Photo: courtesy Bloor West Village Ukrainina Festival
Welcome to September! Back to school isn’t the only thing happening in Toronto this month. Here are some of the best things to do with kids this September.
1. Celebrate books
The annual Word on the Street Festival is Canada’s largest book and magazine festival, with tons of programming for kids including TVO stars on the TVOKids Stage, readings from children’s books, and activities, like drawing workshops with children’s book illustrators. Sept. 21 FREE
2. Pig Out
There are tons of food festivals this month. Here are a handful that we are salivating over:
Veg Food Fest
Did you know donuts are vegetarian? True story. Even if you aren’t veg, you can appreciate the amazing spread at the largest vegetarian food festival in North America. There will be free samples, cooking demos, meet-and-greets with chefs and cookbook authors, workshops, veg products, and food. Lots and lots of food! Sept. 5 – 7 FREE
Feast of Fields
Spend a day in the country sampling the best in organic food from local farmers, chefs, and artisans at Feast of Fields in Nobleton, an event celebrating all things organic in Ontario. Sept. 7
Pioneer Harvest Festival
History lives at this Mennonite and Pennsylvania-German festival at Black Creek Pioneer Village. Sample traditional homemade foods like pies, sausages, apple butter, and ice cream. Other attractions include handmade quilts, horse-drawn wagon rides, historic ale samplings, and traditional demonstrations like candle-dipping, sausage-making, and apple schnitzling. Sept. 20 FREE
Food Truck Festival Ontario
We don’t know the details of this food-truck festival yet, except that it’s happening (at Ontario Place!) and that we want to go. Rumours are that you’ll be able to sample mac n’ cheese balls from the Food Dudes, ice-cream sundaes from Hollywood Cone, and Mexi-fusion tacos and steamed buns from Luchador Streatery. Sept. 21
Toronto Garlic Festival
Ever try garlic ice cream? Don’t miss this ode to the humble bulb at Evergreen Brick Works. Try many unique strains of Ontario garlic as well as garlic-infused food and drink. The Toronto Garlic Festival will include demos by farmers, gardeners, chefs, home cooks, and food experts. Tickets are $5. Sept. 21
Niagara Wine Festival
A wine festival with kids? Yes! Not only can you indulge in Niagara wine and food at Canada’s oldest and largest wine festival, but there’s entertainment for kids, too. The main attraction is an inflatables play park for ages 2 and up. The festival is in St. Catharines and surrounding area, about 1 hour south of Toronto. Sept. 13 – 28
Taste amazing soup creations from participating Toronto restaurants and chefs at Soupalicious, at Artscape Wychwood Barns. Sept. 28
3. Explore Your Celtic Heritage
Or just be Celtic for a day, with bagpipe music, step dancing, fiddling, and ceilidh dancing lessons at the Beach Celtic Festival in Kew Gardens. Sept. 6 – 7 FREE
4. Harvest Your Own Food
Get out of town to one of the GTA’s pick-your-own farms for the start of apple-picking season! Also ripe this month may be corn, pears, and fall strawberries.
5. Bop to the Wiggles
The Treehouse Big Day Out Festival, from the Treehouse children’s TV network is a kids’ music fest of sorts, with Max & Ruby, Splash ‘n Boots, and the Wiggles all performing. Sept. 13 – 14
6. Warm Up for Hockey Season
This year you can get a jump on the hockey season with the first-ever Leafs Nation Fan Fest. Get Maple Leafs autographs and team-member photos, test your skills against the pros at Maple Leafs Combine Testing, tour the players’ dressing rooms, and play hockey-themed kids’ games. Sept. 5 – 7
7. Tour Eastern Europe
The Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival (Sept. 12 – 14) and the Roncesvalles Polish Festival (Sept. 13 – 14) overlap this year. What does that mean? One weekend with all the folk dancing, accordian music, pierogies and sausages you could want! Sept. 12 – 14 FREE
8. Go to Thailand
The Destination: Thailand Festival, organized by the Royal Thai Embassy in Canada, will transform Yonge-Dundas Square into a Thai street market. Sample the best of Thai cuisine, and see Thai dance and music, plus muay thai demonstrations. Sept. 14 FREE
9. See the Cirque
The Toronto premier of Cirque du Soleil’s Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities goes up under the grand chapiteau (big top) in the Port Lands during September and October. Step inside the curio cabinet of an inventor in this steampunk-esque show that walks the line between reality and fantasy. Aug. 28 – Oct. 26
10. Do it before it’s too late…
Many summer attractions close in September, so it’s now or never! Here are some top choices of places to visit before they’re gone until 2015, with closing dates:
Dancing on the Pier: through Sept. 4
Leslieville Flea: through Sept. 7
Blue Jays games: Hate to break it to you, but the playoffs look unlikely; catch home games through Sept. 28.
City of Toronto splash pads: open through Sept. 21
Summer Music in the Garden: free outdoor music performances (through Sept. 14)
Canoe and paddle rides on Natrel pond: technically through Oct. 13, but go while the weather cooperates!
