7 Toronto Festivals Worth Planning Your Trip Around
As Canada’s most multicultural city, Toronto is a hub for summer festivals. The city hosts events celebrating art, culture, and food, so whether you're looking for souvlaki and mezes or yoga and cupcakes, Toronto has a festival for you. Here are some favorites.
1. Toronto Pride
Pride weekend is a celebration of Toronto's thriving LGBT community. Over 10 days, the festival features a parade and a a number of events and activities, and with nearly 1.2 million annual attendees, it's one of the largest pride festivals in the world.
2. Toronto International Dragon Boat Race
The Dragon Boat Festival puts a fun spin on a great cause with participants racing beautifully decorated and brightly colored boats through the waters of the Toronto Islands to promote awareness and growth of Chinese culture in the city. Insider tip: This festival location boasts the best view of the city.
3. Woofstock
Head over to St. Lawrence Market for the annual Woofstock Festival on the second weekend of June to hang out with some retrievers, terriers, and beagles. This festival features all things "woof," including games, races, and the adorable Ms. and Mr. Canine Pageant.
4. Caribana (Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto)
Caribana is one of North America's largest street festival and likely the largest Caribbean celebration outside of the islands. Prepare for colorful performances, steel pan, soca, calypso, and plenty of dancing. Don't fill up on fried bake, doubles, and Jamaican patties before the parade so you have extra energy for dancing.
5. Kensington Market Pedestrian Sundays
While Pedestrian Sundays may not be a formal festival, this popular Toronto event takes place every Sunday year-round and offers food and music from local vendors. With everything from outdoor yoga lessons and market sweets to breakout capoeira, there's always something different going on.
6. TD Toronto Jazz Festival
The TD Toronto Jazz Festival is known as one of North America's premier jazz festivals, welcoming half a million fans to the city over 10 days each year with 350 performances and some 1,500 musicians. The heart of the festival is located at Nathan Philips Square, but events also take place around the city.
7. Taste of the Danforth
Toronto boasts more culturally diverse and award-winning restaurants than one can count, so it's no wonder that the city is host to numerous food and culinary festivals, including the Greek Town's Taste of the Danforth Festival. Set on East Toronto's Danforth Avenue, souvlaki meets mezes and Hellenic food, culture, and music collide.
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