2014 Civic Holiday Festivals in Toronto

The Civic Holiday weekend signals many annual Toronto events each summer. Some of us salute John Graves Simcoe as we head for Simcoe Day events in Toronto on the first Monday of August. Let’s start with specific events at several Toronto museums, and then note the return of major festivals.

The links to official web sites are near the end of this article.

"Tall Ships in Toronto at Harbourfront" image by Numinosity (Gary J Wood)
"Tall Ships in Toronto at Harbourfront" image by Numinosity (Gary J Wood)

Three Museums in Toronto Celebrate the 2014 Civic Holiday

All of the museums in Toronto host some great events at a very low cost. Often these are geared for families with children. Here are three Civic Holiday events at Toronto museums.

Simcoe Day 2014 at Gibson House

Gibson House honours Simcoe Day on Mon. Aug. 4, 2014, from noon to 3pm. The festivities include games, home-made ice cream, and children’s craft activities… but only if the child brings an adult along.

Gibson House is at 5172 Yonge St., where Park Home Ave. and Empress Ave. cross Yonge St.  It’s north of Sheppard and just north from the North York Centre station on the #1 Yonge subway line. Obviously, the TTC is the better way to get there, on their holiday/Sunday schedule and family pass fares. Admission to Gibson House is pay what you can for Simcoe Day 2014.

2014 Simcoe Day at the Spadina Museum

The Spadina Museum will also note Simcoe Day on Monday, but for a bit longer. From noon through 5pm, they will repeat a half-hour themed tour to “meet the Austins”.

Regular admission is under $10/person. 285 Spadina Road is around the corner from Casa Loma, north of Davenport and south of St. Clair West. It’s a bit of a walk to St. Clair, as I remember from running the Goodlife Toronto Marathon along this street; but it’s a steep walk to Davenport.

Montgomery’s Inn for a Civic Holiday Play

Montgomery’s Inn presents Romeo and Juliet al fresco from Friday through Sunday, Aug. 1-3, 2014 at 7pm. Pay what you can and BYO (bring your own) lawn chair. Enjoy Shakespeare’s timeless play about the star-crossed lovers “under the stars”.

Montgomery’s Inn is at 4709 Dundas St. W., just east of Islington and surprisingly close to Montgomery Road. Coincidence? I think not!

Island Soul at Harbourfront Centre for the 2014 Civic Holiday

If memory serves, Harbourfront Centre has presented both Island Soul and the Festival Kompa Zouk for several years during the Civic Holiday weekend. Certainly these are on tap from Aug. 1-3.

Island Soul includes soca with Ballet Creole’s Spirit of Carnaval opening for Edwin Yearwood & Krosfyah at the WestJet Stage on Friday Aug. 1 at 8pm. Tickets for this event are $20 and up.

The Dance Caribe Performing Company performs for free on Saturday Aug. 2 on the Redpath Stage, but only for half an hour starting at 9pm.

The family can participate in the Oware Games at Harbourfront for free! The dates are Aug. 2 (3-5pm) and Aug. 4 (1-4pm) at Zone 5. (Oware, Warri or Ware is a “pit and pebble” game, most popular in Ghana).

On Sunday Aug. 3, Festival Kompa Zouk Ontario presents drumming with Tamsir Seck of Senegal [Free: noon-12:30pm only Sunday]; as well as a visual arts display “connected through the root of Haitian creativity”. Free Aug. 1-4, 2014 (7-11pm Fri.; noon-8pm Sat. & Sun.; noon-6pm on Monday, Simcoe Day or the Ontario Civic Holiday).

In fact, the Harbourfront events calendar lists a lot more free events for this Civic Holiday weekend.

Harbourfront’s official address is 235 Queen’s Quay West. The above venues are close to that spot. For those of us who like a little walk, the easiest route is to walk south-west from Union Station. Currently road construction challenges anyone trying to drive there; and the TTC will be a bit slow too. Cyclists should consider taking the Martin Goodman Trail.

