881. Affordable Events August 3-18 in Multicultural Toronto – 2019.

Here’s our next batch of opportunities to enjoy the diversity in our city.  Most are free or almost free. Ruth.

 Africa. Habari Africa. Friday, August 9: 7pm –11pm; August 10. 12pm –11pm; August 11. 12pm–7pm. Free. Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West.

Performers have roots in Burundi, Congo,  Guinea, Maghreb, Mali, South Africa, Zimbabwe, etc. Join Njacko Backo (Cameroon) for his Kalimba Orchestra workshop.

http://www.batukimusic.com/1195-2/

Other African events; https://www.eventbrite.ca/d/canada–toronto/african/ poster

Barbados. Barbados on the Water. Friday, August 16​​. 6-11pm; August 17. 6pm–11pm; August 18. 12-11pm. Free. Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay.

Concerts, calypso, cuisine, children’s activities, “Oistins Fish Fry”. Click on “What’s On” and your preferred date for details at https://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/barbadosonthewater/index.cfm?festival_id=315

China. Vietnamese. Asian. Annual Chinatown Festival. August 17. 12-11pm; August 18. 11am-8pm. Free. West side of Spadina Avenue (between St. Andrew Street and Sullivan Street).

Cultural performances, 80 vendors, interactive activities, walking tour with Professor Leo Chan, scavenger hunt, etc. Contact: 416-260-9800. http://www.chinatowntbia.com.

Christian. Multicultural Music Festival. August 3. 12-11pm. Free. Yonge-Dundas Square. https://www.voicesofthenations.com/events/multicultural-music-festival/

France. Summer Music in the Garden. Lausa: Spark of Gascony. August 18. 4pm. Free. Toronto Music Garden, 479 Queen’s Quay between Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue. https://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/whatson/today.cfm?id=10432&festival_id=322

Ecuador. Flag Raising of the Republic of Ecuador. Independence Day. August 10. Ceremony at 10:30am. Free. Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen Street West.

Ghana. Ghanafest. August 10. 10am-8pm. Free. Barry Zukerman Amphitheatre, Earl Bales Park, 4169 Bathurst St, North York.

Ghanafest includes traditional food, language lessons, games, arts, culinary, dance, cultural fashion show, cultural performers, local and international artists, Kidz Zone, market place, etc.

https://artsintheparksto.org/event/ghanafest/ https://artsintheparksto.org/event/ghanafest/Greece. Multicultural. Taste of the Danforth. Friday, August 9. 6pm to Sunday, August 11. 10pm. Free. Greektown, Danforth and Pape Avenues.

This is probably our biggest street festival. Its emphasis is on Greek culture and food, but it also has aspects of other cultures.

“Yes, there is Food, Food, and more Food – but Taste of the Danforth is so much more! There will be loads of free, family-friendly entertainment on our Celebrity Stage presented by OLG, our Greek Stage, and our Showcase Stage presented by Casino Woodbine. The Sports Zone features activations and guest appearances from our Raptors, Leafs, Argos, Toronto FC, and Toronto Rock. Bring your family to have fun at the Kids’ Fun Zone.

“Restaurateurs from along the Danforth will be offering tasting menus for no more than $6 so that attendees can enjoy a multitude of tasty multi-ethnic treats.” https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/taste-of-the-danforth-tickets-62310309814. India. Panorama India. India Day Festival and Grand Parade. August 18. 10-10pm. Free. Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street West.

Over three hundred dancers, Panorama Idol singers, international marketplace, Meena Bazaar (clothes, food and jewelry booths), Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities, cultural programs, etc. Parade starts in Nathan Phillips Square, and goes west on University Avenue, north to Dundas, east to Yonge, south to Queen and back to City Hall. People in the parade will probably be grouped by Indian states. https://www.todocanada.ca/city/toronto/event/panorama-india-festival-grand-parade/

Indonesia. Indonesian Street Festival. August 4. 10am-6pm. Free. Yonge-Dundas Square.

Multicultural performances (Indonesia has 300 different ethnic tribes), Balinese music, Papua dance, etc. Indonesian food, and arts and crafts for sale. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/indonesian-street-festival-tickets-67144664499

Jamaica.  Jerk Fest. August 9 and 10. 11am-10pm. $8-$15. Centennial Park, 256 Centennial Park Road, Etobicoke. For more info: 416-993-5123.

“General admission ticket includes main and cultural stage entertainment along with cooking exhibitions and corporate giveaways. Food, beverages and certain kid zone feature are additional.”

You might also be interested in more expensive events connected to this festival:

https://www.todocanada.ca/city/toronto/event/grace-jerkfest-canadas-jerk-food-festival/.

www.jerkfestival.caJamaica. Rastafest. August 17. 1-11pm. $20-$30. Children under 12 free. Black Creek Pioneer Village’s North Property, 7060 Jane Street. http://rastafest.com/

Japan. U.S. Hiroshima-Nagasaki Day. August 6. 6:30pm. Free. Toronto City Hall Peace Garden, northwest corner of Nathan Phillips Square.

