From the Pride Parade to the National Exhibition of Canada, the city will be full of activities to enjoy all summer long.
CP24.com has compiled a list of 12 important events coming back to town this summer that you do not want to miss.


1. PRIDE PARADE 
The Toronto Pride Parade returns this year and will be the “largest parade in Pride history,” with nearly 275 floats and more than 35,000 marches.
“We are very excited.  We consider this to be a great opportunity to bring the community closer together.  We find that there are many people whose first Pride is this and they are excited.  “People who finally decided to leave, people who have just moved to Canada and this is their first Pride,” Sherwin Modeste, executive director of Pride Toronto, told CP24.
The 41st commemoration of the parade will also be the first not to include motorized or petrol-powered vehicles in an effort to turn green.
Float sizes have also been reduced from any size to no more than 14 feet this year to prevent large companies from having the upper hand over smaller community groups.
“We wanted to make sure that Pride’s protest side would not be lost with big celebrations,” Modeste said.
“The parade on Sunday is double.  It’s a message of celebration, of the gains we have made, but it is a protest of the things we are still fighting for.  “It’s also an opportunity to send a message that there are queer people around the world whose rights are still being denied.”
The parade will follow the same path as in previous years, traveling west along Bloor Street on Yonge Street and then south on Yonge Street to Dundas Street.
The Pride Parade starts at 2pm on June 26th.
In addition to the parade, Pride Toronto also hosts Trans March and Rally on June 24 and Dyke Rally and March on June 25 in the city’s gay village.


2. TD SALSA ON F. CLAIR 
If you want to go dancing this summer, there is always the opportunity to learn some moves at the city’s biggest street salsa festival.
TD Salsa at St.  Clair is scheduled to take place on July 9 and 10 at St. Clair Avenue.  Clair between Winona Road and Christie Street.
The Latin-themed festival offers a variety of food, music, entertainment and of course lots of dancing.
Some of the entertainers playing at the festival are Bachata Swing Toronto, Latin Swing Orchestra, Samba Squad and The Mexicans Folk Ballet.
Free dance lessons will also be available at various locations along St. Paul Avenue.  Clair.


3. TD JAZZ FESTIVAL 
The TD Jazz Festival returns this year to offer relaxing sounds and optimistic rhythms for all lovers of live music.
From June 24 to July 3, more than 160 live concerts will be free to watch and will take place mainly outdoors in Toronto’s Yorkville neighborhood.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the festival that focuses on highlighting local talent.
“We really wanted to focus on the incredible music being made here in Toronto and across the country on a year-round basis.  “We want to make sure that these artists generate some revenue for themselves, but also some audience,” artistic director Josh Grossman told CP24.
The festival kicks off with its big opening weekend at Queen’s Park, featuring international artists such as Amber Mark and the New Power Generation, along with local talent such as Adria Kain and Savannah Ré.
“We are really building it as a big party.  “We want it to be a kind of welcome to a live music festival,” Grossman said.
Ticket events will also be available, featuring performances by Smokey Robinson, Gregory Porter and Michael Michael Kaeshammer.


4. TASTE OF DANFORT 
“Taste” is expected to return this summer after a two-year hiatus, but there are “logistical concerns” that could hinder its success.
Organized by GreekTown in Danforth BIA, Taste of the Danforth is a celebration of Greek heritage and cuisine.
This year’s event, however, is in danger of being canceled because organizers say they are looking at how to hold the event with limited space on the road, due to the bike lanes and CafeTO facilities along the road.
Mary Fragedaki, executive director of Greektown at the Danforth BIA, told CP24 earlier this month that the BIA was in talks with the city to remove these barriers to the event.
The city, however, said the removal of bike lanes and yards would cause at least nine days of disruption, and said other festivals were “working within the confines of this new infrastructure”.
If the event continues, it is expected to include a variety of Greek dishes to try, a children’s entertainment area, a sports area and live music and entertainment.
The festival runs from August 5 to 7 at Danforth Avenue, from Broadview to Donlands.


