when the smoke clears | July 22-28 2026
Post apocalypse, we have the most beautiful weather ahead this week. It's hard not to think of those who had it much worse or still do. There are places to donate to the communities who lost everything, if you're able, it's a nice way to help.
This is the last week of summer before you start to worry that summer is ending. It's still July all this week, but next week brings us August which means the CNE, which means the end of summer.
This week, we have the cool kids festival, a new extension to the best park in years, and music and movies everywhere. Plus a protest to protect the waterfront.
The calendars now have a home on the site where you can find the one you're looking for. Also, if you're interested, our daily posts that originated on reddit are now live on the site. They won't get emailed because I doubt anyone wants daily emails!
The First Dozen
1. Desi Hip Hop Cypher
Kensington Market on a Wednesday night with hip-hop in the air. It starts with a performance, then comes the open mic freestyle cypher. It's more communal than a regular show – people are there to participate as much as to watch. Worth showing up for the second half for sure.
2. Beaches Jazz Festival StreetFest
Three nights of live music on the Beaches strip, which closes to traffic at 6pm each evening. The lineup ranges from jazz and blues to rock and soul, with food trucks and vendors as usual. The Beaches is always a more relaxed vibe, and you're coming for the atmosphere. Thursday is calmer than the other two nights, but the crowds here aren't a problem usually.
3. Tartan Turban Secret Readings #49
Anything that's got secret in the title gets my attention. And then I realize it can't be that much of a secret if they have a website and post about their events. But even then, this sounds interesting. And you can get in before they hit 50 events. Deepa Rajagopalan curates this edition with readers Su Chang, Chido Muchemwa, Farah Ghafoor, Atom Cheung, and Taneet Grewal at a 3 hour secret reading session.
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4. Biidaasige Park Expansion + LAT West Opening
Two things happening at once at one of the more thoughtfully built spaces on the waterfront. The park itself, pronounced bee-daw-si-geh, means "sunlight shining toward us" in Anishinaabemowin. And while the trees there are still small, you'll feel all that sunshine. This weekend it's expanding it's size and there's a 2 day celebration. Running alongside that is the opening of LAT West, the newest stretch of the Lassonde Art Trail, with drop-in community art-making from 10am to 3pm both days. The trail now extends further into the waterfront, near newly installed sculptures, and the whole setup is worth the trip out to Cherry Street even if you just want a long walk somewhere new. Free kayaking at 10a, 12p, and 2p and paddleboarding at 10:30a and 12:30p if you pre-register.
5. On Writing Motherhood
Three writers whose work I've seen recommended in all the right corners of the internet, in one room, at a bookshop that deserves your foot traffic. Harriet Alida Lye, Stacey May Fowles, and Amil Niazi are each talking about their latest books – Motherclown, The Lost Season, and Life After Ambition – with the conversation threading through motherhood, infertility, performance, and what it means to want things for yourself when you're also supposed to want things for someone else.
6. Live Music: The Recipee
A live band that gets the whole crowd dancing. They cross genres and keep the energy in the right place. And every few songs, you'll be reminded of just how talented they are. Union has the laid back vibe that always works and on a Friday night, it's a surprisingly good party spot.
7. Movies Under The Stars | My Father's Shadow
There are local food vendors before the show selling authentic food and wares, and a huge playground for kids who come and want to use their energy up. Always a well-curated bunch of movies at Regent Park
This week's other picks for outdoor movies are at the bottom of the post.
Check out the full calendar for all the details on all the outdoor movies this summer and to add it to your own calendar if you haven't already.
8. Groovin' in the Park
Soul, funk, world, and house music in Woodbine Park with a rotating cast of DJs. A blanket on the grass, something cold to drink, and a party in a park is not a bad way to spend your weekend. Perfect pairing with the rest of the Beaches Jazz fest in The Beaches.
9. Ossfest
OssFest built a street festival that actually belongs to the neighbourhood. No food trucks, the local spots spill out onto the street, and there's live music with headliner Carole Pope closing things out at 8p. Expect it to be busy as the night kicks in. Every festival has outgrown the space its in this year.
10. Hike Through Don Ravine
A guided hike through the Don Ravine. We sometimes forget how beautiful the trails and green space are in the city. Bring water and shoes. Meet at Road Entrance of E.T. Seton Park.
11. Procession: Moko Jumbies
This is the send-off event for the Carnival Blues program and its accompanying exhibition, Land. Sea. Sugar. Salt., which closes August 1st. Musicians and Moko Jumbies will be part of a promenade around the area, which sounds like a an awesome thing to stumble into or plan around. The Moko Jumbies alone are worth showing up for. If you haven't caught the exhibition yet, this would be the nudge to check it out.
12. Scarborough Folk Fest
You never need a reason to be in Scarborough, but here's another one. A festival lineup that reflects the diversity that makes up this part of the city.
13. Live Music at The Ex
An outdoor music afternoon where you can show up with no expectations. The lineup is broad, covering hip-hop, R&B, reggae, Latin, soul, and jazz, so there's a little something for everyone... and if you're not a night person it finishes before a winter sunset.
PROTEST | No Jets TO
This is one cause that should unite everyone who lives in Toronto. Expanding the island airport into the water dramatically doesn't work environmentally, economically, or socially. Pearson is already expanding, we have a direct train to the airport, and the waterfront generates more money in tourism and economic activity than the airport ever will. Not to mention the pollution and its effects on residents.
So join the rally. It kicks off at Harbour Square Park at 10:30, then the march heads west along Queens Quay to HTO Park, where a boat flotilla joins in from the water at 11:45a.
The fact that we even have to fight against this shows how little the politicians think they have to care about what we think.
Ongoing Events
I've written about some of these in previous weeks, but they are worth going to, so I'm making a small list in case anyone has forgotten. And a collection of events found in the calendars for music, markets, movies, and fitness.
Art
Colourful Parachutes | 11a-8p, The Power Plant
Live Music
Botanical Garden, Jul 22, 5p | Mimi O'Bonsawin
Union Station, Jul 22, 12p | Meagan De Lima
Courthouse Square, Jul 22, 6p | Eddy Ruyter
Berczy Park, Jul 22, 11:30a | Descortés
Music Garden, Jul 23, 7p | The Sweet Hots
Union Station, Jul 24, 6p | The Recipee
Yorkville Park, Jul 24, 11:30a | Duffmusiq ft. Jeliz
College Park, Jul 24, 5p | Santiago Moa
Union Station, Jul 25, 6p | DJ Starting From Scratch
Outdoor Movies
David Pecaut Square, Jul 22, 9p | Bend It Like Beckham
Kew Gardens, Jul 22, 8:30p | Ratatouille
CIBC Square Park, Jul 23, 9p | School of Rock
Corktown Common, Jul 23, 8:30p | It Was Just An Accident
Sorauren Park, Jul 25, 8:30p | Arrival
Christie Pits, Jul 26, 8:30p | O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Ramsden Park, Jul 28, 8:30p | Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Farmers' Markets
Underpass Park, Thu, 4p | Underpass Park Farmers Market
Fitness
Sankofa Square, Jul 22, 6p | Socacize
Harbour Square Park, Sat, 9a | Lake Yoga
Humber Bay Shores Park, Sat, 9a | Yoga & Social
Trillium Park, Sat, 10a | Yoga
St. James Park, Tue, 6p | Yoga
Withrow Park, Tue, 7p | Soma Yoga
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