Ontario Honda Dealers Indy 2026 at Markham starts in 1 week

The 'Roar by the Lakeshore' is now 'Rolling Thunder in Unionville' as the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham departs Exhibition Place in Toronto for the City of Markham. For 2026, race weekend is August 14 to 16, the first of the current five year contract. FIFA, transit line construction and CNE prep got in the way of Toronto's long run of hosting the Indy and so Markham stepped up and took over the annual high-speed racing weekend.

From the race's website, "The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham festival features world-class racing, international food, beer gardens, live entertainment and activities with lots to see and do for families and festival-goers of all ages. The on-track action for the 38th edition of this Ontario summer festival moving to Downtown Markham for the first time in 2026 features the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Additional races from the NASCAR Canada Series, USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire, and Emzone Radical Cup Canada presented by Michelin round out a jam-packed weekend."

A new temporary street course has been built in Downtown Markham, north-east of Highways 407 and 404, right beside the Unionville GO station and near the YMCA and Pan Am Centre. Owners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree of Green Savoree Racing Promotions have constructed a 3.52-kilometre circuit featuring 12 turns (four left and eight right turns), running clockwise through city streets.

Markham features the only 2026 international race in the NTT IndyCar Series. This is 14 of 18 IndyCar races scheduled this year and Sunday's headline event will be a 90-lap, 317km high speed battle beginning with opening ceremonies and driver introductions at 11:30am followed by the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy race starting at 12:22pm.

The entire weekend is chock full of practice, qualifications and racing, mixed with entertainment, driver autographs along with a food and beverage festival. The tradition of Free Fan Fridays sponsored by Ontario Honda Dealers continues in Markham with entrance via a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish® Canada. Saturday's headline is the NASCAR Canada Series Race followed by The Glorious Sons Live in Concert.

Entrances are near the Unionville GO Station or on the north side of the site near the Pan Am Centre, you can see the 2026 race map at the top of this post, or on their website. Visit Thunder Alley, the paddocks or buy Grandstand, Trackside Suites or General Admission tickets for one or for multiple days. The best travel option is via the the Stouffville Train line to the Unionville GO Station.

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham 2026 tickets now on sale

When one track closes, another opens. Ticket sales have started for the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham race, coming soon to a town near you, especially if you live in the GTA. You can now buy 2-Day Reserved Grandstand or General Admission along with pit and paddock access tickets for the August 14-16 racing event. Free Fan Friday returns for the Markham race with entrance courtesy of a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish Canada and sponsored by the Ontario Honda Dealers Association.

“It’s an exciting day to be opening up public ticket sales for the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham," said Jeff Atkinson, president of the event. “This new venue in Downtown Markham will offer expanded sightlines across multiple grandstand locations around the 12-turn track. Some great general admission vantage points are also in store for fans. We cannot wait to welcome everyone to this new festival site on August 14th!”

The temporary street course is a 12-turn, 3.52km winding through the downtown streets of Markham. The race festival also comes with food trucks, displays, activities and other attractions. Eight races will take place during Race weekend from a number of race series, including NASCAR Canada Series, USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, the USF2000 Championship Presented by Continental Tire, and the Emzone Radical Cup Canada presented by Michelin.

There are four grandstand locations along with a number of general admission areas, perfect for viewing the new home for the only Canadian race "for the world’s fastest race car drivers from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES".

Ontario Fall Fairs 2025

As the foliage starts to change colours the fun of fall fairs return as destinations that help to unite communities and get the stuffed toy and goldfish in a bowl distribution system going into high gear. While the Canadian National Exhibition has finished for the 2025 the local, small town fairs are putting in stakes and setting up rides even as we speak.

Of course the bookmark of the season is Toronto's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and Royal Horse Show which also takes place in Exhibition Place November 7-16, 2025.

You can look up local Ontario Fairs at a few sites including the following.

Destination Ontario

Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies

To Do Ontario

2026 IndyCar schedule including Canada's relocated race

After an exciting IndyCar 2025 Season, which just wrapped up with the news that Toronto's Indy race will move to Markham in August 2026, the race org has released the whole 2026 schedule to the world. The new season will come with 17 races the the only race outside of the United States when it heads to the GTA's new course location. Speaking of 2025 it seems that the winner of Toronto, Pato O'Ward, finished second in the Championship standings after Champion Alex Palou.

