Special events, such as parades, ceremonies and fundraising events add vibrancy to the neighbourhood, but most involve road closures of some sort. Upcoming special events will be detailed on our social media and will also be announced at General Members' Meetings.
The City of Toronto has listings for all kinds of art exhibits, charity events, sporting games, street markets and more at www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/.
The City of Toronto has listings for all kinds of art exhibits, charity events, sporting games, street markets and more at www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/.
Annual Events
There are numerous scheduled events that take place annually in the area. Often there are unscheduled events such as protests at Queen's Park that may affect the neighbourhood. In order to assist residents with planning, here are the events that typically reoccur each year.
May
First Sunday: Toronto Marathon (no local road closures) www.torontomarathon.com
First Sunday: Ontario Police Memorial Ceremony of Remembrance www.ceremonyofremembrance.ca
Second Thursday: Corrections Ceremony of Remembrance www.opseu.org/events/
Second Sunday: Sporting Life 10 k www.sportinglife10k.ca
First Sunday: Toronto Marathon (no local road closures) www.torontomarathon.com
First Sunday: Ontario Police Memorial Ceremony of Remembrance www.ceremonyofremembrance.ca
Second Thursday: Corrections Ceremony of Remembrance www.opseu.org/events/
Second Sunday: Sporting Life 10 k www.sportinglife10k.ca
June
2nd Saturday: Run for Women www.runforwomen.ca
Father's Day: Yorkville Exotic Car Show www.yorkvilleexotics.com
2nd Sunday: Purple Walk for Epilepsy Toronto www.epilepsytoronto.org/about-us/events/purple-walk/
2nd Sunday - Journey to Conquer Cancer www.journey2conquer.ca
Friday mid-month to Canada Day long weekend in July: Toronto Jazz Festival www.torontojazz.com
Last Friday - Trans March www.pridetoronto.com
Last Saturday - Pride and Remembrance Run www.pridetoronto.com
Last Saturday - Dyke March www.pridetoronto.com
Last Sunday - Pride Parade www.pridetoronto.com
2nd Saturday: Run for Women www.runforwomen.ca
Father's Day: Yorkville Exotic Car Show www.yorkvilleexotics.com
2nd Sunday: Purple Walk for Epilepsy Toronto www.epilepsytoronto.org/about-us/events/purple-walk/
2nd Sunday - Journey to Conquer Cancer www.journey2conquer.ca
Friday mid-month to Canada Day long weekend in July: Toronto Jazz Festival www.torontojazz.com
Last Friday - Trans March www.pridetoronto.com
Last Saturday - Pride and Remembrance Run www.pridetoronto.com
Last Saturday - Dyke March www.pridetoronto.com
Last Sunday - Pride Parade www.pridetoronto.com
September
First Sunday: Walk to Conquer Cancer www.walk2conquer.ca
Weekday mid-month: Grassy Narrows River Run www.grassynarrows.net
Friday mid-month: Global Climate Strike www.fridaysforfuture.ca
Saturday mid-month: Big Toronto Bike Ride www.bigride.cycleto.ca
Sunday mid-month: Jesus in the City www.jesusinthecity.com
Sunday mid-month: Yorkville Run www.yorkvillerun.com
Weekend mid-month: Word on the Street Festival www.toronto.thewordonthestreet.ca
last Thursday: National Police Officer's Memorial Run www.npomr.org
last Sunday: Community March Against Gun Violence www.zerogunviolence-movement.com
First Sunday: Walk to Conquer Cancer www.walk2conquer.ca
Weekday mid-month: Grassy Narrows River Run www.grassynarrows.net
Friday mid-month: Global Climate Strike www.fridaysforfuture.ca
Saturday mid-month: Big Toronto Bike Ride www.bigride.cycleto.ca
Sunday mid-month: Jesus in the City www.jesusinthecity.com
Sunday mid-month: Yorkville Run www.yorkvillerun.com
Weekend mid-month: Word on the Street Festival www.toronto.thewordonthestreet.ca
last Thursday: National Police Officer's Memorial Run www.npomr.org
last Sunday: Community March Against Gun Violence www.zerogunviolence-movement.com
October
First Sunday: Ontario Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial www.opffa.org
Sunday mid-month: Light Up Toronto for Safe Streets www.CommunityBikewaysTO.ca
Sunday mid-month: Toronto Waterfront Marathon www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com
First Sunday: Ontario Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial www.opffa.org
Sunday mid-month: Light Up Toronto for Safe Streets www.CommunityBikewaysTO.ca
Sunday mid-month: Toronto Waterfront Marathon www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com
November
11th - Queen's Park Remembrance Day Ceremony www.ontario.ca
11th - University of Toronto Service of Remembrance
3rd Sunday - Santa Claus Parade www.thesantaclausparade.com
11th - Queen's Park Remembrance Day Ceremony www.ontario.ca
11th - University of Toronto Service of Remembrance
3rd Sunday - Santa Claus Parade www.thesantaclausparade.com
December
First or second Thursday: University of St. Michael's College Christmas Market
First or second Thursday: University of St. Michael's College Christmas Market
Upcoming Events
Details of upcoming events are posted when details have been confirmed. Please keep that many events involve road closures and increased pedestrian traffic, so plan your activities accordingly.
