Toronto City Guide

When to visit Toronto

Toronto has a warm summer (June to mid-September) filled with festivals and events, making it the best time to visit. July and August can get muggy, however. Many visitor-oriented facilities, attractions and accommodations reduce hours or close outside of summer, but the ones that remain open almost always have reduced rates and smaller crowds. Fall (mid-September to late October) is crisp and beautiful - all of Ontario is renowned for its autumn colours. Toronto gets downright frosty in winter (November to March), with cold spells averaging between 2°C and -10°C (35°F and 14°F). Luckily, indoor arts (symphonies, theatre, opera) and sporting events (especially ice hockey) are at their liveliest during the snowy season.

Weather

Weather in Toronto

Compared to the rest of Canada, Toronto has a relatively mild weather pattern. Summer temperatures average 20-23°C (68-73°F) and can get up to 30°C (86°F). Autumn and spring tend toward clear, warm sunny days and winter, though the temperature can plummet quickly, is on average a manageable -6°C (21°F). Big snowstorms happen two or three times per winter.

Events in Toronto

All of Toronto's main festivals and events take place between May and October, when there's little chance of snow and plenty of light by which to see them. Summertime festivals begin with mid-June's Caravan, a nine-day cultural exchange between the city's ethnic groups. The annual Pride Week culminates in an outrageous out-of-the-closet parade on Church St. The excellent Downtown Jazz Festival attracts local and international players in June and early July. With scarcely a beat lost, Toronto's music scene segues neatly into the Toronto Bluesfest, enlivening the Harbourfront in early July.

Also in July, flags drop at the Molson Grand Prix. In August, Caribana, an ever-growing Caribbean festival, celebrates with a weekend of reggae, steel drum and calypso music and dance. Its finale, and main attraction, is a huge Rio-esque parade. Come September, the internationally renowned Toronto International Film Festival has cinema buffs swooning in the aisles. And for the bookish at heart, the Harbourfront International Festival of Authors, in late September and early October, is the largest literary event of its kind anywhere.