All Nations Junior Drummers, flute and chorale music, Raging Grannies, crafts: www.hiroshimadaycoalition.ca 

Kurds.  13^th Kurdish Heritage Festival. August 18. 5-10pm. Free. Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge Street.

Musicians, folk dancers, food, speakers. https://www.facebook.com/KurdishhouseTO/photos/a.509849542439941/2292690484155829/?type=3&theater

Middle East. St. Mary’s Middle Eastern Festival. August 16-18. $3-$5-$10. St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church,  280 Trader’s Blvd. East, Mississauga.

Multicultural. Open Streets TO 2019. Sunday, August 18. 10am-2pm. Also September 15. Free. Open Streets closes portions of Bloor Street and Yonge Street to motorized vehicles and open them to people on foot, bikes, roller blades, wheelchairs, skateboards and more.

You are invited to join in all the free activities for people of all ages and abilities that include “exercise and dance classes, art installations, sample stations, musical performances, street games, water stations, pop-up hair salons, obstacle courses, neighbourhood tours and more.”

At press time, we couldn’t find details of performances but in the past you could find different kinds of ethnic dances like these from our Japanese culture. https://www.openstreetsto.org

Palestine. Run for Palestine – Toronto Run/Walk. August 18. 9am-2pm. Fund Raiser “to show your solidarity with the Palestinian people and support Palestinian children with mental health disorders.” Budapest Park, Martin Goodman Trail, 1575 Lakeshore Blvd.

http://www.runforpalestine.com/

Pan-America. Pan American Food and Music Festival. August 17-18. Free admission. Yonge-Dundas Square. Parade August 18. 8pm.

Empanada and ceviche competitions, celebrity chefs, etc. http://panamfest.com/

VIP Opening Reception – Pan American Food and Music Festival 2019 by Artsxplosion Cultural Society. August 16. 6:30pm–11:30pm. $50. Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street East.

“We invite you to join us for an Extravagant Opening Reception to kick-off the Pan American Food and Music Festival 2019. Let’s celebrate the Western Hemisphere’s rich diversity of Music, Cuisine, and Art.

“Open Bar + Havana Club cocktails, Henderson’s beer, Ontario wine. Featuring six Different Chefs with Delicious Fusion Appetizers, Live shows, Live band, Dj Alejo will be spinning your favorite hits, complemented by a variety of pop up entertainment throughout the evening.

“DRESS TO IMPRESS! For more information, please visit www.panamfest.com

Pan-Asia. Waterfront Night Market. August 9-11. Free.  West Island, Ontario Place, 955 Lake Shore Blvd. West.Philippines. Taste of Manila. August 17-18. Free. Bathurst Street (corner Wilson Avenue).

Food, performances, vendors, etc. Filipino stores in area. There are more than 700,000 people of Filipino descent in Canada and half of the population resides in the Greater Toronto Area. http://tasteofmanilacanada.com/about.html

Tamil. Joythi. Aug 3 and 4. 11am. Free. Sri Ayyappan Temple, 635 Middlefield Road, Scarborough.

“One of Toronto’s largest Hindu festivals is…open to everyone…

“Organized by the temple’s young volunteers… market stalls for Tamil food, traditional clothing vendors and children’s rides, performances by South Indian film stars and ‘playback’ singers, including actor-singer Vijay Yesudas… Mega Tuners, a popular Toronto band will also perform, as will many temple youth.

“Saturday’s event follows a 9am festival in which a new chariot, or platform, for Lord Ayyappan, a deity popular in South India and Sri Lanka is pulled around the temple.” Tel. 416-321-6104. https://www.torontotamil.com/event/joythi-2019/

Taoist. China. All Souls Festival. August 6-7. 10am-4pm. Free. Wong Dai Sin Temple, 378 Steeles Avenue East, Thornhill. Tel. 905-597-3210.

Ceremony and chanting of sutras for all who have died, regardless of their religion or beliefs. https://www.taoist.org/events/all-souls-festival-4/

Trinidad and Tobago.  20th Year Muhtadi International Drumming Festival Special Presentation. Rhythmic Vibrations.  August 17. 2:30-8:30pm. Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street East.

TorontoMulticulturalCalendar.com chooses to promote events that encourage a feeling of community in our culturally-diverse city. Mention doesn’t mean endorsement as we try to include events we think readers will find stimulating in the cultures of other groups. If you go to any of our mentioned events, please send us corrections or an account of your impressions so we will know whether or not to mention these events in future.

Let us know the kind of events that interest you. Please continue to send posters to ruthlormalloy@gmail.com. We don’t charge to include them and we don’t accept paid advertising. We are privately financed. Please post comments on “Leave a Reply” below.