Indy's website says, "NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to Canada to race on the new Streets of Markham layout Sunday, Aug. 16. Recently announced, the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham continues the series’ rich history of exciting wheel-to-wheel racing in the Toronto area. Major investments from the city are creating a 12-turn, 2.19-mile layout, which will include a double-sided pit lane, a high-speed straight and technically challenging sectors. Markham, as part of the young and diverse York Region of Ontario, is experiencing significant growth at a population of more than 1.25 million. The 2026 race will mark the 38th year the series has competed in Ontario and 40th INDYCAR SERIES race in the province."

Here is the 2026 schedule:

Sunday, March 1 - Streets of St. Petersburg
Saturday, March 7 - Phoenix Raceway
Sunday, March 15 - Streets of Arlington
Sunday, March 29 - Barber Motorsports Park
Sunday, April 19 - Streets of Long Beach
Saturday, May 9 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
Sunday, May 24 - The 110th Indianapolis 500
Sunday, May 31 - Streets of Detroit
Sunday, June 7 - World Wide Technology Raceway
Sunday, June 21 - Road America
Sunday, July 5 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Sunday, July 19 - Nashville Superspeedway
Sunday, Aug. 9 - Portland International Raceway
Sunday, Aug. 16 - Streets of Markham, Canada
Saturday, Aug. 29 - Milwaukee Mile Race 1
Sunday, Aug. 30 - Milwaukee Mile Race 2
Sunday, Sept. 6 - WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Toronto area fall colours 2025

It's early September and the salmon have started their swim upstream and the cool nights have heralded the start of Autumn colours in Ontario. At this point there is about 0 to 10 percent leaf colour change throughout the province and it is estimated that colours will be changing early due to the warm, dry summer we just had, combined with the lowering temperatures experienced since mid-August when summer seemed to suddenly end. The photo at top shows colours from a previous fall in the GTA.

Officially summer continues until September 22, 2025 (at 2:19pm) when the fall equinox ushers in Autumn. The colours typically peak from the end of September into mid-October and you can track the southward migration of peak fall foliage on this Ontario Parks website or this ToDo Ontario Fall Colour Report website.

At this time (September 11) the GTA is starting to experience the occasional tree experiencing colour change as the rest of the overall forest average change is very low, but as we approach the end of September that will change very rapidly.

You can find some of your own locations with great views along hills, parks, near bodies of water and sometimes along winding roads. Some of the best places to see fall colours in the GTA include the following locations.

CN Tower gives a great overhead view

High Park

Scarborough Bluffs

Riverdale Park

Don Valley Trail

Rouge National Urban Park

Cheltenham Badlands

Spencer Gorge and Dundas Peak

Update: October 21, 2025 and peak colours seem to be breaking out everywhere and the leaves have just started falling like a winter snowfall.

Looking down towards the GTA from the escarpment

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy race moves out of Toronto

Wow, that's big news for the Canadian racing scene as the former IndyCar Toronto race in Exhibition Place will be moved to the City of Markham, beginning in 2026 for a period of 5 years. Moving made sense with the planned construction taking place in and around Exhibition Place along with the impact from the 2026 FIFA soccer games that will be held in Toronto and the lack of multi-year contracts with the City of Toronto. If they cancelled one year in Toronto, the event may not recover sponsors, attendance or fan interest, so keep it going somewhere close. So now it is known as the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham.

Rumours of moving to Downsview airport were going around along with the problems of moving to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville. But going around the streets of Markam Centre in the city's downtown core near Kennedy and Highway 401 (northeast of Toronto, see draft track at top) was kind of a surprise but at least it is in the GTA. And instead of the usual July race, the 2026 version will be held August 14-16.

"We are excited to welcome the exhilarating experience of INDYCAR SERIES racing hitting our streets in 2026," said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “We are proud to welcome this world-class event to our community. I want to thank Green Savoree Toronto, Penske Entertainment Corp., NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the Ontario Honda Dealers Association and the Province of Ontario for their trust in our city. Markham is ready to build on its strong sports legacy and offer a new home where this celebrated summer tradition can thrive. I am extremely proud of our team at the City of Markham for bringing this initiative across the finish line in just a matter of months."

From the race organizer's, "The temporary track will be built in the eastern precinct of Markham’s downtown, between Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, Unionville GO tracks and Highway 407. Renowned track designer Tony Cotman of NZR Consulting has led the design process of the temporary circuit which features a 12-turn, 3.52-kilometre (2.19-mile) layout including a double-sided pit lane, thrilling straightaways and technically challenging sectors. The City of Markham has begun early works on the track and festival site in coordination with Metrolinx and other area partners."

