pride of place | June 24-30 2026

There used to be a time when going to the Pride parade felt like a moral decision. And while it's still meaningful to lots of people, it's been overtaken by corporate virtue signalling. With Church St getting a pedestrian pilot, there are a few lesser known events to check out instead. That plus outdoor movies and more.

The First Dozen

1. CN Tower 50th Birthday Lookalike Contest

Officially, the CN Tower has a 50th birthday party from 11:30a-4:30p on June 26th. But who cares about that when someone has been plastering the city with flyers for a CN Tower lookalike contest. Meet in front of the CN Tower (the real one) at 7p.

RSVP here: https://wygo.world/cn-tower

2. Pride Market, Trans March, & A Big Drag Ball

It's Pride weekend. Opening Night is Friday at Nathan Phillips Square. The Pride Parade is on Sunday at 2p. One of the more fun celebrations of Pride is the Drag Ball. It's 70 acts all day and completely free. If you want to march with those currently suffering more than they should, the Trans Rally & March is on Friday. Stick around for the Street Fair on the newly pedestrianized Church Street.

Drag Ball - Pride Toronto

The biggest drag event of the year returns with over 70 drag acts from Canada and beyond! This 9 hour extravaganza is the can’t miss event of Festival Weekend with drag artists from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Canada’s Drag Race, King of Drag, Slaycation, Call Me Mother, and the absolute best in local talent! For 2026 we have the hottest international Kings and Queens and well as THE ENTIRE CAST of Canada’s Drag Race Season 6, performing together for the first and only time, cause ya’ll know we’re Canada DOWN! Expect high production values, one-of-a-kind performances, dancers and costumes galore, huge crowds, and a never ending stream of the finest Drag Kings, Things and Queens! Get there early to secure a good spot, as this is, by far, the most popular event of Pride Month, or get a VIP pass for a guaranteed front-of-stage up-close view. Meet & Greets are also available with purchase. But otherwise join us at Nathan Phillips Square for this completely free staggering event that we put on just for you!

Pride Toronto

3. TOPS Christie Pits Outdoor Movies Opening Weekend

One of the most Canadian movies launches the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show season at Christie Pits. It's supposed to be a great movie and the vibes are always good at a TOPS movie screening. The star and director are going to be there. Get there a bit early so you're not stuck walking through the endless blankets to find a spot to sit. Last year I was on an incline for the whole movie and it's not ideal. If you don't make it on Friday, Sunday will probably be a little less busy and the movie looks like a great pick.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie — Toronto Outdoor Picture Show

<p>Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS) is dedicated to sharing high quality, diverse, and engaging outdoor cinema to communities across the city. Its signature project is Christie Pits Film Festival (CPFF), a cornerstone of west Toronto’s summer calendar since 2011, taking place in the natural amphitheatre of Christie Pits Park.</p>

Toronto Outdoor Picture ShowTOPS 2026

4. Park Olympics

Toronto Side Quests is hosting a light-hearted night of challenges, no athletic ability required. A unique way to meet people, be social, and have a friendly competitive night.

Park Olympics

An Evening of Fun & Friendly Competition

Eventbrite

5. Whimsical Oddities Art Experience

A small event with a great name, I'm intrigued. The artists will be there showing their work, there'll be live music and who knows what else you'll find.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZft8GplIor/

6. Taste of Asia

Steeles is the northern border of Toronto and technically I think Steeles itself isn't part of Toronto, but this is a massive Asian festival right next door to Pacific Mall. It's worth the 10 steps outside the boundaries of the city. There will be a lot of booths, but come here for the delicious food. It feels like a real Asian night market.

The Famous Taste Of Asia Street Festival - Federation of Chinese Canadians in Markham

Taste of Asia Markham’s Premier Street Festival Experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of Asia every year on the last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of June at Kennedy & Steeles. Who It’s For This event is for families, friends, food lovers, cultural enthusiasts, and community members of all backgrounds looking to celebrate and connect together.

