Toronto 
Take your kids to the Markham-Milliken Children’s Festival on September 6 for a full day of fun, games and learning activities.
Credit: Photo by Sammy Xu/ Unsplash
There are play zones and numerous activities for kids that are both fun and educational at Markham’s annual festival.
The Markham-Milliken Children’s Festival will take over the grounds outside Aaniin Community Centre on Saturday, September 6, 2025. Running from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., the family event features free activities, stage performances, food, and rides. Admission is free, but children looking to enjoy inflatables and rides will need a Play-All-Day Pass.
Rides and Passes
Families can expect attractions like obstacle courses, slides, and carnival-style fun. Rides such as the Train, Crash Course Figure 8, and Atomic 45’ Obstacle each come with their own height and weight guidelines. Play-All-Day Passes are $10 in advance or $14 on festival day. A pre-purchase bundle with a Millie plush toy is available for $30 while supplies last.
Stage Entertainment
Live entertainment fills the main stage from morning to evening. An interactive DJ starts the day, followed by animal presentations, science demonstrations, magic tricks, and a bubble show. The afternoon includes circus acts, a cultural dance performance, and more appearances from Hands on Exotics. The program closes with music and circus flair before wrapping up at 6:30 p.m.
Free Activities
Free hands-on fun will be scattered across the site. Activities include STEM experiments, airbrush tattoos, arts and crafts, and a sensory play area. Younger visitors can enjoy Toddler Town or the building block zone, while the Aaniin Public Library hosts demonstrations with programmable robots. Animal education shows, science tricks, and magic displays add to the schedule without any extra cost.
Food Options
Food vendors will cover a wide range of tastes, from sweet to savoury. Options include churros, cotton candy, curry chicken, BBQ skewers, tacos, and jerk meat. For lighter bites and cool treats, visitors can grab ice cream, popsicles, smoothies, bubble waffles, and sugarcane juice. Guests are reminded to bring refillable bottles for use at designated water stations on site.
Parking and Transit
Parking will not be available at Aaniin Community Centre except for accessible spaces, and road restrictions will be in place nearby from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free parking can be found at Milliken Mills Community Centre (7600 Kennedy Road) and Middlefield Collegiate Institute (525 Highglen Ave.), though space is limited. Shuttle buses will connect Milliken Mills and Aaniin every 30 minutes, starting at 9:30 a.m.
You may like: Applefest Markham