The Caribbean Carnival is the Annual Summer Event in Toronto

At least, my guess is that the annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival attracts the most tourists as well as the most residents. Plus, the assorted events last for about a month. Let’s focus on the least expensive activities for Carnival during the Simcoe Day weekend in Toronto.

[Added Aug. 1, 2014]: Public Service Announcement: “How to Drive to Toronto without the Skyway Bridge in Hamilton” before you get stuck in traffic on that detour! Let’s return to our regularly scheduled article, already in progress.

The Grand Parade, the most spectacular highlight for the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, struts on Saturday Aug. 2. The organizers schedule “9am to 6pm”, but my impression is that it will start on Caribbean time. You can pay a lot to attend inside the CNE grounds where the parade begins. However, the organizers claim that it is both “free” and “ticketed”. To see the parade for free, I’d go to Jameson and Lakeshore Blvd, then head east until the crowd thickens or I’m asked to pay admission. Bring your canteen; cash for food and drink; and protect yourself from sunburn.

On Sunday Aug. 3, head for the Toronto Islands for Carnival Island. Besides the ferry fare, the lowest admission price is $20 for adults and $10 for children. The festivities should begin around noon. Expect music… a lot of music.

The Civic Holiday at Yonge-Dundas Square

Yonge-Dundas Square hosted these two 1-day events last year during the Civic Holiday, so they count as “free annual events in Toronto”.

On Friday Aug. 1, from 8-10pm, KC Roberts & The Live Revolution will perform “vintage music (funk, jazz, rock)”.

On Saturday Aug. 2, Voices of the Nations presents Christian music and worship from a variety of cultures. They do feature African, Asian, Caribbean and Latino influences. The event should run from noon-10pm but Yonge-Dundas Square didn’t admit it; I had to check the Voices web site.

Both events are free; so is “fountain day” on Monday. Yonge-Dundas Square is named for its intersection; use the #1 (Yonge) subway or the Dundas streetcar to get there.

TD Irie Music Festival in Toronto

Another Toronto Civic Holiday tradition is the TD Irie Music Festival, taking place from Aug. 1-4 at Nathan Phillips Square.

Friday features soca from 7pm. On Saturday, new artists take the stage from 3pm, and reggae from 8:30pm. On Sunday, it’s mainly dance from 3:30pm, until Etana the Strong One performs from 8:30pm. On Monday, the TD Irie Music Festival closes with a tribute show at 7:30pm.

The TD Irie Music Festival also pops up in Mississauga’s Celebration Square on Aug. 23-24.

Links to Official Web Sites for these 2014 Civic Holiday Festivals

Here’s my list of references. Note that some will be updated from year to year.

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May I present my three unofficial backlinks to the 2013 Simcoe Day festivals and events. Some of them are outside Toronto, such as the annual Simcoe Day fireworks in Niagara Falls.

Looking for More Annual Events or a Holiday in Toronto Canada?

You can find more annual events for your vacation in Toronto Ontario; or for local residents wanting things to do in Toronto this weekend.

My blog tracks many of the annual Toronto events that I find interesting, and provides ideas for fascinating, free or frugal things to do in Toronto. I especially like to cover summer attractions and special events in Toronto Canada; but especially for Canadian holidays.

Disclaimer: DeHaan Services has no relationship to the organizer(s); I am not reimbursed for writing this article. However, DeHaan Services does write web site or advertising copy for clients. Our skills are demonstrated in online articles in Decoded Science, Decoded Pregnancy and other online sites. That’s why DeHaan Services highlights those online articles on this site.

Click the “Toronto Events” category at the bottom of the right-hand column for recent articles in this category. Thanks!

Thanks for reading about these 2014 Civic Holiday festivals in Toronto.

Salsa, BIG on Bloor, Chinatown and Youth Day 2014 in Toronto

Would you rather salsa on St. Clair, go big on Bloor St., check out the Chinatown festival or attend Youth Day 2014 in Toronto this weekend? Oh, well, if you’d rather attend the Toronto Honda Indy or just learn to Live Green in Toronto at Yonge-Dundas Square, be my guest. These are all terrific annual Toronto summer events, ready to roll this coming weekend.

