We’re approaching the official start of summer and to kick off the season, we’ve got an incredible round of events happening this month. In June, Torontonians can celebrate Pride month with a variety of events, one-of-a-kind art festivals, free musical concerts and so much more.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Toronto Jewish FIlm Festival
The Toronto Jewish Film Festival (TJFF) is honouring 31 years of Jewish film with in-person and virtual screenings from June 1 to 11. This year, there will be feature films from Canada and dozens of international movies, from Uganda to Ukraine. Opening night general admission tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
For more, click here.
🎬 From gripping dramas to irreverent musicals, there's something for everyone among this year's Festival highlights:
— Toronto Jewish Film Foundation (@TJFFtweets) May 31, 2023
🎞 Opening Night – THE MAN IN THE BASEMENT
🎞 Closing Night – VISHNIAC
🎞 Centrepiece Films – LESS THAN KOSHER & SHTTL
Book tickets now: https://t.co/sJhhENdTr9 pic.twitter.com/vYE7FVwT2K
Toronto Smartphone Film Festival
The Toronto Smartphone Film Festival (TSFF) is celebrating its 11th edition on June 16 and 17 at Innis Town Hall. It is considered the fastest growing, innovative mobile film festival in North America. The event encourages filmmakers to use smartphones to share their stories. This year, the festival includes 15 TSFF official selections from eight countries and TSFF is also celebrating the 60th year of diplomatic relations between Canada and Korea.
For tickets, click here.
STAGE
JOY. SORROW. ANGER. LOVE. PRIDE.A celebration of Toronto Pride, from 1970 to Present
The Magenta Foundation, in partnership with the ArQuives and Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival presents the exhibition, “Joy. Sorrow. Anger. Love. PRIDE”, at the Collision Gallery on June 1. The project focuses on Toronto Pride from 1970 to the present day. The exhibition is the first broadly available publication and exhibition on the Canadian movement. Many pieces in the exhibition were produced by the LGBTQ2+ community, such as organizations like Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Black Lives Matter, Casey House, 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations, and more. The exhibit runs until July 22.
For details, click here.
MUSIC
SING! Free: Concerts in Trillium Park
If you’re looking for a free event, there is a concert series on June 3 and 4 at Trillium Park in Ontario Place. The series includes a range of musical performances from choirs, spoken word poets, vocal groups and more.
For performance times, click here.
ART
Luminato Festival
International arts festival Luminato is returning to Toronto on June 7. The festival is dedicated to bringing bold contemporary works of art across traditional artistic boundaries of music, dance, theatre and visual art. This year, the festival is bringing Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, who has travelled through 13 countries to 90 cities across Turkey, Europe and New York City. The puppet will walk in different areas across Toronto, starting at Union Station on June 7 at 5 p.m.
For the events schedule, click here.
Click Clack at the Bata Shoe Museum
The Bata Shoe Museum is hosting its first-ever after dark Pride party on June 7 at 7 p.m. The event will include a performance by Miss Moço, a runway show by Fashion Art Toronto, and music by DJ Sophie Jones. Visitors will be able to wander through four exhibition spaces to explore the fascinating history and future of shoes while they party after dark in the architectural award-winning venue.
For more information, click here.
CULTURE & HERITAGE
Spring Into Spice Ethnic Food & Wine Festival
Canada’s first ever Outdoor Ethnic Food and Wine Festival is here. Spring Into Spice is giving visitors a taste of over 30 ethnic food vendors, wineries and wine importers. Visitors can walk around and try tasty cuisines, such as Caribbean, African, Indian, Thai, Latin American and so much more. To make the experience even better, there will also be a DJ to play some tunes as visitors enjoy their food. The event is on June 3 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Stanley Barracks Gardens at Hotel X Toronto.
For details, click here.
The Distillery District Queer Marketplace
Come support local makers, artisans and vendors from the 2SLGBTQI+ community at the first-ever Distillery District Queer Marketplace from June 5 to 11. In addition to trinkets and items for purchase, there will also be a line-up of live entertainment from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m in Trinity Square.
For more, click here.
Na-Me-Res Pow Wow and Indigenous Arts Festival
In honour of Indigenous Peoples Month, there will be a Pow Wow along with an Indigenous Arts Festival on June 17 and 18 on Garrison Common at Fort York National Historic Site. Visitors can enjoy traditional and contemporary music, dance, artisan and culinary experiences of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. It is also a free and family friendly event for all.
For more information, click here.
Rosé Picnic
Have you ever wanted to go to a picnic dedicated to rosé? Well now you can. Hotel X Toronto is organizing a rosé picnic where guests can soak up the sun while sipping on rosé wines, refreshing spirits, crafted local beers, bubbling pink champagne, custom cocktails and mocktails. All these drinks will also be poured in a complimentary break-free Rosé Picnic wine glass, while jamming to Canada’s top DJ’s. The event starts on June 24 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m and tickets start at $49.95.
For details, click here.
For a list of events, check out the events calendar, powered by Now Playing Toronto.
To list your event, click here.
