9 h. ago You can watch free outdoor movie screenings under the stars all summer long in Toronto

Toronto's summertime tradition of free, open-air movie screenings is coming back this summer as the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS) gears up for its 15th annual season.Could there be anything more magical than spending a summer night congregating in a Toronto park at sunset with hundreds of fellow film lovers to watch a screening of one of your favourite movies under the stars?I may be biased, because I love movies almost as much as I love being outdoors, but I'd say few things come anywhere close.Lucky for all open-air film fanatics, Toronto Outdoor Picture Show, the city's longest and largest outdoor film screening series, is coming back for the season on June 12, bringing 20 nights of free public screenings spread across three months.This year, the festival will be taking over Fort York, Christie Pits and Corktown Commons at various dates over the summer.While the entire schedule has yet to be announced, the organization has already revealed the details ...

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9 h. ago You can watch free outdoor movie screenings all summer long in Toronto

Toronto's summertime tradition of free, open-air movie screenings is coming back this summer as the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS) gears up for its 15th annual season.Could there be anything more magical than spending a summer night congregating in a Toronto park at sunset with hundreds of fellow film lovers to watch a screening of one of your favourite movies under the stars?I may be biased, because I love movies almost as much as I love being outdoors, but I'd say few things come anywhere close.Lucky for all open-air film fanatics, Toronto Outdoor Picture Show, the city's longest and largest outdoor film screening series, is coming back for the season on June 12, bringing 20 nights of free public screenings spread across three months.This year, the festival will be taking over Fort York, Christie Pits and Corktown Commons at various dates over the summer.While the entire schedule has yet to be announced, the organization has already revealed the details ...

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10 h. ago Don't freak out if you see a herd of goats roaming around a Toronto park next month

About 50 goats are making their way to a Toronto park in June. No, I'm not kidding. But I promise there's a reason.Did you know that the City of Toronto became the first municipality in the province to introduce "comprehensive goat grazing for ecosystem management"? Yep, it's pretty cool.Also known as prescribed grazing, this eco-friendly method helps maintain Toronto's urban meadow ecosystem, and the best part is you can see the goats in action.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by TorontoPFR (@torontopfr)For as far back as most can remember, animals that graze, such as horses, camels, deer, bison, and rhinos, have maintained prairie and meadowed ecosystems. "They brought nutrients to the soil through their wastes, reduced woody growth, and enhanced seed germination as their hooves disturbed the surface," shares the City of Toronto.If it work...

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10 h. ago Stunning cherry blossoms draw massive crowds to High Park in Toronto

Toronto's much-loved High Park cherry blossoms have embarked on their annual bloom for 2025, and eager viewers from across the city and beyond are flocking to the park to get a view.After avidly tracking the progress of the blooms all spring long, with regular updates provided by the city's resident sakura expert, Steven Joniak (better known as Sakura Steve), the city was finally treated to the breathtaking blooms over the weekend.On Wednesday, April 30, the High Park Nature Centre predicted that full bloom, marked by 70 per cent of trees showing their blooms, would begin later that week, but by Thursday, May 1, Sakura Steve had already reported that trees would be reaching 75 per cent open later that day.It was perfect timing, given the proximity to the weekend, for scores of eager blossom-viewers to plan their Saturday and Sunday trips to the park to view the fleeting phenomenon before it was gone.Throngs swarm High Park to see the annual cherry blossom bloom.Gloomy cloud ...

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48 h. ago Toronto is getting a waterfront park with breathtaking views this summer

The epic undertaking to renaturalize Toronto's Port Lands has already created a new serpentine mouth for the Don River, soon to be joined by stunning public spaces — including one standout park scheduled to welcome the public this summer.Waterfront Toronto has released new aerial footage of the renaturalized Don River captured in March, showing off the new human-made waterway that officially started flowing last year.The latest video update on construction in the Port Lands offers a hint at what is in store for the coming months, most notably the gradual opening of new parks and public spaces in the formerly industrial district.One standout of the reimagined Port Lands will be a large public space hugging the Keating Channel and Toronto Harbour on the north side of the river.The space known as Biidaasige Park, (pronounced Bee-daw-sih-geh) is comprised of a future northern section and an upcoming southern section, the latter of which is scheduled to partially open this summ...

