It's festival season in Toronto

Monday, September 11, 2023

It's festival season in Toronto

This past weekend the city was full of festivals, many of them street festivals and shutting down streets leads to BlogTO telling us what a nightmare it will be to traverse the city. Add in road construction, TTC shutdowns and accidents and it really is true so I biked! Many of the festivals feature the same old things sometimes it's hard to tell one festival from another. But, a big but, they bring people out to socialize and have fun - escape the ordinary and meet your neighbours. They just need more dunk tanks.

tiff street festival

During the September 9-10 weekend there was VegTO Fest, Cabbagetown Festival, Ossington Summer Send-off Festival, Taste of Kingsway and the creme de la creme - tiff street festival, now featuring fewer celebrities (actor and writer strikes).

The Ossington Summer Send-off

The mini Oss-Fest was a one day affair. From the Meet me on Ossington website; "Something great is planned for Saturday, September 9th! Get ready to experience a pedestrian takeover of Ossington Avenue between Queen St W and Dundas St W. Many people, visitors, customers, city builders and businesses have always said, "Ossington Avenue would be the perfect street to pedestrianize for a day or two, or better yet, every weekend!". Well those wishes have been granted, for one day anyways! We have been graciously awarded the Main Street Innovation Fund through the City of Toronto, to help make this happen!"

Taste of Kingsway had a lot of amusement rides

From the Taste of the Kingsway website; "From September 8-10, join us for three unforgettable days of food, music, family entertainment, contests, and shows at South Etobicoke's largest street festival, in celebration of its 25th year."

Tall guy making balloons during Cabbagetown Festival

From Cabbagetown's website; "Calling all festival lovers! Get ready to party like it's 1976 because the legendary Cabbagetown Festival is back! After a 3-year hiatus, we're coming back bigger, bolder, and better than ever before! Gather your crew, bring your dancing shoes, and join us for a FREE weekend of pure fun, on September 9th and 10th!"

VegTO Fest at City Hall's Nathan Phillips Square

From VegTO Fest website; "VegTO Fest returns! Toronto’s only free vegan festival kale-bent on making plant-based fun accessible and sensational for everyone. Experience over 200 exhibitors offering food, wares and other wonders. There’s lots to get hyped about."

Next week (September 16-17, 2023) brings a couple of doozies as well such as the Redpath Waterfront Festival (with the big rubber ducky), the Toronto Ukrainian Festival, Roncesvalles Polish Festival.