Get ready to celebrate this summer! The annual Festival of India is back in Toronto with its beloved parade in the downtown core and a full weekend of festivities on Centre Island.
The 52nd annual Festival of India is taking place on July 13th and 14th, 2023 and it is free for all!
Celebrate all things India at the two-day celebration including a parade down Yonge Street featuring three ornate, 40-foot-tall floats hand-pulled by participants, singing, drumming, and dancing. And celebrations at Centre Island with a free vegetarian feast.
The procession will begin on July 13th at 11 AM at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas Square and goes down Yonge Street, ending at Queens Quay, just like last year.
“The parade down Yonge Street echoes an annual procession that has occurred for centuries in the ancient city of Puri, India. There, three mammoth chariots, known as rathas are taken on a jubilant procession, called a yatra,” shares organizers.
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“Hence, the Festival is also known as Ratha-Yatra or “chariot procession”. In Puri, this age-old Ratha-Yatra procession continues to attract over a million people every year!”
After the parade, head to Centre Island where the festivities will continue. Here you’ll enjoy a delicious vegetarian feast, for free and take part in family-friendly activities.
There will be a massive, outdoor tented pavilion, a guided tour of the festival, music, dance, & drama performances, a South Asian Bazaar, traditional face-painting and much more.
For the past five decades, the city has witnessed the Festival of India transform into one of Toronto’s most entertaining, head-turning summer events.
The very first Festival of India in Toronto was over 50 years ago, back in 1972. It quickly grew throughout the years and became a staple summer event in the city.
This is an event you don’t want to miss out on.
Festival of India
When: July 13th to 14th, 2024
Where: Toronto Centre-Island
Karen Doradea
Senior Staff Writer, Toronto – Karen is a multimedia journalist based in Toronto. With a strong knowledge of reporting and editing through all forms of media, she has a true passion for storytelling. She carries several years of journalistic experience and has covered the Toronto scene from local stories to national news. When Karen isn’t publishing fire content, you can find her binge-watching sitcoms on Netflix, at a must-try restaurant, or scrolling endlessly on TikTok looking for the next best thing – News never sleeps.
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