Enjoy the long summer days with your family at some of the exciting events happening all over the city. July starts off with Canada Day celebrations, from Wonderland to the ROM. For the rest of the month, watch films outside, catch an outdoor play, enjoy food festivals outdoors, you may even get up to some dancing in the street!
ROM Canada 150
Get into the ROM for free on Canada Day to check out the permanent galleries, live performances, and special activities. Some of the performances include Ashley MacIssac, Wexford Gleeks, Zista Arts Society, and Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. Also check out the fun activities like Birds of Canada, a storytime for kids, an energy-generating bike, the “Out of the Depths: A Blue Whale Story” exhibit, and more.
Location: Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto
Date: July 1
Time: 10 am–5:30 pm
Price: FREE admission all day
Celebration Canada 150
At Canada’s Wonderland, join the monthlong celebration and enjoy live themed entertainment, Canadian food, and special events, along with all the regular thrilling rides and water slides. You’ll get to see the West Coast Lumberjack Show, freestyle ski aerials, the Flying Frontenancs Stunt and Dive Show, Cirque Canadien, and, after dark, the light-and-music spectacle Starlight: Northern Reflections, and holiday fireworks.
Location: Canada’s Wonderland, 1 Canada’s Wonderland Dr., Vaughan
Date: July 1–31
Time: 10 am–10 pm
Price: Park admission applies
Toronto Ribfest
Get ready for this delicious food and music festival that’s fun for the whole family. There will be live pop, country, folk, rock, and DJ music on three stages; more live entertainment; Zumba and karaoke;a Kidz Zone with face painting and more. It is 100% charity fundraiser and 100% volunteer-based. Help Rotary reach their goal of $500,000 for the community.
Location: Centennial Park, 256 Centennial Park Rd. Mississauga
Date: June 30–July 3
Time: 11 am–11 pm
Price: Tickets from $15; buy tickets online
Shakespeare in High Park
Canada’s longest-running outdoor theatre event celebrates its 35th year with new takes on two Shakespeare classics: King Lear and Twelfth Night. One story will transport you to the captivating musical shores of Illyria in a comedy of mistaken identity. Then take a visit to the divided kingdom of King Lear, which is one of the most monumental works of English drama.
Location: High Park Amphitheatre, 1873 Bloor St. W., Toronto
Date: June 29–September 3
Time: 8 pm showtime (gates open at 6 pm)
Price: pay what you can; $25 advanced reserved seats
Maker Extravaganza
Part of the monthlong Maker Festival, the Maker Extravagana brings the city’s most creative people together to show off their awesome projects and demonstrate their creations—and make new things together! It’s a free event, but do register early online to secure your spot.
Location: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St., Toronto
Date: July 8–9
Time: Sat. 9 am–5 pm, Sun. 10 am–5 pm
Price: FREE
Family Sleepover at Ripley’s Aquarium
Explore the aquarium and all the creatures that call it home…at night! There will be hands-on educational experiences, bedtime snacks, and you’ll get to pull out a sleeping bag and let your dreams carry you away in the Dangerous Lagoon shark tunnel.
Location: Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, 288 Bremner Blvd., Toronto
Date: July 15
Time: 8 pm (to 9 am July 16)
Price: $99/person + HST
Free Flicks at the Harbourfront
Support the Canadian talent hiding in plain sight on the big screen in films Airbud, Wayne’s World, Meatballs, and Window Horses. This is a nice, simple outing for the whole family.
Location: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queen’s Quay W., Toronto
Dates: July 5, 12, 19, 26
Time: 9 pm
Price: FREE
Salsa in Toronto
Join in the festivities for one of the largest Latino-themed cultural celebrations in Canada. It spans over three weeks, has over 300 artists, and more than 320,000 people attend. There’s plenty of food and entertainment, and you won’t be able to resist taking part in the nonstop dancing in the streets!
You’ll get to see Carlos Vives in concert, attend salsa dance parties, and check out Latin art exhibitions.
Location: St. Clair Ave. W., between Winona Dr. and Christie St.
Date: July 8–9
Time: Sat. noon–10:30 pm, Sun. noon–8:30 pm
Price: FREE
Wildlife Rescue at Ontario Science Centre
Explore Africa and Indonesia at the Return to the Wild theatre and see the dedicated efforts of caretakers who raise and release young elephants and orangutans back into the wild. See how they capture, raise, and release endangered species in the Special Recovery Center.
You’ll have a chance to try out the puppets, costumes, and other techniques used to teach young animals essential survival skills. See the effect of oil on a bird’s feathers to better understand the importance of a quick response after an oil spill. This is an eye-opening, amazing, inspiring event that’ll be sure to capture the attention of young kids.
Location: Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Rd., Toronto
Date: Through Sept. 4
Time: During regular opening hours
Price: Ontario Science Centre admission applies
Toronto Fringe KidsFest
Part of the larger Toronto Fringe Festival, this dedicated kids theatre offers eight different shows for kids ages 2–12. Babes-in-arms get in for free and KidsFest Club is right next door, with a welcoming play space for kids of all ages.
Location: George Ignatieff Theatre, 15 Devonshire Place, Toronto
Dates: July 5–16
Time: Showtimes vary; see schedules
Price: $5 kids, $12 adults
CBC Kids Days
Kids can meet some of their favourite CBC TV celebs on stage or shake hands with costumed characters. The schedule is TBD, but past years have seen appearances by Daniel Tiger, Super Why, Dot, Napkin Man, Bookaboo, and Chirp, as well as hands-on activities like green-screen playtime, motorized ride-on toys, an interactive instrument library and reptile petting zoo.
Location: 205 Wellington St. W., Toronto
Dates: July 19–20
Time: 10 am–3 pm
Price: FREE
Pop-Up Adventure Playgrounds
Two single-day pop-up events from Earth Day Canada showcase the possibilities of self-directed adventure play with a loosely structured playground in urban green spaces. Kids play and create with boxes, rope, tires, and other nontraditional materials, with supervision by trained Play Rangers.
Two Events:
Location: Gulleden Park, 1500 Gulledon Dr., Mississauga
Date: July 8
Time: 11 am–3 pm
Price: FREE
Location: Rexdale Community Health Centre, 8 Taber Rd., Etobicoke
Date: July 7
Time: 3 pm–8 pm
Price: FREE
PHOTO: EARTH DAY CANADA
Browse our events calendar for more fun things to do in July.
Sign up to get a round-up of fun events every weekend.
