Canada Day parades, fests and fireworks cancelled
East York won’t be having its annual parade and fest on July 1, and neither Stan Wadlow Park nor Ashbridges Bay will be celebrating Canada Day with fireworks this year.
At least not with crowds of people enjoying the festivities in person.
On the recommendation of the city’s medical officer of health, all in-person Canada Day events across Toronto have been cancelled, according to a press announcement on May 1.
Mayor John Tory is quoted as saying: “I would like nothing more than to celebrate Canada Day as we usually do, with friends and family and enjoying our neighbourhoods together, but we just can’t this year, out of caution and an overriding concern for public health.”
Instead, the city expects to join other municipalities in celebrating the country’s birthday online.
“The City looks forward to working with the many community and cultural organizations that it traditionally partners with … to plan for virtual Canada Day celebrations that will showcase Toronto, including tributes to frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19 and Toronto’s incredible artists and neighbourhoods,” the press release said.
The Canada Day announcements join a small number of cancellations that stretch into July. The most future event to be cancelled is the Toronto Summer Music Festival, which was scheduled to run at various central venues through latter July to Aug. 1.
However, many events in July are still scheduled to continue — such as the Beaches International Jazz Festival (July 2–26) at various east end locales and the Salsa on St. Clair street festival (July 4–5) on St. Clair Avenue West. They may still be cancelled, though, as organizers are consulting with the city and watching developments.
Meanwhile in other cancellation news, Pride Toronto said on May 1 it is organizing an online parade and other virtual events in June to replace the parade and festivities that has been cancelled for June 28.
Updated list of changes
Here’s the latest list of cancellations, postponements and moves to online in the local areas that we know about so far, starting with the furthest in the future.
July 9–Aug. 1
Toronto Summer Music Festival
• Various venues including Koerner Hall, Walter Hall and Heliconian Hall
Music festival cancelled.
July 5–7
Taste of Lawrence
• Lawrence Avenue East
Street festival cancelled.
July 1–12
Toronto Fringe Festival
• Various venues.
Festival cancelled.
July 1
East York Canada Day Parade and Festival
• East York and Stan Wadlow Park
Events cancelled. City co-hosting virtual celebrations.
Canada Day Fireworks
• Stan Wadlow Park and Ash bridges Bay
Fireworks cancelled.
June 28
Pride Toronto
• Sherbourne Street and other streets in central and downtown Toronto
Parade and festivities replaced by virtual events.
June 27–28
Fairbank Summerfest
• Eglinton Avenue West, West of Dufferin Street
Postponed. New dates to be determined.
June 20
Yorkville Exotic Car show
• Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Bay Street
Show cancelled, postponed to the following year.
For more information on the difficult decision to cancel this year’s show and our plans for next year, please visit https://t.co/MIyN6pPUZp.
Thank you to all of our supporters and we hope to see you next year! pic.twitter.com/HzlIuUzvBF
— Yorkville Exotic Car Show (@YorkvilleECS) March 31, 2020
June 18–28
Toronto Jazz Festival
• Various venues, including Koerner Hall, Bloor-Yorkville Village, and Danforth Music Hall
Festival postponed, some performances rescheduled for later in year.
June 14
Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces
• Cabbagetown gardens
Cancelled.
June 13–19
NXNE Music and Gaming Festival
• various downtown venues
Postponed to Aug. 11–16.
June 12–14
Toronto Smartphone Film Festival
• Innis College, University of Toronto, 2 Sussex Ave.
Postponed indefinitely. New dates to be determined.
June 11–14
Requiem Pour L., Luminato Festival Toronto
• Bluma Appel Theatre
Performance cancelled.
June 7
Manulife Heart & Stroke Ride for Heart
• Various Toronto main streets
Cancelled and replaced by Virtual Ride for Heart throughout June.
June 6–7
Riverdale ArtWalk
• Jimmie Simpson Park
Cancelled and replaced by Riverdale ArtWalk Online Show and Sale at Leslie Grove Gallery Online Store.
Woofstock
• Woodbine park
Postponed. Rescheduled for Sept. 26–27.
June 6
Pape Village Summerfest
• Pape Avenue between Mortimer and Cosburn avenues
Street festival cancelled.
Riverside Easts & Beats StreetFest
• Queen Street East from Don Valley Parkway to De Grassi Street.
Street festival cancelled.
May 29–31
Toronto Bach Festival
• St. Barnabas-on-the-Danforth, 361 Danforth Ave.; Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth Ave. and other locations.
Cancelled.
May 23–24
Doors Open Toronto
• various buildings in Toronto
Cancelled by city.
May 21–24
Tafelmusik presents: A Handel Celebration
• Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W.
Concert cancelled. Refunds bring processed.
May 18–23
Canadian Music Week
• various venues
Postponed to Sept. 8-13.
May 17–24
Jewish Music Week
• various venues including Al Green Theatre, Barbara Frum Library, Beth Tikvah Synagogue, Holy Blossom Temple
All events cancelled.
May 14
Life As We Know It
• Barbara Frum Public Library, 20 Covington Rd.
Films and presentation cancelled.
May 13
B-Xalted!
• Church of St. Mary Magdalene, 477 Manning Ave.
Concert cancelled.
May 9
Toronto Comic Arts Festival
• Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St.
Festival cancelled.
May 8–9
Awesome Sale
• Leaside United Church, 822 Millwood Road
Sale cancelled.
May 8
Meow Meow
• Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W.
Postponed. Keep tickets for future date to be decided.
Inti Ukana: A Latin American Tapestry (Upper Canada Choristers)
• Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd.
Concert postponed. Rescheduled to Oct. 2.
May 7
Mariza
• Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W.
Postponed. Keep tickets for future date to be decided.
May 6
Academy Chamber Orchestra
• Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W.
Cancelled.
Ongoing
Spring 2020 Film Series
• Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Dr.
Scheduled to run from March through June. Museum closed until further notice.
The Twenties: Snapshots of Everyday Life
• City of Toronto Archives, 255 Spadina Rd.
Exhibit scheduled to run until Aug. 7 but closed now until further notice.
Saturday Farmers Market
• Evergreen Brick Works
Cancelled till further notice.
We’ll be revising and updating the list as new information is received. If you know of any other local events that have been cancelled, postponed or moved online, notify us by email.