Federation of Chinese Canadians in Markham - Federation of Chinese Canadians in Markham

7. High Park Hike

A beginner-friendly hike in one of the nicest parks in the city. Snacks are provided. All you need is a water bottle and to fill out their registration form here.

Terra Elysium - High Park Hike

Join Terra Elysium Foundation for an afternoon hike through High Park! 🌿 Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026 Time: 1:30–4:00 PM Meeting Location: High Park North Gates The hike will begin at 2:00 PM. Please arrive by 1:30 PM so we can gather and start together as a group. This hike is beginner level and open to all ages (participants under 18 must be accompanied by parents/guardians). Snacks will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring a reusable water bottle and wear comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for walking. We look forward to spending time outdoors, connecting with one another, and exploring one of Toronto’s most beautiful green spaces. Please complete the form below to confirm your attendance. If you have questions or need to speak to our team please email contact@terraelysium.ca.

Google Docs

8. Geary Art Crawl + Taste of the Junction

The Geary Art Crawl is a little different this year because the World Cup means no closed streets. Wandering through the nooks and alleyways should make it a little more interesting.

The Taste of the Junction is contained in a Green P lot. It's small, but feels like a neighbour's street party with better food options. If you get a Bike Share or transit, you could do these both in one afternoon.

Geary Art Crawl

A two day, rain-or-shine celebration on Geary Ave Toronto. Watch the neighbourhood come alive with music, visual art installations, pop-ups, food and more in a local, DIY celebration of the arts.

Geary Art Crawl

Taste of the Junction | THE JUNCTION BIA

Taste of the Junction 2026 Taste of the Junction 2026 Brings Food, Art, and Local Culture to Toronto’s West End on June 27One-day cultural celebration…

THE JUNCTION BIAGillian

9. Salsa Lessons

From the Salsa on St Clair organizers, there are 2 free days of learning how to Salsa or Bachata. Lula Lounge is also throwing a free 1 hour salsa dance lesson this weekend.

June 25 | Somos Studios | 7p Beginner, 8:15p Intermediate
June 27 | 741 Bloor St W| 4p Salsa, 5p Bachata, 6p Reparto Cubano
June 27| Lula Lounge | 1p Salsa lesson at the iconic venue

Free Dance Lessons | Salsa in Toronto Classes

Find free dance lessons with Salsa in Toronto, including beginner-friendly Latin dance classes, local schools, dates, locations, and registration details.

Salsa in Toronto

Lula Community Salsa Classes

Step into the rhythm of Lula! From little ones to grandparents— dancers of all ages and abilities are welcome to our series of free community salsa classes.

Eventbrite

10. The Slow Jam Party

DJs Lissa Monet and Jester host an all R&B party across all the decades of the genre. Sing along, grab a bite and relax. A free music party amongst your closest neighbours who are also waiting for their GO train at Union Station.

Day Parties: That Slow Jam Party - Union

Make Union Summer your first Saturday night stop. Our Day Parties kick things off with a dynamic rotation of live music, themed weekly to set just the right vibe. From DJ-led dance parties to feel-good live sets, it’s all about great music, refreshing drinks, and a lively crowd ready to move. Start your night where

Union - Where Toronto is GoingUnionAdmin

11. Literary: A Poet Laureate, Advocacy, + 2 Book Launches

There are always a lot of literary events in the city, but here are 4 that I think are worth checking out.

June 25, 6:30p-8p, Toronto Reference Library | Ericka Hart, a sexuality educator, is here during Pride to break down how sex ed done right, can be a tool for liberation.
June 25, 6:30p-8p Flying Books | Vancouver Poet Laureate, Elee Kraljii Gardiner will have a conversation and read from her new poetry book, sometimes, forest.
June 29, 12:30p ONLINE | A workshop on how to use poetry for advocacy with Jamilla Kabongo-Bah
June 25, 7p Dovercourt House | The Breach Book Launch & Party | Celebrate and honour independent media who often are the only ones doing real journalism anymore.

