We’re reaching peak summer vibes here in Toronto and the good times are rolling all month long. The city will practically transform into one giant festival this July, with back-to-back events, concerts, and experiences you won’t want to miss. From returning favourites like the Caribbean Carnival to new food fests like Smorgasburg, we’ve got infinite options for things to do in Toronto this July 2022.
Take a look at the very best that Toronto has to offer this month and start planning your perfect summer!
FESTIVALS
TD Toronto Jazz Festival
Jazz-lovers, jazz up! The 10-day event celebrating your fave music and musicians is returning this month for its 35th year. The impressive lineup this year includes major names like Smokey Robinson, Gregory Porter, and Michael Kaeschammer.
When: Until July 3, 2022
Where: See schedule here
Celebration Canada at Canada’s Wonderland
Canada’s premier amusement park is hosting a 17-day celebration in honour of 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 all at the same time.
Where: Canada’s Wonderland
When: July 1-17, 2022
Lavazza IncluCity Festival
Toronto’s historic Distillery District is hosting the ICFF Lavazza IncluCity Festival this July and has transformed into a giant open-air cinema village under the stars.
“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: The Distillery Historic District
When: June 27 – July 16, 2022
Related Posts
20 of the biggest concerts coming to Toronto this July
40 amazing things you need on your 2022 Toronto summer bucket list
View this post on Instagram
100 Days of Summer by Art & Water
Toronto’s waterfront has released its jam-packed summer programming and kicking things off is Canada’s first and only floating arts and culture festival running until September 5. “Performances will bring together songwriters, musicians, and other artists from all walks of life to deliver art and culture into the daily lives of Torontonians,” the description says. It’s not one to miss!
Where: 585 Queens Quay West & 1 Queens Quay West
When: Until September 5, 2022
Pedestrian Sundays at Kensington Market
After a two-year hiatus, the Sunday street parties we know and love are officially back at Kensington Market. Pedestrian Sundays are back for the summer and will continue well into the fall. On the last Sunday of every month for the next several months, Toronto’s most eccentric neighbourhood will host a street-wide celebration of community, culture, and ecology.
Where: Kensington Market
When: July 31, 2022
Ice Cream Fest
An entire festival dedicated to ice cream? Say no more! Street Eats Market will host a massive ice cream fest this July, featuring local vendors serving up all kinds of creative and delicious takes on this summertime treat. Bring your appetite!
When: July 22—24, 2022
Where: 500 Progress Ave
TD Salsa on St. Clair Street Festival
Dust off your dancing shoes because the countdown to Salsa on St. Clair is officially on! Known as the biggest Latin street festival in Canada, Toronto’s TD Salsa on St. Clair Street Festival is making an in-person comeback this July with all the lively Latin flair that you can handle.
Where: St. Clair Avenue W (Winona Dr to Christie St)
When: July 9th & 10th, 2022, 12 p.m. — 10:30 p.m.
Mixto Festival
This music festival will bring communities and cultures together in celebration of Toronto’s diversity. “Mixto is the representation of all the elements of diversity in our city, and our community of artists and revellers,” says the event’s description. The festival will feature live performances, works by local artists, and of course, food and drinks! Tickets can be purchased in advance on Mixto’s website.
Where: Multiple venues
When: July 7-10, 2022
View this post on Instagram
Wine Fest Toronto
Wine enthusiasts, get ready for a “sip” around the world. RendezViews patio is hosting an all-you-can-taste outdoor wine festival in Toronto, with unlimited pours of reds and whites from all over the globe.
Your “liquid passport” grants you three hours of wine tastings and the chance to expand your wine knowledge by learning from wine professionals, all while discovering your new favourites and maybe getting a little tipsy while you’re at it.
Where: RendezViews, 229 Richmond St West
When: July 8-9, 2022
Toronto Outdoor Picture Show & Christie Pits Film Festival
The season of movies under the stars is back! The Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS) has returned for a summer of FREE films and this year’s theme is 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. Check out the full movie schedule right here.
Where: See locations
When: Until August 28, 2022
Union Summer
The city’s busiest transit hub is now busier in the best way possible. Toronto’s Union Summer is now underway for the month of July, with a whole lineup of movie screenings, cuisine, dance parties, and entertainment offerings all summer long. The market occupies a large space in front of Union Station with non-stop programming every day and into the late evening.