"Salsa Dancers in Bangkok" image by Bailaqui (Bailaqui Apps)
“Salsa Dancers in Bangkok” image by Bailaqui (Bailaqui Apps)

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The Salsa in Toronto Festival 2014

The Toronto Salsa Festival’s focus is on Sat. and Sun., July 19 and 20. The main stage performances start in the early afternoon, with dancers, Zumba, and live music. Explore the Latin American food and culture, including the De Colores art exhibition at Galleria 814 (814 St. Clair Ave. West at Atlas St., half-way between Dufferin and Vaughan).

Experience the “Salsa in Toronto Festival” anywhere along St. Clair Ave. West between Winona and Christie on Sat. and Sun., July 19-20, 2014. Take the TTC, please and thanks; St. Clair will be closed along that stretch, and parking spaces will be scarce. The best bet is the St. Clair West subway station from the #1 (Spadina branch of the Yonge-University-Spadina line).

This is the second year in a row that I’ve mentioned “The 2013 Salsa on St. Clair Street Festival in Toronto“.

The BIG on Bloor Festival 2014 in Toronto

First, let’s clear up the acronym. BIG means “Bloor Improvement Group”. While it may seem to be a variation on the “Business Improvement Area”, or BIA, it includes not-for-profit community development organizations, schools, artists, politicians also.

The “BIG on Bloor Festival in Toronto” offers more than the usual “taste of the street”… although “Savour Bloor” does offer choices from African to Vietnamese alphabetically. There are community service awards, the BAAF arts program spanning a range of visual and performance arts, as well as interactive opportunities for children and adults.

The 2014 BIG on Bloor Festival in Toronto runs Sat. & Sun., July 19-20, on Bloor St. West between Landsdowne Ave. and Dufferin St. I’d expect the road to be closed both days. Obviously, use the #2 Bloor-Danforth subway.

I’d mentioned BIG on Bloor a couple years ago, in “Summerlicious 2012 Hosted by Top Toronto Restaurants“.

The 2014 Toronto Chinatown Festival

The “2014 Toronto Chinatown Festival” centres on Dundas St. West between Beverley and Spadina, but includes a bit of Huron St. from Dundas north a short block to D’Arcy St. It uses this same weekend, running noon-11pm on Sat. and 11am-8pm on Sun.

Of course they offer food! Plus entertainment, and activities ranging from the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario)’s Activity Hub through face painting and a rather mysterious Toronto Zoo booth conveniently near the First Aid booth.

Once again, the subway should be your ride to the 2014 Chinatown Festival in Toronto.

And it’s the second mention for Toronto Chinatown, following “Richard III, Afro Caribbean or Chinatown in Toronto for 2013“.

Youth Day at Yonge-Dundas Square

Perhaps the “2014 Youth Day at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto” should just be called “YD at YD”. This annual festival in Toronto is free to attend for art, dance, music, and visual arts; with a focus on youth achievement in these areas of endeavour.

Youth Day only takes place on Sun. July 20, from 11am-11pm. It closes Yonge St. from Shuter St. to Dundas St.

The 2014 Toronto Honda Indy

My only comment for the “2014 Toronto Honda Indy” is that they had hoped to minimize their impact on road closures. Obviously, those who race Indy cars on Lake Shore Blvd in and around the CNE grounds, must keep the rest of us off their street. Their ticket prices put them out of the price range for this blog; but this is indeed another annual Toronto summer event.

The Bible of Road Closures in Toronto

Well, actually this link is the often-updated “Toronto Road Restriction Report (PDF)“, published by Toronto City Hall. It’s usually correct, or at least, pretty helpful in trying to predict whether an annual street festival in Toronto will shut down traffic or not.

Looking for More Annual Events in Toronto Canada?