Ericka Hart, Nasty Work — Toronto Public Library

\nEricka Hart\nAn award-winning sexuality educator takes down society’s deeply entrenched colonial views on sex and gender throughout history in this accessible, candid, and revolutionary exploration of how we can—and should—reclaim our minds and bodies for a more pleasurable existence for all.When you think about sex ed, your mind likely goes back to those uncomfortable school desks and the stifled laughs of your teenage years. But what we’ve been socialized to believe about sexuality actually hinders our own pleasure well into adulthood. Whether we know it or not, even the most progressive among us are often using 400-year-old inherited thoughts and belief systems in the twenty-first century. Why are we still carrying forth these ancient values that have never served the vast majority?As a Black, queer, non-binary, disabled femme, Ericka Hart believes that sex ed done right can actually be a tool for liberation. In Nasty Work, she breaks down the ways that social implications keep us from experiencing pleasure, particularly for marginalized communities across race, gender, sexuality, and ability, and how we can dismantle these oppressive myths. From examining what guides our attraction to others to the history of consent, Ericka Hart takes the blinders off and reveals a more empowering view of sex and sexuality.Nasty Work blends eye-opening research with powerful, poignant personal narrative that disrupts everything you thought you knew about sex and society, offering a liberatory framework that makes pleasure accessible for all.ABOUT THIS EVENT’S GUESTS:Ericka Hart, M.Ed. (she/they)nbsp;is a Black, queer, non-binary, femme, activist, writer and award-winning sexuality educator with a Master’s of Education in Human Sexuality from Widener University. Ericka’s work broke ground when she went topless showing her double mastectomy scars in public in 2016. Since then, she has been in demand at colleges and universities across the country, featured in countless digital and print publications like Vogue, Washington Post, Allure, Harper’s Bazaar, VICE, PAPER Mag, BBC News, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, W Magazine, Glamour, Elle, and Essence. Ericka’s voice is rooted in leading edge thought around human sexual expression as inextricable to overall human health and its intersections with race, gender, chronic illness and disability. Both radical and relatable, she continues to push well beyond the threshold of sex positivity. For the past 15 years, she has taught comprehensive, trauma-informed, consent- and pleasure-based sex education from an anti-racist, queer lens at the elementary, high school, undergraduate and graduate levels. This includes 4 years at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, the CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College and now as the founding instructor of their own AASECT certified sexuality education training program, Sex Ed as Resistance, which has matriculated more than 250 students as of today. More significantly, though, Ericka is a bratty, switchy, Sagittarius, service bottom and misses Whitney more than you. Professor SA Smythe (they/them)nbsp;is a critical theorist, transmedia storyteller, and educator committed to black belonging beyond genres and geographies. They are associate professor of Black Studies the Archive and Director of the Collaboratory for Black Poiēsis at the University of Toronto. Smythe is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Applied Transgender Studies and serves on international editorial and advisory boards primarily dedicated to Black arts culture, trans nonbinary liberation, Black studies, and human rights/migrant justice. Smythe is the editor of Troubling the Grounds: Global Configurations of Blackness, Nativism, and Indigeneity (vols. 12) (Postmodern Culture), Transnational Black Studies (Liverpool University Press), and author of Where Blackness Meets the Sea: On Crisis, Culture, and the Black Mediterranean (forthcoming) and [proclivity], a poetry collection and sound installation-performance suite. Shortlisted for the 2025 Creative Capital Award (in Multimedia Performance), Smythe is recipient of the 2021-22 Rome Prize for Modern Italian Studies and numerous composer/artist fellowships and residencies supporting their transmedia artwork including 2025 Leighton Studios at Banff Centre for Arts Creativity and 2023-24 MacDowell Fellowship in Multimedia Installation. For decades, Smythe has organized with literary/performance, abolitionist, and migrant support collectives across Turtle Island, Europe, and the Mediterranean.\n**\nPLAN YOUR VISIT:\nLocation:nbsp;Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street), Secondnbsp;floor\nTime: Doors open at 6:00 pm, program runs from 6:30 - 7:30 pmnbsp;and book signing starts at 7:40 pm until 8:20 pm.\nTickets: Free registration required.\nTicket policy: We oversell these events to make sure that the greatest number of people have an opportunity to attend. Tickets are guaranteed until 6:45pm or until capacity is reached. Any remaining space will be opened up to the rush line beginning at 6:45pm. Seating first come, first served. Tickets do not guarantee seats.\n**\nThis event is a part of spotlight Pride programming. Visit tpl.ca/pride for more listings.**\nInformation Collection Notice:nbsp;The personal information on this form is collected by the Toronto Public Library under the Public Libraries Act, sections 20(a), 20(c), and 20(d). The information will only be used for event and program registration, delivery and evaluation. Questions about how the library handles your information can be directed to Answerline staff atnbsp;answerline@tpl.ca, 416-397-5981, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto ON M4W 2G8.**Accessibility at this program: This program will be presented with ASL interpretation. Additional supports are outlined below.