5. GREAT CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL PARADE 
Colorful Caribbean chariots and music are set to dominate the Canadian Exhibition space this year as the Toronto Caribbean Carnival returns.
The Grande Parade on July 30 is free to watch from Lake Shore Boulevard or attendees can purchase tickets to watch the parade through the Ex.
This year’s parade will boast the same attractions as in previous years, with colorful chariots, beautiful costumes and lots of dancing.
The chairman of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival Committee, Laverne Garcia, says everyone involved is “ready to take to the streets again.”
“We are really excited to welcome people to just celebrate Caribbean culture, but, you know, it is also for everyone because it is really a matter of freedom, diversity and emancipation.  “These are really the roots of what Carnival is,” he told CP24.
Garcia added that the carnival is a time for everyone to unite and celebrate after experiencing the pandemic and other adversities of the last two years.
“I think our society as a whole has gone through a lot in recent years and we are very happy to welcome everyone back and be together again as one.  “I think this is something we really need as a community.”
The parade will last from 10 in the morning until 6 in the afternoon
In addition, the carnival hosts the Kiddies for Mass event on July 10 at Scarborough Town Center and a children’s parade on July 16 at Neilson Park.


6. HONDA INDY TORONTO 
The zoom of racing cars with zoom will fill the western tip of Toronto this summer as the Hondy Indy returns from July 15-17.
The 2.84-kilometer, 11-lap road closure is being constructed around the Ex area and uses Lake Shore as the back-stretch.
A variety of one-day and weekend ticket options are currently available.
The event also hosts the Rookie Racers program which provides younger racing fans with interactive experiences to enjoy.


7. DISCHARGE 
North America’s largest free African music festival is set to return to Toronto.
Afrofest will celebrate 34 years in the city with more than 45 multinational artists and initiatives to promote different cultures in Africa.
This year will also be the first where the festival will last three days instead of two.
The festival will have two stages, the Main Stage and the Baobab Stage, and will feature Femi Kuti, D-Flex, FAARROW and Shy Musiq, among others.
Afrofest will be held from July 8 to 10 at Woodbine Park.


8. TASTE OF LORENTO 
The 18th annual Taste of Lawrence is back this year with a variety of delicious dishes to try.
The street festival will run from July 8 to 10 on Lawrence Avenue from Warden Avenue to Birchmount Street.
Along with a variety of multicultural food to try, the festival will feature walks in the middle, live music and dancing.


9. BEACHES JAZZ FESTIVAL 
Another live music festival is set to return this summer to the Toronto Beach neighborhood.
The Beaches Jazz Festival will take place at various venues and concerts along a two-kilometer stretch of Queen Street East.
Each year, the festival brings in internationally recognized jazz performers as well as local talent.
In addition, this year will include a Salsa on the Beach event on July 2nd and 3rd, where attendees will be able to take classes or listen to live music and DJs.
The Beaches Jazz Festival lasts from the 2nd to the 24th of July and is free.


10. CANADA NATIONAL EXHIBITION 
“Let’s go to the former!”  The famous CNE is back and it is sure to be unforgettable after a two-year hiatus.
Attendees can look forward to the usual walks in the middle, games, live performances and unique food dishes to feast on.
Other attractions at this year’s CNE will include a casino, HorseCapades, the first gambling garage, an air show, superdogs and a farm.
The CNE will also be complete with a variety of exhibits, competitions and shopping areas to browse.
The CNE will run from August 19 to September 5 at the Exhibition Place in Toronto.


11. BASKERFEST 
If you’re looking for a good laugh, then Toronto Epilepsy International BuskerFest is the place to go.
The four-day festival will include artistic circuses and non-verbal shows, along with music, magic and mime.
Comedians, fire magicians, acrobats, clowns and more will offer funny shows for everyone.
The festival is also a fundraiser for Epilepsy Toronto in an effort to raise public awareness of the neurological disorder.
The Buskerfest will run from 2 to 5 September.


12. TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 
The red carpet opens for some of the world’s biggest stars to close in the summer in Toronto.
After a combination of in-person and digital screenings last year, the Toronto International Film Festival has been designated …