When it comes to quintessential summer celebrations, it doesn’t get better than Canada Day. It’s a day to be enjoyed with great food, great weather, great company, and of course, great fireworks. With in-person events back in full swing, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of things to do on Canada Day in Toronto this year, from free outdoor fairs to nostalgic concerts to music festivals and more.
Check out this list of the best things to do on Canada Day in Toronto and make it a memorable one.
Canada Day at Downsview Park
The annual July 1st celebration is returning to Downsview Park, with entertainment, games for kids, inflatables, vendors, food trucks, and of course, fireworks! Grab a blanket and your best pals for a free Canada Day celebration and light show.
Where: Downsview Park
When: July 1, 2022, 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Celebration Canada at Canada’s Wonderland
Canada’s premier amusement park is hosting a massive celebration for our nation’s birthday, showcasing live music, authentic Canadian food (a.k.a. peameal bacon and poutine galore), street performers, and an epic fireworks show. Ride the epic coasters, splash around in the water park, and celebrate Canada Day all at the same time.
Where: Canada’s Wonderland
When: July 1-17, 2022
Canada Day Fireworks Boat Party
What better place to see a fireworks show than from a party yacht on the water? You’ll get to cruise around the harbour for three whole hours, dance the night away on the dance floor, snap photos, and soak up the views on the observation deck. It’ll be a Canada Day bash unlike any other!
Where: Pioneer Queen, 333 Lake Shore Blvd East
When: July 1, 2022, 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
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Lavazza IncluCity Festival
Calling all film buffs! Toronto’s historic Distillery District will be transformed into a giant open-air cinema village under the stars this summer, and on Canada Day, you can catch an award-winning, coming-of-age Canadian movie called Drinkwater.
“Outdoor theatres and patios will line Distillery’s Trinity Street and a new innovative theatre space will offer a magical vantage point for festival goers,” the description says. Some venues will have comfy couch seating and large digital screens for an upgraded experience.
Where: Young Center for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane
When: July 1, 2022
Canada Day Weekend at Ontario Place
There is so much going on for the long weekend at Ontario Place. You can catch free movies at the IMAX Cinesphere, have some fun at the massive new inflatable water park, catch live music and yoga at Trillium Park, play some beach volleyball, explore outdoor art installations, and more.
Where: Ontario Place
When: July 1-3, 2022
Electric Island Long Weekend Festival
Electric Island is a fully-licensed concert and picnic series at Toronto’s West Island festival space at Ontario Place, and it’s celebrating its 10-year anniversary season this year. This Canada Day weekend, festival-goers will be treated to back-to-back performances on three separate stages.
Where: West Island, Lake Shore Blvd & Ontario Dr
When: July 1 & 2, 2022
Backstreet Boys: DNA World Tour
If you’d rather skip the traditional Canada Day celebrations this year, you can get a big dose of early 2000s nostalgia at the Backstreet Boys concert instead. The iconic boy band will be hitting Budweiser Stage for two back-to-back shows this Canada Day weekend.
Where:Â Budweiser Stage
When:Â July 1 & 2, 2022
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Unidos Festival
Toronto’s most colourful patio RendezViews is hosting a block party this Canada Day weekend that’ll make you feel like you’re partying on the shores of South Beach, Miami. The event, called Unidos Festival, is a one-day music fest featuring local and international Latin artists. Organizers promise that Unidos Festival will “bring all cultures together for a fun and exciting tropical vibe in the heart of the city we love.”
When: July 1, 2022
Where:Â 229 Richmond St West
Toronto Bob Marley One Love Experience
A new immersive experience opens in Toronto this Canada Day and it’s a celebration of art, culture, and the pioneer of reggae himself, Bob Marley. Toronto’s Bob Marley experience will feature never-before-seen memorabilia and an experience that transports you to the Jamaican forest.
Described as a “unique multi-room exhibit,” the Bob Marley experience will feature six massive distinct spaces, each of which is dedicated to a different chapter of the musician’s life and legacy.
Where:Â 1 Yonge St
When:Â Opens July 1, 2022
Toronto Outdoor Picture Show
The season of movies under the stars is back, and this Canada Day weekend, you can catch a free screening of A League of Their Own at Christie Pits Film Festival.
The Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS) has made a comeback for the summer with a new series of programming called Curtains Up!. The films will pay tribute to all of the performing artists we’ve missed seeing live during the pandemic, from dancers to circus acts to musicians and more.
Where: Christie Pits Park
When: July 3, 2022
