It will be sunny and hot for our Canada Day celebrations and there’s no shortage of places or ways to celebrate. Fireworks and parties will have us exhausted (or hopefully the kids) by the end of the day. It will be hot so don’t forget to take along lots of water and pack the 45. (sunblock that is)
For Families:
Check out the Canada Day fireworks at Ashbridges Bay (and many other locations around Toronto) as the country turns 145 years old. Ashbridges Bay Park. July 1. 9:30 p.m. Free.
Queen’s Park
The lawn outside the legislature will be transformed for a day of family fun, including performances highlighting the diversity of Canadian culture, games and rides for kids and other activities.
Runs from noon-5 p.m. Free.
110 Wellesley St. W.
Downsview Park fireworks
A half-hour fireworks show starts at dusk.
35 Carl Hall Rd. (Sheppard Avenue and Keele Street). Free.
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Canada’s Wonderland
The massive theme park puts on a fireworks show starting at 10 p.m. and is included in the price of admission.
9580 Jane St., Vaughan (Highway 400 and Major Mackenzie Drive West).
Toronto RibFest Food & Music Festival at Centennial Park
The annual celebration of barbecued meats runs from June 29 to July 2 at Etobicoke’s Centennial Park, near Eglinton and Renforth. As always, there’ll be award-winning ribs being served up by 16 different vendors. Bloomin’ onions, funnel cake, fries, cotton candy and fresh-squeezed lemonade can also be had.
Bands will take over two stages over the three days.
The Canada Day event — the largest in the country after the party on Parliament Hill — also offers a shaded kids’ area with face painting, music and magic shows. There’s also a midway and a haunted house. Representatives from the Toronto Zoo will also be there with some animal friends.
There will also be a citizenship festival and a fireworks show happens on July 1 at 10 p.m.
Admission is free, but organizers are asking for donations. All proceeds will go to agencies that fight child hunger.
Mel Lastman Square
The Canada Day party kicks off at 8 p.m. and includes live acts and fireworks choreographed to music.
Dance troupes will take the stage, singer Saidah Baba Talibah will perform and fireworks will cap off the evening at 10:15 p.m.
5100 Yonge St. (north of Sheppard)
For Visitors: It’s Toronto’s biggest party: The 32nd annual Pride Parade takes over the downtown core, bringing the 10 days of Pride festivities to a close. Bring water guns, sunscreen and your best rainbow gear. The parade starts at Bloor and Church and ends at Church and Gerrard, but the best views are along Yonge Street. July 1. 2 p.m. Free. pridetoronto.com
City Summer 2012: Toronto Pride 2012 returns with massive parade through downtown
