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Events

There’s always something happening! Check out our upcoming events and activities.

About us

The Downtown Yonge BIA is a not-for-profit organization. Learn more about who we are here.

Members

Is your business located in Downtown Yonge? Find all our member resources here.

Latest news & updates

New Trainings for Members

New webinars and trainings available to Downtown Yonge BIA members.

Strategic Plan 2023 – 2028

The Downtown Yonge BIA is excited to launch a new strategic plan, one that outlines the priorities, actions, and ambitions for the organization over the next five years.

Check out what’s coming up:


Shaking the Foundations New Exhibit Celebrates Women Trailblazers in Toronto Music

04-21-2025

Presented by Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area at Friar’s Music Museum, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 8:00 am Sat, Apr 19 @ 8:00 am Sun, Apr 20 @ 8:00 am + 1 more dates and times

Mon, Apr 21 @ 8:00 am - less dates and times

Toronto’s vibrant music scene has been built by scores of remarkable women whose contributions...

[more+]

Toronto’s vibrant music scene has been built by scores of remarkable women whose contributions have often been overlooked or undervalued. Shaking the Foundations: Women Trailblazers in Toronto Music is a groundbreaking new exhibit at Friar’s Music Museum, opening on March 21 2025, that will honour and highlight many of these influential artists.

Shaking the Foundations is a Downtown Yonge BIA initiative, presented in partnership with Toronto Music Experience and curated by longtime music writer Mary Dickie. As the first-ever exhibition to spotlight the creative and cultural impact of Toronto women in music, it highlights the artists whose unique attitudes, traditions, and histories have shaped the city’s musical landscape across virtually every style and genre.

[less-]
Tags:   MusicFree

Mini Mission: Egg Hunt Edition

04-21-2025

Presented by Little Canada at Little Canada, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 10:00 am Sat, Apr 19 @ 10:00 am Sun, Apr 20 @ 10:00 am + 1 more dates and times

Mon, Apr 21 @ 10:00 am - less dates and times

This Easter long weekend, take on the ultimate Mini Mission in our tiny world of big Canadian...

[more+]

This Easter long weekend, take on the ultimate Mini Mission in our tiny world of big Canadian wonders! We’ve hidden 35 colourful eggs throughout Little Canada—plus one elusive golden bunny that are waiting to be found. Search high, search low, and see if you have what it takes to crack the case. It’s an egg-straordinary adventure for all ages—are you ready?

Hop into a GIANT adventure at Little Canada!

[less-]
Tags:   Festivals & Special Events Holiday / Seasonal Kids & Family

Continuing retrospective of work by Floyd Kuptana

04-18-2025

Presented by Gallery Arcturus at Gallery Arcturus, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 12:00 pm

Thanks to JP Albert for the generous loan of work that led to this retrospective of Floyd...

[more+]

Thanks to JP Albert for the generous loan of work that led to this retrospective of Floyd Kuptana's career.

-

The ongoing display of stone carvings throughout the gallery began as a memorial to master sculptor Floyd Kuptana after he passed away in May 2021.

-

In 2022 the gallery staged a major exhibition of Kuptana's paintings, pastels and sculptures with the contribution of many pieces belonging to the artist's longtime collaborator and friend, Jean-Paul Albert. At the time curator deborah harris wrote: "It is still hard to imagine that [Floyd] is not here with us, working, laughing, growling. We miss him."

-

Since then many of the sculptures have remained on display in multiple rooms throughout the four-floor gallery building, becoming part of the changing installations devised by harris. See below for a list of our individual spaces as well as our Eventbrite profile for current shows.

-

Floyd Kuptana was born on February 14, 1964 at Cape Parry, Northwest Territories. The arctic landscape ran through him as did the concrete shoreline of Lake Ontario, and the city streets he walked on. He made his home where he was. He left behind an extraordinary wealth of creatures some of which you can see displayed at Gallery Arcturus, a regular destination of the artist during the latter part of his career.

-

Here Kuptana engaged with other artists which often resulted in unusual collaborations or mutual challenges to work in new media including paint, pastel and collage. Much of this work is recorded in books published by the gallery and available for sale or free viewing on our websites.

-

We invite you to spend time with the sculptures [as well as the books available in our libraries] and to meet Floyd through his work. On view in the main floor gallery is "prayer for creation", the latest installation by the curator.

-

Voyage through nine exhibit spaces from Tuesday to Saturday, 12 noon to 5:30pm. All areas require stairs to access.

