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- MAYHEM Weekly: June 19-25 (Toronto)
MAYHEM Weekly: June 19-25 (Toronto)
This weekend marks the first weekend of summer in Toronto, bringing the best celebrations including the Indigenous Arts Festival featuring traditional pow wow ceremonies, storytelling, and contemporary Indigenous musicians. From jazz concerts under the stars to splash pad pop-ups, Brazilian dance workshops to artisan markets and street parties, Toronto families have endless ways to explore, learn, and connect. 🍓 Plus, don't miss our top 10 pick your own strawberry destinations in the GTA for the perfect summer family outing.
In today's newsletter:
🛍️ Public Markets Week, Port Union Waterfront Festival, Pride Celebrations, Fairbank Summerfest & Liberty Village Street Party
🌞 Indigenous Arts Festival & Traditional Pow Wow at Fort York
🎵 Toronto Jazz Festival with FREE outdoor concerts
💃 Dance Together Festival workshops in three styles
🎬 Summer outdoor movies & storytelling under the stars
Have feedback, suggestions, or know of an event we missed? Simply reply directly to this newsletter - we read every message and love hearing from our community!
MARKETS
🛍️ Public Markets Week Celebration
June 15-21 | Toronto's 160 public markets citywide | FREE to explore
Celebrate Toronto's incredible 160 public markets running every day of the week! Discover local markets in different neighborhoods using the City of Toronto's newly-launched Public Markets webpage. From farmers markets to artisan vendors, each market offers unique local finds, fresh food, and community connections.
🔥 HOT TIP: Check the 2025 outdoor season map to find new markets in different neighborhoods - there's likely one closer to home than you think!
🛍️ Artisan Market at Michael Power Park
Saturday, June 21 | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Michael Power Park, 5055 Dundas St West, Toronto | FREE admission
Kick off summer with over 30 vendors, free kids activities, face painting, shop local and eat local! Hosted by Islington BIA in partnership with Village of Islington.
🌻 Summer Solstice Market
Saturday, June 21 | 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM | 2104 Dundas St W, Toronto | FREE entry
One-day celebration of sunshine, creativity, and community featuring local finds, women-owned businesses, handmade goods, wellness, food, and more. Let the longest day of the year be your best shopping day of the summer!
📚 Storytelling at The Stop Farmer's Market
Saturday, June 21 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St, Toronto | FREE
Last Saturday of the month LIVE storytent at The Stop farmer's market. Monthly storytelling event combining market shopping with engaging performances.
COMMUNITY FESTIVALS
🎉 Give Me Liberty Street Party
Thursday, June 19 | 4:00-11:00 PM | Lamport Stadium Parking Lot, 75 Fraser Avenue, Toronto | FREE admission (register for free tickets)
Classic neighbourhood block party transforming Liberty Village into a buzzing outdoor patio! Live music & DJ, pop-up market featuring local businesses, food & drink by Liberty Village favorites, beer garden with local brewers, cocktails, lawn games, and activities for all ages.
🎪 Fairbank Summerfest 2025
Friday, June 20 - Sunday, June 22 | Eglinton Avenue West (just west of Dufferin), Toronto | FREE admission, rides & entertainment
Modern twist on summer carnival attracting 90,000 attendees! Saturday, June 21: Honeymoon Suite performance. Sunday: "Latin Music Jam" all day. Features FREE rides for kids, FREE Super Dogs show, KRUSHER BMX performances, diverse food from around the world, and sidewalk sale like a European bazaar.
💛 Lemonade for Love 2025
Saturday, June 21 | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Fairfield Park, 90 Lothian Ave, Etobicoke | FREE (donations accepted)
10th anniversary of kids helping kids! Sweet treats, live music, toddler singalongs, and all the community love you can handle. Raffle prizes and everyone welcome.