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48 h. ago Toronto is getting a breathtaking waterfront park this summer

The epic undertaking to renaturalize Toronto's Port Lands has already created a new serpentine mouth for the Don River, soon to be joined by stunning public spaces — including one standout park scheduled to welcome the public this summer.Waterfront Toronto has released new aerial footage of the renaturalized Don River captured in March, showing off the new human-made waterway that officially started flowing last year.The latest video update on construction in the Port Lands offers a hint at what is in store for the coming months, most notably the gradual opening of new parks and public spaces in the formerly industrial district.One standout of the reimagined Port Lands will be a large public parkland to the north and south of the new river and around the whole western edge of the island, known as Biidaasige Park, (pronounced Bee-daw-sih-geh), the Anishinaabemowin translation of the phrase "sunlight shining toward us."Opening in phases, the portion of pa...

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3 d. ago Man rescued after small plane lands in Lake Ontario near Tommy Thompson Park

A man in his 40s was rescued after a small plane landed in the water near Tommy Thompson Park on Friday afternoon. Toronto Police say they received a call around 2:30 p.m. for unknown trouble in the area of the Leslie St. Spit near downtown. Cops confirmed that a small privately owned plane landed in […]

Events

4 d. ago Here’s the best time to see the cherry blossoms at Toronto’s High Park

Cherry blossom season is in full swing at High Park, with spring’s arrival bringing vibrant blooms and peak bloom is just days away.

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5 d. ago Here's where you can see cherry blossoms in Toronto beyond High Park

It's the most beautiful time of year — cherry blossom season in Toronto. The blossoms are starting to bloom all over the city, and while it's going to be gorgeous, the displays of flowers draw in some massive crowds. People come from all over to see the pink and white blooms at hot spots such as High Park and Trinity Bellwoods.If you're willing to venture off from the usual locations for something a little lesser known, you may be able to skip the large groups, and I'm here to help you find them.Legislative Assembly of OntarioBack in 2005, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, located at 111 Wellesley Street West, was gifted three cherry blossom trees, and they're still there today. Located within Queen's Park, this smaller area still has beautiful views of the blooms.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by U of T Scarborough (UTSC) 🇨🇦 (@utsc)University of Toron...

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6 d. ago Toronto's High Park cherry blossoms are about to reach full bloom for 2025

The annual return of Toronto's vibrant sakura cherry blossoms has officially begun, with the first delicate white petals opening in High Park as of April 28, right on schedule.According to Toronto's go-to expert for cherry blossom updates, Steven Joniak — better known as Sakura Steve — this year's full bloom is expected to begin on May 1, followed by peak bloom (when 90 to 100 per cent of blossoms are open) from May 2 through May 9 in High Park.For over a decade, Sakura Steve has kept cherry blossom fans informed with updates on his site, Sakura in High Park. Since 2012, he's been Toronto's most trusted sakura tracker, even receiving special recognition from Matsunaga Takeshi, the Consul-General of Japan, for his dedication.As always, the weather will play a decisive role in just how long that peak will last, with the upcoming rain and thunderstorms potentially shortening that window. Visitors heading to the park right now will spot only a f...

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7 d. ago Toronto woman hosting 'group scream' at local park for people to let it all out

If you're feeling stressed lately, forget screaming into your pillow, because a Toronto artist is inviting you to unleash your rage, sorrow, or stress in the open with hundreds of others as part of a local "group scream."On Saturday, May 3, Trinity Bellwoods Park will echo with more than just bird chirping and weekend chatter thanks to Grace Turner, the voice behind the music project City Builders. The group scream is set to be a communal release of collective frustration, heartbreak, and maybe even a little bit of joy.The scream-along comes just before Turner's debut single, "Learning to Miss You," which drops on May 6. The song is, in Turner's words, "emotional" and "gut-wrenching," and is a raw ballad born from the pain of a recent breakup.Turner announced the group scream on her social media channels, thinking that others might also be in need of a good scream, and turns out she was right.@wearecitybuilders You h...

