St Lawrence Market area and the Market Street urban park

Toronto's favourite old timey purveyour of groceries since the very early 1800s sits in a neighbourhood that continues to change and improve. The north market building just across Front Street held a hodge podge of vendors selling crap I mean antiques and oddities, etc was demolished and the replacement is slowly being finished.

Market Street pedestrian urban park

For the past couple of years the neighbourhood and market associations have worked with the City to close the adjacent Market Street to vehicular traffic for the summer, in hopes of one day permanently closing the road to vehicles. The street was temporarily closed this year beginning May 27, 2024 and has been pedestriansized with extended patios, picnic tables and muskoka chairs. Market Street is a relatively small street, bounded by Front and The Esplanade that can now handle more seating, pop-up vendors and live performances.

The closure will allow Old Town Toronto to host a music series (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and a kids centric day (Thursdays). From their website - Events hosted by Old Town Toronto:

"I Heart Market Street Music Series – a selection of Toronto musicians appearing Tuesday & Wednesday, 11:30am – 1:30pm and 5pm – 7pm. This series is scheduled to run weekly until mid September and is free to attend. Click here now to find upcoming performance details.

I Heart Market Street For Kids – join us on select Thursdays 11am – 3pm (July 6th & 20th, August 3rd, 17th and 31st) for fun performances and face painting for kids. Click here now to find upcoming Kids Days info. (Please note these events are yet to be listed. Please check back shortly.)"

The surrounding area is a well known local and tourist area with iconic landmarks like the flatiron building and the market building itself along with a number of interesting sites like St. James Park, the Esplanade, Market Lane Park and the Toronto Sculpture Park.

A massive pergola in St. James Park

Market Lane Park

Toronto Sculpture Garden - Upcoming exhibition "The Garden Gardens" by Julia Campisi starts June 1 and runs until September 10, 2024

A fantastic spring weekend in Toronto

Our family got together for a quick day as tourists in the big city and the sunny weather made for a very pleasant trip. We started with the St Lawrence Market which was packed with visitors enjoying the shopping hotspot. The historic supermarket is full of mouth watering steaks, seafood, cheeses almost everything else you want to eat. Giant lobster tails were selling for almost $90 a piece. Then we enjoyed an early dinner at C'est What?, a basement bar and restaurant in the Market area on Front Street. The meal was great and they had a impressive selection of alcohol and beers, plus it was fun to keep saying the name - say what!

Then we went to Berczy Park to get a photo beside the giant mural, check out the doggy fountain still under construction.

At the mural on the Flatiron Building

Backseat selfie in the uber

I grabbed my first uber for a trip to Kensington Market which was also packed with visitors enjoying the shopping hotspot. Uber was easy to use and if you get someone to recommend you to join the driving service they will get a $10 credit and you can get your first ride under $20 free. I talked about tipping with the driver and they say that it is not expected in the cost of the ride.

A 12 week old puppy in Kensington Market

The Community is still protected by a varied neighbourhood watch

Enjoy the many graffiti murals in Kensington

Several cups including the Oh Sweet Jesus ice cream

After enjoying the graffiti and the various selection of stores up and down the famous neighbourhood before we walked through the Spadina Chinatown to join the lineup at Sweet Jesus, the ice cream store located on John Street. Ice cream tasted great, prices were reasonable but I don't think I would wait in the lineup again.

St Lawrence Market - snowflakes at night

St Lawrence Market also has some illumination art up on their building. Snowflakes of various sizes sparkle and light up the walkway along Front at Jarvis Street. Nearby at the Distillery District LightFest continues its run into mid-March.

Hours of operation

Farmer's Market:

Saturdays from 5am / 3pm

South Market:

Tuesday - Thursday - 8am / 6pm

Fridays - 8am / 7pm

Saturdays - 5am / 5 pm

Antiques Market:

Sunday - 5am / 5pm

Perfect in Toronto

Sometimes the views in Toronto are so gorgeous you can forget about going up to the cottage. The Flatiron Building in the St Lawrence Market area is always one of my favourite places to see. Its time to enjoy the views before summer ends and the cold days of winter return.

ABC at the Old Spaghetti Factory

Beautiful stained glass lights and windows bring vibrant colour to the Amsterdam Bicycle Club within the Old Spaghetti Factory on Esplanade Street in Toronto. It's still a bit of a stretch until patio season, but when it hits, this street has some of the best people watching locations. ABC also has live music and a great atmosphere.

