Annual Events, Toronto Events

Four Free Events Outdoors in Toronto Sept. 13-15 2013

(Updated Sept. 8, 2014): I’ve added the dates for 2014; the old links still seem ok. Note that Applicious moved a week farther into the future, putting it on the same date as the Toronto Mennonite Festival at Black Creek Pioneer Village. (I volunteer at, and for, the Toronto Mennonite Festival: read more in my recent “Two Quilt Events at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto“).

With little time and less fanfare, here are four free outdoors events in Toronto for the lucky weekend of September 13-15, 2013. In order of their start dates, these annual Toronto events include:

  • The 2014 Toronto Ukrainian Festival, from Friday the 12th through Sunday 14th. (2013: Sept. 13-15).
  • The 2014 Roncesvalles Polish Festival, on Saturday and Sunday (just as in 2013).
  • Applicious, the Applegrove Community Festival only on Saturday Sept 20, 2014. (2013: Sept. 14).
  • The Terry Fox Run on Sunday Sept. 14, 2014, at more locations “than you could shake a stick at, if that’s your idea of a good time”. (Groucho Marx didn’t seem to like the idea of shaking a stick at anything).

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This statue honouring Terry Fox is the most striking image I have for today’s post.

"Statue of Terry Fox in Ottawa" image by vlitvinov (Vlad Litvinov)
"Statue of Terry Fox in Ottawa" image by vlitvinov (Vlad Litvinov)

2013 Toronto Ukrainian Festival

The Toronto Ukrainian Festival of 2013 started today at 5pm. The free street events include a parade on Sat. at 11am; the main stage shows Sat. at 7pm and Sun. at noon and 2:30pm; and the Zabava street dances Fri. and Sat. at 10:30pm.

Under the heading of “something completely different” for a Toronto street festival, the 2013 Ukrainian celebration in Toronto includes an ecumenical worship service at 10:30am on Sunday Sept. 15th at the main stage, which is at Jane and Bloor. (But read about the Roncessvalles Polish Festival, which also serves a church service).

The 2013 Toronto Ukrainian Festival closes at 7pm Sunday.

Find the Toronto Ukrainian Festival 2013 in the Bloor West Village, from Jane east past Runnymede to Glendonwynne Road.

The Saturday parade will get organized in High Park at 10am, and start marching along Bloor at 11am, west to Jane and then north.

If you can’t find food, buskers, the children’s midway (at Runnymede), shopping or live entertainment…you’ve probably missed Bloor West Village entirely. Check the official Toronto Ukrainian Festival site for more details.

2013 Roncesvalles Polish Festival

A bit south and east of the Ukrainian Festival is the 2013 Roncesvalles Polish Festival in Toronto. It takes over Roncesvalles Avenue, from Queen St. West to Dundas St. West.

This year, you’ve missed the Friday night polka party in the St. Casimir’s Church auditorium. So, starting from Saturday at 11am, enjoy the street scene until Brathanki performs at 7pm at the main stage. Then dance from 8:30-11pm at the same venue, at Wright Ave. (about half-way between Bloor and Queen).

On Sunday, attend a Gospel service at 11am at the main stage. (Did I say that religion is unusual at street festivals? Not in Toronto on the 3rd weekend of September, apparently). By 11:30, the main stage hosts song and dance ensembles, and a variety of other artists until Brathanki closes from 5:30-6:30pm.

There are five other stages, offering shows for much of the Roncesvalles Polish Festival.

Enjoy the food along with the entertainment. How many Polish sausages can you “polish off”? But seriously, you can find East Indian and Italian cuisine along with kielbasa and borscht.

The official Roncesvalles Polish Festival site offers more details, including the ominous warning to not park on residential streets at the risk of a hefty fine.

The 2013 Applegrove Community Complex Applicious Festival in Toronto

Applegrove Community Complex presents the annual Applicious Festival in Toronto on Saturday Sept. 14.

