There’s a lot going on in Toronto this fall: Toronto Fall Events Guide 2023
TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2023 – With fall just around the corner, we’ve rounded up some of the must-sees and do’s in the GTA. From festivals, markets, fairs and even ghost tours, this short but oh-so-sweet season is shaping up to be a great one. Here’s a guide to some of the hottest events happening in the Toronto area this fall and late summer.
Toronto Waterfront Festival
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, 11am – 8pm and Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, 10am – 6pm
Where: 7 Queens Quay E.
Price: FREE
The World’s Largest Rubber Duck, presented by Clorox®, returns (on land) this year at the Toronto Waterfront Festival in the Harbourfront area. There will be two giant army vehicles to interact with from the Canadian Armed Forces, and the Royal Canadian Navy will have the HMCS Oriole on water with crew and activities on land.
Expect tons of interactive and cultural programming, plus a DJ booth and pop-up entertainment from Redpath Sugar. Local food trucks will be aplenty as well as sponsor giveaways and activities.
Mexican Independence Day Celebration
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 11am – 10pm
Where: Nathan Phillips Square
Price: Free
The 29th annual celebration of Mexican Independence day is taking place again this year at Nathan Phillips Square. All are welcome to gather to sing, dance, eat and celebrate this special day.
There will be live music and dance performances, a wide selection of food trucks and vendors, and plenty of fun activities including face painting, kids’ games, and a traditional dress costume contest for both children and adults.
Evergreen Brickworks Ontario Artisan Market & Ontario Vintage Market
When: Sunday, Sept. 17, Oct. 1, 15 and 29, 10am – 3pm
Where: Evergreen Brickworks
Price: FREE
The Ontario Artisan Market and Ontario Vintage Market is a recurring event that brings together over 40 vendors, local artists, makers and Artisans. Shop for handmade products including jewellery, body care, art, clothing, wood and leather goods. candles and more at the Artisan Market, and carefully chosen antiques and vintage items at the Vintage Market.
Riverside Dog Lover’s Market
When: Sunday, Sept. 17, 10am – 4pm
Where: Riverside Common Park
Price: FREE
It’s no secret that Toronto loves its dogs, so for the second year Toronto Dog Moms, Riverside BIA, and Dirty Pawz Dog Wash are inviting all dogs and dog lovers for a day of furry fun. Expect live music, treat tastings (for the dogs), various pet vendors, doggy nail trims, and much more.
There will be a professional photographer on site to capture the pups and all their beauty, plus you’ll enjoy several games and contests. Admission is free, sign up in advance to secure your spot.
Just For Laughs Free Street Festival
When: Friday, Sept. 22, 4-10:30pm, Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 23-24, 12-10:30pm
Where: Berczy Park
Price: FREE
The renowned Just For Laughs Comedy Festival is here for 10 days starting Sept. 21, and they’re kicking off the first weekend with a free street festival packed with comedy, live music, food, beer and more. This 3-day celebration is free to enter, conveniently located at Front & Yonge.
Camp Spooky & Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland
When: Select dates from Sept. 22 – Oct. 29
Where: Canada’s Wonderland
Price: $44.99
There’s something for everyone at Canada’s Wonderland this fall. Children and families can enjoy Camp Spooky every Saturday and Sunday from Sept. 23 – Oct. 29, with Halloween activities and attractions, trick-or-treating, a costume parade, live shows featuring the PEANUTS gang and more. Camp Spooky is in Planet Snoopy and is included with park admission.
Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland is an annual favourite, where the park goes from theme park to scream park at night. There are seven mazes, many scare zones, monsters, night rides and live entertainment. Haunt tickets are for the night only and start at $44.99.
Buy tickets to Haunt for the evening, or buy park admission for the daytime.
Milton Fall Fair
When: Friday, Sept. 22, 3-11pm , Saturday, Sept. 23, 9am – 11pm, Sunday, Sept. 24, 10am – 5pm
Where: 136 Robert Street in Milton
Price: Online: $12 for adults, $5 for children, plus service fees. In person: $15 for adults, $5 for children
‘Country Fun for Everyone’ is exactly right, the Milton Fall Fair is back again this September to celebrate the best of rural life. Expect rides, games, food, contests and live entertainment at this three-day event, plus many vendors, educational activities, demolition derby and the car show.