Where: 65 Front St West
When: Until August 28, 2022
Taste of India 2022
After a two-year hiatus, the fifth annual Taste of India festival returns to Nathan Phillips Square this summer. The two-day festivities begin on July 31, bringing a diverse exhibition of culture and culinary art.
This year, expect to experience a “foodie utopia” as well as classical dances, Bhangra, music, and musical melodies by singers and a live DJ from noon until 10 pm.
When: July 31 and August 1
Where: Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street West
View this post on Instagram
Toronto Food Truck Festival
We love food trucks. And we love food truck festivals even more! The Toronto Food Truck Festival is returning this summer, with vendors like include The Kathi Roll Express, Pharaohs Kitchen, Food Dudes, Buster’s Sea Cove, and Craig’s Cookies.
Admission will be free, and organizers say there’s something for everyone!
Where: Woodbine Park, 1695 Queen St E
When: July 29-August 1, 2022
Smorgasburg Toronto
Foodies are in for a huge treat in Toronto this summer! Smorgasburg, America’s largest weekly open-air food market popular in cities like L.A. and Brooklyn, is coming to the city for the first time ever.
Smorgasburg’s Toronto edition will run for eight weeks starting in July, bringing dozens of international food vendors to one place every single Saturday. You’ll get to chow down on some of the best international eats in the city with views of the waterfront, just in time for summer.
Where: 7 Queen’s Quay East
When: July 23 – September 10, 2022
Toronto Caribbean Carnival
After two long years, Caribana is back! This iconic festival of Caribbean culture and traditions is the largest of its kind in North America and draws massive crowds throughout its duration. Events, parties, and celebrations are held both at the festival grounds and throughout the city all weekend long. And this year, attendees will experience an all-new Grand Parade Central, hosted on the Exhibition Place Grounds.
Where: See the full schedule here
When: July 28-31, 2022
VELD Music Festival 2022
One of Toronto’s biggest music festivals of the year is making a comeback this summer and they’re inviting major headliners to the stage. VELD Music Festival will take place at Downsview Park at the end of July and will be bigger than ever with an additional day of live music.
Headliners include The Chainsmokers, Armin Van Buuren, Alesso, Marshmello, Martin Garrix, and Porter Robinson, as well as hip-hop headliners Gunna and Polo G.
Where: 70 Canuck Ave
When: July 29-31, 2022
View this post on Instagram
OssFest
Toronto’s vibrant Ossington Strip is getting its own festival this July. Returning for its fifth edition, OssFest will have a health and wellness feature in the morning, followed by artisans and local businesses showcasing their goods all day. There will also be over 25 extended patios alongside music and entertainment programming all day and into the evening.
Where: Ossington Ave between Queen West & Dundas West
When: July 23, 2022
Toronto International BrazilFest
The largest Brazilian festival in Canada is taking over Earlscourt Park this month. Entry to the event is free and you’ll get to experience the very best of Brazilian and international food, music, art, culture, and more.
When: July 16-17, 2022
Where: Earlscourt Park
Taste of Lawrence
The annual Taste of Lawrence festival is returning for a weekend of non-stop entertainment this July, including an array of music and dance performances, mouthwatering multicultural cuisine, midway rides, and more family-friendly fun.
When: July 8—10, 2022
Where: Lawrence Ave, Warden Ave to Birchmount Rd
Field Trip Music & Arts Festival
Another beloved festival is making a comeback this summer. Field Trip Music & Arts Festival is returning to the heart of Toronto for a full day of music, local eats, art exhibits, and fun programming.
This year’s diverse lineup of headliners includes Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Peach Pit, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Lucy Dacus, The Halluci Nation, Valley, Busty and the Bass, The Rheostatics, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Haviah Mighty, Daisy the Great, Pierre Kwenders, Georgia Harmer and Ombiigizi.
When: July 9, 2022
Where: Fort York and Garrison Common
Filipino Street Festival
A vibrant event showcasing the best of the Philippines is coming to North York this summer. Toronto’s Filipino Street Festival will take over Little Manila this July, filling the streets with delicious food, great music, and fun cultural experiences.
