There’s only a short window of time when Toronto’s citizens and visitors take to the outdoors in droves, so when it comes around on the calendar, there are tons of events to take in. Not to mention, many are free! Whether it’s a concert representing our area’s diverse cultures, a street festival, animated buskers and even Shakespeare, enjoy the fresh air and give a round of applause to our Guide to the Best Summer Outdoor Shows in Toronto and the GTA!

Harbourfront Centre: Summer Music in the Garden
When: Continuing until August 27, 2023
Harbourfront Centre hosts Summer Music in the Garden, a free live music concert series by the waterfront at the Toronto Music Garden.

Toronto Union Station: TD Union Summer
When: Continuing until August 27, 2023
Toronto Union Station hosts outdoor events with TD Union Summer with an outdoor patio, plus free daily programming such as films and music.

Broadview Danforth BIA: BD Beats
When: Continuing until September 3, 2023
Broadview Danforth BIA hosts BD Beats with free live music running through the summer at three music hubs on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Casa Loma: Symphony in the Gardens
When: Continuing until September 4, 2023
Enjoy music under the stars on Monday evenings this summer at Casa Loma, hosting Symphony in the Gardens in the spectacular Glass Pavilion.

Bloor-Yorkville’s Summer Music in the Park
When: Continuing until September 4, 2023
Bloor-Yorkville BIA presents another season of the Summer Music in the Park music series, taking place throughout the summer in the Village of Yorkville Park.

Ontario Place: SummerSeries
When: July 1-September 30, 2023
Ontario Place hosts an exciting season of programming with the SummerSeries in Trillium Park, with music, arts, wellness, and nature.

Canadian Stage: Dream in High Park
When: July 6-September 3, 2023
Canadian Stage’s Dream in High Park returns to the amphitheatre with a dance concert celebrating jazz and Shakespearean comedy.

Beaches International Jazz Festival
When: July 6-30, 2023
The Beaches Jazz Festival, Toronto’s favourite free music festival, is back featuring over 70 new and returning artists of all genres.

Toronto Caribbean Carnival 
When: July 11-August 7, 2023
Toronto Caribbean Carnival (FKA Caribana) is a spectacular display of costumes, music, and culture, with a month’s worth of events culminating in the Grand Parade on August Long weekend.

City of Toronto: City Hall Live
When: July 12-August 28, 2023
The City of Toronto hosts free concerts throughout the summer with the City Hall Live event series, featuring local musicians.

Guild Festival Theatre: “Alice In Wonderland”
When: July 12-22, 2023
Guild Festival Theatre returns with their outdoor production of “Alice In Wonderland”, featuring a diverse cast of young performers.

Ashkenaz Festival: Summer Jam Concert Series
When: July 17-August 14, 2023
The Ashkenaz Festival, celebrating Jewish music and culture, presents a FREE concert series in North Toronto for the first time.

#BollywoodMonster Mashup
When: July 21-22, 2023
Join the party for this year’s #BollywoodMonster Mashup at Mississauga’s Celebration Square, featuring concerts, shopping, a kidzone and more!

Ossington BIA: OssFest
When: July 22, 2023
OssFest returns for a family-friendly and dog-friendly pedestrian takeover of the Ossington Strip in Toronto’s west end.

Midtown Yonge BIA: Summer Block Party
When: July 22, 2023
Get ready to groove, samba, and feast your senses with Midtown Yonge BIA’s Summer Block Party with bands, DJ, and cuisine.

BrazilFest
When: July 22-23, 2023
BrazilFest is a free vibrant celebration of Brazilian culture to experience the country’s captivating rhythms and mouthwatering flavours.

Fun Philippines Toronto Street Festival
When: July 22-23, 2023
The Fun Philippines Toronto Street Festival is a two-day street event showcasing Filipino culture through food, music and dance.

Pan American Food and Music Festival
When: July 22-23, 2023
The free Pan-American Food and Music Festival includes concerts in numerous musical styles and genres, food and dance competitions, and more.

Youth Day 2023
When: July 23, 2023
Youth Day Global, a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging young people, hosts the free creative arts festival Youth Day 2023, running all day and evening at Yonge-Dundas Square.

Mississauga Latin Festival
When: July 28-30, 2023
Mississauga Latin Festival celebrates with free concerts and a spectacular parade, large children’s area, and more than 90 vendors.

