Selected fall festivals and events in and around Toronto

Southern Ontario in the autumn months is teeming with activity! From harvest festivals to craft fairs, there is always plenty to do and see. Many fun and fascinating locations are reachable via a short drive, and the variety of activities is always diverse. Even within the city, you’ll find festivals and seasonal events popping up everywhere. Unique urban destinations like the Toronto Brickworks or the Distillery District often host fun happenings that cater to lovers of beer, wine and fresh organic food, while providing architectural and historical interest as well as world-class entertainment as you take in the sights and flavours of the season.

While you’re planning your adventure, think about booking a ride to get you everywhere you want to go. Airlift Limo isn’t just for airport pickup and drop off, it’s for anybody who could use the convenience and comfort of a luxury vehicle with a professional driver. Whether you are a couple, a family or a group of friends planning an outing, you won’t have to worry about directions or a designated driver – just plan your itinerary and make the call. Our fleet includes stretch limos and stretch SUV’s as well as Town Cars and executive vans that can carry up to eleven people, and the cost is more affordable than you might imagine. Call today for rates and availability, and let’s get your adventure on the road!

September 18 through September 20: The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition takes place at Nathan Phillips Square, located at City Hall in downtown Toronto. An open-air alternative to conventional gallery shows, this juried exhibition sees approximately 100,000 visitors every year and features the works of more than three hundred artists working in various mediums. Festival runs from Friday through Sunday, with an opening gala party on the evening of Thursday September 17. Tickets are $15 for the fundraiser gala, which includes food and entertainment. Festival is free of charge and runs from 10:30am through 6:30pm on each day.

September 11 to 13: Tim Horton’s Southside Shuffle Blues and Jazz Festival takes place in Memorial Park in Port Credit, a beautiful lakeside community in south Mississauga. Highlights include four stages in the park featuring top international blues and jazz artists, plus what’s being dubbed as Mississauga’s biggest street party on the Saturday afternoon. 2015 acts include Suzie Vinnick, Jack de Keyser, Monkeyjunk, Down child Blues Band, a special headline performance from Canned Heat, an Elvis impersonator, a B.B. King tribute, and much, much more. Tickets for the entire weekend’s performances are $30, with some special events extra. Of course you could just choose to join the party in the street, which will be hard to miss if you’re in the area.

September 25 to October 1: Canada’s Walk of Fame Festival features several days of music programming around town leading up to the Walk of Fame ceremonies in November. Free concerts will be hosted in the heart of the downtown core at Yonge-Dundas Square from noon through 11:00pm every night. This year’s featured performances will be by Natalie McMaster and the Tea Party and hosted at Massey Hall, while emerging artists in the program will showcase at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern on Queen Street West.

September 18 through 26: Celebrate Toronto Beer Week with over one hundred events at almost as many venues throughout this nine-day craft beer extravaganza. Enjoy brewmaster hosted beer tastings, pub-crawls, beer and food pairings that run the gamut from dim sum to barbeque, sausage to cheese and chocolate, a pig and corn roast, and the Golden Tap Awards ceremony on September 23. If you can go to one event, don’t miss C’est What’s Annual Festival of Craft Breweries, at which you will be able to taste more than sixty examples of craft brews from near and far. It’s free to attend, and most four-ounce samples cost just a dollar. This is one event that requires a driver for fullest enjoyment, so be sure to call Airlift Limo to arrange your ride!

September 12 through 27, on weekends only: The Niagara Wine Festival is the Niagara Peninsula Wine Regions annual celebration of the grape and what was (hopefully) a good harvest. Over the last three weekends in September, more than forty wineries, plus restaurants and other venues will host various events, including live entertainment, winemaker’s luncheons and dinners, tastings galore, pop-up food demos and more. Access the festival guide to plan your itinerary; passes are available for the day or for the duration, though some events may require additional ticket purchase.

September 18 – 20: Toronto Food and Wine Festival at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works is a food and wine paradise where you can get up close and personal with celebrity chefs, attend seminars and basically sip and sample your way through the day, as there is guaranteed to be something delicious at every turn. The three-day festival includes several tutored tastings, master classes and various competitions as well as lunches, brunches and dinners with the who’s who of the culinary world. Passes are available for the day or for the duration, though dining events will require pre-registration and extra fees. Get your group together, and don’t forget to call Airlift Limo for a safe and swanky ride from anywhere in Mississauga or the GTA!