You can find more annual Toronto events in this blog. Click the “Toronto Events” category at the bottom of the right-hand column for recent articles in this category. Thanks!

Disclaimer: DeHaan Services has no relationship to the organizer(s); I am not reimbursed for writing this article. However, DeHaan Services does write web site or advertising copy for clients. Our skills are demonstrated in online articles in Decoded Science, Decoded Pregnancy and other online sites. That’s why DeHaan Services highlights those online articles here.

Thanks for reading about Salsa on St. Clair West; the BIG on Bloor Festival; Toronto Chinatown; and Youth Day 2014.

Live Green Toronto Festival 2014 at Yonge-Dundas Square

Where can you learn how to live green in Toronto? Don’t just learn; have fun with your children and buy green products at the Live Green Toronto Festival 2014 at Yonge-Dundas Square.

"Yonge Dundas Square in repose" by nicblockley
“Yonge Dundas Square in repose” by nicblockley

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What’s On at the 2014 Live Green Festival in Toronto?

A popular annual summer event in Toronto, the Live Green Festival celebrates “all things green” with a tremendous range of events and opportunities crammed into one day.

It’s no surprise that the Green Street Market will include vendors promoting eco-friendly products including transportation alternatives. Compare your Zipcar, car2go and AutoShare options; and contrast with ezriders electric bicycles. Go beyond transportation: do you know about natural cleaning products and ways to make your home more energy efficient? Non-profit organizations, such as Green Dupatta that promotes urban gardening, can advise and assist you in making your eco-project a reality. Explore a variety of beauty, fashion, food and health products that aim to be green.

And of course, the Live Green Toronto organization will be on hand. Ask them about the City of Toronto’s programs for greening your home, neighbourhood and business. Get your Live Green Toronto membership card for discounts from some of the vendors at the Festival.

The children’s programming alternates between hula hoop and sing-along activities during the afternoon, plus the Envirodrum event at 4pm.

Enjoy the free live performances starting from 11am with the Essencia Arts Collective on the main stage. Later performances, both at this venue and also on the community stage, focus on music. The community stage’s final performance begins at 5:30pm with Womyn of Indigo; while on the main stage Mia Martina starts singing at 8pm. (Mind you… they claim to wrap up the rest of the Live Green Toronto Festival at 8pm, so you’d better do your research and shopping before that time).

Nostalgia lovers could compare what I wrote in “July 2012 Live Green Toronto Festival on Downtown Yonge“. Can you spot what changed?

The Where and When of the 2014 Live Green Toronto Festival

The Live Green Toronto Festival 2014 will be held at Yonge-Dundas Square. Is Yonge-Dundas Square truly at Yonge and Dundas? Yes, right on the #1 (Yonge) subway line and the 505 Dundas streetcar route. The official address is 1 Dundas St. East.

The Live Green Festival is also a street event along Yonge Street.

Yonge St. will be closed to cars from Edward St. to Queen St. from 6:30am to midnight. (Edward St. is a block north of Dundas St. to the west; Gould St., a bit north of Edward, heads east). So take the TTC or bicycle to the 2014 Live Green Festival in Toronto.

The 2014 Live Green Toronto Festival runs one day only, on Sat. July 19 from 11am to 8pm.

Here’s the official Live Green Toronto Festival 2014 web site. Although Toronto road closure information (PDF) gets updated regularly, but just search that document for “Live Green Festival”.

Looking for More Annual Events or a Holiday in Toronto Canada?

You can find more annual events in Toronto Ontario by searching this blog.

Disclaimer: DeHaan Services has no relationship to the organizer(s); I am not reimbursed for writing this article. However, DeHaan Services does write web site or advertising copy for clients. Our skills are demonstrated in online articles in Decoded Science, Decoded Pregnancy and several other web sites. That’s why DeHaan Services highlights those online articles on this site.

Click the “Toronto Events” category at the bottom of the right-hand column for recent articles in this category. Thanks!

Thanks for reading about the Live Greeen Toronto Festival 2014.