TD Festival of South Asia
When: July 29-30, 2023
Festival of South Asia is a free arts and culture street party with live dance and music performances, plus a wide array of food options.

AlohaFest Toronto
When: July 29, 2023
AlohaFest Toronto is a united celebration of Polynesian culture, with hula performances, a Keiki (Kids’) Corner and Polynesian art.

Canadian Multicultural Peruvian Fest
When: July 29-30, 2023
Canadian Multicultural Peruvian Fest invites families to embrace their culture through food, performance, dance, arts and shopping.

Scarborough Folk Fest
When: July 29-30, 2023
Scarborough Folk Fest is a free weekend filled with soul-stirring performances by artists from across the globe and from various backgrounds.

Dusk Dances
When: July 30-August 6, 2023
The long-standing PWYC outdoor dance festival Dusk Dances returns with modern dance performances and free workshops in Withrow Park as dusk descends.

Shakespeare in Action: “otîhêw”
When: August 4-20, 2023
Shakespeare in Action returns to Memorial Park for their annual, free outdoor summer production “otîhêw”, a reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Othello.

Shadowland Theatre: Ward’s Island Fire Parade & PARKTOPIA
When: August 4-20, 2023
Head to the Toronto Islands for Shadowland Theatre’s Ward’s Island fire parade “PARKTOPIA”, with a lantern parade and shadow puppetry show.

TD Mosaic Festival
When: August 4-5, 2023
TD Mosaic Festival is a free two-day outdoor festival, celebrating the rich art, culture and cuisine of South Asian Canadians, with free concerts, children’s arts & crafts workshops, and more.

Toronto Diversity Festival
When: August 7-8, 2023
The Toronto Diversity Festival promotes our region’s rich diverse culture by showcasing foods, performances, children’s activities and more.

Kaeja d’Dance: Porch View Dances
When: August 9-13, 2023
With “Real People Dancing In Real Spaces”, Kaeja d’Dance brings its free Porch View Dances dance series back to the historic Seaton Village.

JerkFest Toronto
When: August 11-13, 2023
JerkFest Toronto returns to Etobicoke for a memorable family affair with tantalizing Caribbean jerk cuisine and the buzz of live music.

KIDZ BOP: Never Stop Live Tour
When: August 13, 2023
The KIDZ BOP Never Stop Live Tour is the ultimate pop concert sung by kids for kids, making its only Canadian appearance in Toronto this summer!

National Ballet of Canada & Harbourfront Centre: Sharing the Stage
When: August 17-19, 2023
The National Ballet of Canada returns to Harbourfront Centre with free outdoor performances, plus dance classes and lively conversations.

Markham Jazz Festival
When: August 18-20, 2023
Check out some free world-class jazz performances at Markham Jazz Festival in the quaint and historic village of Unionville.

CNE (Canadian National Exhibition)
When: August 18-September 4, 2023
The CNE has been a Toronto summer tradition since its inception in 1879 and it’s back this year with its usual array of EXciting outdoor shows, including concerts, buskers and special events.

York Eglinton BIA: Rastafest
When: August 18-19, 2023
York Eglinton BIA hosts Rastafest, a free festival celebrating Jamaican culture and music, with DJs and performers plus kids activities.

Afro Carib Fest
When: August 19-20, 2023
Afro Carib Fest is a free fun-filled weekend for the entire family, including live performances, a cultural parade, kids zone and much more.

Toronto Chinatown Festival
When: August 19-20, 2023
Toronto Chinatown Festival returns this year with a free two-day program of cultural performances, street eats, family activities and more!

Toronto Korean Festival
When: August 25-27, 2023
The Toronto Korean Festival is the biggest Korean festival in Canada, with special musical performers including the breakdancing crew Fusion MC, the K-POP boy group JUST B and the female rock band Rolling Quartz.

Toronto International Buskerfest
When: September 1-4, 2023
The Toronto International BuskerFest for Epilepsy is back so explore the captivating curiosities hiding around every corner.

Toronto Dragon Festival
When: September 1-3, 2023
The free and family-friendly Toronto Dragon Festival returns to Nathan Phillips Square with lion and dragon dances, food, arts and vendors.

Looking to plan ahead for Summer? Check out our full event calendar!