10 Things to Do to Celebrate Father's Day in Toronto

10 Things to do for Father’s Day in Toronto

Celebrate this special day with Dad: gift him a memorable weekend of togetherness and enjoy some of the events taking place in and around Toronto.

For more ideas, see Things to Do this weekend in Toronto

**If your Dad did not get an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine, book one for him. All in Toronto, Peel and York public health units are eligible for a second dose if they meet vaccine interval criteria.**

I. Go Fishing for Free

Go fishing with Dad for free! OFFE is a province-wide opportunity for Canadian residents to fish Ontario licence-free.

Details

June 19 – 20, 2021 (12:01 a.m. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday)

Ontario Waters

Free

II. Father’s Day Brunch/Dinner/BBQ

Enjoy a Father’s Day dinner at the patio or order a take out.

Plenty of restaurants around Toronto are offering takeout and delivery options, some specifically crafting a Father’s Day menu for the special day. See the list for a selection of restaurants ranging from classic steaks, hearty comfort food, to amazing, unique brunch options to celebrate Father’s Day at home with quality dine-in food.

If you like to plan a picnic in the park, check out some restaurants offering picnic kits. Some companies across GTA are also offering elevated experiences with tables, cushions and delicious food.

Ajax Rotary Ribfest – Drive Thru: Treat Dad to an awesome BBQ spread while supporting numerous local and international groups and charities.

III. Food & More

Enjoy an internationally influenced night market showcasing street foods and drinks from around the world at Scarborough Town Centre this weekend.

Farmers’ markets are allowed to reopen in Toronto. If you want to cook your father a delicious meal, check out St Lawrence Summer Market, Evergreen Saturday Market, and other farmer’s markets in the city.

BACKYARD @ stack: Take dad to Stackt Market for this month’s Pride Edition Night Market. Filled with good eats, live music, workshops, night markets + brand experience popped up across a full city block. Start in the sunny afternoon exploring + go late into the evening on Saturday June 19, 2021.

IV. Enjoy a concert

Pickering Village Jam Fest Drive-in Concert: Enjoy the very best Durham Region has to offer including Boneyard, Two For The Show, Cece Pastor and Word of Mouth, The Ayden Jacobs Band and more! All in the comfort of your own vehicle. – June 18 & 19, 2021 @ Ajax GO Station Parking Lot, 100 Westney Rd S, Ajax

Music on the River: Take a scenic paddle with Dad and then watch Toronto artists on the dock from your canoe or kayak. June 18, 2021 | 6:00 PM @ Humber River Paddling Centre,
9 Old Mill Rd, Toronto

Markham Village Music Festival:Enjoy the annual festival from home for free. Markham Village Music Festival will have over 50 artists lined up for some awesome performances, a virtual vendor village, community and local business profiles, guest speakers, historic Markham Village moment, a beatbox battle and much more.

Encore Drive-In Nights Featuring Bon Jovi: For the first time ever, you can watch Bon Jovi in an epic concert film on the big screen at your local drive-in.

Though there are no in-person events, you can watch plenty of online theatre events from all over the world that you can stream for free.

IV. Go on an adventure

As Ontario is slowly reopening, there are many fun outdoor activities to do this weekend.

Go Lazy River Tubing:Round up the family and go tubing. Ontario has many slow-flowing rivers that are safe and surrounded by some of the province’s best examples of nature.
The Mississauga Ripper: Solve clues and catch the killer during this fun outdoor game. CluedUpp is an exciting, outdoor detective adventure – on Saturday the 19th June 2021.
Test Your Monkey Skills at Treetop Trekking:Treetop Trekking is a place where you and your family can safely and responsibly enjoy an amazing and unforgettable day of outdoor fun! Surround yourself in nature while exploring the forest during one of the park’s many unforgettable adventure activities.

V. For families with little ones

In normal times there are plenty of festivals during this weekend from the famous Mississauga Waterfront Festival to many BBQ Festivals.

This year there are none of those kinds of festivals. But if you are looking for a fun event, get a ticket to these:

Dinos & Friends Drive-Thru:Your tour brings you back to prehistoric times where you will view our herd of animatronic dinos displayed in realistic scenes that allow guests to experience them roaring and moving from the safety of their own vehicles as they drive their way through the tour.
Mega Wheels Drive-Thru: The Mega Wheels Drive-Thru experience takes you on an EPIC hip through a 2.5km course filled with massive displays featuring Monster Trucks, One-of-a-kind Custom Cars, Classic Cars, Antique Tractors, Military Vehicles, a Haffpipe Skateboarding Showdown and so much more!
Toronto Zoo: Explore Toronto Zoo. The Zoo has announced that it will reopen outdoor areas to the public for the first stage of reopening on June 19th.
Twin Valley Zoo: Brant-Brantford Twin Valley Zoo, a 25 acre, family-run, wildlife park, will reopen on June 15th.
Dinosaur Drive-Thru: You have the chance to drive your family through a land of Dinosaurs! Indian River Reptile & Dinosaur Park Drive-Thru Dinosaur Park is the perfect trip for you and the kids to go back to a place in time when these creatures roamed the earth, without having to leave your car!
African Safari: Enjoy 9 kms of drive through Game Reservesthat takes approximately one hour to complete and see lions, giraffe, cheetah, rhinos and over 1,000 other exotic birds and animals up close.
Visit a fun farm: Visit a farm this weekend with kids – make a day out of it and have a farm to fork learning experience.
- Fun at Downey’s Farm:Downey’s Farm is the perfect place to get outside for some fresh air and family fun. Jump on our Jumping Pillows, dance along with the Chicken Show, and race around the Pedal Cart Track.
- Barnyard Playland:Over 10 acres dedicated to farm fun at Brooks Farms, Uxbridge.

VI. Drive-Thru & Drive-In Events

Now that drive-thru events are allowed once again, there are plenty of options for the whole family this weekend,

Roaring 1920s Drive Thru Tour: Hop in your jalopy and journey back in time to the Roaring 1920s. Learn about Pickering’s toe-tapping music scene and how the dry days of prohibition led to bootlegging. After your visit to the museum, download the Temperance & Temptation podcast and self-guided driving tour to visit local micro breweries and learn how the Bluenoses who supported Temperance openly clashed with the bootleggers and moonshiners who defied the movement.
Gogh By Car Drive In: Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition:Visitors will be immersed in Van Gogh’s works — from his sunny landscapes and night scenes, to his portraits and still life paintings. The installation includes the Mangeurs de pommes de terre (The Potato Eaters, 1885), the Nuit étoilée (Starry Night, 1889), Les Tournesols (Sunflowers, 1888), and La Chambre à coucher (The Bedroom, 1889).
Izzy and the Mystery at the Mill:10-year old Izzy is the daughter of local constable, Charles Hadley. Set in 1830s Pickering, this drive-thru mystery experience is specifically for children (and their parents and grandparents). From your car, work together to help Izzy find clues to solve the mystery.

VII. Go Hiking or Visit Nature Areas

There are plenty of opportunities across the GTA to enjoy nature.

Father’s Day at the Farm: Spend the day at the Lavender farm with your family! You can also pre-order a picnic lunch $25 per adult, $10 per child. On Sunday, June 20, 2021 | 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM at The Giving Place, 19618 E Townline, Mount Albert.
Enjoy a stroll at the gardens: Gorgeous gardens span across the Greater Toronto Area, and range from flowers that come in all colours of the spectrum to shrubs and bushes that make up a visually beautiful green backdrop for a stroll.
Pick Your Own Strawberries: Visit GTA & Hamilton Strawberry Farms for a fun outing and pick your own strawberries! Whether you’re craving some fresh fruits or just want to support your local farmer, there is a wide variety of U-pick berry farms!
Visit a Beach:

Enjoy a leisurely walk with the family at any of these locations:

VIII. Drive-In Movies

Ontario’s drive-in movie theatres are open for the season.

Disney and Pixar’s Film – Luca: June 19th, 2021 | 9 PM @ Ontario Place, 955 Lake Shore Blvd W, Toronto
Movies at Ontario Place Drive-In
Movies at 5 Drive-In – Oakville
Stardust Drive-in Newmarket

IX. Art Outdoors

Spring Stations:See award-winning artworks outdoors brought to you by Winter Stations.

Riverdale ArtWalk Show & Sale: Experience art in-person by visiting artists in the ArtWalk Tent Tour outdoors at their own studio, home or small group locations. Artists will be hosting their own “booths” and will be following covid safety protocols.

Sculpture Gardens: Enjoy a walk through outdoor sculpture gardens. Sculpture gardens are the perfect blend between nature and art, featuring art installations from local and international artists and concerning multiple different themes. As you stroll or bike through these outdoor galleries, you’ll find yourself experiencing a unique story at each location.

VIII. Go Golfing

Toronto area golf courses are open. Book a tee time!

X. Virtual Pride

Since in-person celebrations are cancelled this year and celebrations have moved online. Virtual Pride is a celebration of our local queer and trans trailblazers and will feature a lineup of DJs, performers, drag artists, singers, and dancers; shining a concentrated spotlight on women in music and BIPOC artists.

Many fabulous performances are held for free which you can watch online.

Exotic Car Show

Yorkville Exotic Car Show is a fixture on Toronto’s Father’s Day scene. Though the actual festival is not taking place this weekend, the organizers will be showing off some fabulous cars onlineincluding the All-New mid-engine C8 Corvette.

For more things to do this Father’s Day weekend, see Weekend Activities in Toronto

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