10 Winter Festivals To Plan a Toronto Trip Around

Winter 2025 is a stellar year for many of Toronto’s top festivals, as they celebrate milestone anniversaries. The winter festival season picks up steam in February and brings light into dark winter nights with a range of programming the whole family will enjoy.

Showcasing the best music, art, design and culinary offerings in the city, here are 10 winter festivals in Toronto worth venturing out in the cold for. 
 

DesignTO 

DesignTO (January 24–February 2, 2025) marks 15 years of Canada’s largest celebration of design. With over 100 in-person and virtual exhibitions, the 10-day-long festival curates an array of events, exhibitions and window installations across Toronto. 

If you’re fascinated by art, architecture, graphics, urban design, furniture and industrial design, this is the event for you.

Explore ikebana floral art and the photography of Toronto-based Ghanaian Nigerian photographer Delali Cofie, make a fried egg at a hands-on embroidery workshop and so. much. more.

Winterlicious

Winterlicious (January 31–February 13, 2025) is the best way to try Toronto’s buzziest (and most luxe) restaurants, as they offer affordable, prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner menus.

With more than 200 restaurants across the city participating, it’s one of the city’s most anticipated foodie events. Be sure to book your reservations early to grab seats at some of Toronto’s most in-demand restaurants.
 

Downtown Chinatown Lunar New Year 

Celebrate the Year of the Snake downtown at the Dragon City Mall and Chinatown Centre (February 1 & 2, 2025). 

The Lunar New Year festivities kick off with an opening ceremony and lion dance followed by live performances, activities and interactive games for the whole family. 

Since the celebrations are in Chinatown, it’s a breeze to pop into nearby shops, bakeries and restaurants to pick up Lunar New Year decor and explore the neighbourhood’s humming food scene.

KUUMBA30 

Harbourfront Centre’s KUUMBA30 Festival (February 1–28, 2025) honours Black accomplishments through a month-long showcase of artists in multidisciplinary fields.

This year, KUUMBA marks its 30th anniversary with performances in a variety of artistic disciplines, including music, theatre, dance, spoken word and visual art.

What sets KUUMBA apart from other festivals is its focus transcends the past to look to the future of Black art, culture and society within the communities that make up Toronto.
 

Toronto Black Film Fest 

The Toronto Black Film Festival (February 12–17, 2025) returns this year with six days of film screenings, panel sessions and cultural experiences for the public and industry professionals.

The festival is known for innovative, diverse, and bold programming, with several world and Canadian premieres debuting at each year’s festival.

The festival’s free panel discussions and workshops feature renowned industry professionals offering professional insight and thought-provoking conversations on social issues.