With everyone buying up presents left, right, and centre this time of year, going to an event that you won’t have to dip into your wallet for is a welcome change. Now don’t think that just because these events are free of charge, it doesn’t mean that they’re any less fabulous than ones that cost money. From family-friendly holiday fun and ice skating, to seeing your fave Christmas flicks and ringing in the new year, these December events have it all.
Keep reading for 7 super fun and free December events in Toronto!
Holiday Fair In The Square
From December 7 until the 23, experience the excitement of Christmas while enjoying the magic of a winter carnival at Holiday Fair in Nathan Phillips Square. Located in the heart of Toronto, this free and fun holiday market has it all — skating, rides, games, seasonal treats, and drinks!
Family Holiday Cheer at Yorkville Village
Grab the family and head to Yorkville Village on December 7. From 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., enjoy activities like letter writing to Santa, story time, ornament making, face painting and more. While the event is free for all to attend, a toy donation is suggested as it’ll benefit CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish.
Hot Docs’ Free Holidays Classics Screenings
It’s not really the holiday season until you watch your favourite Christmas movie, is it? Whether you’re into classics like White Christmas, or prefer newer ones like The Holiday, head to Hot Docs for a free screening from December 14-21. Tickets can be reserved for members but if you’re not a member, fear not because you can grab your tix at the box office!
Skating at Union Holiday
Who doesn’t love a good, old fashioned winter skating session? Grab your family, friends, or go solo, and head to Union Station to enjoy skating at Union Station’s Union Holiday that’s open until January 4. Don’t have skates? No prob because skating lessons, skate, and helmet rentals will be offered by TD and Union for free.
Cineplex Community Day
What could be better than a morning of free movies? From 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on December 7, you and the whole family can enjoy holiday films like A Christmas Story, Elf, Gremlins, The Polar Express, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at Cineplex’s Community Day. While the movie tickets are free, concession items like popcorn, soft drinks, and select candy will be just $2.50. All proceeds from donations and select concession sales will go to Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.
Newchoir Singalongs at stackt market
Get festive at stackt market this year and sing along to your favourite holiday carols. On December 7 and the 21, Toronto’s first rock choir, newchoir, will be performing holiday hits from artists like George Michael, John Legend, Wham, this will be a holiday spectacular unlike any other!
New Year’s Eve At Nathan Phillips Square
Don’t think that just because Christmas will be over, it doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Head back to Nathan Phillips Square to ring in 2020 in style. Admission is totally free and the event features DJ skating parties, live performances, and of course, a mind blowing fireworks display.
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February is known as one of Canada’s darkest and coldest months of the year.
With less vitamin D and excursions outside the house, you might be experiencing the winter blues in full swing, but you can beat them. There are tons of fun, free events happening in the city this month and they’re sure to help lift your spirits!
Here is a look at our top picks for free events happening in Toronto this February 2019:
Street Art Photography Exhibit (Now to February 24)
Instagram/@start_streetarttoronto
StreetARToronto has been changing the urban art scene in the city through local artists. Located at Artusiam Art Gallery on St. Clair Avenue West, admission is free! Here you will see photographs of projects all around the city. Various neighbourhoods are represented and you have the option to purchase artwork on site if you see something you love!
Rosedale Family Fun Day (February 2)
Instagram/@kidcochildcare
If you’re looking for something for the whole family to do on the weekend, this free public event at Kids & Company is a great option! It goes on from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. and has lots going on! There will be a magic show with Bumbling Bert, arts and crafts, snacks, and more.
The Official Budweiser Super Bowl Viewing Party (February 3)
Instagram/@RebelToronto
Celebrate the Super Bowl with Budweiser this year! Admission is free with a claimed ticket for those 19+. With a gigantic 34-foot widescreen TV and multiple individual viewing screens, you will be able to see all the action. There will be tons of free seating as well as food stations, beer and drink specials, live music, and more!
Afternoon Movie at the Riverdale Library (February 5)
Instagram/@anthonyfarnell
The Toronto Public Library Riverdale Branch is celebrating Black History Month with a free screening of The Queen of Katwe. The movie is inspired by a true story and one you’ll definitely want to check out. Admission is free and the movie starts at 2 p.m.
Bloor-Yorkville Icefest 2019 (February 9-10)
Instagram/@blooryorkville
The 14th annual Bloor-Yorkville Icefest is the perfect event to attend if you’re looking to get outside and appreciate the beauty of winter. With tons of intricate ice sculptures to see and live ice carving demonstrations, this is a must-see event! This year’s theme is Hollywood North and features over 70,000 pounds of ice carved into incredible sculptures that are all inspired by the success of the film industry in Toronto!
