Make the most of your Toronto getaway with unique events and activities you can only find here!
It’s time to hit the play button! #summer2024 is here, so jam-pack as much fun as you can with these seasonal experiences you’ll only find in Toronto.
Get high at CN Tower EdgeWalk
Stroll in the clouds a thrilling 116 storeys (356 m) above Toronto street level at the CN Tower EdgeWalk. Where else can you do a 360-degree lap with your arms outstretched and wind howling through your hair? Only in Toronto — it’s the world’s highest full circle hands-free walk!
Catch Friday Night Jazz with sharks(!) at Ripley’s Canada
The dazzling aquatic-music combo you didn’t know you needed: jazz and sharks. Sip cocktails as you hang with sea creatures after dark and let the live jazz wash over you at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada on the second Friday of every month.
Go wild at Toronto Zoo’s Serengeti Bush Camp
Live your best Lion King life at the Toronto Zoo’s Serengeti Bush Camp. Peep wildlife like giraffes, zebras and, of course, lions behind the scenes in the African Savanna area, plus lemurs, gorillas and crocs in the Rainforest Pavilion, on a guided, interactive walk.
Finally, make s’mores by the campfire before sleeping outdoors in safari tents, for a night your family will never forget. (Or skip family night for an adults-only camp experience that’s available select nights in July and August.)
Get styled at Holt Renfrew
Shop till you drop? How about shopping like Toronto’s glitterati instead, with the help of a personal stylist at Canada’s luxury department chain, Holt Renfrew. Whether your vibe leans toward the regal elegance of Chanel or Canadian brand Sentaler (a royal fave worn by the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex), every fashionphile can be dressed to impress here.
Light up the night on a Sunset Safari SUP tour
What happens when you rig stand-up paddleboards with bright nightlights? Find out when you paddle the lagoons of the Toronto Islands at dusk as you light up the lake with your illuminated SUP board. With a little luck, you’ll spot the city’s infamous Baltic Belle shipwreck right under your feet on Toronto Island SUP’s Sunset Safari adventure.
Push your limits off the beaten track
Run the Gardiner Expressway with the city skyline spurring you on at the third annual 10KTO (July 14, 2024) running race, part of Toronto’s marquee multisport event, the Toronto Triathlon Festival (July 14, 2024).
From swimming the Ontario Place Channel and cycling the Don Valley Parkway, to running the Gardiner in the shadow of the CN Tower, elites and first-timers alike can throw down with exclusive access to these iconic—and normally car or boat-filled—urban thoroughfares.
Settle in for a paddle-in movie under the stars
You’ve never had a big-screen experience like this before: pass the popcorn and catch a flick, all while gently bobbing in your canoe or kayak on the Humber River in Toronto’s west end. Jaws (July 19, 2024) and Finding Nemo (August 30, 2024) will be shown this summer with Toronto Adventures’ Movies on the River series.
Jump up at Toronto Caribbean Carnival
Whine your waist and get ready to jump up at Toronto Caribbean Carnival (Festival Weekend runs August 1–5, 2024). If you’re jonesing for the electricity of monster-size street festivals with booming music, dancing and vibing, join the fun. Drawing two million people to the city (and over one million to the Sunday parade), this festival is informally known as Caribana, its historic name. It’s the largest Caribbean festival in North America— and it’s only in the 6ix!
Devour ridiculously good carnival food at the CNE
Teetering between questionable and delicious, the creative concoctions of the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE, August 16–September 2, 2024) are a must for daredevils and foodies alike. The fair’s nostalgic, circa-midcentury Food Building is Ground Zero for the strange, silly and sumptuous. Last year’s offerings included cheesy cinnamon cannoli stuffed with veal cutlet, Barbie-pink mac and cheese served in bread bowls, and pickle-flavoured cotton candy. Back this year: Food Truck Frenzy and Craft Beer Fest, with tasty treats and live music, too. Bring your appetite to sample what’s new for summer ’24.
Tip: The Chelsea Hotel is the official hotel partner of the CNE, so be sure to check out their offers.
Embrace living colour at AGO’s Art Bash 2024
Dust off your dancing shoes with other glam culture vultures at Art Bash! COLOUR (September 26, 2024).
This over-the-top fundraising ball held at the celebrated Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) – renowned for its 90,000-work collection and Frank Gehry-designed expansion—will plunge you into immersive artwork while feeding and fêting you with exquisite cuisine, curated cocktails and incredible performances.