Oh fall, every Canadian’s favourite time of year. If you aren’t from the Great White North you might not understand why we hold all things pumpkin-spice so dear. But I, a Torontonian, am here to reveal this national secret.
Fall is the perfect season for two reasons:
One: You can enjoy the short window of time a year where Toronto is neither as cold as the surface of Mars or as hot as the Sahara Desert.
And two: There’s an insane amount of amazing activities and events to participate in, all while wearing your favourite comfy sweater.
So what’s at the top of this local’s must-do fall events? Take a look and plan your perfect fall day in the big city.
1. Party in a museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is undoubtedly cool year round but there’s something particularly calming about strolling through exhibits in a comfortable climate-controlled environment when you know it’s a little chilly outside. What really makes the ROM the perfect evening activity is their can’t miss Friday Night Live (or FNL) parties. FNL is the epitome of class and culture, with every party having a specific theme, often encouraging a costume. The entire museum is open to party goers who can enjoy the exhibits to the music of different bands as well as appetizing meals, craft beers and local wines from Toronto’s restaurant elite.
2. Shop at a farmer’s market
Grocery shopping gets taken to a whole new level when you get to do it outdoors and purchase local fruits and vegetables that actually taste like they’re supposed to. Not only do you get to do all your weekly shopping while indulging in fresh breads, scones, warm coffee, and even wine tastings, but you also get to take in the peak fall foliage and live entertainment that many markets feature. There’s a variety of markets to choose from and each offer experiences and producewor unique to their locations. My favourites? The Evergreen Brickworks Farmers’ Market, the Leslieville Farmers’ Market and in the west end, the Samuel Smith Farmers’ Market and the Humber Bay Shores’ Farmer’s Market.
3. Get scared
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. The same goes for the month of Halloween in Toronto. If you’re lucky enough to be in town during the season, then it’s an absolute must to satisfy your morbid curiosities with a visit to Toronto’s scariest haunted houses at Screemers. This night out is not for the faint at heart as you’ll be walking (or running) through several haunted houses with varying themes — some plunge you into absolute darkness while others have you being chased by chainsaw-wielding maniacs. Screemers is the perfect place to test your nerves in one of seven haunted houses and the Midway of Mayhem. But beware! The scare is everywhere – there are over 100 terrifying ghosts and ghouls roaming the property so there is no refuge once you enter the Scream Park.
4. Wander the Toronto Island
The Toronto Island is perhaps the most underrated spot in the entire Greater Toronto Area. This secluded island, which can only be reached by a public ferry or water taxi, is home to a handful of lucky residents who reside in small cottage style homes year round. During the summer the 5km long island is overrun with tourists and locals alike who are seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of the downtown core. However the best time to visit has to be the fall, when the crowds let up and the leaves start to change. I suggest packing a picnic, your best walking shoes and a volleyball to play on the beaches. The island has plenty of attractions to choose from like canoe and kayak rentals, sports facilities and a quadricycle rental shop. Tip: stay till sunset and witness a truly beautiful display of fall colours as well as the best view of the Toronto city skyline known to man.
5. Stay up all night at Nuit Blanche
A telltale sign that fall is in the air is the return of Toronto’s most unique arts and culture event, Nuit Blanche. The annual event is a free city-wide celebration of art running from sunset to sunrise during the first weekend of October. Since 2006, this award-winning event has featured over 1300 art installations by nearly 5000 artists and is probably one of the more unique events I’ve ever had the opportunity to experience. The exhibitions and installations change every year but you can usually find the true behemoths smack-dab in the city’s downtown core (a visit to Nathan Phillip’s Square is an absolute must). The Programming Manager of Toronto’s Cultural Events, Kristine Germann, explains it best:
Torontonians and Canadians wait with anticipation for these 12 magical hours in the fall. From sunset to sunrise, Toronto is transformed through the brilliance of artists. Its many diverse neighbourhoods come alive with art. Even if is raining, hundreds of thousands of people, passionate about art and with great pride in their City, are ready to participate in an extraordinary contemporary art adventure that is also a celebration of Toronto; its brilliant creators, majestic cultural institutions; its unique public spaces and hidden places. We can feel the change in the air, that right around the corner winter is coming and on the night of Nuit Blanche Toronto we embrace the beauty of fall, the people, the city and the many magical offerings of contemporary art waiting to be discovered.