Shuffle Social Mixer (February 13)
Instagram/@shufflesocial
This free event is for those 23+ and with a limited amount of free tickets, you’ll want to act fast! At the Shuffle Social Mixer you can mix and mingle in a relaxed atmosphere while you develop your personal and professional networks. If you’re looking to kill it at work in 2019, this is the event for you!
Trinity Bellwoods Flea Winter Market (February 17)
Instagram/@trinitybellwoodsflea
The free admission flea market is back again this month! Whether you missed out last month or enjoyed it so much you want to visit again, you’re in luck! If you’re looking to treat yourself to something nice, this is the event for you. While you will likely spend once you’re there with all the tempting goodies, it can still be fun to window shop as a way to get out of the house.
The 7th Annual Toronto-Qinhuai Lantern festival (February 18)
The Oscars LIVE! (February 24)
Instagram/@hotdocs_
The Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema will be rolling out the red carpet for a free broadcast of this year’s Oscars! Tickets are free and you will be able to see all of the major moments on the big screen. This is definitely going to be a fun event that you won’t want to miss out on!
Featured Image: Pexels
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Things are heating up in the city and spring romance is calling!
Whether you’re in a committed relationship or single and ready to mingle, the warmer weather beckons us to break hibernation and explore all the city has to offer. This season, give your wallet a break and say no to bad dates. Take your significant other or potential lover out on the town without breaking the bank by using our list of the best cheap dates in Toronto.
Thank us later.
Get your bowl on
Most people aren’t aware that The Ballroom offers free bowling on Sunday nights after 5pm. While you still have to pay for shoe rental ($5 per pair), that’s a pretty low price to pay for a night of fun. Oh, and did we mention that bar rails are just $4, and caesars and wine are $5 all day on Sundays? You’re welcome.
Scribble, scribble, scribble
Every Thursday from 5-11pm, Gladstone Hotel hosts free adult colouring nights. Set to the tune of hip hop beats, impress your date and get your scribble on with the free adult colouring book-style photos and pencil crayons on hand. Drinks aren’t included, but there are easy-on-the-wallet specials on offer.
Give back together
Do things a little differently for your next date and give back to the community. National Volunteer Week takes place April 23rd to 29th and there are plenty of opportunities to explore. Show some compassion and give a little piece of your heart to the community (and your date) – it’s the perfect way to really get to know one another! You can find a full list of volunteering opportunities in Toronto here.
Take in some live music at The Drake Hotel
Music junkies will love this springtime date idea. The Drake Hotel hosts a number of bands during the week in their lounge, and these shows are totally free to the public! Perk up your weeknights with free live performances from bands like Parkside Drive and The Digs, just make sure you leave room in your budget for a couple of drinks. See The Drake Hotel’s event listings here – they also have other free and equally intriguing events (think pie and coffee, and coffee cocktails) on deck for the season.
Celebrate our hometown heroes at Bleeding Blue
Does your date love the Toronto Blue Jays? Take ’em to the Bleeding Blue art exhibit at Steam Whistle Gallery, which is free to the public and open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm and Sunday from 11am to 5pm until April 30th. The exhibit features Blue Jays themed pieces by Canadian artist Samara Shuter. And if you have some extra dollars to spare, add in a brewery tour, which is only $12 per person – Steam Whistle samples included!
Laugh the night away at Yuk Yuk’s Amateur Night
Looking for a guaranteed good time? Yuk Yuk’s hosts Amateur Night every Tuesday which consists of two shows: one at 7:30 pm featuring students from Humber College School of Comedy and one at 9:30 pm featuring Yuk Yuk’s regular amateurs. Tickets are only $4 and will get you access to both shows. Our tip for the most cost effective evening? Opt to share a bottle of Chardonnay ($29) instead of ordering individual drinks, which can add up pretty quickly.
Take in Canada’s finest photography on an tour across the city
Get cultured and celebrate the 21st annual Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, the world’s largest photography event of its kind. From May 1-31st, a range of Canadian artists will be showcased in free public installations and open exhibitions scattered throughout the Toronto. We suggest making a day of it, creating your own walking tour with stops across the city. Learn more about the festival here.
Check out the cherry blossoms in peak bloom at High Park
This year, High Park’s Nature Centre is predicting peak bloom to be sometime between May 3rd and 10th. Of course, this all depends on Mother Nature, but when it happens, we definitely suggest checking it out. Start your date off by grabbing a coffee or cheap bite on Roncesvalles (this guide will help you out!), and then stroll over to High Park and sneak a kiss under the blossoms. You’re sure to score some major romance points, and probably an Instagram photo or two, too. Oh, and if the date’s going well, prolong it and mosey on over to High Park Zoo.
Catch a Doc at Dusk
Take your date for a film under the stars and check out Hot Docs’ Docs at Dusk series. The first screening takes place on Thursday, May 4th at Innis Courtyard (weather permitting), premiering Give Me Future, a documentary about how Major Lazer became the first American performer to put on a show in Cuba. The event starts at 8pm and there will also be live music. Best part yet, it’s 100% free. Just remember to bring your own snacks and arrive early to ensure you get spots. Get full details about the event here.