Supported by the Foundation for the Study of Objective Art

--

The Genesis Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/genesis/

Up North Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/north/

Ascending Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/ascending/ mobiles, paintings, pastels

Collage Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/collage/ rotating works

The Library: https://arcturus.ca/library/ Kuptana sculptures from the permanent collection + an indoor garden

The Drawing Room: https://arcturus.ca/drawing-room works by D Hanequand, O Kassian, D Sapp & EJ Gold

The Dark Room: https://arcturus.ca/darkroom/

The Photographic Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/photographic-gallery

The Studio: https://arcturus.ca/studio/come to the lower level working space

--

Subscribe to our email lists:

Gallery events via info@arcturus.ca

Or get more frequent images and text by signing up at https://www.dailyartblog.ca/

[less-]
Tags:   Art Culture & Heritage Free Media & Design

Brahms Requiem

04-18-2025

Presented by Metropolitan United Church at Metropolitan United Church, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 7:30 pm

On Good Friday, 18 April, come hear Brahms' stunning Requiem and Rheinberger's beautiful Stabat...

[more+]

On Good Friday, 18 April, come hear Brahms' stunning Requiem and Rheinberger's beautiful Stabat Mater in concert at Metropolitan United Church, performed by the Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of Jonathan Oldengarm, with soloists Noelle Slaney and Parker Clements.

The concert begins at 7.30 pm. There will be a brief talk at 6.30 pm.

[less-]
Tags:   Festivals & Special Events Holiday / Seasonal Music

Life After

05-10-2025

Presented by Yonge Street Theatricals at CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 7:30 pm Sat, Apr 19 @ 2:00 pm Sat, Apr 19 @ 7:30 pm + 21 more dates and times

Sun, Apr 20 @ 2:00 pm Tue, Apr 22 @ 7:30 pm Wed, Apr 23 @ 1:30 pm Wed, Apr 23 @ 7:30 pm Thu, Apr 24 @ 7:30 pm Fri, Apr 25 @ 7:30 pm Sat, Apr 26 @ 2:00 pm Sat, Apr 26 @ 7:30 pm Sun, Apr 27 @ 2:00 pm Tue, Apr 29 @ 7:30 pm Wed, Apr 30 @ 1:30 pm Wed, Apr 30 @ 7:30 pm Thu, May 01 @ 7:30 pm Fri, May 02 @ 7:30 pm Sat, May 03 @ 2:00 pm Sat, May 03 @ 7:30 pm Sun, May 04 @ 2:00 pm Thu, May 08 @ 7:30 pm Fri, May 09 @ 7:30 pm Sat, May 10 @ 2:00 pm Sat, May 10 @ 7:30 pm - less dates and times

Britta Johnson is one of Canada’s most acclaimed composers, lyricists and writers for musical...

[more+]

Britta Johnson is one of Canada’s most acclaimed composers, lyricists and writers for musical theatre. LIFE AFTER is her celebrated and luminous musical which premiered in Toronto in 2017 and played a sold-out run at the Berkeley Street Theatre. It was subsequently produced at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre and Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. It returns to Toronto's CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre in a major new production helmed by Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning producers Yonge Street Theatricals for a strictly limited engagement.

Despite being a famous self-help author, Frank Carter's optimistic advice offers little solace to his 16-year-old daughter, Alice. After his untimely death, Alice embarks on a quest for truth, unravelling the events that changed her family forever.

LIFE AFTER is a “stirring, fully original” (Chicago Tribune) new musical, “exquisite from start to finish” (BroadwayWorld) that moves through the complexities of life with wit, humour and grace.

[less-]
Tags:   Stage

Cannabis Comedy Festival 2025 Presents: Lit Comedy

04-26-2025

Presented by Cannabis Comedy Festival at Lit Research, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Sat, Apr 19 @ 8:00 pm Sat, Apr 26 @ 8:00 pm

Cannabis Comedy Club - Voted Toronto's Best New Comedy Club!
If you're a fan of comedy and...

[more+]

Cannabis Comedy Club - Voted Toronto's Best New Comedy Club!
If you're a fan of comedy and cannabis, you won't want to miss our weekly
Saturday Night Comedy Shows! This unique event takes place at Club Lit, a
legally operated cannabis consumption lounge that's perfect for a night of
cannabis and comedy. Each show features a pro line up of Toronto's best
comedians. Shows usually sell out early, so get your tickets before they are
gone.
This is a 19+ Event. For research purposes. Conditions apply.

[less-]
Tags:   Stage

Shaking the Foundations New Exhibit Celebrates Women Trailblazers in Toronto Music

04-21-2025

Presented by Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area at Friar’s Music Museum, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 8:00 am Sat, Apr 19 @ 8:00 am Sun, Apr 20 @ 8:00 am + 1 more dates and times

Mon, Apr 21 @ 8:00 am - less dates and times

Toronto’s vibrant music scene has been built by scores of remarkable women whose contributions...

