The city is brimming with events and festivities this week for more reasons than one. With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, we’ve created a separate list of 15+ things to do in Toronto to celebrate with your loved ones.
Read on to see our top picks for other fun events like OCAD’s annual Graduate Exhibition, the return of Departure Festival, Fleurs de Villes, The Welcome Market’s Asian Heritage Month Market and more!
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Departure Festival + Conference
Opening May 4th, Departure Festival + Conference is a major event that brings together artists, creative entrepreneurs, and cultural thought-leaders to create powerful connections, accelerate business, and spark vital inspiration for your own creative endeavours. Scheduled throughout the festival are industry summits, showcases, film screenings, performances and chances to hear from guest artists like Sarah McLachlan, Lilly Singh, the creator & director of K-Pop Demon Hunters, Maggie Kang, and more! More info.
When: May 4-10
Where: Various locations
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Red Dress Day
TMU is commemorating Red Dress Day on May 5th, a national day to honour the memories of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people across Turtle Island. This year, TMU has put together a Gathering Circle including a pipe ceremony, and their third annual outdoor Red Dress Exhibit – Mako-mjigoodenh Zhinoomaagewin at Sankofa Square, a visible reminder of the pain and loss that is felt by loved ones, survivors, and the impact on Indigenous families, communities and nations across Turtle Island. More info.
When: May 5
Where: TMU Student Learning Centre (Red Dress Day Gathering Circle), Sankofa Square (Red Dress Exhibit)
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OCAD GradEx 111
Toronto’s largest free art and design exhibition returns to OCAD University. OCAD’s most recent graduates are showcasing their creations all over campus – from paintings to sculptures to industrial design, there are countless mediums of art and design for you to explore. You’ll even have the chance to bring some of the work home with you! Browse through the exhibitions and buy paintings, prints, jewelry, and more straight from the artists. GradEx is a great chance to be the first to admire the works from Toronto’s newest up-and-coming artists. More info.
When: May 6-10
Where: OCAD University
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Fleurs de Villes FLORA
Created by Toronto’s talented floral designers, Fleurs de Villes FLORA returns to Bloor-Yorkville for a free fresh floral trail celebrating spring couture, just in time for Mother’s Day! Spread out across the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood, discover more than 30 spectacular installations, including the signature Fleurs de Villes floral mannequins. Enjoy floral refreshments and live music as you embark on the spring trail, attend a floral demonstration, and shop from local florists over the weekend at their flower market. More info.
When: May 6-10
Where: Bloor-Yorkville
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take rimbaud
A Howland Company production in partnership with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, take rimbaud tells a story of four poets who torture themselves to make work that means something in their current world, but time feels slippery and no narrative can keep them safe. Featuring poems that imagine the worlds of Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine, Sylvia Plath and Sappho, take rimbaud flirts with creation, revolution, and violence at the end of the world. More info.
When: May 6-23
Where: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
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Being Scene
Workman Arts celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Being Scene Juried Exhibition with a diverse collection of paintings, photographs, installations and more from 28 select artists. Being Scene is a vital platform showcasing the work of artists with lived experiences of mental health and addiction. With an opening reception on May 7th, come and discover how this exhibition has become a staple in Toronto in celebrating artistic excellence and fostering community. More info.
When: May 7-June 14
Where: 32 Lisgar St
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Unearthing Vindolanda
Bata Shoe Museum in partnership with Vindolanda Trust is unveiling their spring exhibition, Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire. Come and discover over 100 footwear-related artifacts from Vindolanda, on view for the first time in North America. With these remarkable objects, visitors are able to step into daily life of this ancient Roman society, with shoes that date back nearly 2,000 years. More info.
When: May 7-September 2027
Where: Bata Shoe Museum
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Armonía
The Esmerelda Enrique Spanish Dance Company returns with Armonía: Harmony in Motion, Excellence in Flamenco. This performance features acclaimed guest artists like flamenco dancer José Manuel Álvarez and singer Manuel Soto. Directed by award-winning Esmerelda Enrique herself, these performances are filled with passionate dances, live music, a beautiful showcase of culture and more. More info.
When: May 8-10
Where: Meridian Arts Centre
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The Welcome Market’s Asian Heritage Month Market
The Welcome Market returns to Mel Lastman Square for a free, weekend-long Asian Heritage Month festival. With more than 95 vendors, the square will be buzzing with opportunities to sample a wide range of Asian delicacies and browse vintage finds and unique art. Over the two-day event, enjoy 16+ live performances, a Stamp Station hosted by Sukoshi, and a Beer Garden sponsored by Sapporo. More info.
When: May 9-10
Where: Mel Lastman Square
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