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The top 8 events at Toronto parks before summer ends

Events in Toronto parks before summer ends cast a wide net of activities, just in time for you to squeeze in all the outdoor time you need before hibernation season. Get your park blanket ready and catch a movie, a play, some music of a guinea pig fashion show.

From east to west, here are my picks for the top events at Toronto parks before summer ends.

Watch some Shakespeare in an outdoor amphitheatre (until September 4)
Pick your show, Hamlet or All's Well That Ends Well. They vary each night into September at the coliseum stage in High Park. Shows start at 8 p.m. and the bugs are now at a minimum, so it's the best time of year to go!

Watch a movie in Christie Pits Park (August 27-28)
The two final screenings of the season are Psycho (Saturday, August 27) and Gravity (Sunday, August 28). There's nothing like sitting on that giant hill sipping on whatever you brought, sitting on whatever you like and watching a flick on a giant screen outside. We'll miss you, Christie Pits FF.

Hang out by the giant red canoe at CityFest (August 27)
This is the 4th annual CityFest, and a lot of people go. There's art, food trucks, DJs, activities, green turf and the sweet sounds of the Gardiner all surrounded by West end neighbours and pets. It's an easy breezy festival in a park just outside your condo door.

Pig out at Ribfest in Downsview Park (September 2-5)
This four-day ribfest attracts thousands to Downsview Park, one of the most used parks in the city for festivals. There's loads of musical entertainment including a show from "Male Country Artist of the Year" nominee Marshall Dane, beer and rib eating contests.

Attend a pignic (picnic for guinean pigs) (September 3)
From 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. check out this day for Guinea Pigs, their owners and enthusiasts at Greenwood Park. There'll be a market, awards, speakers, communal guinea pig pens, piggy paparazzi, piggy Pigasso and a piggy pageant. All proceeds go to the Toronto Humane Society and Piggles guinea pig rescue.

Ride and stop in many parks with the Toronto Bicycle Music Fest (September 10)
The Seventh Annual Toronto Bicycle Music Festival is free and starts at Evergreen Brickworks at 11 a.m. and finishes at Prairie Drive Park at 6 p.m. It's basically a group bike ride with a mobile performances in between the locations. Jason Collett, Lido Pimienta, Nhapitapi and Moon Runners Dance Battle are a few of the featured acts.

Feel like you're on horror/post-apocalyptic movie set at Ontario Place West Island (Sept 15-25)
Take back the island park at Ontario Place with this culture fest featuring over 60 visual artists and over 40 world music artists on the Small World Stage. There will also be art, music, film, video and lectures in Cinesphere. Check their Facebook for way more info.

Pose with prose at the Parkette Poetfest (September 19-25)
Inching in at the very end of summer and trickling into the first days of fall is this multi-day poetry festival happening in parks across the city. From 3-8 p.m. each day, check out the website the list of daily parkettte prose shows written for you, the audience.

Did I miss your favourite end-of-summer activity in a park? Let us all know in the comments.

Photo from the In/Future Facebook page.


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