We’re winding down the last weeks of summer and getting ready to welcome cooler autumn nights. Before the fall chill really sets in, there’s still time to enjoy a few festivals. Head to Toronto’s waterfront later this month for the new Water/Fall Festival and experience everything from public art installations (both on and off the water), harvest-themed food & drink markets, live music and dance performances, a sustainable makers market, and boat tours along the shoreline!
The free festival runs over two weekends (Sept 27-28 and Oct 4-5) along Queens Quay, from Bathurst Street to Bay Street, and is meant to be a celebration of creativity, culture and community for people of all ages.
Here’s what visitors can look forward to this year:
“A Lake Story” at Biidaasige Park and Sugar Beach
To kick off the inaugural festival, The Bentway presents “A Lake Story”, a bold public art performance featuring over 100 colourfully choreographed canoes being paddled across Toronto’s eastern waterfront. The two-hour performance will be visible from a range of waterfront locations, including Biidaasige Park and Sugar Beach, with 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. start times on Sept 27 and 28.
“Water Wonders” at Spadina Pier
Those strolling along the waterfront will be amazed by “Water Wonders“! The large floating art piece will feature local wildlife in vibrant colours from acclaimed 3D artist Melissa Mathieson. You’ll also learn cool facts about local wildlife and how to get involved in protecting their habitats through bright signage situated along the boardwalk (Sept 27-Oct 5).
Music Garden Concerts, Toronto Music Garden, 479 Queens Quay W
The waterfront’s Music Garden Concerts will be transformed through a series of free live music performances! Gather the fam and enjoy free daytime and evening performances enhanced by interactive lights that will turn the space into an immersive experience. Groove to acclaimed artists like Land of Talk (the event opener), Sean Jones, Begonia and Charlotte Cornfield. Performances are scheduled each day of the festival at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Street Eats Market Fall Harvest Market, HTO Park, 339 Queens Quay W
Enjoy festive food, drinks and fun at the Fall Harvest Market! Up to 40 food and drink vendors will celebrate the harvest season with culinary delights. Activities include fire pits with s’mores, a pumpkin patch, outdoor games, live DJs and more. Runs over both festival weekends: On Saturdays from noon until 10 p.m. and on Sundays from noon until 8 p.m.
During the second weekend of the festival (Oct 4-5), HTO Park will be home to “As the Flower Returns” by artist Natalie Laura King. This is a live chalk art project that visitors can help bring to life!
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W
Throughout the festival, the waterfront’s culture epicentre will be a hub for music, dance, art and creativity. Browse through a large-scale outdoor public art exhibit hanging above Ontario Square at Harbourfront Centre! The “Copper Canopy” exhibit will focus on moments of stillness amongst the chaos of urban life, inviting visitors to stand beneath art that feels alive. The suspended grid of copper leaves reimagines the shelter of a forest canopy and responds to its surroundings, shifting with the light, winds and movement of people passing beneath (Sept 27-Nov 16).
In the Community Square at Harbourfront Centre, “Reset: Unplug. Play. Connect” is an engaging public art installation offering 30-minute immersive audio ‘playground’ experiences where participants move, listen and play together (runs daily from Sept 30-Oct 5).
Fan of the roaring twenties? Check out Gatsby Redux. This lively and interactive outdoor dance show brings The Great Gatsby and the ‘20s to life (Sept 27 and 28. Tickets are available online now).
Boat Tours at Pier 6, 145 Queens Quay W
Hop aboard Toronto Harbour Tours’ canal ship Miss Kim Simpson for a 90-minute guided Harbour and Skyline boat tour! You’ll learn fascinating stories behind the buildings and landscapes of Toronto’s Inner Harbour and discover the legacy behind the harbour’s industrial past and its transformation into places we live, work and play. Tickets are available online now. Tours take place at various times on Sept 27 and 28 and Oct 1, 4, and 5.
Sustainable Makers Market, Bathurst Quay, 585 Queens Quay W
Head to the Sustainable Makers Market for eco-friendly, one-of-a-kind finds! It’s set against the breathtaking waterfront views at Bathurst Quay and brings together artists, designers, and creative changemakers. Experience everything from natural pigment-making and circular fashion to plant swaps, art installations, and hands-on workshops. Sept 27 and 28, from noon until 5 p.m. each day.
Nuit Blanche: The Canada Malting Silos (9 Eireann Quay) and Union Station (65 Front St W)
During Nuit Blanche, check out the large-scale projection mapping installation by OOOPStudio (Italy)! It will project a dancer’s movements across the silos overnight on October 4 (from 7:30 p.m. until 7 a.m.)
Then head to Union Station. The historic transit hub will transform into Union Art Crawl: a late-night art and shopping pop-up featuring captivating art installations, DJ sets, live music, delicious food, extended retail hours and all-night giveaways! (Oct 4, 7 p.m. until midnight).
Pow Wow Dance Competition, Union Station, 65 Front St W
During the festival’s opening day, Tkaronto Open III is hosting a Pow Wow Dance Competition to celebrate Indigenous culture, beauty and resilience with performances from Indigenous dancers from across Turtle Island. The event is free and invites everyone to dance and celebrate Indigenous culture (Sept 27 from 1 p.m. until late afternoon).
Click here for the full Water/Fall Festival schedule and programming details. If you’re up for a road trip, check out these nine unique Ontario festivals this September.
