The most romantic day of the year is here and Monday also happens to be Family Day -- meaning there are tons of weekend events happening in the city.
To start, you can partake in some Valentine's Day-esque fun, followed by some tasty eats at the Mac and Cheese Festival. Be sure to also check out the opening of this year's edition of Winter Stations, which kicks off on holiday Monday.
Check out more ideas below on our list of the best things to do in Toronto this weekend.
READ: What’s Open and Closed in Toronto on Family Day
Toronto Light Fest
The fourth annual Toronto Light Fest will once again light up the city’s historic Distillery District this month, running for 45 days from January 17 until March 1. Make sure to arrive after dusk for the best experience (obviously). Hosted by the team behind the Toronto Christmas Market, the light fest will span 13-acres, with installations set to cover 44 buildings in the historic district.
When: On now through March 1
Time: After dark
Where: Distillery District
Admission: Free
Skating at The Bentway
What could be more fun than skating outdoors as you skate along a figure-eight-shaped loop below the Gardiner Expressway? The Bentway’s skate trail is open seven days a week and is the perfect place to blow off some steam and have some fun during winter. Originally scheduled to close for the season on February 17, thanks to a partnership with CBC Sports, the skate trail will now remain open all the way until March 22nd, giving you more dates to skate the eight.
Hours: 5 pm to 9 pm on weekdays; 12 pm to 9 pm on weekends
Where: 250 Fort York Boulevard
Price: Admission is free
Winter Light Exhibition 2020
The third-annual Winter Light Exhibition is happening now at Ontario Place’s west island, featuring creative light exhibits from local artists under the theme ‘Cocoon.’ Fridays through Sundays, visitors can check out community bonfires, paint classes, and the snack shop serving up a variety of food and beverage options.
When: On now through March 29
Time: 4 pm to 11 pm
Where: Ontario Place, West Island
Price: Admission is free
Galentine's Day Pop-Up Market
Grab your girls and head to Hillcrest for a special Galentine's Day pop-up. The Social Events want to make it easy for friends to find Instagrammable moments at this pretty pop-up marketplace that features a curated collection of local vendors that are just as photo-ready. Think pink macarons, handmade jewelry, and matchy-matchy apparel. This year’s market will feature vendors like Macarons and Mint, Charming Roses and Cannoli Express set up in Centre Court over the two days with floral décor, and pink everything.
When: Friday, February 14
Time: 10 am to 9 pm
Where: 9350 Yonge Street
Price: Admission is free
Asialicious
Starting this Friday, you can taste what Asian Restaurants in Toronto have to offer. Each restaurant will present their best dishes to the public using a special promotion during the two-week food fest. With more than 100 Asian restaurants and daily tasting events to enjoy, there’s so much for your taste buds to explore.
When: February 14 through 28
Time: 3 pm to 5 pm
Where: Various locations throughout the city
Price: Varies by restaurant
Evergreen's Winter Fridays
This Friday, head to Evergreen Brick Works to skate under the stars, enjoy a hot chocolate (or something stronger), and cozy up around the fire as you snack on some street fare from the many food trucks.
When: Friday, February 14
Time: 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Where: Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue
Price: Admission is free
Mac and Cheese Festival
There’s no love greater than the love of carbs. Get your appetites ready and spend the weekend at the 6th annual Mac and Cheese Festival. The heavenly food fest features delicious concoctions from celebrity chefs, talented cooks, and innovative entrepreneurs throughout the most romantic weekend of the year. This year’s event will feature over 40 mouthwatering creations.
When: February 14 to 16
Where: Small Arms Inspection Building, 1352 Lakeshore Road East, Mississauga
Price: $16, available online
The Diversity of Love at the Toronto Zoo
The only thing better than watching people in love is watching adorable animals be in love, and that’s exactly what the Toronto Zoo is banking on as part of its The Diversity of Love adult program. Couples can look forward to an evening of food, a special animal encounter, an interactive group presentation, and a tour of the zoo’s Reproductive Labs led by the Reproductive Specialist team.
When: February 14, and 15
Time: 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Where: 361 A Old Finch Avenue
Price: $97.35 (plus tax)
This Valentine’s Day, bring a date or swim solo to Deep Sea Soirée, a one-of-a-kind Valentine’s event at Ripley’s Aquarium. Enjoy food stations, cash bars, live music by The Digs and DJ Kyrei, plus truly unforgettable views.
When: Friday, February 14
Time: 8 pm to 12 am
Where: 288 Bremner Boulevard
Price: $60
DJ Skate Nights: Last Skate with Love
End the skating season with DJs Tasha Rozez and Randee Savage who will keep you dancing on the rink with reggae sounds right up to the finale of DJ Skate Night 2020.
When: Saturday, February 15
Time: From 8 pm to 11 pm
Where: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queen’s Quay West
Price: Free
The Leslieville Flea
This Leslieville Flea returns to Toronto's historic Distillery District for the Family Day weekend. This Sunday, come and enjoy this curated market selling vintage, salvaged, up-cycled goods, furniture, antiques, collectibles and handcrafted goods.
When: February 16
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Inside the Fermenting Cellar in the Distillery District
Price: Admission is free
Brewer’s Backyard: Winter Warmers
Brewer’s Backyard is back to celebrate the long weekend with South Etobicoke Brewers. What better way to wrap up your long weekend than with a beer festival? Check out an amazing line up of breweries that will be pouring including Big Rock Brewery, Black Oak Brewing Co., The Indie Alehouse, Great Lakes Brewery, Mascot Brewery and Steam Whistle Brewing.
When: Monday, February 17
Time: 11 am to 5 pm
Where: Evergreen Brickworks
Admission: Free to attend
Winter Stations 2020
This Monday, Winter Stations will return to Toronto’s waterfront, transforming four unused lifeguard stations into works of public art inspired by the theme Beyond the Five Senses. Now in its sixth year, Winter Stations is an international design competition and exhibition held annually as a collaboration between RAW Design, Ferris + Associates, and Curio.
When: February 17 through March 29
Where: Woodbine beach, 1675 Lake Shore Boulevard East
Price: Admission is free