Toronto Public Library

12. Lovers Lit | Love Poems by Pablo Neruda Book Club

Any reason to read Pablo Neruda is a good one. Whether you're in love, out of love, or longing for love, or none of those. The words are worth absorbing. Talk about the poems or just come and listen.

Queen Books

Queen Books is an independent general interest community bookshop in Toronto’s east end Leslieville neighbourhood

13. 6AM Run Club

Every Friday at 5:50a, which if you are able to make it, congrats on having your life in order, this group meets and runs 6-7km at 6min/km. One day I'll get up in time.

Friday Morning 6am Run with Curre Club

Every Friday at 5:50 a.m., we gather at Neo Coffee on King & Spadina for a 6 -7 kilometer run. The front group maintains a 6:00 min/km pace.

Eventbrite

Canada + The World Cup Watch Parties

Canada is facing Switzerland on Wednesday at 3p to see if they can advance out of the first round. Wherever your family is from, most of us also cheer for Canada (except the Swiss!). Everyone is throwing a watch party and here are a few options for big groups and a few smaller venues.

Nathan Phillips Square | It's buzzing, lots of space to sit and will be full of people, but there are spots near the back which are quieter and more peaceful.
Harbourfront Centre| In the amphitheatre, limited space, so get there early
Stackt Market | At the back of the market, big space, but still limited capacity.
Columbus Centre | This place has a nice vibe, smaller than the others.
UofT Front Campus | A student spot, they have lots of time so it's always busy
George Brown Waterfront Campus | Waterfront soccer. A nice indoor option
Scadding Court | Amazing food vendors with a local vibe.
Memorial Hall | If it's raining, here's your spot, plus free popcorn.

Ongoing Events

I've written about these in previous weeks, but they are worth going to, so I'm making a small list in case anyone has forgotten. I'll link to the post about it if you're looking for more info.

Art
Illuminated Malting Silos | June 25-28, 9p-midnight, Music Garden
Pyramid Fields | until June 28, Trinity Square
Fitness
Yoga at Trillium Park | June 27-28, 10a-11a, Ontario Place
Fitness in the Square | June 24, 5:30p, Sankofa Square
Live Music
Market Street Jun 26, 5:30p | Shelly Hamilton: The Sade Experience
St James Jun 25, 7p | Ana Lia
College Park, Jun 26, 5p | Natasha Roldan
Union Station, Jun 28, 6p | Rudy Ray Lagos Nights
Union Station, Jun 30, 12p | Chai & Jam
Granby Parkette, 5p | Aqua
Music Garden Jun 25, 7p | Nagata Shachu Japanese Taiko Drumming

That's it for this week. If you enjoyed this, forward it to a friend who you think would like this. And if you have suggestions or tips on anything I've missed, leave a comment or send a message. See you next week.