I heart Pedestrian Sundays.

Now in its third year, the monthly DIY celebration of life in Toronto is among my favourite things to do in the city. When I first moved to Hogtown from Montreal, I mourned the loss of my summertime Sunday ritual [insert sad face]. But then I found Pedestrian Sundays and, despite the fact that it only happens once a month (the last Sunday), its discovery restored sunshine, kittens and lollipops to Panthea-land [insert happy face].

Last month, I discovered local New Deal-esque funk group Escalate (when bad names happen to good bands. tsk tsk), ate Portugese grilled fish (drool), and shook what my momma gave me in a drum circle (eeeei-wah!). It's good for the soul, it is.

The festival is put on by local grassroots collective Streets are for People, who purport to engage city folk in community discourse through creative and playful street actions.

The theme tomorrow is Water! Streams of Consciousness. Special events planned include a panel discussion on water issues at 3pm, a walking tour of Russell Creek (the creek that used to flow through Kensington market), a giant pirate treasure pinata (!) and a streams of conscience/consciousness poetry chain which passersby can contribute to. And this is in addition to island foods, music and reggae galore.

I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday.

What: Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market
When: Last Sunday of every month (with a bonus one on August 13!) through October 29. From 1 to 7pm. Dancing on North Augusta til 10pm.
Where: Kensington Market (roughly College to Dundas, Spadina to Bellevue)

[photo credit: Yvonne Bambrick]