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9 d. ago Stunning Toronto trail cuts through forest that once helped defeat Napoleon

Mast Trail is a beloved hiking trail in Toronto, often visited as a fun weekend getaway. But with over 10,000 years of history in Rouge Park, there's a little more to these trails than one might think.The area is rich in history, being home to many Indigenous cultures and traditions — including the Seneca village Ganatsekwyagon and the route of famous French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette.But this piece of land was instrumental in taking down one of Europe's most infamous rulers — the self-proclaimed Emperor of France Napoleon Bonaparte.Historical contextAs the foundations for what would become Toronto were just starting to be built, France was being violently torn down. As heads rolled and war spread, Napoleon stood as a crucial part of the French Revolution's victories through Europe and Frances expansion across the continent.By the winter of 1806, having dominated most of Europe, Napoleon set his sights on conquering England — but woul...

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1 week ago If trustees are no longer in charge of the Thames Valley school board, who is?

Ontario education minister Paul Calandra has put the Thames Valley District school board – home to 84,000 students – under Queen’s Park supervision following a controversial three-day Toronto retreat by top officials last summer that cost $38,000. Investigators, auditing the board’s books, found a lack of financial oversight in the budgeting process led to a […]

Society

1 week ago Toronto's foremost cherry blossom expert is getting honoured by Japan

Toronto's most iconic cherry blossom expert is getting his well-deserved flowers as he receives a special honour from Matsunaga Takeshi, Consul-General of Japan.It's almost impossible to discuss Toronto's breathtaking High Park cherry blossoms without the city's resident sakura expert, who fittingly goes by the name Sakura Steve online, entering the discourse.Steven Joniak, the man behind Sakura in High Park, has been Toronto's (and blogTO's) source for cherry blossom updates ever since he launched his website in 2012, supplementing his journey with extensive research on the trees.To date, Steve is the foremost authority for Toronto residents keen to catch the peak bloom every year, providing weekly updates and, at times, braving less-than-ideal conditions from March to May as the trees progress.While Steve has certainly earned his fair share of recognition over the years, he's now about to receive an official honour for all of his contributions...

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1 week ago Ontario Place megaspa company fires back after making international headlines

It's been nearly four years since residents first learned of the major players tapped to redevelop Ontario Place, the expansive lakeshore green space that for many years served as the best amusement park in Toronto, if not the entire province.That also means it's been just as many years of drama surrounding the overhaul, as the public quickly became aware of how much of the space it would be losing to private entities, and at what cost — to taxpayers, the environment, and more.There had been propositions to build everything from a casino and condos to a landmark Ferris wheel and public gardens on the 155-acre property, some of these ideas being understandably less popular than others.In the end, the key brand that the provincial government selected to take over the coveted lands was Therme Group, an Austria-based spa company that will build a wellness facility that ...

Society

2 w. ago The history of Queen's Park's chaotic opening day in Ontario

Today, Queen's Park is the nerve centre of Ontario's provincial government and a familiar landmark in Toronto. The impressive Romanesque Revival building, which is made of pink Credit Valley sandstone, has been home to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1893.It also houses the Lieutenant Governor's suite and offices for Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), but what you might not know is that its opening day was quite a bit…quirky.In 1859, the City leased the area from King's College, and the following year, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) opened up a park in honour of his mother, Queen Victoria. The park was long considered a location for new parliament buildings, and between 1879 and 1880, their construction was officially authorized by the Ontario Legislature and city council.Queen's Park circa 1893. Photo: Toronto Public Library Archives.Ultimately, the commission was awarded to Richard Waite of Buffalo in 1886, a choice that sparked q...

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3 w. ago Toronto’s ‘cherry blossom watch’ says it’s almost time for popular spring pilgrimage

Toronto's largest public park says its famous cherry blossom trees are showing their first signs of impending bloom.

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3 w. ago Rebel News sues Crown corporation for allegedly trying to stop Donald Trump Jr. event

The 2024 event went ahead without a hitch at Toronto's Downsview Park, but the lawsuit claims it happened despite a campaign by Canada Lands Company Ltd. to stop it

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