Although Victoria Day weekend may feel a bit different than in previous years, you can still have fun! There are a variety of activities you can partake in to enjoy the beautiful weather and spend time with your loved ones outdoors. If you’re heading out to an outdoor public place, be sure to follow social distancing rules and stay safe!

Here are ways to celebrate Victoria Day weekend this year.

Support Local & Order Takeout 

There are so many local restaurants to satisfy all of your long weekend cravings. Support small businesses and grab a delicious meal to enjoy at your home!

Outdoor Physical Activity

With the warm weather officially here, why not spend your time outdoors? There are a ton of trails to walk, hike, bike, and even some lovely waterfalls to see in the area. Get some fresh air and enjoy the views.

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Shop The Online Sales

There are a bunch of sales happening for the long weekend! Browse through all of your fave brands and score deep savings. We can’t think of a better way to spend the holiday than to shop ’til you drop.

Have A Picnic 

Another way to take advantage of the awesome weather is to go on a picnic with your quarantine group. Grab all of the snacks and goodies you need and head on out to your local park to set up.

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Visit A Garden

Breathtaking gardens can be found all across Toronto and the GTA that will instantly brighten your mood. Gardens to visit are the Royal Botanical Gardens, Toronto Botanical Gardens, Casa Loma Gardens, and Edwards Gardens—just to name a few.

Fireworks 

Either (safely) plan out your very own fireworks show or wait until you hear ones happening in your neighbourhood. If you do plan on executing your own light performance, be sure to check out the rules for fireworks in your area.

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Somehow we are already making our way to the July long weekend. Since the warm weather hit, the time has been flying by with all the events and activities going on. Make sure you check everything off your summer bucket list before it’s too late. There are lots of fun things going on this long weekend (new and old) that you might want to check out here:

1. Visit The Bata Shoe Museum To See Manolo Blahnik: The Art Of Shoes

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Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes is an intimate retrospective spanning 45 years of work by one of the most influential figures in his field; his inventiveness and superb craft has managed to cross boundaries between fashion and art.

Dates: May 16, 2018, to January 6, 2018

2. Spend The Day At The Toronto Islands

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There’s no better way to make the most out of a balmy summer long weekend than to hit the Toronto Islands – Toronto’s own little escape from reality, where the only reminders of the city chaos are the peaceful and stunning views of the skyline across the water.

Dates: N/A

3. Do Yoga Or Play Volleyball At Ontario Place

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Ontario Place is the perfect spot to spend the day if you’re looking for lots of activities in one spot! You can play volleyball, rent a boat, do yoga, skate outdoors, watch a movie in The Cinesphere, play games and so much more. There are also some special events going on for Canada Day!

Dates: N/A

4. Check Out The Waterfront Festival

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Check out Aqua Cirque, to see H20 themed surfing hula hoop artists, contortionists, tricks, flips and acrobatics. On Friday and Saturday, you can unwind with a large glass of wine, craft beers and spirits while enjoying live music from local bands at the 10th annual Wine & Spirit Festival. Shop local at the Waterfront Artisan Market, a lively open-air market with over 50 artisans and food vendors.

Dates: June 22, 2018 to June 24, 2018

5. Spend Your Day At A Beach Outside Of Toronto

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Getting out of the city every so often is necessary, especially when we have such beautiful beaches such a short drive away. Whether you prefer to lay out under the sun or take a dip in the water, there’s something for everybody.

Dates: N/A

6. Shop Local At Union Summer

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The outdoor market at Union Station is coming back this summer after a year off and it all starts this weekend with an amazing list of vendors that’ll make the market a must-visit.

Dates: July 1, 2018 – August 19, 2018

7. Take Road Trip Out Of The City For A Hike

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Summer weekends were made for road trips, and where better to take a scenic hike? You don’t have to drive very far to find yourself completely surrounded by nature. If you’re looking to exercise, to take photos, or walk your dog, these are all great options for a hike right outside the city.

Dates: N/A

8. Beat The Heat By A Poolside

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If you haven’t heard, Toronto will be experiencing a mini-heatwave, with temperatures reaching to the mid-30s this long weekend. With that in mind, it’s imperative that you cover your bases and find the closest pool to you ASAP.

Dates: N/A

9. Dress Up For The Queen’s Plate Festival 2018

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The Queen’s Plate is Canada’s oldest thoroughbred horse race and longest continuously run race in North America. Bring your fashion game forward and walk the red carpet in style at the Hats & Horseshoes Party presented by Stella Artois. Expect lawn games, style contests, cocktails and lots more!

