You can walk across this pedestrian bridge over Lake Ontario once again

I dislike these type of headlines, but sometimes you just have to have fun! I have walked over this bridge many times in the past as it crosses over a marina in Toronto and lands by Harbourfront Centre. Then five years ago it closed, or really the lifting part of the bridge was removed and it was blocked to keep people from falling in the water. The lift bridge was necessary to allow the boats to get in and out of Marina Four, part of Harbourfront Centre Marine.

This bridge was originally named the Spadina Wavedeck pedestrian bridge and with the repair and reopening of the bridge you too can save valuable minutes on your journey. It was renamed the Amsterdam Bridge because it was originally gifted to the city by the Mayor of Amsterdam in 1974, not because it is by the adjacent Amsterdam Brewhouse. On Sunday, May 31, 2026 it opened once again with the help of the Deputy Mayor, a representative of Harbourfront Centre and CreateTO along with the Dutch Consul General.

You can see the Amsterdam Bridge missing the lift bridge portion in the above photo from early May 2026.

Maple Keys carpet in Sherbourne Common

The urban park along lower, Lower Sherbourne has two sections; one north and one south of Queens Quay East. This is a great park that runs right up to the edge of the inner harbour and includes cool features such as a winding, concrete channel and some art installations that provide water cascading down to the channel, a washroom facility, a skating rink/splash pad, plenty of open space and some Maple trees that are shedding their seeds onto the concrete surface.

The seeds are maple keys that act light little helicopters, dropping from the tree and hoping to hit a nice, welcoming patch of soil that will allow a new crop of Maple trees. Sadly in this case they also need to wait for a nice wind to get them out of that urban hard spot. So many have dropped that it is hard to see the grey concrete through the seeds.

RedBall down at Harbourfront

That RedBall is having a great time exploring Toronto, he squeezed into a tight space, like always, in Harbour Square Park West and is enjoying the sun and taking a break to just hang. The ball started its Toronto run on June 3rd at the entrance to Old City Hall and will finish on June 7, 2026 in Regent Park. If he had found his way down to Sugar Beach he might have been reborn as a giant beach ball.

The round, red art installation travels the world and is in our fair city as part of Luminato Festival.

From the Festival's website, "This is RedBall Toronto by artist Kurt Perschke. Having travelled to more than 40 cities across six continents, RedBall Project has yet to roam the same streets twice. Until now. As we celebrate Luminato’s 20th anniversary and RedBall Project’s 25th anniversary, we welcome the project back to transform the streets and public spaces of Toronto, turning everyday experiences into moments of surprise and playfulness."

June 3 - Old City Hall 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
June 4 - TMU Student Learning Centre 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
June 5 - St. Lawrence Market North 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
June 5 - Meridian Hall 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
June 6 - Harbour Square Park West 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
June 7 - Regent Park Aquatic Centre 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Copper Canopy art installation Harbourfront Centre

Toronto's Harbourfront Centre is embracing Fall and as part of their 2025 Water/Fall Festival are featuring Copper Canopy within Ontario Square Park. Luckily these copper leaves don't fall to the forest floor, or your head.

The art installation is free to visit and will be on display until November 16, 2025. Created by RAW Works and fabricated by Anex Works, they describe it as an Installation of Light, Shadow and Community.

The Harbourfront website says, "In the chaos of urban life, we often forget to take a moment to breathe. Copper Canopy offers a moment of stillness – inviting visitors to stand beneath something that feels alive.

The outdoor installation, made from a suspended grid of copper leaves, reimagines the shelter of a forest canopy with each leaf individually cut and hung to form a floating canopy above. By day, the leaves catch the light and scatter soft shadows across the ground. By night, lighting transforms the installation – casting intricate patterns on surrounding surfaces and shifting the atmosphere of the space entirely. As wind moves through the piece, the leaves gently sway and rustle, adding a subtle layer of sound to the experience.

Responding to its surroundings and shifting with the light, weather and movement of people passing beneath it, this work offers a dynamic and reflective space in the heart of the city."

