Annual Events in the Beach Village
Photo Credit: Gordon Cheong
Winter Stations
February 17 - March 30, 2020
Winter Stations is an international design competition and exhibition held annually along Toronto’s beaches. Started in 2014 as a collaboration between RAW Design, Ferris + Associates, and Curio, Winter Stations.
Each year, the winning installations transform the unused lifeguard stations along Woodbine Beach into whimsical works of winter art. The event gives international and home grown artists an opportunity to share their talents with the thousands of people who descend onto the beaches neighbourhood in February and March.
Photo Credit: Beaches Easter Parade
Beaches Easter Weekend
April 10 - April 12, 2020
Every spring the annual Beaches Lions Club Easter Parade brings Queen Street to life with colour, music, fun and entertainment. The parade was first started in 1967 by the East Toronto Community Association to mark Canada’s Centennial year. In 1973, the Toronto Beaches Lions Club started to take an active role in the organization and supervision of the parade and became official organizer by 1981. The parade attracts over 50 000 people each year.
The parade has recently evolved into an entire weekend of Easter activities, including the Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter Egg Fun Run.
Moonlight Madness
May 22, 2020
Moonlight Madness is a retail event that started in the beaches neighbourhood in the 1980’s. The event started as a sidewalk sale, where retailers and other businesses would display sale items on the sidewalk for hundreds to peruse. In 2019, the Beach Village BIA added a craft beer component to re-ignite interest and increase visitors.
In 2020, The Beach Village will be hosting 10 of Toronto’s most popular craft brewers, each set up in a different shop on Queen to sample their product.
30+ participating stores throughout the BIA will be open until 9:00pm and will be offering exclusive sales and promotions.
Photo Credit: Beaches Arts & Crafts Show
Beaches Arts & Crafts Show
June 13-14, 2020
Movie Nights in the Park
Wednesdays in July & August
For six years the Beach Village BIA and premier sponsor, The Richard’s Group, have brought outdoor movies to the Beach Village. Movie screenings happen every Wednesday in July and August, starting July 8, 2020 in Kew Gardens Park. As always, admission (and popcorn!) is FREE!
Movies start at dusk (between 9:00-9:30pm) but we will have entertainment lined up from 8:00pm on. Come out and experience movies under the stars.
Photo Credit: Beaches Jazz Festival
Beaches Jazz Festival
July 23 - July 25, 2020
The festival began in 1989, when local jazz artists were booked to perform at the Kew Gardens Bandshell in the beach area of Toronto. Now celebrating her 32nd anniversary, the festival has blossomed into a month long mid-summer event that attracts thousands of fans and makes a major contribution to promoting Canadian jazz excellence locally and on the world stage.
The signature event, Streetfest, happens on Queen Street East on July 23-25, 2020. Queen Street will close to vehicle traffic and musical acts will take to the street to perform from 7:00-11:00pm nightly. The event attracts thousands from across Toronto and southern Ontario.
Halloween on Queen
October 31, 2020
This family friendly event is the largest Halloween event east of the Gardiner. The main festivities happen in both Ivan Forrest Gardens and Kew Gardens. Classic Halloween activities such as face painting, fortune telling, and costume parade keep families entertained from 12:00-4:00pm. The event also includes live buskers and musical performances. Business members join in on the event, activating space in the parks by offering a free service or organizing their own activities. The event attracts hundreds from the Beach community, as well as from across the east end.