The Grassy Narrows River Run happens on Wednesday September 18th at 12 noon. Grassy Narrows youth and community members will march to demand action for mercury poisoning discovered in 1970 caused by toxic waste from the Dryden Chemicals pulp and paper mill. The event will begin in Grange Park (Beverley Street and McCaul Street) with an opening ceremony and speeches for about an hour. Participants will march to Queen’s Park for more speeches before the event ends around 3 pm. https://freegrassy.net/grassy-narrows-river-run-2024/
Councillor Chris Moise is hosting a Town Hall for Toronto Centre Zone 1, which includes Bay Cloverhill, Church Wellesley, Bloor East and McGill Granby Village neighbourhoods on Thursday September 19th from 6 to 9 pm. Register in advance to attend the meeting that will be held in the Rainbow Ballroom at The 519, 519 Church Street. www.chrismoise.ca/townhall_zone1
Councillor Dianne Saxe is hosting her monthly town hall virtually on Thursday September 19th at 7 pm. The topic will be designing and developing green spaces. Experts from Parks & Recreation Toronto who will be speaking about their work. Policy Development Officer John Danner will give a special presentation on dog parks.
Get a free bike check-up from Cycle TO on Saturday September 21st from 1 pm to 5 pm at the 25 St. Mary visitor parking lot. Try out a Brompton foldable bike and relax with an iced coffee from Pedaal. Play lawn games as part of Park(ing) Day Toronto, an annual event that converts parking spaces into creative community spaces.
https://www.cycleto.ca/park_ing_day
https://www.cycleto.ca/park_ing_day
St. Mike's Annual Book sale starts Wednesday, September 25th from 10 am to 8 pm at the Kelly Library, 113 St. Joseph Street. Admission is $5 (except for students) only on Wednesday. The sale continues on Thursday September 26th and Friday September 27th from 10 am to 8 pm, and finishes Saturday September 28th from 10 am to 1 pm. Proceeds help fund the library's collection, equipment and building. library.stmikes.utoronto.ca/about/friends/sale/
The National Police Officers’ Memorial Run is a 460 km relay that starts at the Ontario Police Memorial at Queen’s Park on Thursday September 26th. It ends in Ottawa on Saturday September 28th at the annual Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial Service held on Parliament Hill. The event celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024 and is a tribute to fallen officers. Expect rolling road closures along University Avenue and King Street. www.npomr.org
The 10 km Big Toronto Bike Ride is happening on Saturday September 28th. The route is not yet available. This fundraising ride helps Cycle Toronto raise funds for education programs and cycling advocacy. Participants must purchase a ticket for $30 and raise a minimum of $150. www.cycleto.ca/btbr_2024
Latin Parade & Fall Fiesta starts on Saturday September 28th with a parade starting at 11 am from Bloor Street West and St. George Street going east to Yonge Street then south to Yonge Dundas Square. There will be over 50 groups from 20 countries celebrating their Hispanic and Latin America heritage. The Fall Fiesta will be held at Yonge Dundas Square on Saturday September 28th and Sunday September 29th from noon to 8 pm with arts, food, music and more. https://hispaniccanadianheritage.ca/
The Word on the Street Festival returns to its usual September schedule to take over Queen’s Park Crescent from Bloor Street to Wellesley Street on Saturday September 28th from 11 am to 6 pm and Sunday September 29th from 10 am to 5 pm. The festival commemorates Canadian writing and literacy. Readings from over 100 authors will be featured, as well as an outdoor marketplace. www.toronto.thewordonthestreet.ca
The Ontario Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial is scheduled for Sunday October 6th. The one hour ceremony will start at 1 pm in Frost Plaza at 7 Queen's Park Crescent East (on the north east corner of Queen's Park Crescent and College Street) where the loss of 49 fire fighters will be honoured. www.opffa.org
The Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a 5 km walk at 9 am on Saturday October 19th as well as half marathon and marathon that runs on Sunday October 20th starting at 8:15 am. There will be likely some local road disruptions in the Bay Cloverhill neighbourhood this year. The route for this year is being finalized. Start time is at Queen Street and University Avenue, The finish will be at Bay Street and Queen Street. Expect some road closures on Saturday October 19th and on Queen’s Park Crescent/University Avenue on marathon/half marathon race day. www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.
University of Toronto holds its annual Service of Remembrance at 10:20 am on Monday November 11th at Soldiers’ Tower in Hart House Circle. U of T alumni, students, faculty and staff who were killed in WWI, WWII and other conflicts are honoured. A carillon recital will be held before and after the service of remembrance at 10:20 am. https://alumni.utoronto.ca/alumni-networks/shared-interests/soldiers-tower/service-of-remembrance#:~:text=Join%20us%20for%20the%202024,posted%20closer%20to%20the%20date.
The Holly Jolly Fun Run is a 5 km run on Sunday November 24th with 1,000 participants will be raising funds for the Santa Clause Parade. It starts at 600 Bloor Street West at 11:45 am. The route goes east along Bloor, south on Spadina Avenue, east along Harbord Street, south along Queen’s Park Crescent East/University Avenue, south on York Street to Maple Leaf Square www.thesantaclausparade.com/holly-jolly-fun-run
- 800,000 people are expected to watch the 61st annual family friendly Santa Claus Parade on Sunday November 24th. The parade starts at 12:30 pm at Christie Pits (Bloor Street West and Christie Street), goes east along Bloor Street, south on University Avenue, east at Wellington Street, south on Yonge Street, east on Front Street, ending at the St. Lawrence Market at Jarvis Street and Front Street East at 3:30 pm. www.thesantaclausparade.com