[more+]

Toronto’s vibrant music scene has been built by scores of remarkable women whose contributions have often been overlooked or undervalued. Shaking the Foundations: Women Trailblazers in Toronto Music is a groundbreaking new exhibit at Friar’s Music Museum, opening on March 21 2025, that will honour and highlight many of these influential artists.

Shaking the Foundations is a Downtown Yonge BIA initiative, presented in partnership with Toronto Music Experience and curated by longtime music writer Mary Dickie. As the first-ever exhibition to spotlight the creative and cultural impact of Toronto women in music, it highlights the artists whose unique attitudes, traditions, and histories have shaped the city’s musical landscape across virtually every style and genre.

[less-]
Tags:   MusicFree

Mini Mission: Egg Hunt Edition

04-21-2025

Presented by Little Canada at Little Canada, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 10:00 am Sat, Apr 19 @ 10:00 am Sun, Apr 20 @ 10:00 am + 1 more dates and times

Mon, Apr 21 @ 10:00 am - less dates and times

This Easter long weekend, take on the ultimate Mini Mission in our tiny world of big Canadian...

[more+]

This Easter long weekend, take on the ultimate Mini Mission in our tiny world of big Canadian wonders! We’ve hidden 35 colourful eggs throughout Little Canada—plus one elusive golden bunny that are waiting to be found. Search high, search low, and see if you have what it takes to crack the case. It’s an egg-straordinary adventure for all ages—are you ready?

Hop into a GIANT adventure at Little Canada!

[less-]
Tags:   Festivals & Special Events Holiday / Seasonal Kids & Family

Continuing retrospective of work by Floyd Kuptana

04-18-2025

Presented by Gallery Arcturus at Gallery Arcturus, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 12:00 pm

Thanks to JP Albert for the generous loan of work that led to this retrospective of Floyd...

[more+]

Thanks to JP Albert for the generous loan of work that led to this retrospective of Floyd Kuptana's career.

-

The ongoing display of stone carvings throughout the gallery began as a memorial to master sculptor Floyd Kuptana after he passed away in May 2021.

-

In 2022 the gallery staged a major exhibition of Kuptana's paintings, pastels and sculptures with the contribution of many pieces belonging to the artist's longtime collaborator and friend, Jean-Paul Albert. At the time curator deborah harris wrote: "It is still hard to imagine that [Floyd] is not here with us, working, laughing, growling. We miss him."

-

Since then many of the sculptures have remained on display in multiple rooms throughout the four-floor gallery building, becoming part of the changing installations devised by harris. See below for a list of our individual spaces as well as our Eventbrite profile for current shows.

-

Floyd Kuptana was born on February 14, 1964 at Cape Parry, Northwest Territories. The arctic landscape ran through him as did the concrete shoreline of Lake Ontario, and the city streets he walked on. He made his home where he was. He left behind an extraordinary wealth of creatures some of which you can see displayed at Gallery Arcturus, a regular destination of the artist during the latter part of his career.

-

Here Kuptana engaged with other artists which often resulted in unusual collaborations or mutual challenges to work in new media including paint, pastel and collage. Much of this work is recorded in books published by the gallery and available for sale or free viewing on our websites.

-

We invite you to spend time with the sculptures [as well as the books available in our libraries] and to meet Floyd through his work. On view in the main floor gallery is "prayer for creation", the latest installation by the curator.

-

Voyage through nine exhibit spaces from Tuesday to Saturday, 12 noon to 5:30pm. All areas require stairs to access.

Supported by the Foundation for the Study of Objective Art

--

The Genesis Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/genesis/

Up North Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/north/

Ascending Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/ascending/ mobiles, paintings, pastels

Collage Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/collage/ rotating works

The Library: https://arcturus.ca/library/ Kuptana sculptures from the permanent collection + an indoor garden

The Drawing Room: https://arcturus.ca/drawing-room works by D Hanequand, O Kassian, D Sapp & EJ Gold

The Dark Room: https://arcturus.ca/darkroom/

The Photographic Gallery: https://arcturus.ca/photographic-gallery

The Studio: https://arcturus.ca/studio/come to the lower level working space

--

Subscribe to our email lists:

Gallery events via info@arcturus.ca

Or get more frequent images and text by signing up at https://www.dailyartblog.ca/

[less-]
Tags:   Art Culture & Heritage Free Media & Design

Brahms Requiem

04-18-2025

Presented by Metropolitan United Church at Metropolitan United Church, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 7:30 pm

On Good Friday, 18 April, come hear Brahms' stunning Requiem and Rheinberger's beautiful Stabat...

