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Here are some of the best free things to do this winter in Toronto and GTA.
Things to Do this Winter in Toronto & GTA
Kensington Market Winter Solstice Festival
Come celebrate the return to warmth and light in the heart of Kensington Market over the Winter Solstice. Support our local merchants and unique culture of Toronto's beloved neighbourhood over the holidays ... More Details
When:
Saturday, December 21, 2019 | 5 PM – 9:30 PM
Where:
Kensington Market, Toronto, ON
Light Up the Dark
Art comes to life this holiday season on the Aga Khan Museum’s exterior walls in a spectacular 3-D projection show you won’t find anywhere else in Toronto. Enjoy animated art and performance highlights from this year’s rich Museum programming on a massive scale as you watch the captivating show from ... More Details
When:
December 27–29, 2019 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Where:
Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Drive, Toronto
The Bentway Skate Trail Polar Bear Skate
Heard of the Polar Bear Dip? Well, what about a Polar Bear Skate? The Bentway will host their second annual Polar Bear Skate on December 29, inviting adventurous Torontonians to skate the trail in their bathing suits for a refreshing - and unconventional - winter event. All pre-registrants will receive ... More Details
When:
Sunday, December 29 | 1 PM – 5 PM
Where:
The Bentway Skate Trail, 250 Fort York Boulevard, Toronto
2020 New Year’s Eve Celebrations at Nathan Phillips Square
Ring in the New Year at Nathan Phillips Square on December 31, 2019 at 8 p.m. Toronto’s annual New Year Eve’s celebration featuring DJ skating parties, live musical performances and spectacular fireworks. The New Year's Eve celebration will feature: • a skating party, sponsored by Tim Hortons®, with DJ Nana ... More Details
When:
Tuesday, December 31, 2019 | 8:50 PM to 12:00 AM
Where:
Nathan Phillips Square, Queen Street West, Toronto
Union Holiday
Celebrate the holidays at the gateway to Toronto. Skate for free on Front street. Skate rentals and lessons provided by Union and TD. The new skating spot on Front Street will be the largest free outdoor rink in Toronto ... More Details
When:
November 29, 2019 - January 4, 2020
Where:
65 Front Street West, Toronto
Maple Leafs Outdoor Practice
JOIN US FOR A WEEKEND FULL OF OUTDOOR AND ON-ICE ACTIVITIES. Cheer on the Maple Leafs as they take to the ice at one of Toronto’s most iconic outdoor rinks as the leafs practice live at Nathan Phillips Square and spend the weekend celebrating the game of hockey at all levels. The ... More Details
Where:
Nathan Phillips Square, Queen Street West, Toronto
No Pants Subway Ride Toronto
Pants are just a fancy word for leg jail. Join us as we hit the rails for the 18th anniversary of the world wide No Pants Subway Ride. Happening simultaneously in 50+ cities around the world, the No Pants Subway Ride is a celebration of silliness to bring a smile ... More Details
When:
Sunday, January 12, 2020 | 3 PM – 8 PM
Where:
Eaton Centre, Dundas St Entrance, Toronto
Allan Gardens Winter Flower Show
The entire conservatory is decorated and filled with thousands of flowering plants, over 30 varieties of poinsettia and amazing seasonal topiary masterpieces made entirely of plant material. Breathtaking floral scenes with thousands of colourful blooms, vines and lush plants from around the world transform our conservatories into memorable, must-see winter ... More Details
When:
December 1. 2019 to January 12, 2020
Where:
Allan Gardens, 19 Horticultural Ave., Toronto
Fire & Ice Winter Festival
Rediscover the joys of the winter season and great Canadian outdoors with friends and family at the historic Alton Mill Arts Centre in rural Caledon. Pond hockey, food & drink, ice sculptures, a super snow slide, skating, art workshops ... and more fun for the whole family. Don't miss the ... More Details
When:
Saturday, January 18, 2020 | 10 AM -8 PM
Where:
Alton Mill Arts Centre, Amelia Street, Alton
New Music Festival
The 2020 New Music Festival features Brazilian pianist, composer and arranger André Mehmari. A stellar list of guest artists includes Emmanuele Baldini, Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa and the Penderecki String Quartet. Join us for 10 days of concerts, workshops and master classes as we celebrate new music ... More Details
When:
January 12 to 21, 2020
Where:
Walter Hall, 80 Queen's Park, Toronto
Port Union Winterfest
Port Union Winterfest is a winter community festival for all ages! Come on out and enjoy Live Entertainment, Displays, Games,Inflatables, BBQ and much more! ... More Details
When:
Saturday January 25 2020 | 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Where:
Port Union Community Recreation Centre, 5450 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto
DesignTO
DesignTO, formerly the Toronto Design Offsite Festival, brings you 10 days filled with immersive installations, fantastic exhibitions, engaging talks, and more design and art than ever before. With this much to do, you'll want to make sure it all makes it into your calendar. The Festival transforms Toronto into a ... More Details
When:
January 17–26, 2020
Where:
Various Venues, Toronto
LunarFest Mississauga
Celebrate the Year of the Rat like no other! LunarFest invites Mississauga’s diverse community to celebrate the Lunar New Year like no other! What traditions do the Vietnamese have during Tet? How do Taiwanese celebrate differently from Chinese? What fortunes await you in the Year of the Rat? Experience cultures ... More Details
