Top Festivals in Toronto

Ohhh Toronto loves a festival. Summer is chockablock full of festivals celebrating food, music, drinks, art...you name it, there is probably a festival for it in and around the city. Here I've compiled my list of 5 favourite Toronto festivals and just so you know, not all of them are summertime deals.

1// Toronto Cider Festival

I'm not a beer drinker so all the craft beer fests usually aren't my scene, but put a cider on tap and I'm there! This end of summer fest has all the hallmarks of a great summer weekend at the cottage at the Toronto Waterfront on Sherbourne Common.

2// Toronto Light Fest

This winter festival arguably kicks off the year of fests by starting mid-January and running for several weeks at the Distillery District. It's an incredible installation of light based outdoor art pieces. Honestly, I really love this event. Cool public art is tops.

3// Historic Distillery District Christmas Market

I love all Christmas markets, but the ones in Europe are really where's it at. Short of a flight to Germany, the Distillery District for the month of November becomes a Christmas wonderland and the closest thing to a true and proper Christmas market on the cobbled streets of the former Victorian Distillery.

4 Taco Fest

Unlike the other fests on this list, this is the only one I have yet to repeat. June is a busy month for festivals and sometimes you just have to pick and choose how you spend your time. But I love tacos and a whole festival dedicated to them is a-okay in my books.

5 Brunch Fest

This festival also in June gives you your fill of breakfast themed foods. I recommend going to a early session to avoid lines and missing out on some favourite brunch items.

A festival is only second to a really good farmer's market, but what have I missed? Any honourable mentions that should be noted?

Don't miss a post! 

Sign up for email posts (found on the sidebar), like my facebook page, or follow me on bloglovin'. You can also keep up with my instagram feed and I occasionally tweet.

Let's get social

Things to do in Toronto When the Weather Turns Cold

When the cold weather first settles on the land I find myself craving more time inside, tucked up away under a cozy blanket with a hot beverage. I have to really make a conscious effort to force myself to leave the house. Winter is far too long to hibernate away especially this early in the season (winter hasn't even officially started!!) and particularly when there are so many great things to do out of doors at this time of year.

I've written a similar post a few years ago about the festive things to do at this time of year, but in this post I'm revisiting this idea with some Toronto-centric places in mind to help us Torontonians get out there more in the last few days of the holiday season.

Historic Distillery District Christmas Market

There are only a few good Christmas markets in the GTA (in my opinion) and fewer still which run longer than a single weekend. The Distillery District Christmas Market is one of them. And although it can't compare to a true Bavarian Christmas Market, I do very much like visiting this market at least once each season, it's magical at night and, well, there aren't too many options here in the City. (Last day of the market is December 23, 2017)

Checking out all the Trees and lights

My favourite thing to as the days grow shorter and shorter is to seek out holiday lights and Christmas trees and I wander the dark streets looking for the glittering colour of the twinkling lights. This means attending tree lighting evenings and going to the Gardener Museum's annual 12 Trees exhibit. (Exhibit ends January 7)

Stride by The Hudson's Bay Windows

As a child, each Christmas we would head down to downtown Toronto and the Eaton's Centre where I'd sit on the knee of the real Santa Claus (or so that's what I was told) and tell him what I truly wanted for Christmas. Then we would head outside to stare into the decorated windows of the Simpson's store (now Hudson's Bay). For as long as I can remember they've always decorated the street windows with whimsy and Christmas magic I looked forward to seeing them each year. Even now, I get a surge of excitement when I catch a glimpse of the crowds gathered around the glass and need to press through them to see for myself.

Skating at Nathan Phillip Square

The last time I went skating was a few years ago at Somerset House, but for as long as I've lived in the Toronto area I've never been skating at Nathan Phillips Square, until this year, that is. And it was fun! Any reason to get out there, right? (Public skating runs until March 19)

Don't miss a post! 

Sign up for email posts (found on the sidebar), like my facebook page, or follow me on bloglovin'. You can also keep up with my instagram feed and I occasionally tweet.

Let's get social

Toronto Christmas Market 2016

A couple years ago I visited the Toronto Christmas Market for the first time. I discovered it to be the most European kind of Christmas Market in Ontario, and if you've even been to a Christmas Market in Europe, you know how special they can be. This time around I decided to visit the Distillery District's market after work and the evening atmosphere made it utterly magical. 

I started my visit off with meeting a friend at Hudson's Bay in order to check out their seasonal windows (I didn't bother to brave the crowds when Mariah Carey was here for the unveiling a few weeks back).Winter scenes in an 'Enchanted Forest'. Adorbs.

Mostly protected from the wind tunnels of the city, we were warmed by the glow from the twinkling fairy lights, and thick aroma of mulled wine.

We wandered the little cobbled alleys through the former distiller grounds before deciding which food and drink was calling our names.

Being there on a workday evening meant that it wasn't too crazy busy and we could actually get seats next to the fire pit for sipping our mulled wine. Perfection.

Although there is a selection of foods to pick from, I returned to Schnitzelhaus for a schnitzel and it was as good as I remembered. I could go for another right about now...

If you get a chance to visit the Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery District I highly recommend you go. Go for the food, go for the mulled wine, go for the gifts you can buy, just go and get yourself there.

The market is open until December 22nd 2016 

Tuesday-Thursday 12pm-9pm

Friday12pm-10pm

Saturday 10am-10pm

Sunday 10am-9pm

Monday closed

Starting from 5pm Fridays-Sundays there is an admission fee of $6 (kids under 2 are free). This fee was implemented last year to help control the over crowding issues that were happening. The raised funds go to helping grow the festival and 3 charities: Daily Bread Food Bank, Plan International Canada, and the Toronto Star Santa Claus Parade. 

At the beginning of each month, I like to take part in the monthly travel link up hosted on the incredible blogs by Angie, Jessi, Emma,  and this month's special host Honey. You can join in too by leaving a comment below, checking out other posts on the link up, or adding your own post to the widget now until December 7th.

Don't miss a post! 

Sign up for email posts (found on the sidebar), like my facebook page, or follow me on bloglovin'. You can also keep up with my instagram feed and I occasionally tweet.

Let's get social

The Toronto Distillery District Christmas Market

This post is lovingly dedicated to my Gluhwein gang. Guys, seriously consider Toronto as next years destination.

I had great expectations for this Christmas Market and I was not disappointed. The Distillery District in Toronto is iconic on a normal day, but add in fairy lights and greenery juxtaposed to the old factory brick and its game has been up'd. This market was magical and definitely brought the spirit of the season out. The wooden huts decorated with lights and garland, a fully trimmed tree, schnitzel, and mulled wine (and no beer garden!!!) reminded me of my beloved European markets but the poutine stall, curling, Canada winter gear, and cold beer on tap, were the Canadian touches that made my heart sing. 

The plan for this particular visit was to arrive just before dusk to grab an late lunch, a warming drink (or two), and enjoy the twinkling lights after the sun set. However, it was a very cold day and we didn't quite make it to darkness. Checkout #tcm2014 on instagram to see those twinkling lights. This is not a 'best kept secret' and was crowded, even on a Sunday afternoon. (so that's my excuse for not having great photos).

Schnitzel selfie!

I don't know this girl, but she posed so nicely for the picture.

These port-a-potties that look like UK phone boxes are my favourite.

Some people came super prepared for market day and I do love a guy with fun socks.

The market runs for almost a month leading up to Christmas (unless most other markets in Ontario which usually are for a weekend or week tops) and although it's closed for the season now, it's definitely a market I have on my list to revisit next year. Maybe actually making it into the evening next time.