🏳️🌈 BACKYARD: Pride Celebration
Saturday, June 21 | 12:00 PM | STACKT Market, 28 Bathurst Street, Toronto | FREE admission
Celebrate Toronto's LGBTQIA2S+ community loud, proud, and unfiltered! Show-stopping drag performances, high-energy DJ sets, local queer-owned vendors, interactive photo experiences, and a whole lot of love. Part Two of BACKYARD Series.
🎉 Summer Playdate
Saturday, June 21 | 12:00-3:00 PM | New Hope Fellowship, 455 Huron Street, Toronto | FREE entry
Family-friendly community event with free food, refreshments & BBQ, guided Play-Doh craft sessions, live music performances, and supervised play for children. All are welcome!
🏖️ Port Union Waterfront Festival
Saturday, June 21 | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Port Union Village Common Park, Scarborough | FREE admission (rides ticketed)
Waterfront community celebration with scenic lakefront location featuring free kiddie rides, rock wall climbing, live music all day, dance performances, and 50+ exhibitors. Meet your neighbors and local businesses while enjoying entertainment from local bands and dance groups. Community information tables, local business displays, raffle, plus BBQ, pop, and popcorn for a nominal fee. Early birds can join the 5km Walk/Run or 10km run starting at 8:30 AM.
ARTS & CULTURE
🥍 Indigenous Arts Festival & Na-Me-Res Pow Wow
Friday, June 20 & Saturday, June 21 | Fort York National Historic Site | FREE admission
Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Month with traditional and contemporary music, dance, storytelling, artisan markets, and Indigenous food. Friday features a ton of family activties including workshops, lacrosse demonstrations, and film screenings. Saturday's Traditional Pow Wow begins with Grand Entry at noon, followed by dance exhibitions, food market and live music concerts both evenings.
🔥 HOT TIP: Historic Fort Tours happen Saturday and Sunday (11 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM)
🎵 Toronto Jazz Festival
June 20-25 | Various venues across downtown Toronto | FREE shows at OLG Village Stage,
Canada's premier jazz festival featuring award-winning contemporary Indigenous and international musicians across multiple venues. FREE Shows daily from June 20-25 at OLG Village Stage, Village of Yorkville Park 115 Cumberland St.
🔥 HOT TIP: The free events are outdoors. Some seating provided and plenty of standing room.
🎭 Clowns Reading Shakespeare
June 19 (7-8 PM), June 20 (7-8 PM), June 21 (2-3 PM & 7-8 PM) | Little Avenue Memorial Park, 22 Little Ave, York | FREE
Theatrical, silly, family-friendly performance packed with audience participation! Troupe of clowns attempt to reenact Shakespeare's greatest tragedies including Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, and Hamlet. Whether or not you're familiar with the classics, families of all ages will have a hoot watching these clowns make the stories their own.
💃 Dance Together Festival
Mimico Square, 2441 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto | FREE workshops
Bollywood 101 with Rajvi Dedhia - Friday, June 20, 6:00-6:45 PM - Learn fun, accessible Bollywood choreography blending traditional and contemporary styles. No prior experience needed!
Dances & Rhythms of Africa with Lua Shayenne - Saturday, June 21, 6:00-6:45 PM - Traditional Mandé dances with live percussion, song, and cultural insights.
Brazilian Forró with Clara Steinhagen - Saturday, June 21, 7:00-7:45 PM - Experience the vibrant pulse of Brazil with this lively dance workshop.
🥁 Celebrate Japan in Scarborough
Saturday, June 21 | 2:00-3:30 PM | Prairie Drive Park, 119 Pharmacy Ave, Toronto | FREE (rain or shine, rain date June 29)
30-minute hands-on taiko drumming/movement workshop followed by 60-minute taiko drumming concert. Features Japanese bamboo flutes and traditional percussion with cultural insights into instruments, costumes, and Japanese culture. Presented by Nagata Shachu Japanese Taiko and Music Group.