Check out Pedestrian Sundays at Kensington Market
Make your date an all day event and head to Kensington Market on Pedestrian Sundays where cars are given the boot and pedestrians are given free range. The streets of Toronto’s most colourful neighbourhood will be flooded with food, performers, dancers, music and vendors. Best of all, it’s mostly free! You’ll just need a couple of bucks on hands for any extra noshing. Pedestrian Sundays return to Kensington Market on May 28th, and happen every Sunday onward from 12-7pm.
Did we miss any fun and cheap dates in Toronto? Share them with us in the comment section.
Featured Image: The Digs via TheDrake.ca
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Spring finally seems to be heating up in Toronto as the weather warms up and so too is the city with a number of awesome events. This month is jam-packed with shopping, food, art and more – not a bad way to liven up and wake up from winter hibernation. Before you know it we’ll be seeing sun, cropped jeans, and a ton of leather jackets as the city reaches full bloom. Take a look at the top things to do this April in Toronto and the GTA below:
Toronto’s Bridal Show (April 7 -9)
April showers bring May flowers… and lots and lots of weddings! The season of marriages is upon us and Toronto’s Bridal Show is back just in time to help you finish planning your big day. Shop a variety of vendors, a bridal gown sale, participate in bridal challenges and more. Attendees also have a stab at winning an all-inclusive trip for two to Barbados (someone marry us please)! Grab tickets for $20 here.
Image: Pexels
The Nordstrom Warehouse Sale (April 10 – 17)
Toronto, your favourite sale is just around the corner! The Nordstrom Warehouse Sale is back at the International Centre in Mississauga from April 10 to 17, and everything including clothing, accessories and more is up to 80% off. Not an INsider yet? Sign up now and get an extra 10% off on opening day – that’s up to 90% off designer. For full sale hours/details, head here.
Toronto Coffee and Tea Expo (April 8)
Coffee? Or Tea? Lucky for you, you won’t have to decide at the first-ever Toronto Coffee and Tea Expo happening on April 8 at The Glass Factory, 99 Sudbury Street. Expo-goers will have a chance to sample fresh brews and tea from some of the city’s best indie cafes, discover new beans and recipes, as well as watch the best cup of joe be named at The Best Coffee Competition. Grab tickets for $15 here.
Image: Instagram/@torontocoffeeandtea
Wychwood Vintage Clothing Show (April 9)
Whether you’re a bona fide vintage collector, vintage enthusiast or are simply-label obsessed, the Wychwood Vintage Clothing Show promises to have plenty of amazing finds. Shop a range of fashion, accessories, and textiles including men and women’s clothing, shoes, hats, scarves, handbags, fine jewelry, and more from 30 of Toronto and Montreal’s top vintage dealers. Tickets are $10 at the door.
Songkran Street Food Party (April 14)
Soi Thai Street Food is planning something wet and wild! April 14th not only marks the popular eatery’s anniversary but also the Thai New Year. How do people in Thailand celebrate? A massive water fight! Holding true to the awesome tradition, Soi Thai’s Songkran Street Food Party will be offering up buffet-style street food, bottomless Thai Sangria and water pistols (of course) for the epic water fight to follow. Pick up your $60 ticket and see the full menu head here.
Image: Instagram/@soithaito
Easter Chocolate Tour (April 15)
Even if you don’t celebrate Easter in a traditional sense, no one can deny that it’s one of the best excuses to eat obscene amounts of chocolate and only feel semi-guilty about it (everyone else is doing it too!). If the thought of this makes you drool then don’t miss Tasty Tours Easter Chocolate Tour on April 5. Sample a wide range of chocolatey treats, learn about the history of chocolate, then top off the afternoon with a chocolate making demonstration. Adult tickets are $39, children $25.
Fashion Art Toronto (April 18 – 22)
100 designers and artists. 50 shows. 5 days. Toronto’s most innovative, creative, and uninhibited runway returns! Fashion Art Toronto (FAT) is back from April 18 to 22 with 5 jam-packed days of provocative avant-garde runway shows and performances, photography exhibits, art installations, and fashion films. If you’ve been wondering where to wear that crazy, over the top, but incredibly cool outfit you have stashed in your closet, FAT is the place. Head here for ticket information and here for the full schedule.
Image: Instagram/@fashionarttoronto
Gladstone Grow Op 2017 (April 19 – 23)
Grow Op is returning to the Gladstone for its fifth consecutive year and our response is the same as before: you can’t buy marijuana here, BUT there’s a ton of other cool things you’ll likely want to see! On display will be a broad range of installations exploring the relationship between natural systems of growth, change, abundance, scarcity, decay, and life – super fitting seeing as it’s Earth month. Pick up tickets for $5 to $25 here.
