The top 55 summer festivals in Toronto for 2018
The top summer festivals in Toronto for 2018 are set to breathe life into the city with celebrations of culture, music and food through performances, showcases, storytelling and workshops. Plan your summer accordingly, it's gonna be a hot one.
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Must attend summer festivals
DateAbout the EventLocation-
June 20Movies, music and beer are all going down at Open Roof's new location on Sterling Road, along with outdoor movie screenings and live music every Wednesday.Sterling Road
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June 22-23Wine samples, craft beer and pairing seminars are all included in this festival, and a portion of ticket sales are donated to the Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund.Sugar Beach
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June 22-24The river of independently-brewed craft beer and ciders keeps flowing for an extra day this year, alongside tons of food and activities.Ontario Place
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June 22-24While the giant rubber duck may be gone, this year's beach ball installation looks to fill the void during this festival of art, music, food and shopping.HTO Park
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June 22-24The last weekend of Pride Month marks this huge street festival with music, entertainment, food — all within the newly expanded festival footprint.Church-Wellesley Village
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June 22-24This celebration of modern and traditional Asian food and culture takes over Kennedy Road with tons of vendors, performances and activities.Kennedy Road
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June 22 - July 1A sure sign of summer is this internationally-recognized jazz festival that sees musicians and artists flocking to Toronto from all over to play.Multiple Venues
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June 23The longest day of the year gets a full day of celebrations with family-friendly activities, music, art, performances, food and drinks.The Junction
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June 23-24Electro, EDM and trance artists arrive for this huge, two-day music festival featuring Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade and Galantis.RBC Echo Beach
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June 24Kensington goes carless for one day each month during the summer to make space for dancing, music, makers and meditation in the street.Kensington Market
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June 29 - July 2Arguably one of the largest rib fest celebrations of the year, some of the biggest names in the rib game serve up some of the best ribs in the country.Centennial Park
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July 1Round two of this electro concert series on the Island kicks off with a special Canada Day celebration featuring Anna, Jackmaster Jade and more.Hanlan's Point
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July 4-15Theatres across the city play host to a variety of plays by upcoming and established playwrites on the fringe of the performing arts scene.Multiple Venues
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July 6-8The Wexford Heights portion of Lawrence Avenue shows off its community colours during this three-day festival of food, activities, music and more.Wexford Heights
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July 6-8It's the first ever BurgerMania where burger vendors from all over the city come together for a patty smackdown.Ontario Place
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July 6-29A celebration of all things jazz music by artists, local and international, is set to turn the Beaches in to a paradise for music lovers everywhere.Multiple Venues
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July 7-8Salsa takes to the streets during this three-week outdoor party alongside St. Clair with events, food, music and, of course, dancing.St. Clair Ave West
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July 7-8Makers from all over come to Toronto to show off the creative goods, products, gadgets and everything else they've been working hard on.Toronto Reference Library
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July 12-16This festival looks to showcase digital games and creative media practices with exhibitions, screenings and performances for the curious and creative.
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July 12 - August 4Spots all over the city bring the classical music experience to the masses with programming that includes concerts, classes, lectures and workshops.Multiple Venues
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July 13-15Markham's annual outdoor festival is back, showcasing Asian street foods and nightly performances.Markham Civic Centre
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July 14-15Now in its 46th year, this annual festival shuts down the downtown core in celebration of Indian heritage and culture, and ends with a huge parade.Multiple Venues
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July 17Vans Warped Tour comes to an end after 24 glorious years of raucous partying and music with performances by Sum 41, Bowling for Soup, and The Used.Budweiser Stage
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July 21Bloor Street explodes with music and life during this huge street festival with events, activities, displays and exhibitions peppered along the strip.Bloor Street West
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July 26-29All things burlesque takes over Toronto with performances and parties featuring innovative artists skilled in the art of burlesque.Multiple Venues
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July 29A spread of goodies from the diverse Albion Islington community is up for the tasting during this outdoor celebration of different cultural offerings.Albion Islington Square
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August 3-6Scattered around the city no more, food trucks from all over will fill Woodbine Park with all kinds of tastes, smells, brews and activities.Woodbine Park
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August 4This Middle Eastern food fest kicks off with favourites like Turkish coffee, Arak and grilled halloumi, plus art, music and dancing.Dundas Square
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August 9-19New and experimental works take the spotlight with performers trying out different material, pushing boundaries and creating new audience experiences.Multiple Venues
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August 10-12Back after last year's venue debacle, this night market is known for a huge selection of Pan-Asian food, as well as art and lifestyle goods.Ontario Place
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August 10-12All things Greek take over the Danforth with patios, street food, music and activities in celebration of Toronto's Hellenic community.Greektown
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August 11-12Plant-based foodies take over Fort York for two days of vendors serving up food and drinks, and goods and products from non-animal sources.Fort York National Historic Site
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August 18-19Toronto's vibrant Chinatown community looks to celebrate its rich culture with vendors, performances and activities throughout the neighbourhood.Chinatown
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August 18-19Two days of dreamy synths, electro grooves and chill vibes is going down alongside art installations, dance, games and activities.Fort York National Historic Site
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August 24-25Ciders from Canada and all over the world are paired alongside a curated selection of food vendors during this annual two-day festival.Sherbourne Common
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August 24-26Mandarin culture, food, music and shopping takes over the Waterfront with a rotating focus on a specific Asian culture each year.Harbourfront Centre
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August 25Local Bloorcourt vendors along Bloor Street West come together for a festival of artists, musicians and crafters alongside goods, music and entertainment.Bloor Street West
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August 25-26Now in it's third year, Tamil Fest looks to celebrate Tamil culture with exhibitions, traditional food, entertainment and performances.Markham Road
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August 31 - September 3Woodbine Park gets taken over by spontaneous, outrageous and artsy performances from comedians, fire jugglers, acrobats, aerial artists and more.Woodbine Park
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September 6-16Toronto gets the star treatment as TIFF showcases the best in local and international filmmaking with screenings, panels, special events and more.TIFF Bell Lightbox
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September 7-9Over 140 vendors take over Harbourfront with a variety of vegetarian vendors selling goodies, both sweet and savoury.Harbourfront Centre
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September 7-9The Kingsway transforms in to a international food experience for three days during this street festival with vendors, live entertainment and activities.The Kingsway
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September 8New this year is this full day of family fun with music, live art, crafting, and programming for kids and adults to enjoy.Ontario Place
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September 14-16Ukrainian culture takes over Bloor Street with traditional dancing, food, music and activities. If you haven't tried real borscht or paska yet, this is the time.Bloor St. West
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September 15-16This yearly staple is set to overtake Roncy with Polish cultural offers of food, music, dance, entertainment and a polka party.Roncesvalles Village
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September 16Garlic—the most glorious of plants—gets a festival to itself with garlic-y food and desserts, products, music, talks, workshops and more.Artscape Wychwood Barns
Lead photo byHector Vasquez
Lead photo byHector Vasquez
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