Thundersnow to gorgeous spring day

The evil Thundersnow hit the GTA hard Wednesday, then the next day temps went all the way up to 20 degrees Celsius. Now the weather forecasts are calling for a lot more rain over the weekend followed by more snow possibly for Monday, April 7, 2025.

So the lesson is when it actually gets sunny out and the temps are comfortable, get out there and enjoy nature. And we went waterfall chasing and found Hilton Falls in Milton with the rain and melted snow from the storm sending the creek into overdrive.

Pretty badlands in Caledon

The hills that were wild and free, then fenced and barred from visitation, now the exposed soil can be visited, if you have the money. Known as the Caledon or Cheltenham Badlands, the site is along Olde Base Line Road (1739) northwest of Toronto and the cost of entry is per car. A 90 minute visit during the week (dusk to dawn) is $10 while a weekend or holiday visit is $20 and reservations are required.

What makes the hill special is that livestock stripped the hills cover and left the dirt exposed. The dirt was then eroded by the rain and left a spiderweb of small gullies and rounded mounds, or hummocks, of reddish brown clay, streaked with grey shale - all of it is Queenston Shale.

It's beautiful on the Bruce Trail heading towards the badlands

@jmhcet Fall in the #gta is better when you are at the #cheltenhambadlands in #caledon. #badlands #erosion #fall #autumn ♬ sonido original - sing this song - power_ballads&more

I bought a ticket for a weekday because weekends in Autumn are way too busy. And this was the first time I kept off the road (250m) and took the Bruce Trail route (320m) in through the forest and up to the viewing stand. The trail is a bit up and a bit down and in rain will become a little slippery, so be careful.

Northern Lights above the Greater Toronto Area

Solar flares popping off on the sun are making an amazing light show as the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, fill the north sky in the Ontario and down into the US in the late night, early hours of October 10/11, 2024.

These red and green lights, shimmering across the sky were visible to the naked eye and if you just look up without focusing on any area you can see the lights flickering, or pulsing. We stopped just off the road on Highway 25 just north of Acton where we could safely watch the show and take photos - they always look better through a camera or smart phone on night mode.

Projections suggest that the lights will be visible Thursday, Friday and possibly into Saturday. So find a dark place and look to the north.

Fall and the return of Salmon Spawning in the Credit River

The salmon have reached up to Georgetown, Norval and beyond on their brutal quest upriver from Lake Ontario, heading to their spawning grounds along the Credit River. Early October is the peak spawing time as cooler lake temperatures and rainfall have added to the river making it possible for the large fish to make it upstream in the relatively shallow waters.

Youtube video of the Salmon Run

Fall colours are progressing nicely in the river valley

We parked at McNab Park on October 8, 2024, just off Highway adjacent to the Credit River on Noble Street and followed the path along the river where we started spotting the dark shadows in the water. The fish seem to gather their strength in deeper waters and make bursts of speed when they hit the shallows. The baby fish then swim downstream and live in Lake Ontario until it is there turn to make the trip back to their birth location.

Looking towards Highway 7

GTA Fall Fairs 2024

Autumn starts Sunday, September 22, 2024 in the Northern Hemisphere and to forget about the approach of winter it's time to get out and enjoy the many fall fairs that are taking place in and around the Greater Toronto Area. Check out Ontario's website for the fairs.

September Fairs

Beaverton Fall Fair
Bobcaygeon Fair
Lindsay Exhibition
Orono Fair
Port Hope Fair
Sunderland Fall Fair
Uxbridge Fair
Acton Fall Fair
Beeton Fall Fair
Bolton Fair
Brampton Fall Fair
Coldwater & District Agricultural Society
Georgetown Fall Fair
Grand Valley Fall Fair
Great Northern Exhibition
Milton Fall Fair
Oro World's Fair
Ramona Fall Fair
Shelburne Fair

October Fairs

International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (Ontario Plowmen's Association) in Kawartha Lakes
Norwood Fair
Elmvale Fall Fair
Markham Fair
Orillia Fall Fair
Woodbridge Fall Fair

November Fairs

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (Royal) and Royal Horse Show

That was a partially interesting lunar eclipse

The full moon on September 17/18, 2024 was both a Supermoon and a Harvest Moon and if that wasn't exciting enough it also had a partial lunar eclipse. As a bonus the skies over the GTA was fairly clear so you could actually see the moon. This lunar eclipse is described as having a bite taken out of the earth's moon (about 3.5% coverage by the umbra, or the darkest part of earth's shadow) so it was just a partial eclipse and one of two lunar eclipses taking place in 2024. You can see the eclipse in all its glory in the photo at top.

