It’s not every day your country turns 147.
And if there’s one thing Canadians know how to do, it’s party. Especially when it’s essentially a patriotic duty.
So we put together a list of ways you can spend your Canada Day in Toronto, all of which show some love for our home and native land…
Electric Island Canada Day Concert & Picnic Series on Centre Island
Beats, babes, boats, fellow Canadian flag-waving young professionals and one of the most Instagram-worthy views of the city – what else could you want?
Centre Island, 1:30-10:30pm.
Canada Day Lobster Boil at Steam Whistle
Party like a Maritimer with lobster, beer and the East Coast sounds of Poor Angus. Let the lobster vs. bbq debate begin.
Two seating times available, 3pm or 6pm.
Steam Whistle Brewery, 255 Bremner Blvd.
Canada Day at Mel Lastman Square
Although it’s way beyond our South-of-Bloor comfort zone, it might just be worth the subway ride up to North York for the event-filled (but very family-friendly) celebration at Mel Lastman Square. How friendly, you ask? To which we say, fireworks, face painting, and free admission.
Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge Street, 5pm to 10:30pm.
3rd Annual Free Tibet Momo
So, it’s not the most Canadian way to spend the day… but the entertainment value alone makes it worth the mention. Come on, where else are you going to catch a Tibetan dumpling eating contest? Don’t worry, though, you don’t have to compete to eat – there’ll be momos sold throughout the event.
Tibet Kitchen, 11am-8pm (competition starts at 5pm).
Canada Day at the Blue Jays pre-game festival
If you’re hitting the Jays game, arrive early for a little pre-game Canada Day celebration with live entertainment, interactive games, and fun inflatables (oh, yeah). As an added bonus, the first 20,000 fans will receive a red Blue Jays bucket hat presented by Honda… wait, maybe that’s not a bonus after all.
Rogers Centre, 1:07pm
#LandAhoy Canada Day Land Cruise
Jump on board for a daytime party with live music, food, four DJs, a live artist display and ample skin-baring guests on the Maison Mercer Terrace. Think: boat cruise-themed party sans seasickness.
15 Mercer St., 1:00pm
Canada Day Extravaganza at Harbourfront
If you want to start the birthday bash a day early, a “Canada Eve” 20-minute, 2-barge fireworks display will light up the sky on June 30th at 10:40pm at Toronto’s Harbourfront. The celebration continues on Canada Day with artists, music and food all by the water. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you could always hit this and Electric Island, which waits just a short ferry ride away…
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W.
Edgefest: The Sheepdogs & Monster Truck
The first day of the EdgeFest’14 concert series at Molson Amphitheatre kicks of with two favourite Canadian bands: The Sheepdogs and Hamilton’s Monster Truck. Because a good, old-fashioned outdoor Canadian rock concert is always a good idea…
Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, 4:30pm
Toronto Ribfest
Canada Day marks the final day of the Toronto Ribfest festival and BBQ competition. What you’ll get: 16 award-winning ribbers (if ribs aren’t your thing, there’s other food, too), live music and entertainment, a massive midway (which you may want visit before you eat), massive screens to ensure you don’t miss any World Cup action, and fireworks at 10pm to close the festival.
Centennial Park, 256 Centennial Park Rd, 11:00am-11:00pm.
Multicultural Canada Day
Looking for a mixed bag of culture? All day long, Yonge-Dundas Square will feature food, music and dance from countries around the world. The day ends with two headliner bands (at 7 and 8pm), DeVah Quartet and SHAWNEE.
Yonge-Dundas Square, 12pm-9pm.
Brewer’s Backyard: Canada Day Edition
If there was ever an excuse to get day drunk on beer (not that we need one), it’s Canada Day. On Tuesday, the Evergreen Brick Works hosts Brewer’s Backyard: Group of Seven. Just who is this group of seven? Only a handful of Toronto’s most exciting brewers: Great Lakes, Oast House, Left Field, Nickel Brook, Spirit Tree, Kanga Meat Pies and Sugar Pie Honey Bunch.
Evergreen Brick Works, 11am-4pm.
Bacon Nation Grand Opening
As a country, there are definitely worse things to be known for than your bacon. The beloved food truck that dishes bacon everything, Bacon Nation, opens the doors to its first-ever restaurant on Canada Day. This is not a coincidence.
Whatever you decide to do, remember that Canada Day is still four days away and the weekend has already started. So pace yourself, because you don’t want to end up spending Canada Day in bed with a sunburn and hangover…
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