August 27, 2026 | 7 Free Events in Toronto Today

An eclectic mix of fun things to to today. The newsletter dropped with extra days this week, sign up to get on next week's list. Here are today's picks:

Joy Lapps
Toronto Botanical Garden | 7p–8p

Steelpan musician Joy Lapps leaves "plenty space" for spontaneity, which sounds about right for a free Thursday evening in a garden. General seating is first-come, and the Dandelion Café is doing jerk chicken with rice and peas if you want to make a night of it.e

Outdoor Movie: The Parent Trap (1998)
CIBC Square Elevated Park | 8p–11p
Nancy Meyers' twin-swap classic is just an excuse to go see this elevated park and hangout for a couple of hours. Free popcorn and candy stations, bracelet-making, and a limited number of chairs. Arrive at 81 Bay Street and take the west-side staircase or escalator up to the fourth floor.

Book Talk: Grace's Be Water
Another Story Bookshop | 7p–8:30p
With guest readers Erica H. Isomura and Khashayar "Kess" Mohammadi along for the evening

Library Movie Day: Rochdale: Dream Tower
Toronto Reference Library | Thu 2p–3:30p
A lot of libraries showing movies today. At the Reference Library, Ron Mann's 1994 documentary on Rochdale College, which was the anti-institution that ran from 1968 to 1975, started out as a countercultural experiment in co-operative learning, and ended up as North America's largest open drug market before it was shut down for good. Here's the rest of the libraries playing movies today around the city:

Albert Campbell | 1p-2:30p | Kung Fu Panda 4
Dufferin/St Clair | 2p-4p | Cinema Italiano
Kennedy/Eglinton | 2p | Summer Family Movies
McGregor Park | 2p-3:30p | Zootopia 2
High Park | 6p-8p | Throwback Thursday: You've Got Mail
Junction Triangle | 6p-8p | Craft & Movies

Rhythm on the Hill
912 Eglinton Ave W | 4:30p–5:30p
Salsa lesson for free, no need for a partner or any experience.

Arts in Summerlea Park
Summerlea Park | 11a–1p
Free performances celebrating singing, rapping, spoken word.

Foods Not Bombs Barbecue
Bellevue Square Park | Thu 5p–8p
Food Not Bombs Kensington Market, is marking two years with a community gathering and free vegan hotdogs.

Art Exhibits
Lillian H. Smith Library, 10a-5p | Set Phasers
Todmorden Mills, 11a-5p | North is Freedom
Spadina Museum, 11a-5p | In Broken Light
Craft Ontario Gallery, 10a-6p | Hitoko Okada
Stephen Bulger Gallery, 11a-6p | The Great Lakes
The Power Plant, 11a-6p | Colourful Parachutes

Outdoor Movies
Evergreen Brick Works, 7p-10p | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)
Canoe Landing Park, 8p-10:30p | The Goonies (1985)

Live Music
Trinity Square Park, 12p-1:30p | Fanio
St. James Park, 7p-9p | Artist To Be Announced

Farmers' Markets
North York Farmers' Market, 8a-2p | North York Farmers' Market
Dufferin Grove, 3p-7p | Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers Market
Black Creek Community Farm, 2p-7p | Black Creek Farm Stand & Market
Underpass Park, 4p-7:30p | Underpass Park Farmers Market
Artscape Weston Common, 2p-7p | Weston Village Market
Flemo Farm, 3p-6p | Flemo Farmers' Market