Dates: June 29, 2018 to June 30, 2018

10. Catch The Toronto Blue Jay’s Play Against The Detroit Tigers

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Spend your long weekend at the ballpark with lots of festivities going on to enjoy. On July 2nd, the first 20,000 fans to arrive at the stadium will receive a J.A. Happ Bobblehead presented by Honda.

Dates: June 29, 2018 – July 2, 2018

11. Explore Some Of The World’s Most Notorious Spiders At The ROM

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With more than 400 live and preserved specimens, you will learn about new scientific discoveries, participate in cutting-edge interactive experiences, and unravel the myths about one of the most successful yet misunderstood animals on the planet.

Dates: June 16, 2018 to January 6, 2019

Featured Image: Instagram/@viktoriahricova

What activities are you doing this long weekend? Let us know in the comments!

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We finally get a long weekend and it couldn’t be more needed. Hopefully, you’re one of the lucky ones who get to travel out of the city to the first cottage vibes of the season. If you happen to be in the city, don’t worry – there are a ton of fun events happening that you must attend and you won’t even have to spend a dime!

1. URBAN_T

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The first free urban festival that brings together live music, art installations, fashion talks and runway shows, street food, and even design workshops. For 3 days, you will be able to see over 30 immersive performances & installations, showcasing the work of hundreds of local and national creative minds.

Location: Nathan Phillips Square
Date: May 17 – May 19
Cost: Free

2. The Waterfront Artisan Market

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This market brings together a carefully curated mix of local artisans, crafters, chefs and bakers.

Location: HTO Park
Date: May 19 – Oct 7
Cost: Free

3. Whole Blends Lounge

Customers will have a chance to enter into a multi-experiential pop-up space designed around the Whole Blends values.  Including an infusion bar inspired by the ingredients of the products, a braid bar run by stylist and creative genius Roger Medina, custom product labels, and a perfectly instagramable swing corner!

Location: Scarborough Town Centre
Date: May 17 – May 20
Cost: Free

4. Rib & Craft Beer Fest

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As well as tons of rib vendors selling all kinds and styles, there will also be a Craft Beer Market, offering more than 35 different beers on tap. Other snacks will also be sold, such as fried onions, potato tornadoes, funnel cakes, BBQ chicken, coleslaw, corn bread, poutine, burgers and sausages, jerk chicken, slushies, deep fried desserts and more.

Location: Yonge and Dundas Square (1 Dundas East)
Date: May 17 – 20
Cost: Free

 

5. Artfest

Artfest Toronto hosts 2 outdoor art and craft shows. Celebrating painting, photography, sculpture, fine craft, live music and more from Canada’s top artists.

Location: Distillery District
Date: May 19 – May 21

6. Asbridges Bay Fireworks

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Enjoy the stunning spectacle of fireworks over the skyline, surrounded by loved ones. It’s going to be an incredible show you won’t want to miss.

Location: Asbridge’s Bay Park
Date: Monday 21

7. Summer @ Ontario Place

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Expect lots of fun activities like synthetic ice skating (Toronto’s only outdoor skating rink), volleyball, ping pong, an “imagination playground”, life-size chess, kayak rentals, and much more for the opening for their summer program.

Location: Distillery District
Date: May 19 – May 21

8. Pep Rally

This free larger-than-life event will transform Celebration Square into a playground for the whole family with games, costumes, bubbles and more! Join CBC Toronto for an afternoon of fun.

Location: Celebration Square, 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga, ON
Date: May 21, 2018

Featured Image: Instagram/@xandraesworld

Are you going to attend any of these festivals this weekend?

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From May 17 to May 19, come to Nathan Phillips Square and enjoy a free celebration of music, food, art, and fashion.

URBANI_T festival is the first free urban festival that brings together live music, art installations, fashion talks and runway shows, street food, and even design workshops. For 3 days, you will be able to see over 30 immersive performances & installations, showcasing the work of hundreds of local and national creative minds.

“After 2 years in the making, it is an understatement to say that we are excited to launch URBANI_T in Toronto,” states Jean-Franc?ois Daviau, Groupe Sensation Mode President. “We are extremely proud to provide Torontonians with free access to such a spectacular range of creative minds through URBANI_T’s first edition,” adds Groupe Sensation Mode VP, Chantal Durivage.

All shows will be presented on a spectacular stage built upon Nathan Phillips Square’s pool providing the perfect platform for a fun-filled evening of music, fashion and special events.