When:
Saturday, February 1 | 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Where:
Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Drive, Mississauga
Richmond Hill Winter Carnival
52nd Richmond Hill Winter Carnival - The Richmond Hill Winter Carnival is a weekend of affordable fun and entertainment organized by volunteers to celebrate the community of Richmond Hill in a welcoming atmosphere. Come on out and see your friends and neighbours at the Richmond Hill Winter Carnival, and see ... More Details
When:
February 1 & 2, 2020
Where:
Mill Pond Park, Mill Street, Richmond Hill
Human Rights Watch Festival
The annual Toronto Human Rights Watch Film Festival brings human stories to life in a manner that empowers the audience to demand justice for all. By using film as a medium, Toronto Human Rights Watch Film Festival aims to bring awareness to human rights issues in a way that is ... More Details
When:
January 30 - February 4, 2020
Where:
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, 506 Bloor St W, Toronto
Vaughan Butter Tart Festival
Vaughan's First Butter Tart Festival and Sweet Treats for your Sweetheart. Sip, shop, eat and shop the bakeries and marketplace. Bring the family to sip, shop, eat and enjoy tasty treats from butter tarts to bakeries, kids fun activities such as face painting and much more. Bring the family for ... More Details
When:
Saturday, February 08, 2020 | 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Where:
Trio Sportsplex, 601 Cityview Boulevard, Vaughan
Winter Stations Presents: LOOP
This art installation is an interactive retro-futureistic machine powered by you. Visitors can hop on two at a time into one of the six illuminated cylinders and pump a lever to activate the lights and glowing images ... More Details
When:
January 15 to February 8 | 9 AM to 11 PM
Where:
York Street & Harbour Street, Toronto
Vaughan Winterfest
This free, fun-filled, winter carnival offers first-class entertainment, indoor & outdoor activities, meet & greets, a free pancake breakfast, outdoor firepits, arts & crafts, a photo booth, face painting, horse-drawn carriage rides and so much more!and so much more! ... More Details
When:
Sunday, February 9, 2020 | 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Where:
Vellore Village Community Centre, Vaughan
Bloor-Yorkville Icefest
Celebrate winter with the Annual Bloor-Yorkville Icefest, a free public event taking place throughout the Village of Yorkville Park and surrounding area. The Village of Yorkville Park and Cumberland Street will be the centre of the Icefest attractions. Toronto’s premier cultural district will become a showcase of incredible ice sculptures ... More Details
When:
February 8 & 9, 2020
Where:
Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, ON, Canada
Snowflakes & Starlight
Come join us on the Saturday (February 15th) of Family Day weekend for a magical evening of fire eating, ice sculptures, stilt walking, food, and a spectacular fireworks display! Fireworks will begin at 8pm. This is a FREE family event - all are welcome! Who is it for? All ages ... More Details
When:
Saturday February 15, 2020 | 6-8 PM
Where:
Memorial Park, Park Drive, Stouffville
DJ Skate Nights
Sharpen your skates and skills as Toronto's number one outdoor winter party returns with another stellar lineup of DJs that will bring the heat to your Saturday nights. The rumours are true, DJ Skate Nights is the best party in town and a surefire cure for the winter blues! Who ... More Details
When:
Saturdays, December 14 to February 15, 2020 | 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Where:
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto
TIFF Next Wave Film Festival
Revel in the complexity of youth on screen and banish the old world of cookie-cutter portrayals to cinema’s past, as TIFF helps herald in a new era of storytelling for young people. The TIFF Next Wave Film Festival™ returns for its ninth hth year with a lineup of emotionally resonant ... More Details
When:
Friday, February 14, to Sunday, February 16, 2020
Where:
TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West, Toronto
Leslieville Flea : Winter Market
Leslieville Flea - Winter Market The Leslieville Flea is back at The Distillery! Step out of the cold and into The Leslieville Flea! We are a curated market selling vintage, salvaged, up - cycled goods, furniture, antiques, collectibles and work from select artisans. With 50+ vendors and all kinds of unique ... More Details
Where:
The Fermenting Cellar, 28 Distillery Lane, Toronto
WinterRouge
We want you to come chill out with us. WinterRouge is back, and bigger and better than ever! Join us as we proudly celebrate 5 years of this free, outdoor family-fun event inspired by all things winter in Ontario. We’ve kept some of the event’s old-faithfuls, and are heating things ... More Details
When:
Monday, February 17, 2020 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Where:
Rouge National Urban Park, 1749 Meadowvale Road, Scarborough
The Bentway Skate Trail
The Bentway is a unique and innovative public space that transforms 1.75km underneath Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway, from Strachan Avenue to Bathurst Street. Bring your family down to The Bentway’s uniquely urban winter wonderland to skate our 220 metre, figure-eight skate trail in your pyjamas! ... More Details
When:
December 20 to February 17, 2020
February 17: 12pm - 9pm PYJAMA-RAMA (EXTENDED SKATE TRAIL HOURS)
Where:
Bentway, 250 Fort York Blvd, Toronto
Long Winter