@jmhcet Copper Canopy art installation at #Toronto #harbourfrontcentre #ontariosquare. #artinstallation #coppercanopy ♬ You May Be Right - Billy Joel

Summer on the Toronto waterfront

Harbourfront Centre is cool to hang at throughout summer and into fall with a number of events scheduled, otherwise up and down Queen's Quay you can find restaurants, beach parks and the ferries or water taxis over to the Toronto Islands.

Other events for 2025 include the following.

Summer Music in the Garden: June 21 – August 28, 2025.
Dancing on the Square: July 2 – August 27, 2025, various dance and live music events
Free Flicks: July 8 – August 26, 2025, free outdoor movie screenings.
Island Vibes: August 2–3, 2025.
Habari Africa: August 8–11, 2025, celebrating African cultures.
TAIWANfest: August 22–24, 2025, exploring Taiwan's culture.

Canadian International Air Show: August 30 - September 1.

Now you can find more along the waterfront with the continuing construction of the Port Lands and into Cherry Beach.

Moving Forest is heading down to Harbourfront

I love that they call the group of 50 trees in shopping carts a flock, but flock it is, and the travelling trees have completed their stay in Bentway Park (pictured here) and are heading to Harbourfront Centre from July 14 to 20, 2025. This flock is part of the Moving Forest art collection, a mobile canopy of trees rolling through Toronto on an 8 week journey to provide shade to the people.

The forest also features some pop-up readings and performances as part of the artwork experience as it moved from Downsview to the Bentway and now to Harbourfront with a few stops at various plazas. Designed by NL Architects the Red, Silver and Sugar Maples along with Autumn Blaze trees are rearranged daily and will eventually be planted in public lands around the city and other locations in the GTA.

The Bentway says of the artwork, "City dwellers have long appreciated trees for their beauty, but these familiar green features are often undervalued as critical urban assets – they help cool the environment, protect against flooding, capture carbon, and provide essential shade. Trees are also a barometer of equity in an urban setting. Too often, new communities are built with insufficient space for planting and without the necessary resources to ensure that trees can mature and thrive. Recognizing the need for more tree cover and thoughtful placement The City of Toronto has set an aggressive goal of raising its tree canopy by 40 percent by 2050, but it is important that the distribution of these new plantings extend the benefits trees offer to all corners of the city. The project reminds us that as our cities continue to warm and densify, we must ensure that we are prioritizing green infrastructure along with grey."

Busker Kate Mior shows us Madame Guillotine

She seems a little peeved that she was relieved of her head in some other lifetime and returns to seek retribution by chopping off some poor sod's head in a busker performance worthy of an oscar. Street performer, or busker, Kate Mior was down at Harbourfront near Queen's Quay Terminal to spread cheer to the crowds showing up on Canada Day 2025. I love summer and the buskers return to major tourist hotspots to entertain people in return for donations.

Kate takes a selfie with the victim

And grabs another volunteer from the crowd

celebrations ensue

Her main accessory for the day included a large guillotine with a shiny, angled blade while she dressed in a heavy, red gown and sported a curly white wig. She grabs someone from the audience and places a hood on the volunteer and places him gently in the guillotine, brings down the upper head holder and makes the rope ready to drop the blade.

Then she goes back into the audience for another volunteer, has fun with the crowd and in a moment full of drama, pulls the rope and drops the infamous blade of the guillotine onto the neck of the kneeling victim. I forgot if he lived or died so be careful if you see Kate perform, you might not want to be the victim.

@jmhcet Buskers are back at #harbourfront #toronto. Kate Muir as #marieantoinette tries to remove someone's head on #canadaday🇨🇦 ♬ Sharp Dressed Man (2008 Remaster) - ZZ Top

Terry Fox statue in the Toronto Music Garden

I first noticed the three tall slabs of stone along Queen's Quay in the Music Garden area of harbourfront and tracked down a poster talking about Terry Fox, it was a little later that I noticed the statue of Terry Fox sitting on a barrier near the slabs, so that made info finally made sense.

