Downsview Park: Fall Events

Downsview Park hosts numerous family-friendly events this Fall, from nature and pets to festivals and Halloween!

Toronto Water Lantern Festival
Date: September 19-20, 2025
Time: Friday-Saturday 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Witness the inspiring beauty of many lit lanterns with the lights reflecting on the water in this festival filled with fun, happiness and hope. This is a family-friendly event to share with your loved ones, creating a peaceful, memorable experience.

Tree Planting with NDG
Date: September 21, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 AM & 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Join this Nikibii Dawadinna Giigwag (Anishinaabemowin for “flooded valley healing”) program that provides hands-on ecological learning opportunities. Its aim is to address a growing intergenerational gap in traditional environmental knowledge.

Forest Planting
Date: September 28, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 AM & 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Support the urban forest of Downsview Park by getting our hands dirty at this community stewardship event! Participants will remove invasive species and do planting in the park. Note: this program is appropriate for all ages, but parents should be aware that it does include using shovels.

Abundant Gifts of Nature
Date: October 9, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Discover the gifts of plants! Participants can learn how to make pens out of garlic mustard, buckthorn ink and twist cord, and then sketch with the handmade inks.

PumpkinFest Toronto
Date: October 10-13, 2025
Time: Friday-Sunday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
PumpkinFest Toronto is the place to celebrate all things autumnal over Thanksgiving weekend! Attractions include midway rides and inflatables, live performances, PAW Patrol meet and greet, trackless train rides, autumn-themed photo ops, and a new extreme zone.

Accessible Birding
Date: October 18, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
At this free and accessible event, you can discover the joy of birding in the Fall, set at a leisurely pace. Designed for people with physical disabilities, the event focuses on mobility-friendly trails and raptor sightings.

Downsview Park: Howl-o-ween Unleashed
Date: October 26, 2025
Time: Sunday 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Drop by Dogsview Park and have a spook-tacular, fun-filled day at the off-leash dog park within Downsview Park for their Howl-O-Ween Unleashed event. In collaboration with Toronto Dog Moms, there is a fang-tastic vendor market, you can find a variety of products and services for your fur-babies, and show off your furry friends in their costumes for some treats before hitting the dog park.

The Art of Lighting a Fire with Water (Survival Workshop)
Date: November 2, 2025
Time: 1:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Go on an adventure in the great outdoors! Learn how to navigate, pack your backpack properly, administer first aid, follow the 7 Leave No Trace principles, and even more surprising tips. You can even find out how to light a fire with water!