Toronto's longest-running street festival preparing for its biggest year yet

One of the city's most historic neighbourhoods is set to host a major street party next month, as the annual Cabbagetown Festival returns to Toronto with what organizers are calling its biggest footprint yet.

The neighbourhood's long-running tradition is a weekend-long celebration, stretching along Parliament Street between Gerrard and Wellesley streets, as well as Carlton Street from Parliament to Sherbourne, expanding its stomping grounds for this year's edition.

And, of course, it's absolutely free to attend.

Now in its 47th year, the Cabbagetown Festival is bringing together food, shopping, music, entertainment, and fun activations spanning across the two days. Organizers say they're expecting more than 125,000 people to make their way through the neighbourhood over the course of the event.

Cabbagetown Festival in Toronto will be a one-stop shop, featuring over 250 independent artisans at the vendor market, food trucks for hungry festivalgoers, and games and street performers for those with entertainment and music on their mind.

Anyone attending specifically for the tunes will be happy to know organizers are upping the ante this year in this department, too. The music scene gets a big boost, with more than 200 performers scheduled throughout the weekend, plus a brand-new EDM stage giving electronic music its own dedicated spotlight.

The Cabbagetown Festival will also include an Indigenous Celebration stage showcasing Indigenous performers, along with a new Rainbow Market spotlighting vendors and makers from the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

"Every year, we look for new ways to make the Cabbagetown Festival even more reflective of the incredible community we represent, and I couldn't be more excited about what we're introducing this year," says Matthew Mohan, Executive Director of the Cabbagetown BIA.

He also says that the festival's unique offerings and inclusive nature reflect everything that "makes Cabbagetown such a vibrant...and welcoming neighbourhood." 

The Cabbagetown Festival dates back to 1976, making it Toronto's longest-running street attraction. The annual event has become one of the neighbourhood’s biggest showcases, pairing Cabbagetown's coveted architecture and small businesses with a modern street-festival atmosphere.

With the event expanding across two major streets and a packed entertainment schedule planned for the weekend, this year's edition is shaping up to be particularly busy.

As a result, road closures will be in effect throughout the festival. Parliament Street, from Wellesley Street to Gerrard Street, will be closed from Sept. 12 at 6 a.m. until Sept. 13 at 11 p.m. Carlton Street, from Sherbourne to Parliament, will also be closed during the same period.

The Cabbagetown Festival takes place Sept. 12 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sept. 13 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Toronto’s Cabbagetown neighbourhood.