WaterfrontToronto says "Mayor Olivia Chow and Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Spadina-Fort York) joined Darrell Fox, brother of Terry Fox, to reveal the new public art project “We Are Shaped by the Obstacles We Face”, which commemorates the legacy of Canadian humanitarian and activist Terry Fox. Also on hand for the unveiling beside the Toronto Music Garden, 439 Queens Quay W., were representatives from the Legacy Art Project Toronto, Waterfront Toronto and the Waterfront Business Improvement Area (BIA)."

The installation was designed by Jon Sasaki and landscape architecture consultants DTAH and the stones were placed along a curved path in the park, sculpted at the top, and meant to tell people that obstacles are opportunities and to keep pushing forward.

Of course genius that I am didn't immediately realize that you lined up the slabs to make a cutout of Terry on his historic journey. There are a couple of circles on the path to the west of the slabs that you stand on to see the alignment.

Terry's outline

See more of the park and memorial after the jump.

Toronto Waterfront Festival 2025 with the return of the Tall Ships

Sugary sweet and ready for fun, the 2025 Toronto Waterfront Festival is on this weekend June 28-29 and this year is the one in three where the Tall Ship fleet comes to town. The annual free to attend festival (except for boat tours and sailing) is now 15 years and full of land and water entertainment, presented by Redpath and happening around Sugar Beach at 11 Dockside Drive. The fun starts Saturday at 10am.

From the festival website, "Tour our fleet of historic Tall Ships and take one out for a sail. Plus, live entertainment, interactive activities, delicious food and tons of nautical fun! Tour the ships – The schooner, the better!"

The ships sailed into Toronto harbour on Friday, June 27 although Empire Sandy is a Toronto based Tall Ship. The nautical entertainment will take place on the George Brown Stage and here is some of the performers coming to the festival.

Tap Dancing Sailors

Fire Dancers

HMCS York Navy Band

Envirodrum band made from recycled materials

Roaming stilt walkers and jugglers

Captain Finn & The Salty Sea Dogs sea shanty singers.

Sugar Beach

The Empire Sandy is Cruising the harbour

The smaller big duck is on site

KUUMBA February 2025 Black Futures Month Festival

February brings Black History Month and Toronto's Harbourfront celebrates with KUUMBA, a Black Futures Month Festival with plenty of events to mark the 30th anniversary of the festival. KUUMBA Festival is presented by TD Bank Group (with a 2025 theme of theme of healing through the arts) and complements the KUUMBA 365, a year-long exhibition of art at the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery commissioned to focus on "the disciplines of literary, spoken word, dance and theatre arts."

From KUUMBA, "We look to transcend historical narratives of trauma and repression, uniting the community and sparking exchange around the creative and intellectual achievements of the Black diaspora. Cultivating an inclusive atmosphere that centres on meaningful dialogues and celebratory expressions, KUUMBA recognizes the paramount contributions of Black creators shaping the future of art, culture and society."

The photo at top is a screenshot of some of the programming for the festival, including a special anniversary edition highlighting Bob Marley's musical contributions on February 6 with a tribute concert by JUNO Award-winning artist Jay Douglas and the All Stars on the late musician and cultural icon's birthday.

"Through the TD Ready Commitment, we're proud to support Harbourfront Centre's KUUMBA, which shines a light on the richness of Black culture and the incredible contributions of Black communities," said Robyn Small, Senior Manager, Philanthropy, TD Bank Group. "Together, we're helping foster spaces that showcase Black talent, share stories that reflect Black lived experiences and inspire meaningful connection through community programming." 

Other KUUMBA programming highlights feature a two-day Breaking Canada’s Rock Harder dance competition, a Pause and Expand Wellness Series to improve your well-being through workshop experiences, contemporary dance performances. Harbourfront Centre is hosting the festival and there will be a combination of free events, pay-what-you-wish events and ticketed performances.

Toronto New Year’s Eve 2024/2025 celebrations at the waterfront

Happy New Year! The action will be along the waterfront for the December 31st, 2024 New Year's Eve celebrations - including live performances, activities and of course fireworks.

