u/localsdozen

A beautiful end to the weekend, weather-wise. Here are 3 picks for Sunday, July 5:

Music In The Garden
Music Garden | 4p

A 5-piece Argentinian ensemble playing everything from Zamba to Chacarera to Cueca. If those don't mean anything to you, come hang by the lake and watch a modern take on Argentinian folk music. Music in the Garden is never a bad way to spend an hour.

TOPS Outdoor Movie: Arrival
Christie Pits | 9p

It's a TOPS event, get there early. A movie with one of the good ones, Jennifer Lawrence, that's got substance and yet easy enough for a picnic outdoor watch.. Check our outdoor movie calendar for details and all the summer outdoor movies.

Festivals Continue
Lawrence Ave, Nathan Phillips Square, Jimmie Simpson Park | until 8p

The Taste of Lawrence festival continues on Lawrence and Warden in Scarborough.
Taste of the Middle East (Arabic Festival) has great food, performances at city hall.
Sounds of Leslieville is at Jimmie Simpson with performances and World Cup matches all day.

World Cup Today: Brazil vs Norway 4p | Mexico vs England 8p

It would have been a perfect day for everyone to gather and watch the World Cup together outdoors in a big public area, but Canada Soccer House at Harbourfont Centre is now over and Nathan Phillips Square won't be showing anything today. Stackt has been reliably open (except on Mondays) all tournament and that will continue. Humber College, Scadding Court, Brickworks, Columbus Centre, Pride House at George Brown, and Jimmie Simpson Park are showing games. Details and more about the free watch parties in the linked post.

For indoor options, u/wontsay12345678 created a website with all the bars that are showing games. Check it out.

A dozen or so of the more interesting events this week are in our post. If you like what you see here, sign up for the newsletter or share it on socials!

$ free

A rainy day for Canada's big game today. Here are things you can do in the rain or indoors today:

Open Air Sketching
Allan Gardens | 12p-2:30p

Walk through the Allan Gardens conservatory while drawing or sketching. Interesting to do it on a rainy day. Register here.

Canoe Landing: Outdoor Movie: Independence Day
Canoe Landing Park | 8p

If the weather holds up, Canoe Landing is showing Will Smith's classic, Independence Day tonight. Check our outdoor movie calendar for details and all the summer outdoor movies.

Kothu Fest
Albert Campbell Square | 11a-10p

The festivals outside the core can be some of the better ones to go to. Kothu Fest is a Tamil festival with cultural performances, and delicious, authentic food options, worth braving the rain.

World Cup Today: Canada vs Morocco 1p | France vs Paraguay 5p

The outdoor events are below, but since it's raining, here are other options. They may have requirements for food or drink purchases. My best indoor recommendation is Lula Lounge. But u/wontsay12345678 created a website with all the bars that are showing games. Check it out.

Every outdoor viewing party is open today. Nathan Phillips Square, Canada Soccer House, Stackt, UofT Main Campus, etc. But they are all outdoors. Habourfront is first-come-first-serve in a covered amphitheatre which is nice with the weather today. Humber College, Scadding Court are all outdoor options open today. The Beaches Jazz Festival is showing the World Cup live at Jimmie Simpson Park this weekend too.

Columbus Centre, Pride House, and more places are all having watch parties for free. For details, check the linked post.

A dozen or so of the more interesting events this week are in our post. If you like what you see here, sign up for the newsletter or share it on socials!

$ free

It's hot again, but if you're prepared it's actually not terrible because the sun isn't blaring down today. Here are 3 picks for today:

Hip-Hop Line Dancing
3A Little Ave | 6p-7:30p

It's called Hip-Hop line dancing but this session is all about R&B and Soul music. The woman who runs it has a lot of energy and clearly puts effort into making these accessible. Later in July, there's a session in St Lawrence Market, but this week it's near Weston Rd and Lawrence. Free childcare on request.

Red Card: The World Cup & Sportswashing
Another Story Bookshop | 7p

After Toronto's hosting duties have ended, go see a conversation about how corrupt FIFA is at one of the best bookstores in the city. The Launch of Jules Boykoff's book Red Card, in discussion with Shireen Ahmed, one of Toronto's best sports journalists

Taste of Middle East | Taste of Lawrence
Nathan Phillips Square | 6p-11p | Lawrence + Warden 6p-11p

Food and fun from across West Asia (aka Middle East) on offer tonight and throughout the weekend. Because of this though, most games are not being shown at city hall. Only today's Egypt vs Australia match at 2pm and tomorrow's Canada vs Morocco match at 1pm. On the other hand, Karl Wolf is headlining tonight at 10p, so you won't see one of Africa's teams playing tonight, but you can here him sing Africa.

And Taste of Lawrence is the biggest festival in Scarborough which kicks the whole weekend event on Lawrence Ave and Warden.

World Cup Today: Colombia vs Ghana 9:30p | Argentina vs Cape Verde 6p

Inexplicably, Canada Soccer House is closed today and Nathan Phillips Square will only be showing Egypt vs Australia at 2p, so there's no large place to gather to watch Ghana and Colombia or Argentina and Cabo Verde. Humber College, Stackt Market, and Scadding Court are all outdoor options open today.

UPDATE: The Beaches Jazz Festival is showing the World Cup live at Jimmie Simpson Park this weekend starting tonight. Definitely one to add to the list.

