubenstein. The installation highlights the iconic role and symbolism of the canoe in Canadian, Metis, and Indigenous histories.
When: Now until August 31
Time: All day
Where: The Bentway, 250 Fort York Blvd.
Price: Admission is free
Spiders: Fear & Fascination
What: This June, the Royal Ontario Museum will be welcoming a new exhibit, Spiders: Fear & Fascination and trust us, it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. The new exhibit will explore the hunting, burrowing, and weaving world of these eight-legged creatures and will feature more than 400 live and preserved spiders, cutting-edge interactive experiences, and new scientific discoveries.
When: Now until January 2019
Time: 10 am to 5:30 pm
Where: The Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park
Price: $32 for adults
Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes
What: This month, Manolo Blahnik and the Bata Shoe Museum will be joining forces, bringing the highly anticipated travelling exhibit Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes to Toronto.
When: Now until January 6
Time: Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm; Sunday, 12 pm to 5 pm
Where: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor Street West
Price: General admission is $14
Toronto Trans March
When: June 22
Time: 7 pm
Where: Church and Hayden
Price: Free to attend
Amal Clooney in Conversation with Nick Clooney
What: Toronto will have the chance to see renowned international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney make a rare appearance at Roy Thomson Hall. Amal will be taking part in an onstage conversation with her father-in-law, American journalist Nick Clooney, to discuss the most pressing human rights issues facing the world today.
When: June 22
Time: 7 pm to 8:15 pm
Where: Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street
Price: $35 to $500
Movie Night in Liberty Village Park: Black Panther
What: Don’t worry if you still haven’t seen Black Panther in theatres yet (even though you totally should have by now, BTW), you’ll be able to see it at a free outdoor screening this June. That’s right, you’ll have the chance to see one of the highest grossing films of all time for FREE at an epic movie night under the stars.
When: June 22
Time: 8:30 pm
Where: Liberty Village Park, 70 East Liberty Street
Price: Free
The Wine & Spirit Festival
What: Toronto’s Wine & Spirit Festival kicks off the first official weekend of summer with cocktails, wines, beers, and ciders on the waterfront!
When: June 22 and 23
Time: Friday, 5 pm to 11 pm; Saturday, 12 pm to 10 pm
Where: Sugar Beach, 11 Dockside Drive, Toronto
Price: From $23
Redpath Waterfront Festival
What: At Redpath Waterfront Festival, you’ll find incredible live performances, a massive ship from the Royal Canadian Navy, delicious food, local shopping, and more.
When: June 22 to 24
Time: All day
Where: Toronto Waterfront
Price: Free
Toronto Craft Beer Festival 2018
What: Craft beers and ciders, food, fun activities, and live music are all on the bill for this three-day beer festival. Look forward to raising a glass with nearly 30 craft brewers from across Ontario.
When: June 22 to 24
Time: Friday, 2:30 pm to 10 pm; Saturday, noon to 10 pm; Sunday, noon to 7 pm
Where: Ontario Place, 955 Lakeshore Blvd West, Toronto
Price: Tickets from $25 online
Taste of Asia
What: This night market is billing 150 exhibitor booths along with “dazzling cultural performances, culinary artists, iconic celebrities, dignitaries, sports fans, artisans, and food connoisseurs.”
When: June 22 to 24
Time: Friday, 7 pm to 11 pm; Saturday, 11 am to 11 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm
Where: Kennedy Road just North of Steeles Avenue East, Toronto
Price: Admission is free
Le Grande Continental
What: Le Grande Continental is a public participation show that will take over Nathan Phillips Square for four shows. The performance will feature almost 400 local dancers in a large scale dance piece choreographed and directed by Montreal’s Sylvain Émard. The show concludes with the audience being invited to join the party for a freestyle continental dance party.
When: June 22 to 24
Time: Friday, 9:15 pm; Saturday, 4 pm & 9:15 pm; Sunday, 11 am
Where: Nathan Phillips Square
Price: Free to attend
TD Toronto Jazz Festival
What: The TD Toronto Jazz Festival has come to be recognized as one of North America’s premier jazz festival and has attracted some of the biggest names in jazz and blues.
When: June 22 to July 1
Time: Varies by day
Where: Various locations
Price: Entry is free
Evergreen Brick Works Saturday Markets
What: The Evergreen Brick Works Saturday market has grown to become the largest farmers’ market in Toronto. Here you’ll find a wide variety of local and seasonal food from local farmers and producers.
When: June 23
Time: 9 am to 1 pm
Where: 550 Bayview Avenue
Price: Admission is free
Etobicoke Butter Tart Festival
What: The inaugural event is free to attend and will see the best of Ontario butter tarts compete for top honours, plus tons of sampling and sweet treats for sale. Look forward to vendors like Tartistry, Hot Oven Bakery, Holy Cannoli and more, all hawking their best sweet treats!
When: June 23
Time: 9 am to 4 pm
Where: Plast Toronto, 516 The Kingsway
Price: Admission is free
Toronto Flower Market
What: There will be 18 incredible vendor stalls on display to visit and admire, each selling an assortment of seasonal showstoppers including tulips, daffodils, gerbera, orchids, hyacinths, muscari, lilacs, and more. Plus there will also be an array of dahlia tubers, seedlings, garden planters, handmade pots and indoor plants also for sale.
