Toronto Events and Festivals

(Toronto, Ontario - ON, Canada)

Toronto is an impressive cultural center for the arts, featuring a number of annual festivals and events all through the year. Refer to Toronto's tourist information outlets and local newspapers for the latest festivals and events listings.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• Third Monday in February - Family Day (Alberta)
• Monday closest to 17th March - St. Patrick's Day (Newfoundland)
• March or April - Good Friday and Easter Monday
• Monday closest to 23rd April - St. George's Day (Newfoundland)
• Monday before 24th May - Victoria Day
• 24th June - Fete Nationale / St. Jean Baptiste Day (Quebec)
• 1st July - Canada Day (known as Memorial Day in Newfoundland)
• Monday closest to 13th July - Orangeman's Day (Newfoundland)
• First Monday in August - Civic Holiday
• Third Monday in August - Discovery Day (Yukon)
• First Monday in September - Labor Day
• Second Monday in October - Thanksgiving
• 11th November - Remembrance Day
• 25th December - Christmas Day
• 26th December - Boxing Day

Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Winterlicious - an event aimed at promoting the city's restaurants, with over 100 restaurants participating, offering fixed price menus for some truly delicious cuisine
• Lunar New Year - late January, Chinese New Year is celebrated at the Automotive Building, Exhibition Place

February

• International Readings at Harborfront Center - early February to mid-May, book reading events, which provide the opportunity to meet authors and explore the themes raised in the chosen literature
• Toronto Winterfest - with everything from ice sculptures and ice skating shows to concerts and street theater, this event is sure to warm your icy feet

March

• One of a Kind Show - hosted at the National Trade Center at Exhibition Place, this twice-annual show features works by more than 750 artists, who gather to display and sell their work

April

• Easter Around the World - providing an insight into how Easter is celebrated the world over, attendees will have the chance to eat delicious treats and see how eggs are painted as well as enjoying music and costumes

May

• The Clothing Show - early May, more than 250 vendors gather to bring you every design, shape, style and size of clothing you could hope for - all under one roof at the Automotive Building

June

• Pride Week - late June, the second-biggest gay pride celebration in the world, attracting almost one million people and including a huge procession through the city center
• Canada Day - late June to early July, celebrations take place at the Harborfront Center, where thousands of people congregate to celebrate the country's birthday. The day culminates in an impressive fireworks display

July

• Toronto Fringe Festival - early July, the city's largest theatre event, with various uncensored plays and comedy gigs
• Beaches Jazz Festival - late July, this 10-day event includes performances by some of North America's top jazz an blues acts, who play live outdoors to the delight of thousands of spectators
• Caribana - mid-July to early August, North America's largest street festival is a rainbow of costumes and calypso. The two week festival includes parades and musical and dance events

August

• Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) - mid-August to early September, this is Toronto's biggest summer event, with everything from live music, animal and agricultural exhibits, sporting shows and rides on offer
• Hot and Spicy Food Festival - mid to late August, hosted at the Harborfront Center, this is one way to heat up your summer! Mexican, Indo-Caribbean and South Asian food will ignite your taste buds as you enjoy free musical concerts

September

• Toronto International Film Festival - early to mid-September, an event that gets the city's celebrity spotters adrenaline pumping, this film festival offers movie lovers the chance to see hundreds of screenings

October

• Toronto Marathon - annual race each October, starting at Mel Lastman Square and ending at Queen's Park, watched by thousands

November

• Santa Claus Parade - starting at Bloor and Christie streets and ending at Front and Church streets, this lively parade kicks off the festive season with floats, costumes and the man himself - Santa Claus
• Cavalcade of Lights - a month-long event that encompasses the illumination of the city's Christmas lights including the lighting of the city's Christmas tree at Nathan Phillips Square
• Lowe's Toronto Christmas Market - late November to mid-December, held in the Distillery Historic District. This is a traditional winter street market with a seasonal Yuletide flavour and endless locally made arts and crafts. Visitors can expect a giant Christmas tree, a Ferris wheel, mulled wine galore, children's storytelling featuring Grimm's Brothers fairytales, a Bavarian brass band, Swedish folk dancing, 'Candy Cane' and Salvation Army carol singing, Rudolph's reindeer zoo and even a workshop with Santa's elves

December

• Festival of Lights, Kensington - December and January, Kensington market comes alive with illuminations as the annual celebrations of Christmas and Hanukkah and observed