Summer marks the semi-official beginning of an abundance of free outdoor movies and concerts in Toronto. This time, we see a great selection of classic comedies and local musicians. So pull out that dusty picnic blanket from winter storage and have fun!
This list will be periodically updated as new events are announced. Please email me at info@ffcoach.ca to include any events that I may have forgotten.
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Free Outdoor Movies
Harbour Front Free Flicks
Free weekly films that are shown on Wednesdays at the WestJet stage by the waterfront. Films typically begin at 8:30-9pm
June 22 – Mean Girls
June 29 – Strange Brew
July 6 – The Visitor
July 13 – A Little Princess
July 20 – The Grand Seduction
July 27 – The Mighty Quinn
August 3 – The Last Dragon
August 10 – The Good Lie
August 17 – Chef
August 24 – Sense and Sensibility
August 31 – Audience Choice (Gravity, The King’s Speech or Slumdog Millionaire)
Yonge Dundas Square
Films typically begin around Sunset.
June 28 – Bridesmaids
July 5 – Coming to America
July 12 – For Your Consideration and Best in Show
July 19 – Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Jerk
July 26 – Spaceballs and Blazing Saddles
August 2 – Stripes
August 9 – Wayne’s World and The Ladies Man
August 16 – There’s Something About Mary
August 23 – Tommy Boy
August 30 – Airplane! and Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Christie Pits Film Festival
A films series in Christie Pits Park. Always a lot of fun!
June 26 – Gravity with New Summer (Young Galaxy)
July 3 – My Prairie Home with The Little Deputy Handsome & Majestic
July 10 – Duel with Blind Spot and The San Diego Highwayman
July 17 – Mustang with Winter, Savage, and Home Away
July 24 – I Put A Hit On You with Long Branch and The Lamp
July 31 – Romeo + Juliet with Flesh Without Blood (Grimes) and Bodies at Bay (Cold Specks)
August 7 – The Truman Show with Entangled
August 14 – Meek’s Cutoff with The Surveyors
August 21 – Cast Away with Dredger
Moonlight Movies
Held in various parks across the city.
The Ronald Dahl Cinema
A small weekend film festival that’s being held at Carlton Cinemas.
June 18 at 4 p.m. – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
June 18 at 7 p.m. – Fantastic Mr. Fox
June 19 at 4 p.m. – Matilda
June 19 at 7 p.m. – The Witches
Sail-in Cinema
Movies TBA
Free Concerts
Manifesto Music Festival
A free concert at Yonge Dundas Square – 3pm – 11pm
September 18th – Tribe Called Red, DJ OHSO, Celebrity Marauders, Yes Yes Y’All, Gumbo, Bevstmode and Dudebox Toronto
NXNE
A free three day concert series at the Yonge-Dundas Square.
June 16 – Sydney Delong, The Lionyls, and the Fast Romantics
June 17 – Frisky Kids, Long Range Hustle, Ferraro and Jane’s Party
June 21 – Hungry Lake, No King For Countrymen, Taylor Knox, LGS, Sam Cash & the Romantic Dogs and Zeus
Toronto Jazz Festival
Toronto’s Jazz Festival, running from June 24th to July 3rd, 2016.
Friday, June 24 – KC & The Sunshine Band – Wristband policy in effect
Beach BBQ and Brews Festival
A three day festival at Woodbine Beach that is headlined by free concerts.
June 17 – Dirty Cowboys, Band For Sale and Sammi Morelli
June 18 – Little Peter, New Age Country, The Grapes, Five Oceans, Evan Champagne and Gravy Jones
June 19 – Zach McCabe, Evan Champagne, Alessia Cohle and Buddy Love
Indie Fridays
A free concert series that runs all summer at Yonge-Dundas Square. Shows begin at 8:00 pm.
June 24 – Messenjah with special guest Exco Levi
July 8 – AA Wallace with special guest vocalists, Liz Loughrey and Jordan Alexander
July 15 – Mehdi Cayenne with special guest Mélanie Brulée
July 22 – Radio Radio, with special guests Herencia de Timbiquí
July 29 – Boogat with special guests hip-hop crew Los Poetas
August 5 –Ben Caplan
August 12 – The Heavyweights Brass Band
August 19 – The Massey Hall Band
August 26 – Pierre Kwenders
September 2 – TBA
Shield To Shore
A weekend concert series that showcases diverse Canadian Musicians. Held at Harbourfront Centre.
July 22nd – The Elwins
July 23rd – The Great Lake Swimmers, Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys and Vishtèn
Q107 Canada Day Picnic
A fun Canada day celebration headed by a slew of tribute bands. Held at Woodbine Park
12 p.m. – Aeroforce (Aerosmith tribute)
1:15 p.m. – Rattles (The Beatles tribute)
2:30 p.m. – Rikki Nicks (Fleetwood Mac tribute)
3:45 p.m. – Practically hip (Tragically Hip tribute)
5:15 p.m. – Little Surf Band (Beach Boys tribute)
6:45 p.m. – Exodus (Bob Marley tribute)
8:15 p.m. – Summer 69 (Bryan Adams tribute)
9:45 p.m. – Bon Jovi Forever (Bon Jovi tribute)
Dancing on the Pier
The title says it all, a series of fun events that are supposed to get your body moving! Shows are at Harbourfront and begin at 7pm.
June 23 – Pink Flamenco
June 30 – Swing & Jazz
July 7 – Electro-Swing
July 14 – Mariachi, Pinatar, Latin
July 21 – Celtic
The Edwards Summer Music Series: Gardens of Song
A series of concerts that are held in Toronto botanical Gardens.
June 23 – Michael Dunston Trio – Smooth jazz captained by a Toronto icon
June 30 – Club Django – 5-piece Django Reinhart-style gypsy jazz/cabaret
July 7 – Jason Wilson and The Perennials – A 6-piece “global-roots” band
July 14 – Rant Maggie Rant – A 6-piece Celtic group
July 21 – Daniela Nardi’s Espresso Manifesto – A 5-piece Italian folk/jazz/cabaret
July 28 – Johannes Linstead Guitar of Fire! – A 5-piece band grounded in Spanish tradition
August 4 – Baarbad Ensemble – A 4-piece Persian heritage group
August 11 – Stef Paquette – A French-Canadian folk/roots trio
August 18 – Darrelle London – Indie singer/songwriter, duo with violinist
August 25 – The Imbayakunas – A 5-member Andean roots (Quechua, Aymara) band
So those are the big free events that are taking place across the city. As mentioned, this list will be regularly updated when new events arise over the summer. Enjoy!
As always thanks for reading, and if you have any questions please contact me at info@ffcoach.ca or 647-289-0012.
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Helping you grow,
The Friendly Financial Coach
