By Jenn Reid
Summer is undoubtedly the major festival season in Toronto, but you can get started early with these must-see spring festivals. This year’s list includes Doors Open Toronto, Hot Docs, the Toronto Comic Arts Fest and Canadian Music Week. Check out the best music, art, food and film festivals happening across the city this spring. [Photo credit: courtesy of the Spadina Museum]
For one weekend in May, some of the most unique buildings in Toronto are open to the public for Doors Open Toronto. Historic sites, government buildings and private businesses all invite people to explore the buildings history and architecture. You can explore the architecture of the Aga Khan Museum, the unusual design of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library or the historic home and curated gardens of the Spadina House Museum. Doors Open runs May 27 and 28 and admission to all buildings is free during the event.
From April 27 to May 7, non-fiction films are taking over the city. Hot Docs Film Festival is the largest documentary film fest in North America, with more than 200 films screening during the week-long event. Hot Docs Cinema is the centre of the festival, but screenings also take place at different theatres in the city. The 2017 schedule is still to be announced, but includes films about Bill Nye, Gawker Media and the FIFA World Cup.
Get your caffeine fix at this new festival! Toronto has a ton of indie coffee shops and cafes, so naturally a festival all about coffee and tea would fit in here. At the Toronto Coffee and Tea Festival, you can sample new flavours from around the world, see what Toronto’s coffee shops and cafes are creating, and shop for new and exclusive drinks. The festival is at 99 Sudbury on April 8 and 9. Tickets are $15.
While you’ll have to wait for summer to check out the massive Toronto’s Festival of Beer, you can get a taste of the brews at the Spring Sessions. Happening during the May 24 weekend (May 20 and 21), the Spring Sessions has beer (duh) and food from local and Canadian brewers. Ticket prices are TBA, and the event is 19+.
The biggest names in music are in town April 18 to 23 for Canadian Music Week. The annual event is mainly industry showcases, conferences and awards, but the good stuff comes during the public music festival. This year, performers include Canadian artists like The Strumbellas, Hollerado and Tanya Tagaq, as well as international artists like Earl Sweatshirt, Big Sean and Explosions in the Sky. Wristbands are available for $75 giving access to all clubs shows, and $150 for all club shows and concerts like the Indie Awards at the Phoenix.
Comic creators from around the world attend the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. The free event at the Toronto Reference Library has conferences, workshops, meet and greets, signings and more from indie artists, local writers and international comic stars. Artists, writers and publishers will all be at the festival, giving you the chance to shop and pick up new books you might not otherwise be able to get in town. The festival runs May 13 and 14.
Contact is the largest festival in the world dedicated solely to photography. More than 200 pieces and exhibitions are displayed across the city, from public spaces like David Pecaut Square to art galleries and event venues. Specific artists and installations are still TBA, but keep your eyes peeled for public art during the whole month of May.
From May 25 to June 4, check out the best in LGBT cinema at the Inside Out Film Festival. Movies from around the world screen at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, include documentaries and short films. This year’s films and schedule are still TBA.