Columbus Centre, Pride House, and more places are all having watch parties for free. For details, check the linked post.

A dozen or so of the more interesting events this week are in our post. If you like what you see here, sign up for the newsletter or share it on socials!

$ free

It's Canada Day and that means Fireworks at Ashbridges Bay at 10p. Go early! It's always packed.

But there are 6 other places in the city to watch the Fireworks tonight around the city. Only Harbourfront is starting later than 10.

Harbourfront Centre | 10:30p
Downsview Park | 10p
Stan Wadlow Park | 10p
Mel Lastman Square | 10p
Amesbury Park | 10p
Milliken Park | 10p

Here are a dozen or so things to do this week worth checking out

$ free

It's a hot and humid one today, so here are 3 interesting and heat safe events for Wednesday July 1, 2026:

Outdoor Pools
Christie Pits, St Clair, + Sunnyside | until 11:45p

Grab your swim gear and head to a pool. It's gonna feel like 40° with the humidity, it the perfect day. There are 8 pools open late for 2 days including the 3 pool I like below.

Alex Duff at Christie Pits
Giovanni Caboto on St Clair W
Sunnyside Gus Ryder on Lakeshore

Here's the full list of city outdoor pools and water play (ie. splash pads)

World Cup Today: England vs DR Congo 12p | USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina 8p

The US plays on Canada Day and we're playing our next game on Independence Day. If you want to watch England, go indoors. 12p in this sun is not worth going outside. But tonight, with the sun almost set, it'll be a great night to watch at one of the public places. Today, Humber College launches their outdoor viewing parties. It's the last 2 days for Harbourfront Centre's Canada House and today Pride House closes too.

Scadding Court and Columbus Centre and more places are all having watch parties for free. For details, check the linked post.

Canada Day around the City

There are day parties at Woodbine Park, Queen's Park, and St James Park.

Where to see Fireworks tonight

Click here to see them all or check out the separate post I made lists all the locations with fireworks tonight

the local's dozen weekly post just dropped with a dozen or so of the more interesting events this week. If you like what you see here, sign up for the newsletter or share it on socials!

$ free

This week's post with a dozen or so of the best hand-picked free events in Toronto is out. Would love if you take a look!

Here are 3 events I think are interesting today.

Park Olympics
Toronto Music Garden • 630p

Hosted by Sidequest Toronto, it's a friendly, social night of events and games in the park. No physical skill necessary, just come out and have fun.

Fitness In The Square
Sankofa Square • 530p

Get your workout and work on your shyness all at the same time at this weekly fitness event. Free, just show up ready for an hour of moderate activity.

TIFF Movie In The Park | Next Goal Wins (2023)
David Pecault Square • 9p

It's movies in the park season. I'm putting together a full calendar this week but this is an great movie about an American Samoa team and it's by the always funny Taika Waititi, soccer themed, as it seems everything has to be right now. The show starts at 930p, but you can find a nice place to sit if you get there earlier.

BONUS

World Cup Watch Parties : Canada vs Switzerland
Nathan Phillips Square, Stackt Market • 3p

Today at 3, Canada tries to make it out of the first round for the first time. There are lots of ways for them to qualify and be eliminated, the only way to know for sure is to watch. Today there are watch parties everywhere. The big ones at Nathan Phillips Square, Harbourfront Centre, & Stackt Market. But today you can go to UofT's front campus, George Brown at the waterfront, Scadding Court, or Columbus Centre. Check the post in the link for details on all of them.

Here's our weekly newsletter that has 12 really great events to check out. Have a look and let me know if you like it and feel free to subscribe!

$ free

Today is Canada's second World Cup match. They are still going for their first win ever and today is the best chance they have had so far.

Canada vs Qatar 6pm

Here are a few of the top $ free watch parties today.

Nathan Phillips Square

Big screen, some seating and lots of good angles. There are a few food trucks and the city hall cafe is pretty good value. There are 2 small soccer fields where people play and lots of space. This is gonna be fun and busy today

UPDATE: starting today for 3 days there's the SXSE festival at NPS as well. Lots of Asian and Latin food booths while you watch the games. More info in the newsletter

Harbourfront Centre (Canada Soccer House)

An official watch party in the amphitheatre by the water. there are a bunch of corporate installation and it is a good atmosphere, but space is limited and it will get full. there's a cool inflatable soccer game on the water when you're not watching the game and Harbourfront centre has indoor bathrooms which is always nice. You can pre register but you'll have to get there within an hour of when they open the gates which will be before the 3p game.

Stackt Market

Adidas took over Stackt and the back area has a big screen and lots of room for people. But it will be full today and they will cut it off when it's packed. There's lots of food and activities around there and you'll close by the official Fan Fest at the Bentway.

There's a bunch more optionsz like Scadding Court and George Brown that I put in my post of the week's best events if you're interested. Here's the link:

the local's dozen - June 17-23

If you like what you see, subscribe to get it weekly in your inbox. And if you have ideas or suggestions on how I can improve it, I'd love to hear.

Bonus if you live in Liberty Village or Fort York

The Bentway is giving away 1000 free tickets to the Fan Fest watch party today starting at 3pm. If you live in the area and can prove it, you can just get tickets on a first come first served basis (2 per house).