Here’s URBANI_T’s schedule:

Thursday, May 17 from 5PM to 11PM
Friday, May 18 from NOON to 9PM
Saturday, May 19 from 10AM to 6PM

Finally, the weather is starting to be a bit more reasonable, which means it’s time to spend get outdoors this weekend. Embrace all the activities that are going on around the city. The long-weekend means extra time for sleeping, exploring and running all those errands you’ve been putting off. We’ve rounded up some of the best events going on in Toronto this weekend:

Toronto Light Festival 

Stimulate your senses in this visual journey, made completely from lights, and located in one of the most magical spots in Toronto. The Distillery District will be holding the Toronto Light Festival until March 4, 2018 and it’s free for all.

We swoon over the details of @hybycozo ??#tolightfest

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Family Funday at the ROM 

The ROM will be celebrating the long weekend with multicultural activities, including musical performances, special hands-on workshops, and more. All included free with museum admission.

Doors are open! Who’s starting their week with a visit?

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Tech Art Fair at the Ontario Science Centre

Enjoy cute codable robots, interplanetary music, take in immersive 3D experiences, and so much more with 20 juried artists, designers, and entrepreneurs showcasing their original tech-inspired artwork. Looking to grow your art collection? Easy! Commission or purchase original art right on the spot – or you can even create your own.

Take in immersive 3D experiences, codable robots, interplanetary music and much more when 20 juried artists, designers and entrepreneurs showcase their one-of-a-kind creations at our first ever Tech Art Fair. Link in bio.

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Winter Stations 2018

The WinterStations is embarking on its fourth year, bringing temporary art installations to the Beaches, from February 18th until April 1st. If the weather’s not too cold, take a walk through the exhibitions to celebrate Toronto’s winter waterfront landscape.

All about the details // Collective Memory – by Mario Garcia Gil + Andrea Govi #WinterStations2017 #Design #ArtInstallation

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The Trinity Bellwoods Flea-Winter Market

If you’re looking for Family Day Sunday plans, we’ve got you covered. The Winter Market is back February 18th! Check out all the vendors, artisans, samples and snacks with delicious local eats. Admission is free and four-legged friends, as well as kids, are welcome.

It’s been a while since this vendor has joined us. However a month that calls for sweets for the sweets in your life. Is just the perfect time to re introduce them to you all Toronto. Welcoming back @chocollatagourmet and their divine Brazilian brigaderios to our Winter Market happening Feb 18th! Which also happens to be #familyday! There isn’t a better time to bring the whole gang and make it a #sundayfunday the local way. Good local eats, artisan made goods and plenty of good vibes for all. . . #416 #toronto #yyz #thetrinitybellwoodsflea #trinitybellwoodsflea #local #handcrafted #handmade #ooak #vendor #artisan #smallbusiness #fleamarket #localmarket #music #food #community #cocktails #family #queenstwest #libertyvillage #parkdale #trinitybellwoods #shoplocal #torontolife #freeevents #brigderios

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The Frank And Oak Warehouse Sale

StyleDemocracy x Notable Life have teamed up for the Frank And Oak Sale. Browse through all the amazing men & women items for discounts up to 80% off. Find so many incredible styles and accessories as well as unbeatable prices. It all starts today and ends on Sunday, February 25th. The sooner you get there, the better!

The Frank And Oak Warehouse Sale starts today! Get ready to shop – Doors open at 10am @ 950 Dupont St ? Tons of clothing, outerwear, accessories and more for both Men and Women!

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Family Day at Harbourfront Centre

Featuring free skating lessons during the day on the Natrel Rink, rinkside dance breaks, emerging DJs, icy activities, a fireside outdoor lounge and more! It’s all FREE!

Skate your way through the cold weather and enjoy perfect CN tower right on the Toronto Harbourfront. // ?Toronto, Ontario

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The Leslieville Flea Market

Shop the best vintage goods at the historic Fermenting Cellar in the Distillery District. Support local vendors and try out samples along the way. Admission is always free!

Cold weather has us constantly reaching for something soothing for our lips! With @sudsatorium lip products you can have the confidence that you’re putting only naturally derived, skin-safe ingredients on your lips ?? Come find @sudsatorium and so. many. more. wonderful vendors at our Christmas markets! The first one is less than 2 weeks away! Sunday November 26 10am – 4pm SH Armstrong Community Centre ••••••••• Sunday December 10 10am – 4pm SH Armstrong Community Centre

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