When: June 23
Time: 10 am to 3 pm
Where: CAMH, 1001 Queen Street West
Admission: Free
The Junction Summer Solstice Festival
What: The Junction Summer Solstice is not only the largest event of its kind in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, it’s also a great chance for locals and visitors alike to explore everything the unique area has to offer. This block party allows visitors to enjoy local restaurants and businesses as they set up on the street for a once-a-year opportunity.
When: June 23
Time: 12 pm to 8 pm
Where: Dundas Street West from Quebec Avenue to Indian Grove
Price: Free to attend
Brew & BBQ
What: Canada’s Wonderland hosts its third annual Brew & BBQ Festival featuring 70+ adult beverages from the province’s best small batch craft breweries and cideries. Enjoy an afternoon sampling cold brews in between rides at the amusement park.
When: June 23
Time: 12 pm to 10 pm
Where: Canada’s Wonderland, 1 Canada’s Wonderland Drive, Vaughan
Price: Entry to the festival is free with park admission
Dyke March
What: The Toronto Dyke March is a political demonstration of critical mass, welcoming all self-identified dykes to create political and visible space. This grassroots event is not a parade. The women and trans people of the community take over the streets of downtown Toronto to celebrate our power, strength, diversity and passion of their experiences and identities.
When: June 23
Time: 1 pm
Where: Church and Hayden
Price: Free to attend
Drag Ball
What: Drag Ball has steadily grown into the marquee drag show for Pride, featuring international queens, a who’s-who of the top Toronto queens and kings, and a few surprises. Bigger hair, bigger stunts, bolder dance moves, and everybody out to slay, this year is no exception.
When: June 23
Time: 6 pm
Where: Yonge and Dundas
Price: Free to attend
Sorauren Park Free Movies
What: Toronto’s Sorauren Park will be hosting free movie screenings this summer, with showings happening on the fourth Saturday of every month from June to September. This year, attendees can look forward to pizza dinners before each screening from the new Sorauren Park Pizza Oven, prepared and presented by Pizzeria Defina.
When: June 23 to September 22
Time: Roughly 9 pm
Where: Sorauren Avenue Park, 289 Sorauren Avenue
Price: Free
Waterfront Artisan Market
What: Back for its third year in 2018, the Waterfront Artisan Market runs every weekend until the first week in October. The outdoor festival, presented by The Waterfront BIA and operated by the Scadding Court Community Centre, will feature 50 bakers, chefs, and artisans hawking summery street foods and locally-made products.
When: June 23 and 24
Time: Saturdays 11 am to 8 pm; Sundays 11 am to 5 pm
Where: HTO Park, 339 Queens Quay West, Toronto
Price: Admission is free
Gatsby Garden Party
What: Step back in time to the roaring twenties, dust off your best Daisy Buchanan-inspired frocks, and head to Toronto’s very own Spadina Museum for its annual Gatsby Garden Party where champagne and boozy cocktails will be flowing in full force. You can expect to enjoy live jazz music, dancing, croquet, and of course plenty of costumes. Guests are invited to dress up in full Gatsby attire from flapper dresses to feathered hats — with prizes available for the best costume.
When: June 23 & 24
Time: 12 pm to 5 pm
Where: Spadina Museum: Historic House & Gardens, 285 Spadina Road
Price: $12.50
Bud Light Dreams
What: Get your dancing shoes ready, Bud Lights Dreams returns to Toronto this month! Enjoy two days of top dance and electronic music from local and international DJs including Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade, Richie Hawtin, and more.
When: June 23 & 24
Time: 3 pm to 11 pm
Where: RBC Echo Beach, 909 Lake Shore Blvd West
Price: From $35
Om T.O. 2018
What: Come and enjoy free yoga classes all day, outdoors by some of the best yogis in Toronto in the heart of Toronto’s historic Distillery District.
When: June 24
Time: 9 am to 5:30 pm
Where: The Distillery District, 51 Mill Street
Price: Free
Pedestrian Sunday’s in Kensington Market
What: The 15th season of Pedestrian Sundays brings back one awesome way to spend your Sundays this summer. Performers, musicians, artists, and shopping, basically an awesome Sunday Funday.
When: June 24
Time: 12 pm to 7 pm
Where: Kensington Market
Price: Entry is free
Family Pride
What: Now in its 18th year, Family Pride is a fun-filled oasis on the grounds of Church Street Public School that gets bigger and better every year. With programming geared to those 12 and under and their families, everyone will feel like a kid while taking in the creative and engaging activities, including sports, crafts, face painting, storytime, and extra-special performances.
When: June 24
Time: 2 pm
Where: Church Street Public School
Price: Free to attend.
Pride Parade
What: Costumes, choreography, and colour! Stand loud and proud with more than 120 groups marching in Pride Toronto’s Pride Parade, one of the largest in North America. There will be unforgettable performances, floats, marchers, and all the glitter you can handle.
When: June 24
Time: 2 pm
Where: The parade begins at Bloor and Church, South on Yonge Street to Yonge and Dundas Square
Price: Free
Christie Pits Film Festival
What: Christie Pits Film Festival will kick off its new season on Sunday, June 24, with a 30th-anniversary screening of the cult comedy classic Hairspray, a film that tackles racial integration in 1960s Baltimore. The film festival will conclude on August 19, with a two-night Closing Weekend, including a surprise “Closing Night” screening of an iconic urban film, which will be announced at the end of the Christie Pits Film Festival season.
When: June 24 to August 19
Time: Roughly 9 pm
Where: Christie Pits Park, 779 Crawford Ave West
Price: Screenings are free