"Welcome to the Old Spaghetti Factory Toronto! Originally a Blacksmith Shop, built in 1898, this huge old warehouse was converted into a 600 seat restaurant in 1971, filled with a fabulous collection of antiques and truly unique artifacts and is now known as the famous "Old Spaghetti Factory." This unique restaurant is complete with high ceilings, skylights, antique elevator, streetcar, numerous interesting nooks and crannies, original stained glass windows from Europe, gas lamps, a 100 year old carousel and countless other intriguing antiques and artifacts (ever dined in a streetcar or a king size bed?). And if this is not enough, add great food, affordable prices and fast and friendly service and you've got a truly entertaining and enjoyable "Dining Experience.""

Looking into the restaurant

Old Town Toronto Cavalcade of Lights

Carolers dressed in uniform performed in Berczy Park as the night time celebration of Christmas lights takes place in St Lawrence Market neighbourhood on Saturday, November 30. The War of 1812 soldiers gathered by the tree to sing songs of the holidays. On weekends the Victorian Carol Singers will be performing on weekends throughout the market area until December 21st.

"With the arrival of Santa and his parade, thoughts of kids young and old begin to turn to the holidays. Here in Old Town Toronto, the festivities begin with the annual Cavalcade of Lights celebration. Join us Saturday, November 30th from 5:30pm-6:30pm in Berczy Park and in St. James Park from 6:45pm-7:30pm for the tree lighting. Enjoy a hot cup hot chocolate or apple cider."

Bright coloured lights cover the trees

The Flatiron building adjacent to the park makes the trip to the area more than worth the trip

Chillin' at the Berczy Park fountain

Warm days in #Toronto are meant to be enjoyed and the park and fountain at Berczy Park are great places to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Happy Face tour of #Toronto

I found a sad and lonely, yet still smiling, yellow beach ball by the edge of Lake Ontario in the inner harbour of Toronto's Harbourfront. Its smile was upside down, more of a frown than a smile of joy, so I thought I would cheer up the beach ball by taking it around some of the many tourist attractions around our great city - the ball really liked the water and took a few dips in various fountains.

I picked up the ball and strapped it to my bike rack and began my day's journey early in the morning of Friday, June 28, 2013. Once in place the beach ball experienced a 100% improvement in outlook, suddenly it looked happy. Which was good because the day was dull and grey and needed a bit of whimsy. This was before the early afternoon downpour that flooded streets and shut down part of Union Station.

At the Fairmont Royal York Hotel

Squeezed into the 'Pillars of Justice' by the University Courthouse

And swimming in the adjacent pond

Queen's Park, home of the Provincial government, they wouldn't let him on the steps

Behind Queen's Park in the fountain

See more of the sightseeing beach ball after the jump.

Woofstock 2013

The dogs of #Toronto came down to the St Lawrence Market to get some snack bones, fetch a few balls and get their owners out into the fresh air.

See more doggies after the jump.

#Toronto Buskerfest 2013 moves to Yonge St

The popular street performer festival will move out of the St Lawrence Market area and onto the World's longest street for this year's show in August 22-25. The four day event will be held on Yonge Street from Queen St to Gerrard Street. The market was home to Buskerfest for 10 years and now in its 14th year the show will be staged in the central street performer district - outside the Eaton Centre. 2012 saw over one million people check out the show. Buskers like Silver Elvis (pictured above), Kate Mior and Fire Guy were on hand at the media event.

"The downtown Yonge Street corridor is a wonderful new match for Scotiabank BuskerFest," said Geoff Bobb, Executive Director of Epilepsy Toronto. "The longest, most vibrant street in the world is the perfect stage for the largest, most spectacular epilepsy awareness event in the world."

Off with her head - I mean her wig

Scotiabank BuskerFest in support of Epilepsy Toronto: Thursday, August 22 - Sunday, August 25, 2013 in the Downtown Yonge Neighbourhood: Yonge Street all the way from Queen to Gerrard and surrounding areas. Thursday noon - 10 pm; Friday noon - 11pm; Saturday 11am - 11pm; Sunday 11am - 8pm

The St Lawrence Market edition of Buskerfest in previous years

The Flatiron building is the centre point of the market area