🎵 Matriarchs and Melodies
Saturday, June 21 | 7:00-8:00 PM | Toronto Music Garden, Harbourfront | FREE admission (no tickets required)
Part of Harbourfront Centre's Summer Music in the Garden featuring Two-Spirit Mi'kmaw soprano Emma Pennell performing arias by Métis composer Ian Cusson and pieces celebrating Indigenous voices through opera.
🎬 Sorauren Park Outdoor Movie
Saturday, June 21 | Pre-show: 8:45 PM, Movie: 9:05 PM | Sorauren Park Town Square, Roncesvalles | FREE (donations welcome)
Film: "New Waterford Girl" (1999, Canadian coming-of-age story, 1h 37m) with special guest personal appearance by screenwriter Tricia Fish. Fresh popcorn and drinks available at Snack Shack (cash or card). Set in Cape Breton about a gifted teenager when a 15-year-old from NYC moves next door.
🔥 HOT TIP: Arrive for the 8:45 PM pre-show to meet the movie's screenwriter!
OUTDOOR & ADVENTURE
🌿 Ties to Nature
June 20 & 21 | 2:00-4:00 PM | Taylor Creek Park, 200 Dawes Rd, Toronto | FREE
Hands-on native plant activities for all ages! Handmade recycled paper workshop with native flower seeds (take home your paper or add to community scroll), play with seeds and pinecones, learn to make string and rope while discovering the importance of native pollinators to urban biodiversity. Led by butterfly rangers with the David Suzuki Foundation, Pollinator Partnership members, and trained nature stewards.
💦 Toronto Pools & Splash Pads
15 Pools Already Open across the City! From Saturday, May 21 until Sunday, September 18 splash and spray pads will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. More information, including locations and maintenance closures are available on the City’s Splash and Spray Pads webpage. Wading pools opening June 27!
MOM/PARENT MEETUPS
📚🦆 Baby Time & Duckie Hunt Friday, June 20 | 10:30-11:00 AM (Baby Time), then duckie hunt | Start: Richview Library, 1806 Islington Ave, then walk to Silvercreek Park | FREE
Baby Time class with bouncing, rhymes, songs, stories for birth to 18 months, followed by exciting duckie hunt at the park. Bring blankets, sunscreen, and hats for park fun! Hosted by Nest and Bloom.
🥾 Toronto Hiking Moms Stroller Walks Thursday, June 19 | 11:00 AM | West Deane Park | FREE Wednesday, June 24 | 11:00 AM | High Park | FREE
Join Toronto Hiking Moms for scenic stroller-friendly walks connecting with other parents while exploring Toronto's beautiful parks.
👨👩👧👦 Family Social at Fred Hamilton Park Sunday, June 22 | 1:00-4:00 PM | Fred Hamilton Park, 155 Roxton Rd | FREE
Laid-back afternoon for the whole family! Splash pad fun, shady picnic spots, and relaxed summer vibes with local families. Babies, big kids, partners, grandparents all welcome. Pack blankets, snacks, beach towels, and whatever keeps your crew happy. No RSVP - just roll through! Weather permitting.
💦 Splash Pad Pop-Up Monday, June 23 | 12:00 PM | Earl Bales Park, 4169 Bathurst St, Toronto | FREE
Join Mommunity for splashy fun in the sun! Perfect for families with young children.
🔥 HOT TIP: Bring sunscreen for this must-go splash pad adventure!
COMING UP NEXT WEEK
🎨 Summer in the Garden June 28 & 29 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Ave E, North York | FREE entry
FREE Canada Day Celebrations Tuesday, July 1 | Multiple Toronto locations
🚢 Toronto Waterfront Festival with Tall Ships June 28-29 | Sugar Beach, 11 Dockside Drive | FREE festival ($15 for ship deck tours)
🎵 Toronto Jazz Festival (continued) June 26-28 | Various venues
Follow us!
👇Follow our new account for day-of event updates, weather changes, and last-minute tips! We share real-time info about where to park, what to pack and all the "wish I had known before arriving" details to make your family outings smoother @mayhemadventure.