Nuit Blanche
When: Sept. 23, 7pm – Sept. 24, 7am
Where: Various locations in Toronto
Price: FREE
Toronto artists will transform the city for a night of contemporary art at Nuit Blanche. Neighbourhoods in Etobicoke, downtown and Scarborough will showcase projects by local, national and international artists.
This year’s theme is Breaking Ground, where artists’ work explores the natural world, change and innovation through curated exhibitions, independent projects and installations by participating cultural institutions.
Black Creek Pioneer Village Fall Festival and Halloween Festival
When: Sept. 23-24, 11am – 4pm, Oct. 21, 22, 28, 29. 11am – 4pm
Where: Black Creek Pioneer Village
Price: Adult: $22, Senior/ Student: $20, Child (3 to 14): $18, plus HST
Celebrate the harvest season like a pioneer this fall at Black Creek Pioneer Village. Visitors to the fall festival can participate in old-fashioned fall activities such as vegetable contests, fall crafts, magic tricks by the travelling medicine man, traditional fall treats, an interactive apple show and lots of tunes by children’s folk music performer Cousin Molly. You can even try your hand at butter churning, quilting and candle dipping.
Halloween festivities begin in October, with activities including the Slimy Science Show, trick-or-treating among the heritage buildings, and Village doctor visits to learn about medicine. There are also opportunities to learn about witchcraft and wizardry, plus fortune-telling games and a puppet show.
Buy tickets for the fall festival here. Buy tickets for the Halloween festival here.
Original Haunted Walk of Toronto
When: Daily
Where: Various locations in Toronto
Price: $24.99 for adults, $14.99 for youth (14 and under)
See Toronto in a new light (or darkness) this fall with a haunted walk through Toronto. Your guide will take you on a 75-minute journey into the world of ghosts, graveyards, hangings, and haunts, starting at the courtyard of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Toronto International Festival of Authors
When: Sept. 21 – Oct. 1
Where: Various locations in Toronto
Price: $19.99 & up
This 11-day celebration of literature starts on Sept. 21, with appearances from authors including Margaret Atwood, Emma Donoghue, Sarah Polley, Yakoto Yukimura and more. Catch workshops, live performances, conversations with authors, panels, poetry, readings, plus food and other celebratory events throughout the festival with a multi-day pass. Or, pick your preferred event and get a single ticket.
Fall for Dance North
When: Sept. 26 – Oct. 7
Where: Various locations in Toronto
Price: $15
The 9th annual international dance festival in Toronto, Fall for Dance North, will take place for 12 days starting Sept. 26. There will be six mainstage events featuring more than 19 professional Canadian and International companies, plus other programming including free performances, digital streams, workshops and artist talks, and Tkaronto Open, a new Indigenous dance competition.
Mainstage performances are ticketed and cost $15 each. See the list of performances and buy tickets here. 
Toronto Vintage Show
When: Saturday, Sept. 30, 10am – 6pm and Sunday, Oct. 1, 10am – 5pm
Where: Exhibition Place, Queen Elizabeth Building
Price: $15 entry fee (Children 12 and under enter for free)
The Toronto Vintage Show is back this year, sharing a space with the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show at Exhibition Place. Browse the thousands of vintage decor and clothing items sold by 125 vendors in the 50,000 square foot space.
Tickets are sold on site, cash, credit or debit are all accepted. Discounted admission available on the Toronto Vintage Show site.
Legends of Horror at Casa Loma
When: Sept. 29 – Oct. 31
Where: Casa Loma
Price: $50 plus fees and taxes
This walkthrough Halloween event returns this October with a 2km trail through the gardens, castle tunnels and dark corners of Casa Loma. It’s a one-hour immersive experience full of spooky characters, sets and designs. Bundle it with the new ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ haunted house for a truly frightful evening.
