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

Details

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.

Details

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!

Details

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. Details June 24 – Ice Age: Continental Drift – Rowntree Mills Park-155 Rowntree Mill Rd

June 25 – Labyrinth – Earlscourt Park-1200 Lansdowne Ave

July 8 – Bend it Like Beckham – Maple Leaf Park-320 Culford Rd

July 15 – The Peanuts Movie – Derrydowns Park-222 Grandravine Dr

July 17 – Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Oakridge Park-3459 Danforth Ave

July 23 – Kung Fu Panda 3 – Parkway Forest Park-80 Parkway Forest Dr

July 29 – The Lego Movie – Centennial Park-256 Centennial Park Rd

Aug 12 – The Lego Movie – Littles Road Park-30 Littles Rd

Aug 13 – Madagascar – RV Burgess Park-46 Thorncliffe Park Dr

Aug 19 – Shrek – Cedarbrook Park-91 Eastpark Blvd

The Ronald Dahl Cinema

A small weekend film festival that’s being held at Carlton Cinemas.

Details

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

Details

Movies TBA

Free Concerts

Manifesto Music Festival



A free concert at Yonge Dundas Square – 3pm – 11pm

Details

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.

Details

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.

Details

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.

Details

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.

Details

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.

Details

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

Details

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.

Details

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.

Details

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