6. Go apple picking
Apple picking is my favourite fall activity. Every year my family and I drive a short bit outside of Toronto to one of the many local apple farms where you can buy a bag and make your way into the fields to pick apples fresh off the branch. There’s really nothing more relaxing then strolling through green rolling hills and playing farmer for a day. Prices are reasonable and I promise you that you’ll be picking apples that have never tasted better. One of my favourite apple picking spots has to be Pingle’s Farm Market because they’ve always got a lot going on. Farmer Wally Pingle says it all,
It’s a perfect fun fall activity everyone can enjoy with the experience of being on a farm. It’s an opportunity to see where your food is grown and to also meet the farmer. We are proud to create memories for families, friends and couples with our wagon rides, farm animals, play area, and 8 acre maze, alongside apple picking.
7. Eat a gourmet fall-flavoured donut
For me, fall marks the conclusion of bikini season where I can give up on the dreams of a six-pack for another few months. You might read tons and tons of articles about “How to Avoid Fall Weight Gain” or “10 Ways to Stay Lean During Fall” and to those I say…
You have the next 11 months to fall prey to the unrealistic standard of beauty, so how about right now you just enjoy a delicious donut? But don’t waste the carbs on a stale pastry from Tim Hortons — you need to find the perfect fall donut that incorporates all the essential flavours. Luckily I’ve done the research so you wouldn’t have to and I can confidently say that the best donuts in Toronto can be found at SanRemo Bakery and Cafe. They change their flavours from time to time but I recommend their pumpkin cheese (pictured below) and apple caramel donuts, which are only available during autumn. Get there early in the morning because the donuts disappear fast.
8. Go to the Pumpkin Parade
Pumpkin parades are exactly that — a parade of discarded jack-o-lanterns that get the hero’s sendoff they deserve. A few of these events happen throughout the city but I prefer the Mimico Pumpkin Parade above all others for its location (waterfront park!), crowd sizes and close proximity to cute coffee shops and restaurants. What makes this event so great is the tremendous support from the community. Hearing how much everyone looks forward to what creations each year will bring, walking around to see your favourites, wondering what will be the best pumpkin of the night, seeing your friends in the square and showing off your own artistic skills.
Anyone can participate and everyone is welcome, just bring your best Jack-O-Lanterns and leave them in Mimico Square on November 1st, then return at nightfall for the lighting ceremony. In 2015, there were over 500 pumpkins in the parade and the goal for 2016 is 900; join in and you might help break a record.
9. Listen to live storytelling (or tell your own)
Who doesn’t love a good story? When the weather cools down and you need a refuge from the cold, Toronto will be your safe haven, offering you countless story telling events spread across the city. You can sit back, relax and enjoy stories that are heartwarming, dramatic and sometimes even scary. If you love listening to podcasts then you’ll love attending a storytelling event! My top pick is heading off to a Raconteurs Storytelling show, which happens once a month and features real live people, standing up on a stage and telling you their true, often moving stories based on the theme given to them in advance by the Raconteurs Storytelling team. Find a show here or get yourself on the list to speak.
10. Head to the aquarium for live jazz
This is one of my favourite ways to indulge during a cold fall evening. The second Friday of every month, the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada hosts Friday Night Jazz and it’s every bit as amazing as it sounds. From 7pm to 11pm, you can go on a musical underwater adventure as you leisurely stroll through two expansive floors of magnificent and almost celestial exhibits that showcase the diversity of the underwater world. Stationed throughout the aquarium are live jazz bands whose crooning voice and instrumentals set the perfect mood. Of course the cash bars scattered around the exhibits ensure the ideal TGIF evening, allowing you and yours an opportunity to sip on glasses of merlot while learning all about the leafy sea dragons.