From the City, "On Tuesday, December 31, the City will host a 10-minute fireworks display synchronized to music, lighting up Toronto’s inner harbour at midnight. As one of the largest shows in Canada, it will offer stunning views for residents and visitors alike. The event will be livestreamed for those celebrating remotely, see above (Tune in at 11:45pm). Pedestrians are encouraged to use York Street, Jarvis Street, Spadina Avenue and Bay Street to access any of the seven waterfront viewing areas for spectacular views of the fireworks display."

Mayor Olivia Chow said, “New Year’s Eve is a time to come together as a community and celebrate the hope and possibilities of the year ahead. Whether you’re joining us in person at the waterfront or watching the spectacular fireworks from home, I invite everyone to experience the magic of this unforgettable night as we welcome 2025 together.”

There are a number of designated viewing areas; Toronto Music Garden, 476 Queens Quay W., Sherbourne Common, 61 Dockside Dr., Sugar Beach Park, 11 Dockside Dr., HTO Park, 339 Queens Quay W., HTO Park West, 375 Queens Quay W., Harbour Square Park, 25 Queens Quay W. and Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W.

Info from the City of Toronto's media release: New Year’s Eve programming

The City’s New Year’s Eve celebrations will also feature pop-up performances from 10 p.m. onwards at various locations across Toronto’s waterfront including:

- Sherbourne Common, 61 Dockside Dr.
- Toronto Music Garden, 476 Queens Quay W.

Performances include DJ sets by Traxx & Feels collective at Bathurst Quay Common and participatory dance sessions at Sherbourne Common, co-produced with The Dance Together Festival, where the public is invited to join in and dance. INCIRQUE Pop-Up circus performers will entertain audiences at various waterfront locations, while a curated selection of short films from the National Film Board of Canada will be projected on the east side of the Canada Malting Silos, visible from the Toronto Music Garden. The festivities will culminate in a countdown celebration at 11:45 p.m., led by Mayor Olivia Chow and renowned drag entertainer Sanjina DaBish Queen.

Travel and road closures

Riding public transit is strongly recommended for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Free service is available on the TTC, GO Transit and UP Express from 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, to 8 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. All customers should tap at fare kiosks as usual but will not be charged during the free service period.

Learn more about what to expect when taking public transit:

- TTC: Subway services will run until 3 a.m., with the last trains leaving Union Station at approximately 2:30 a.m. Overnight buses and streetcar service continue until 8 a.m. For schedules and departures, visit the TTC webpage.

- GO Transit & UP Express: Free service is offered. Details and schedules are available on the GO Transit website.

To prevent overcrowding at Union Station following the fireworks, starting at midnight, all TTC customers will be redirected to the east side exterior entrance. Accessible entry will be maintained on Bay Street and through the Bay Promenade inside the station. TTC riders are encouraged to consider using alternate stations, such as King, Queen, St. Andrew and Osgoode, to avoid crowds at Union Station.

The following road closures are in effect on New Year’s Eve:

- Eastbound traffic on Queens Quay West from 10 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 to 1 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025

- Bay Street from Front Street to Queens Quay West from 10 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 to 1 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

- York Street from Front Street to Queens Quay West from 10 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 to 1 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

Additional road closures may be added at any time if deemed necessary by Toronto Police Services. More information on road closures is available on the City’s website.

Island Soul festival on now at Harbourfront Centre

It's an extended August long weekend at Harbourfront Centre as they celebrate Caribbean culture along with Emancipation Day with the 26th annual Island Soul festival August 1 to 5, 2024. Food, music, performances and art will help showcase the Caribbean influences that are now enjoyed around the world.

Emancipation Day marks the end of slavery in the British Empire on August 1, 1834 and in 2022 Canada designated the celebrations as a national historic event. In Toronto we also celebrate Emancipation Month throughout August.

Looking toward harbourfront from a Toronto Ferry

Island Soul, produced by Harbourfront's Arinola Olowoporoku, includes both free and ticketed events over the weekend featuring live dancehall, Soca, and reggae performances, to multidisciplinary arts, comedy, film, fun family activities along with the food of the islands. You can take in comedians, DJs and musicians throughout the day and night. You can also take part in drumming workshops and visit the shops in the marketplace and food vendors as well.