[more+]

On Good Friday, 18 April, come hear Brahms' stunning Requiem and Rheinberger's beautiful Stabat Mater in concert at Metropolitan United Church, performed by the Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of Jonathan Oldengarm, with soloists Noelle Slaney and Parker Clements.

The concert begins at 7.30 pm. There will be a brief talk at 6.30 pm.

[less-]
Tags:   Festivals & Special Events Holiday / Seasonal Music

Life After

05-10-2025

Presented by Yonge Street Theatricals at CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Fri, Apr 18 @ 7:30 pm Sat, Apr 19 @ 2:00 pm Sat, Apr 19 @ 7:30 pm + 21 more dates and times

Sun, Apr 20 @ 2:00 pm Tue, Apr 22 @ 7:30 pm Wed, Apr 23 @ 1:30 pm Wed, Apr 23 @ 7:30 pm Thu, Apr 24 @ 7:30 pm Fri, Apr 25 @ 7:30 pm Sat, Apr 26 @ 2:00 pm Sat, Apr 26 @ 7:30 pm Sun, Apr 27 @ 2:00 pm Tue, Apr 29 @ 7:30 pm Wed, Apr 30 @ 1:30 pm Wed, Apr 30 @ 7:30 pm Thu, May 01 @ 7:30 pm Fri, May 02 @ 7:30 pm Sat, May 03 @ 2:00 pm Sat, May 03 @ 7:30 pm Sun, May 04 @ 2:00 pm Thu, May 08 @ 7:30 pm Fri, May 09 @ 7:30 pm Sat, May 10 @ 2:00 pm Sat, May 10 @ 7:30 pm - less dates and times

Britta Johnson is one of Canada’s most acclaimed composers, lyricists and writers for musical...

[more+]

Britta Johnson is one of Canada’s most acclaimed composers, lyricists and writers for musical theatre. LIFE AFTER is her celebrated and luminous musical which premiered in Toronto in 2017 and played a sold-out run at the Berkeley Street Theatre. It was subsequently produced at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre and Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. It returns to Toronto's CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre in a major new production helmed by Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning producers Yonge Street Theatricals for a strictly limited engagement.

Despite being a famous self-help author, Frank Carter's optimistic advice offers little solace to his 16-year-old daughter, Alice. After his untimely death, Alice embarks on a quest for truth, unravelling the events that changed her family forever.

LIFE AFTER is a “stirring, fully original” (Chicago Tribune) new musical, “exquisite from start to finish” (BroadwayWorld) that moves through the complexities of life with wit, humour and grace.

[less-]
Tags:   Stage

Cannabis Comedy Festival 2025 Presents: Lit Comedy

04-26-2025

Presented by Cannabis Comedy Festival at Lit Research, Toronto
Upcoming Dates: Sat, Apr 19 @ 8:00 pm Sat, Apr 26 @ 8:00 pm

Cannabis Comedy Club - Voted Toronto's Best New Comedy Club!
If you're a fan of comedy and...

[more+]

Cannabis Comedy Club - Voted Toronto's Best New Comedy Club!
If you're a fan of comedy and cannabis, you won't want to miss our weekly
Saturday Night Comedy Shows! This unique event takes place at Club Lit, a
legally operated cannabis consumption lounge that's perfect for a night of
cannabis and comedy. Each show features a pro line up of Toronto's best
comedians. Shows usually sell out early, so get your tickets before they are
gone.
This is a 19+ Event. For research purposes. Conditions apply.

[less-]
Tags:   Stage

Yonge Street Looking North, Taken from South of Dundas. Pedestrians on sidewalk and cars on road.

Located in the heart of Toronto, the Downtown Yonge neighbourhood is a vibrant melting pot of arts and culture and history, showcasing a diverse business mix of restaurants, retail, services and more!

Member Businesses

Pedestrians Annually

Residents

A busy intersection showing a lot of cars and people walking.

Since

2001

A world leading downtown neighbourhood renowned for its culture, commerce, opportunity and liveability.

The Downtown Yonge B.I.A has been working to ensure our members thrive by strengthening the culture and economy of the neighbourhood through our programs, partnerships and advocacy.

community

Our Values

Responsive

We recognize and prioritize the challenges that are imminent & time sensitive with targeted programming and collaboration.

Collaborative

We recognize the need to develop partnerships that focus on addressing key challenges affecting the local area.

Inclusive

We represent the needs of diverse people & businesses. We convene conversations that balance these perspectives.

Innovative

We are creative and forward-thinking in our approach to solving challenges, building partnerships, and developing strategies.

Results-Oriented

We focus on delivering services and solutions that are effective, measurable, and scalable.

 

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