10 Spring Festivals Worth a Toronto Trip This Year

Springtime in Toronto brings warmer weather, new blooms and some of the best festivals around. Visit April through June to take part in a dynamic array of arts and cultural festivals, including music, film, photography, architecture and more.

Check out these 10 spring festivals worth planning a Toronto weekend getaway around.

Hot Docs

Hot Doc 2025 (April 24–May 4, 2025) features 10 days of documentary-style films from around the world at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in the Annex neighbourhood.

With over 100 documentaries expected to be shown at this year’s event, the festival continues to attract film lovers from around the world with its topical and timely content.

The 2025 festival lineup includes documentaries around hot topics like disability rights, assisted suicide, the Israel-Palestine conflict and what it’s like to be on Vladimir Putin’s most-wanted list in Russia.

CONTACT Photography Festival

The CONTACT Photography Festival (May 1–31, 2025) returns annually to exhibit photography in public spaces, including billboards across the city and an outdoor gallery at The Bentway (which will feature Natalie Hunter’s Bathed in Strange Light, transparent photo projections that respond to changes in daylight and movement by passerby).

Celebrating Canadian and international talent, CONTACT is a great way to discover new (and new-to-you) photographers and points of view through public exhibitions and by attending talks, workshops and lectures.

This year’s festival includes thought-provoking work by Toronto-based artists Sandra Brewster, Alison Postma and Steven Beckly.

Departure Festival

Departure Festival (May 6–11, 2025) is the new incarnation of what was formerly known as Canadian Music Week. A celebration of Canadian multidisciplinary art and creativity, Departure includes music, visual art, comedy and technology, with a mix of performances, panels, workshops and keynotes.

Headliners at this year’s inaugural festival include legendary Canadian musician Bryan Adams, celebrity chef Matty Matheson and up-and-coming singer Tia Wood.

Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival

One of North America’s largest queer film festivals, the Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival (May 23–31, 2025) draws crowds to Toronto to enjoy film screenings, panel and artist discussions and installations centred around films created by this intersectional community.

A local favourite since its launch in 1991, this year’s event will screen over 150 films by Canadian and international directors. With its open submission process, this festival is a valuable vehicle for emerging talent to showcase their work.

Doors Open Toronto

Each May, Doors Open Toronto (May 24 & 25, 2025) invites the public to step inside some of Toronto's most unique, historic and intriguing spaces.

This weekend-long event offers free admission to nearly 150 buildings across the city, including theatres, historic sites and private businesses—some of which are otherwise not open to the public.

An annual event since 2000, Doors Open Toronto has inspired similar festivals across the continent yet remains the largest event of its kind in Canada. Plan your itinerary in advance to minimize travel time and to participate in the guided tours and activities that some locations offer.

SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival

SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival (May 24–June 2, 2025) celebrates all things a cappella with a week of concerts by Canadian and international singers.

The festival shows the limitless capacity of the human voice with free outdoor concerts at Nathan Philips Square and Kew Gardens, plus ticketed performances at the Royal Ontario Museum and other venues.

Partnering with Estonian Music Week 2025, this year’s SING! festival includes a show by the award-winning Estonian Voices and Toronto’s Countermeasure.

Luminato Festival Toronto

Luminato Festival Toronto (June 4–22, 2025) offers visitors live music, performance art and visual art in interactive exhibitions over two weeks in Toronto's downtown core. This multi-art festival transforms the city into an open gallery with family-friendly performances, immersive exhibitions, and more.

While rooted in Toronto, Luminato showcases local, Canadian and international talent. Follow the festival’s Instagram for lineup announcements and other updates.

Do West Fest

If there’s one thing Toronto does best, it is a street fest! Do West Fest (June 6–8, 2025) closes down traffic along 16 blocks of Dundas Street West in Little Portugal over a warm June weekend to highlight local businesses, music, art and food.

Stretching between Ossington to Lansdowne Avenues, Do West attractions include concerts on multiple performance stages, restaurant patios, food stands, vendor pop-ups and more. Don’t miss the Portugal Day Parade (June 7, 2025) which starts at noon!

Toronto Comic Arts Festival

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (June 7 & 8, 2025) is one of the largest indie comic arts festivals in the world. This fan-led event celebrates the medium with exhibitions, panels, and workshops.

Held this year at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Mattamy Athletic Centre, the free festival hosts over 300 artists. Creative luminaries who have attended past festivals include Art Spiegelman, Alison Bechdel, Yoshihiro Tatsumi and Seth.

Mix and mingle with artists, pick up some comic books, and hear from artists and illustrators about their craft at this under-the-radar event.

NXNE Music Festival

The NXNE Music Festival (June 11–15, 2025) returns for its 30th year with four jam-packed days of live music. Presenting 250+ artists at 20+ venues across town, this event is an affordable way to discover new talent and check out some of Toronto’s best concert spaces.

This year’s festival lineup includes homegrown Canadian talent like dark-wave artist Frankie Flowers, hip-hop performer Melo Griffith and folksters Dandelion Highway.