420Comedy Fest (April 20 – 23)
Get ready to laugh your ass off at 420Comedy Fest happening at Underground Cafe and Social Club from April 20 to 30. Weed + comedy is a recipe for some major LOL moments if you ask us and with bits like “Puff Puff Pass the Mic,” “F**k It Buckets” and more, hilariousness is guaranteed. See the full schedule and ticket information here.
Image: Instagram/@420comedyfest
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival (April 27 – May 7)
Film and documentary buffs are in for a treat this month, as Hot Docs will be hosting their annual Canadian International Documentary Festival. Feast your eyes on 200+ films being showcased at a number of theatres across Toronto and get your documentary watching on. Head here for the entire list of films, times, and tickets starting at $17 per screening.
Did we miss any of the top things to do this month in Toronto and the GTA?
Feature image via Facebook/@gladstonehoteltoronto
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February is over and we’re not sad to see it go. While getting by during a regular month is sometimes tough, losing a couple of days from your pay period during a leap year is even tougher. Though it may seem trivial, to some of us that could mean our disposable income is lacking during the month of March or even worse… non-existent!!! But bear with us. Toronto has a ton of fun things to do this month that won’t cost you a dime. Take a look at 10 free events in Toronto and the GTA this March below:
Celebrate Toronto (March 5 & 6)
Toronto has a birthday coming up! Celebrate the city’s 183rd year with performances, shopping, food, interactive activities, skating and more at the 2-day festival in Nathan Phillips Square – basically everything you love about Toronto, all in one place.
Ban This Series (March 6 – 8)
Living under a 24-hour news umbrella is hard at times and in light of recent events, it’s more important now than ever that we stand together. The Ban This series happening at Hot Docs will bring you a whole new world of perspective as they showcase documentaries from each country that was banned entry to the US.
Image: Instagram/@hustarabim
Free Toronto Job Fair (March 9)
ATTN job seekers! A massive free Toronto Job Fair is taking place at the One King West Hotel on March 9. We’re talking thousands of job openings, career services, education, and training. Register to attend online and get your sh*t together – it’s time to be an adult!
Sugar Shack TO (March 12)
Sugar beach is about to get even sweeter with a ton of tasty fun! Sugar Shack TO will be serving up fresh maple taffy all weekend long with interactive entertainment like ice sculptures, giant ice Tic-Tac-Toe, food and live music. Plus hot chocolate also is included with free admission and the traditional cabane à sucre activities – nobody passes up on that!
Image: Facebook/@WaterfrontToronto
Toronto Green Market (March 12)
Start Spring off on the right foot and be friendly to the Earth at the Toronto Green Market. The eco-friendly gathering will be back in town on March 12 with a curated selection of Toronto’s best natural, sustainable, and organic health and wellness products and food. As always, admission is free since you can’t put a price on saving the world.
A Day of Puppies (March 18)
Possibly the cutest Saturday to occur in history, A Day of Puppies will be taking place at Lululemon on Queen West in partnership with Lilo Superfood Company and Save Our Scruff. The drop-in event will feature grab-and-go acai bowl samples, a photo booth, fitness classes, a DJ and more, along with lots and lots of puppies! And if your heart out-weighs your wallet, know that you might be leaving with a newly rescued furry friend.
Image: Instagram/@saveourscruff
Trinity Bellwoods Flea – Spring Break Edition (March 19)
Whoa, time flies! Winter is almost done and we’re not sad to see it go – neither is the Trinity Bellwoods Flea. Catch their Spring Edition on March 19 and join them for a day of local artisans, local food, and locally crafted cocktails. Once again, admission is free so happy window shopping… or bring a pal who can lend you a few bucks.
Bunz Flea Trading Zone (March 21)
Head over to the Gladstone on March 21 and get ready to barter until your face turns blue. Bunz Flea Trading Zone is back for the third time around and you can bet there will be a ton of good stuff! Fill out an application and for those who are unfamiliar with the concept, the market accepts both cash and goods as currency. Spring cleaning, anyone?
Image: Instagram/@eclipsevintage
401 Art Hunt (March 31)
Not your average scavenger hunt! The 401 Art Hunt will be hiding Artist Trading Cards all over the heritage building at 401 Richmond on March 31. Plus, finders keepers! Your newfound treasure becomes your ticket to a music and food event in the Urbanspace Gallery. Register here.
Lululemon Community Yoga (Every Friday)
Stretch out and break out of your winter habits at a free community Yoga class at Lululemon on Queen St West. Held every Friday during the month, the class will definitely have you feeling refreshed and out of your cold-weather slump. Find the weekly schedule to signup for a class here.
Image: Instagram/@lululemonto