It turns out festivals are the way Toronto likes to end its summers.
Buskers, butterflies, beaches, blueberries, coconuts, movies, music, South East Asia, Taiwan – they all get their day in the sun this weekend. It’s like Oprah was deciding the schedule for the next four days.
So we thought we’d add a few more events to your calendar and bring this edition of The Weekender just shy of offering 50 different things for you to do.
Did we mention there are festivals?
Thursday
Buskerfest is like going to a circus – everywhere. Hosted by Epilepsy Ontario, this is one of Ontario’s largest street performers festivals, with more than 75 acts performing for three days throughout downtown.
You know what’s better than running 6K in Toronto? Running 6K on Ward’s Island.
The Toronto Indie Arts Market is exactly what it sounds like – an evening of local shopping, that features arts, food, fashion, and more.
The Mighty Pen is having a rooftop BBQ fundraiser. Your $75 will get you an all-you-can-eat dinner, an open bar, and the right to claim you support good causes.
Paddle Royale is basically like Wimbledon for Ping-Pong players. Except with so much more beer involved.
The Open Roof Festival is finishing its final night with Jon Favreau’s comedy, Chef.
Country darlings the Zac Brown Band are taking over the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre for the next two nights. Yee-haw. Or something like that.
The Bond Affair Dinner Series is almost sold out. If you want to live (or at least drink) like James, you’d better hurry up.
Friday
#FarmDropTO sounds like a pretty great way to get all your local food.
Get Real. Seriously, it’s for a really good cause.
Follow Your Fear Day 2014 lets you listen to fear followers talk about how they followed their fears and how their lives have changed because of it. We hope someone brings up spiders at least once.
Wild Burger is officially opening shop at Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton. Go north, young professional, go north.
There are only a few Friday’s left to get your schmooze on at one of the hottest after work parties in the city. And we’ve teamed up with Maison Mercer to make this Friday’s the most memorable yet.
Get involved in a scavenger hunt through all of Toronto’s most haunted places. Or, at least, get on the waiting list.
The movie in Liberty Village Park this week will pay tribute to Robin Williams by showing Mrs. Doubtfire.
Fashion Friday will show you everything that’s about to be trendy in Toronto. From out of a shipping container – obviously.
Ever want to know everything you can about Taiwan? There’s a festival for that.
Black Beauty Breed, a movie about the history of the oft-misunderstood Rottweiler, will be playing for free at 7:30pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox
Your weekly boat cruise party is here. Thankfully, this time it’s in support of The Cancer Society.
If you like food from trucks, there really is nowhere else to be but Food Truck Frenzy at the CNE.
This is the official Zac Brown after-party, complete with a free bus ride right from the Amphitheatre. Now just don’t forget your cowboy hat at the concert.
Saturday
There’s a festival for butterflies because (like we said) there’s a festival for everything.
This is called The Edible Tree Tour. Seriously. Saturdays just keep getting weirder.
Speaking of which, why not participate in the self-proclaimed Canada’s Biggest Waterfight at Trinity Bellwoods Park.
GoodLife is holding the 2nd leg of its 6th annual Toronto Women’s Run Series. There’s both a 10K and a 5K option.
The IRIE Music Festival already hit Nathan Philips Square earlier in August, but it’s returning for a second run to celebrate diversity and African-Canadian culture in Mississauga.
There’s simply no better way to close off the month than with a diverse lineup of international DJs, a fully licensed shoreline setting, and sand between your toes. Luckily, the Waterfront Beach Festival offers just that.
The TD Festival of South Asia is exactly what it sounds like.
There’s a 3-on-3 basketball tournament you’re too late to sign up for. But that doesn’t mean you can’t watch and listen to classical music at the same time.
It’s Rastafest. (You should be able to figure out the rest…)
There’s a citywide scavenger hunt/race taking place on the same day that there’s a very Amazing-Race-like competition also happening.
Salsa in the City Square is all about Cuba. And by Cuba we mean dancing, beer, and food.
La Carnita is doing something cool in their own backyard tonight.
Carlton Cinemas is showing Good Will Hunting in an effort to raise money for CAMH.
We know almost nothing about the Project X House Party and yet we still really want to go.
Paul Simon has a son and he’s playing at The Drake.
Is Steely Dan too old a reference for young professionals? Only one way to find out – and it’s at the Sony Centre.
Sunday
It’s Blue Jays Bobblehead day, aka, something to cheer about.
Okay, for reals, this is starting to get out of control. A Coconut Festival? Fine, we’ll go to it too.
And while we’re at it, why not the fifth annual Wild Blueberry Festival as well?
High Tea and Burlesque? You had us at high…
The Toronto Humane Society’s annual fundraiser, Paws in the Park, is as adorable as it sounds.
Christie Pits Film Fest is bringing Hitchcock’s Rear Window to the park to help end your weekend, and the festival itself, on a high note.
Grammy Award winning rockers Linkin Park play the ACC. And we’re not sure what’s more surprising – the fact that Linkin Park won a Grammy or that they can still sell out the ACC.
Well, that’s it, that’s all.
Four days and 45 ways to spend them.
Just remember – FOMO isn’t real if you’re there.
Stay Notable,
The Weekender
#NOTABLE
Cover Image: foodiepages.ca
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