This family oriented festival confines itself to the Ashbridge Estate at 1444 Queen Street East, running from 11am-4pm. It’s free to attend, but they appreciate a pay-what-you-can donation to support the Applegrove Community Complex’s programs for children, adults and seniors. Here’s a frugal tip: wear some red clothing to get a free activity ticket.

The 2013 Applicious Festival has entertainment, activities and refreshments. The official Applicious Festival web page has a little more information, including a link to their map and to the Applegrove Community Complex’s primary site.

The 2013 Terry Fox Run in Toronto and Ontario

You have a handful of choices for the 2013 Terry Fox Run in Toronto, since there are almost a dozen separate venues. Many have “open start times”, meaning that you can start your run, walk or other locomotion at lib. (From their official page, click on the venue link to learn the details at that specific site. In some cases you can bike, roller-blade or use your wheelchair). Different venues also have different distances available: for example, you can choose 5Km or 10Km at High Park.

The venues for the Toronto Terry Fox Run 2013 are, in alphabetical order:

  • The Beaches (or as locals say, “The Beach”): Register at the Woodbine Bathing Station by 8:15am, then run between 9am-12:30pm.
  • Central YMCA: Run or roll from 20 Grosvenor (NW of College & Yonge) between 10am and 2pm.
  • The Garrison is closed to the public, but if you are one of the chosen, you’d already know.
  • High Park: Register at the Bloor St. entrance at 8am; run between 9am-1pm.
  • Mooredale: Near the Rosedale subway station, find the car park at 146 Crescent Road, and run between 8am and 2pm.
  • Scarborough uses Cedarbrook Park at 91 Eastpark Boulevard (West off Markham Road near Lawrence Avenue East) between 9am and 1pm.
  • Upper Canada College in Forest Hill: Register at 200 Lonsdale Road at 8am; run from 9am to noon.
  • Ward’s Island: volunteers will meet you at the Toronto Island ferry dock. The first start time is 10am, but runs until 2pm.
  • West Hill uses Colonel Danforth Park near Old Kingston Road (Manse Road and Military Trail) from 8am through noon.
  • Wilket Creek Park: run from 9am-1pm, starting at Eglinton Ave. East and Leslie Street.
  • York University seems geared to intramural teams: register at 9:30am, then run at 10:30am.

Although the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope is an annual fundraising event for the Terry Fox Foundation’s support for cancer research, these annual events also provide fun and exercise without forcing you to wring the dimes from your relatives’ purses. Just head out and run or bike anyway, or simply cheer on the complete strangers who have joined the cause.

The link to the official Terry Fox Run in Ontario page offers many more choices, so our neighbours in the Greater Toronto Area can also learn “where is the nearest Terry Fox Run in the GTA”? Their home page links to other events, including the Terry Fox Runs everywhere in Canada.

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.

Five Ideas for a Toronto Vacation or Staycation

CityPASS offers discount tickets to Toronto attractions, including Metro Toronto Zoo coupons. You buy the voucher online, print it and take it to your first destination; let’s say it’s the zoo. They give you the coupon booklet but remove the Metro Toronto Zoo discount tickets. Visit the next four attractions, where helpful staff relieve your booklet of tickets but leave you with the rest of the information. You save over $40 by spending about $70. The voucher is good for almost two years, but you have to use all the discount admission tickets within nine days. This is terrific for tourists looking for multiple things to do in Toronto, or for a hometown stay-cation: use discount tickets to Casa Loma, the CN Tower, the Metro Toronto Zoo, the Ontario Science Centre and the Royal Ontario Museum in a nine day adventure. That’s five things to do while vacationing in Toronto Canada, and at a bargain price thanks to the discount coupons.

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 my Fitness and Weight Control blog. That’s why DeHaan Services highlights these online articles on this site.

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

Thanks for reading about these five free outdoor events in Toronto for this weekend.