Event Highlights provided by Harbourfront include:

Comedy Night with Trixx and Friends - Aug. 1 at 8pm, tickets starting at $30

North America’s top comedians hit the stage for an evening of hilarious stand-up with Canadian comedy legend Trixx, who brings his boundary-pushing humour and bang-on commentary on pop culture, relationships and being Black in Canada.

Empress Mash Up Rayzalution Band - Aug. 3 at 4pm Free

Di empress dem ah mash up di place! Empress Mash Up is an all-female reggae jam session featuring four dynamic solo artists with distinct styles of reggae, dancehall and R&B backed by a seven-piece reggae band.

Johnny Osbourne and Hardcore Band - Aug. 3 at 7pm Free

Johnny Osbourne, the “Dancehall Godfather” and living legend of classic hits like “Buddy Bye” and “Water Pumping,” is bringing his best Jamaican reggae and dancehall to Island Soul for a night of rhythm and soul.

The Clash! Dj Starting from Scratch vs the Recipee Band - Aug. 3 at 8:30pm Free

A head-to-head mash-up of sound-crushing sets with The Recipee Band and DJ Starting from Scratch. Hosted by “Canada’s King of Comedy '' Jay Martin, expect an explosive musical rivalry onstage where the crowd chooses the victor.

Etana - Aug. 4 at 7:30pm Free

Jamaican singer and songwriter Etana returns for a live outdoor performance, bringing her trademark soul-soaked sounds and honey-laced vocals, where she will play a setlist of her reggae fan favourites infused with R&B.

From Jamaica to Toronto with love Jay Douglas - Aug. 4 at 9:30pm Free

JUNO Award nominee, music producer and band leader of The Jay Douglas All-Star band, Jay Douglas brings his reggae rhythms to the stage. From his roots in Montego Bay, Jamaica, his soulful voice and energetic stage presence make him a standout in the reggae music scene.

Harbourfront mist cloud and market in the public square

The public square at Harbrourfront Centre was converted from a summer pond/winter ice rink to a open square, for sure with interesting benches folding around the edges and a nice pattern of stone, but it seemed boring. Then they added holes and pipes that sprays mist and creates a low lying cloud at the square and life is good again.

In addition to the nearby Lakeview Market they also have a Harbourfront Night Market, located in the same square as the mist. And the free, outdoor night market featuring "culinary delights, food trucks, artisanal crafts and community" is open on select days from Saturday, July 13 to Sunday, September 15, 2024.

Sat, Jul 13 - 12:00pm ↑ 11:00pm
Sun, Jul 14 - 12:00pm ↑ 8:00pm
Sat, Aug 17 - 2:00pm ↑ 11:00pm
Sun, Aug 18 - 2:00pm ↑ 8:00pm
Sat, Sep 14 - 2:00pm ↑ 11:00pm
Sun, Sep 15 - 2:00pm ↑ 8:00pm

Harbourfront Centre 50th Anniversary Block Party

Man, you hit 50 and pretty soon all your joints start acting up, including those pesky bridge joints and don't get me started on trips and falls - best remove any skating surfaces in the interest of safety. Anywho, Harbourfront Centre is having a Block Party in celebration of their 50th Anniversary on Saturday, June 1, 2024.

There will be concerts and family friendly activities paired with some free dancing classes, street food and drinks along with a birthday cake.

Celebrations start at 5:15pm and run until 10pm with the following schedule.

5:15pm – Good Enough Live Karaoke

6:45pm – Social Line Dancing

7:45pm – Elliott Brood

Plus when I was there today I saw that the former skating rink at Harbourfront Centre, converted into a large empty space actually had a smoke generator and it made it seem like you were walking in a cloud.

Smoke screen in the square

Happy Cinco de Mayo 2024

May the 5th, or Cinco de Mayo, is celebrated the day after Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you) and is a Mexican based victory party. It's also the day we are all Latino.

Harbourfront Centre has a weekend Cinco Fest to celebrate Mexican culture, traditions, music and food.