Fall Home Show
When: Friday, Sept. 29 – Saturday, Sept. 30, 10am – 7pm, Sunday, Oct. 1, 10am – 6pm
Where: Enercare Centre
Price: $15
Over 250 home and lifestyle vendors will take over the Enercare Centre for the Toronto Fall Home Show. Shop for your home, plan your next renovation and learn about all the newest design trends from the experts. You can also hear from a list of speakers, paint your own pumpkin or get a free home design consultation.
Toronto Oktoberfest
When: Friday, Oct. 6, 5:30-11:30pm, Saturday, Oct. 7, 12:30-4:30pm or 6-11:30pm
Where: Garrison Common at Fort York
Price: $40 & up
This classic German beer festival takes place in a massive Festhalle tent and outdoor Bavarian Village, and there are free German glass beer steins for the first 500 attendees per session. Communal tables and benches have come directly from Germany for this event.
Visitors can expect plenty of live entertainment, food, contests, and of course, beer. Come dressed in your best traditional wear (or purchase some at the festival) and get ready to eat, drink and be merry.
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
When: Oct. 18-22
Where: Scotiabank Theatre
Price: $12.99 & up
See a selection of new horror, sci-fi and action movies this October at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. The 17th annual iteration will screen around 40 new films over the course of 5 days, both features and shorts. Several of the filmmakers will be in attendance for Q & A’s with the fans following their screenings.
Tickets go on sale in early October, sign up here to be notified when they become available.
Spooktacular Light Show
When: Oct. 19 – Oct. 31
Where: 1389 Brock Road, Pickering, L0C 1A0L0P
The Spooktacular Lightshow, a thrilling drive-through Halloween event that will enchant you! Immerse yourself in a world of eerie wonder, with mesmerizing 2D and 3D displays, perfectly synced musical lights, and haunting melodies. This family-friendly extravaganza welcomes kids and adults of all ages to experience the magic of Halloween. Encounter mummies, skeletons, and a host of ghoulish creatures around every turn, bringing classic horror scenes to life. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure through a kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, and shadows. Don’t miss the chance to create lasting memories and embrace the spirit of Halloween like never before! Get your tickets for Spooktacular Light Show in Toronto!
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
When: Oct. 21 – Oct. 28
Where: Parkdale Hall
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Toronto. Get your tickets now to discover halloween inspired music at The Parkdale Hall under the gentle glow of candlelight.
Tentative Program
- Thriller – Michael Jackson
- Funeral March of a Marionette – Charles Gounod
- String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor (Dresden Quartet), Op. 110: II. Allegro Molto – Dmitri Shostakovich
- Tubular Bells (Theme from The Exorcist) – Mike Oldfield
- Stranger Things (Theme) – S U R V I V E
- Beetlejuice (Theme) – Danny Elfman
- The Addams Family (Theme) – Vic Mizzy
- Halloween (Theme) – John Carpenter
- Psycho (Prelude) – Bernard Herrmann
- Ghostbusters (Theme) – Ray Parker Jr.
- Danse Macabre – Camille Saint-Saëns
- Night on Bald Mountain – Modest Mussorgsky
- Der Erlkönig – Franz Schubert
- Medley from The Nightmare Before Christmas – Danny Elfman
- In the Hall of the Mountain King – Edvard Grieg
Performers
- Listeso String Quartet
The Vegan Fashion Show
When: Sunday, Dec. 3, 4-10pm
Where: Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street E.
Price: Tickets from $51.39
Vegans and non-vegans are welcome at the Vegan Fashion Show this December. The show highlights the latest in ethical design with runway shows featuring Canadian and international designers including QZ Shen, the Wifey Collection, Segan, Diane Kroe, Voes & Co, and Jeane & Jax.
Guests can explore the holiday marketplace, chock full of unique vegan finds and delectable treats. Do some gift shopping, sip on vegan cocktails and participate in the fashion game for a chance to win a sailboat tour around the Toronto Islands.
by Daisy Lankstead
lead photo Nuit Blanche 2022, by Bob Pawliw
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