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. Here are five things we recommend doing in the city this weekend.
Eat the Danforth
The Taste of the Danforth street festival returns for its 22nd year with an abundance of Greek food and culture the whole family can enjoy. Along with live music, dancing and sport challenges, this year’s fest is also trying to get into the Guinness World Records for the most amount of people to eat an olive within an eight hour span as well as the most people to make a penalty kick in eight hours. Comic fans will also have the chance to meet The Thing from the new Fantastic Four movie. Taste of the Danforth runs Friday to Sunday. For more info and a full schedule of events, visit toronto.com.
WATCH: Howard Lichtman gives us a preview of this year’s Taste of the Danforth festival
Build a sandcastle
If you like playing in the sand, head out to Burlington on Saturday for the eighth annual Sandcastles Festival. Running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Beachway Park (1100 Lakeshore Rd.), the fest urges people to be creative building their own sandcastles while showcasing works from master sandcastle builders. There will also be a balloon artist on hand, face painting by Beebop the Clown and a basketball-playing stilt walker. For more details, visit burlington.ca.
Watch the Perseids meteor shower
The Perseids are the year’s most popular and anticipated meteor shower in Canada due to two factors: the warm weather and an abundance of meteors that streak across the sky. While the meteor shower has been active since July 13, if you can get to a darker location outside of the city this weekend — such as somewhere north like Richmond Hill, west like Guelph or east like Oshawa — you are sure to be in for a good show. (The peak is on Aug. 12-13, where as many as 100 meteors an hour may be visible). Global News Science and Weather Reporter Nicole Mortillaro has more on the Perseids meteor shower here.
Celebrate the Parapan Am Games
While the Pan Am Games wrapped up a couple of weeks ago the Parapan Am Games are just getting started and PANAMANIA is still in full swing at Nathan Phillips Square. Catch free live performances by Chromeo (Friday at 9:45 p.m.), Whitehorse (Saturday at 5 p.m.) and The Roots (Saturday at 9:30 p.m.). There’s also fireworks following the last concert each night in the Square. The Parapan Am Games run until Aug. 15. For more info, visit toronto2015.org.
Learn how to ‘live green’
The Live Green Toronto Festival takes over Yonge-Dundas Square Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The free event showcases living an eco-friendly lifestyle by way of local food, “green” products and live music. Renowned Toronto chef and Food Network star Lynn Crawford will be giving cooking demonstrations, ‘80s new wave band Spoons and Jully Black are both performing (at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively) and kids can get their faces painted and do arts and crafts in the TD Kids’ Zone. For more information on the Live Green Toronto Festival, visit toronto.ca.
Let us know what you plan to do in Toronto this weekend in the comments below or on our Facebook page.
-with files from Global News’ Nicole Mortillaro.