WATCH: We offer some ideas of what to do around the GTA to celebrate Canada Day.
With so many events in and around Toronto, it’s hard to keep track of what’s happening and what’s worth venturing out for. If you’re not working the stat holiday or taking a road trip somewhere, here are five things we recommend doing in the city this Canada Day.
Fireworks!
No doubt one of the best things about Canada Day is the amount of fireworks on display around the city. The big one at Ashbridges Bay is always a highly enjoyable spectacle. It gets going around 9:30 p.m. but it’s advisable to arrive earlier in the day to secure a good spot on the beach.
If you’re not into the crowds at Ashbridges Bay, you can also get a good fireworks show at Mel Lastman Square, Downsview Park, Centennial Park (where Ribfest, see below, is held) and Canada’s Wonderland (you will need to pay to enter the park). The Harbourfront Centre is having a Canada Eve fireworks show Tuesday night at 10:30 p.m. It will be accompanied by a playlist of Canadian music.
Eat some ribs
Due to the terrible weekend weather, Toronto Ribfest was forced to cancel its third day of activities Sunday. This not only disappointed many hungry rib-loving enthusiasts, but also hurt the fundraising efforts the annual fest does with local charities. The fest wraps on Canada Day with a full schedule of family-friendly activities, live music, BBQ demos and of course tasty ribs to be devoured. The day concludes with a fireworks display around 10 p.m. For more information on Toronto Ribfest, visit torontoribfest.com.
WATCH: Chefs heat things up ahead of Toronto Ribfest
Take in some pop art
Andy Warhol Revisited: A Mirror For Today opens to the public on Canada Day, bringing the largest collection of work by pop art icon Andy Warhol to Canada. The multi-level exhibit located at 77 Bloor St. W. showcases over 120 Warhol prints and paintings, including “Campbell’s Soup Cans” — notably one of the artist’s most famous pieces — and portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Mick Jagger. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (65+), $5 for students (with proper ID) and youth between 6 and 17. Children under 5 are free. The exhibit runs until Dec. 31 so don’t worry if you can’t make it out on Canada Day. For more information, visit warholrevisited.com.
WATCH: The Morning Show’s Liem Vu gets a first look at the new Andy Warhol exhibit in Toronto
Fringe it out
The Toronto Fringe Festival kicks off its 2015 season on Canada Day with a lineup of 148 shows, including 60 comedies, 30 dramas and 13 musicals. Some top picks for Canada Day include the kid-friendly show Hamlet…A Puppet Epic! (4:30 p.m. at the George Ignatieff Theatre), the sketch comedy revue, Regicide, starring former Sun News reporter Gina Phillips (8:15 p.m. at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse) and the bizarre Uncle Tommy’s Campfire Ghost Stories (10 p.m. at FIKA Café). The 2015 Toronto Fringe Festival runs until July 12. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit fringetoronto.com.
Show off your Canadiana on a boat in Lake Ontario
Radio station Indie88, along with Mariposa Cruises, is hosting the second annual Great Canadian Cruise this Canada Day. Featuring a poutine bar, ice-less curling, a Canadian lip sync stage and an apology station, this 3-hour long boat ride out on Lake Ontario is stereotypically Canadian in a great way. Dress in your most Canadian costume and you could even win $1,000 cash. Tickets for the cruise are $44.05 each, with a portion of the proceeds going to the charity SKETCH Working Arts. For more information, visit indie88.com.
Bonus: Celebrate Canada Day with Global News in Mississauga Celebration Square
Global News invites you to celebrate at the biggest Canada Day party in the GTA. Join Global News’s Liza Fromer, Farah Nasser, Antony Robart and ET Canada’s Sangita Patel at Mississauga Celebration Square from 2-10 p.m. for a free family-friendly party.
Let us know what you plan to do in Toronto this Canada Day in the comments below or on our Facebook page. Happy Canada Day!
Comments