The Supermoon, Harvest moon before the eclipse

A Supermoon happens when Superman drops his drawers or, more likely, when the moon is at the closest point to earth. A Harvest moon occurs when the full moon is closest to the Autumn Equinox which is on Sun, Sep 22, 2024, 8:43 a.m.

From NASA's website, "The full Moon will be Tuesday night, September 17, 2024, at 10:35 PM EDT. This will be on Wednesday from Newfoundland and Greenland Time eastward across Eurasia, Africa, and Australia to the International Date Line. Most commercial calendars will show this full Moon on Wednesday based on Greenwich or Universal Time. The Moon will appear full for about three days, from Monday evening through Thursday morning.

This will be a partial lunar eclipse. The Moon will start entering the Earth's partial shadow at 8:41 PM EDT. The slight dimming of the Moon will be difficult to notice until the top edge of the Moon starts entering the full shadow at 10:13 PM. The peak of the eclipse will be at 10:44 PM with only the top 8 percent of the Moon in full shadow. The Moon will finish exiting the full shadow at 11:16 PM and the partial shadow on Wednesday morning at 12:47 AM."

Winterlit outdoor light festival just west of Toronto

Mountsberg Conservation Area, well known as a raptor and nature centre, is also a popular destination for a Christmas Village with Santa experience and the annual Sugar Bush festival has also added Winterlit running from the end of December 2023 to February 19, 2024.

From Winterlit's website, "Add some whimsy to your winter nights and plan your visit to Mountsberg’s award-winning display of outdoor lights at Winterlit. Enjoy a moonlit stroll along two different trails featuring sustainably sourced, illuminated art installations. This unique evening out is a celebration of nature, winter, and community."

Some of the activities you can find in the part are two illuminated trails, including one through the sugar bush, illuminated art installations and fireside lounges. And on only two weekend nights can you see the upgraded experience during the Enchanted Evenings where you can take in the licensed bar, watch light and fire performers, magicians, listen to live musicians and buy some savoury treats.

In Toronto one of my favourite lighting installations happened in the Distillery District but sadly they have stopped holding the light fest. The last one was in 2020 and you can see some of it in my post here. However you can visit the free "Lumière: The Art of Light will temporarily transform Trillium Park, at Ontario Place, March 12 to April 20, 2024." Another choice will be the upcoming free interactive Illuminite by the Downtown Yonge BIA during the entire month of March, 2024.

Meet dinosaurs on the Jurassic Quest tour

Not just one dinosaur, a herd of dinosaurs are at the International Centre December 8 to 10, 2023 as part of the Jurassic Quest tour. I hope there are electric fences fully charged so that we can wander the centre while observing the dinosaurs - from the meatiosauras to the vegiosauras, in complete safety - I mean what could go wrong? Actually it should be all good, these dinosaurs are photorealistic and provide an interactive dinosaur experience. This show only has three scheduled stops in Canada and the only one in Ontario is in the Toronto area this for this weekend and it is "back, bigger and better than ever!" The dino trainers, pictured at top, showed us the cute but toothy baby.

It's the Christmas Raptors. Photo supplied

The exhibit is in Hall 5 which is around the back of the centre. Groups of dinosaurs are kept behind small fences which seems a little scary, those dinosaurs can easily break out from these barriers. 

Handlers will show baby dinosaurs and bigger units around the special enclosures and the baby is darn cute. There are bouncy castles, dinosaur rides, discovery and excavation areas along with a retail shop and a food court area.

There is a dinosaur head or some eggs you can pose inside

From the tour, "New for 2023! Jurassic Quest is on its biggest Canadian tour yet and is bringing more hands-on activities, education and fun for the whole family including our expanded herd of life-like moving and roaring dinosaurs, themed rides and attractions, live dinosaur shows, interactive science and art activities including a giant fossil dig, real fossils, a “Triceratots” soft play area for our littlest explorers, photo opportunities, a newly launched video tour featuring our star dinosaur trainers, and more!"

Ann almost lost her fingers!

Millions have seen the impressive dinosaurs, including baby dinosaurs, since 2013 and I great time seeing the most realistic dinosaur exhibition in North America during their Canadian leg of the tour.

See more info on the quest after the jump.