Where: Little Manila, Bathurst St & Wilson Ave
When: July 23-24, 2022
View this post on Instagram
ATTRACTIONS & ENTERTAINMENT
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Attention Potterheads, this is not a drill! The highly-anticipated production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is finally in Toronto. This version of the world’s most award-winning play features an all-Canadian cast and it brings the wizarding world of Harry Potter to life on the Mirvish stage. Plus, you may even score some cheap seats in the weekly ticket lottery.
Where: 244 Victoria St
When: Select dates
Toronto Bob Marley One Love Experience
A new immersive experience opens in Toronto this July 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: 1 Yonge St
When: Opens July 1, 2022
The FRIENDS Experience
Stop what you’re doing because this is not a drill. The Friends experience that has popped up in cities around the U.S. is coming to Toronto. Put on by Warner Bros and Superfly X, the event has every element that would make any Friends superfan go crazy, including set recreations and original props and costumes.
You’ll get to dance in front of the fountain, step into the show and explore 12 rooms of set recreations, pose on the couch, take photos to your heart’s content, shop for exclusive merch, and more.
Where: Yorkdale Shopping Centre (across from the LEGO store)
When: July 14, 2022 – January 2, 2023
View this post on Instagram
The World of Barbie
If “Barbie Girl” by Aqua was, or still is, your theme song, there’s an immersive experience just for you. A 7,600-square-meter, life-sized display called The World of Barbie is set to come to Mississauga this July.
Visitors will get to walk through Barbie’s neighbourhood streets, step into a Barbie dreamhouse, sit inside a Barbie camper van and explore interactive rooms inspired by some of Barbie’s careers as a scientist, music producer, astronaut, and more.
Where: Square One Shopping Centre, Mississauga
When: Opens July 15, 2022
Free day-use at Ontario Provincial Parks
No summer is complete without a day trip (or several) to Ontario’s provincial parks. The soaring trees, glittering lakes, and wide-open views just don’t compare to anything you’ll find in the city. And for one day only this July, you’ll be able to visit them for free.
Ontario Parks is launching a one-day celebration called Healthy Parks Healthy People. You’ll have until 10 p.m. to enjoy the parks with the complimentary pass that you’ll be issued when you arrive.
When: July 15, 2022
Where: See all Ontario Parks here
The Honda Indy Toronto
One of the summer’s biggest events is making a comeback this July. After a two-year hiatus, the Honda Indy Toronto is returning on July 15. Running until July 17, the popular weekend event requires tickets, which you can still buy online.
According to the event, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on Sunday, July 17th again headlines the weekend filled with on-track and off-track activities.
When: July 15-17, 2022
Where: Exhibition Place
View this post on Instagram
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
Playa Patrón Toronto
You don’t need a passport to travel to the tropics because vacay vibes are coming right to us this summer. Toronto is getting a pop-up beach club that’ll make you feel like you’re in Tulum, Mexico.
The pop-up is called Playa Patrón and it’ll run for three days in early July at Ashbridges Bay Park. Inspired by the beach clubs of the tropics, Playa Patrón will serve up Tulum-inspired brunch during the day and hand-crafted cocktails and live music at night.
Where: 1561 Lake Shore Blvd E
When: July 7-10, 2022
Le Voyage
If you’ve always wanted to sail the Côte d’Azur, this yacht party in Toronto might be the next best thing. A new event by Grey Goose Vodka plans to “bring the luxury of the French Riviera and hype of the VIP yacht lifestyle to major cities across Canada” this summer.
You’ll get to spend the day deck-side enjoying French canapés from La Bréhandaise Market and Bobbette & Belle, take part in some on-board mixology classes, dance to the sounds of live DJ Elise Purdon, and most importantly, soak up the views.
When: July 20-24, 2022
Where: 15 Ashbridges Bay Park Rd
Le Dîner en Blanc
The dinner party to end all dinner parties is finally returning to Toronto. Dîner en Blanc has announced that it will be making a comeback for the first time since 2019, all-white dress code in full effect.
This annual event is hosted at a secret location and released to its guests at the last minute. Thousands of guests are invited to the lavish “chic picnic” in their most elegant white attire. However, getting an invite isn’t as simple as buying a ticket online, with exclusivity being the main attraction.
When: July 28, 2022