Long Winter is Toronto's essential all-ages, pay-what-you-can inter-arts series that takes place throughout the winter months. Featured work includes performance art, theatre and dance, large-scale sculptural installations, projections (single and dual screen videos, still images), visual installations (print, painting, photography collage) and interactive presentations including original video games by local ... More Details
When:
Friday, February 21, 2020 | 7:00 PM
Where:
Workman Arts, 651 Dufferin St, Toronto
Torontojobs.ca Mississauga Career Fair
TorontoJobs.ca presents our 2020 Career Fairs - The largest & most interactive Career Fairs in the GTA! Enjoy face-to-face networking with some of the top Employers in the GTA and apply to thousands of available job openings! Please remember to bring lots of copies of your resume to share with ... More Details
When:
Wednesday February 26, 2020 | 10:00am - 3:00pm
Where:
Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Dr, Mississauga
Kuumba
Join us in February as we host Toronto's longest-running Black History Month celebration. From exhibitions, films, comedy, and panel discussions we cover a plethora of events spanning the whole month. As Kuumba marks its 25th anniversary, a silver lining approach is explored as we consider what is beneficial in celebrating ... More Details
When:
February 01 to 29, 2020
Where:
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto
Spotlight Weekends: 2-for-1 Tickets & Discounts
Starting this January, Toronto's winter experience takes centre stage with the introduction of Toronto Spotlight, highlighting the city's celebrated and vibrant arts and culture scene, vast selection of culinary experiences, and top attractions and tours. The campaign includes 2-for-1 admission and special offers over four different "Spotlight Weekends" – providing ... More Details
When:
February 21-23 and February 28-March 1, 2020
Where:
Various Venues, Toronto
Toronto Light Festival 2020
The Toronto Light Festival, the City’s first-ever light art festival, is returning for the another year to the Distillery Historic District! Visitors will be taken on a new visual journey and cerebral adventure, designed to entertain and inspire. The Festival will transform the picturesque historic neighbourhood into one of the ... More Details
When:
January 17 - March 1, 2020
Where:
The Historic Distillery District 55 Mill Street, Toronto
Celebrate Toronto – City’s 186th Anniversary Festival
Celebrate Toronto, the 2-day festival honouring Toronto's 186th Anniversary, will be held at Nathan Phillips Square. [The Festival] Come by our market, shop from local vendors, feast upon the diverse cuisines from Toronto based Food Trucks. Shop from local vendors, feast upon the diverse cuisines from Toronto based Food Trucks, ... More Details
When:
March 7 & 8, 2020
Where:
Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen St W, Toronto
Tirgan Nowroz Festival
Trigan Nowruz Festival Proudly presents a selection of the best in show from the Persian arts and culture scene. Join us in celebrating Nowruz, the Persian/Iranian New Year, with a three day festival of music, dance, theatre, film, visual arts, kids activities, food, and bazaar. This festival includes numerous programming ... More Details
When:
Friday, March 13 to Sunday, March 15, 2020
Where:
Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge Street, Toronto
St Patrick’s Day Parade Toronto
Join us for for the biggest St Patricks day parade to hit the streets of Toronto. A community event in its 33rd consecutive year celebrating Irish culture history and heritage. The parade has grown to include a number of diverse community and non profit groups and is recognized as the ... More Details
When:
Sunday, March 15, 2020 | 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Where:
Bloor St W & St George St, Toronto
Sugar Shack TO
Toronto’s very own cabane à sucre is returning to downtown Toronto Waterfront with one epic weekend fuelled by maple syrup! Warm up with a glass of hot mulled cider, enjoy live music, watch a battle of the chainsaws ice carving show or try some delicious maple taffy and traditional sugar ... More Details
When:
March 14 & 15, 2020 | 11:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Where:
Sugar Beach, 25 Dockside Dr, Toronto
Friends of Toronto Public Library South Chapter’s Annual Clearance Sale
The best value for buying books in the city. 15,000+ books, CDs, DVDs and more ... More Details
When:
Thursday, March 19, 2020
9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. or sell-out (whichever comes first)
Where:
Toronto Public Library - Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St, Toronto
Nathan Phillips Square Ice Skating & Winter Programming
Programs include Learn to skate from a City instructor DJ Skate Weekends Family games and songs on and off the ice Weekday lunch hour skate with music ... More Details
When:
Saturday November 30, 2019 to Sunday March 22, 2020
Where:
Nathan Phillips Square, Queen Street West, Toronto
Winter Light Exhibition at Ontario Place
Utilizing creativity, innovation, light and discovery, Ontario creators from all artistic streams will showcase their exhibits following the curatorial theme of “Cocoon”. Fridays through Sundays, we’ll also be hosting community bonfires, paint classes with Art Tonite and our snack shop will be open with a variety of food and beverage options ... More Details
When:
February 8 – March 29, 2020 | Everyday, from 4 pm to 11 pm.
Where:
The West Island of Ontario Place, 955 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto