Back for its eighth year, the excitement of the Toronto International Film Festival will pour out from the theatres onto Festival Street and David Pecaut Square. King Street West between Peter Street and University Avenue will transform into an open-air experience accessible by the general public. 

New and exciting activations will line King Street in addition to food vendors, photo opportunities, and the Festival Street Music Stage housing musical performances throughout the opening weekend. There is no better way to celebrate “the people’s Festival” than with free activations dedicated to the Festival goers in Toronto.

“We’re thrilled to unveil this year’s Festival Street experience at TIFF. Embracing the heart and soul of the Festival, Festival Street will once again be a vibrant celebration of art, culture, and the shared love for storytelling,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “As we welcome filmmakers, artists, and film enthusiasts from around the world, Festival Street will serve as a dynamic hub for connection, creativity, and unforgettable moments. Join us as we transform the streets of Festival Village into a shining example of community spirit at this year’s TIFF.”

MORE MOVIES AND MUSIC FOR FREE

Toronto’s biggest street party kicks off with A Night of Jazz, in partnership with The Rex (194 Queen St. W.). On Thursday September 7, the Festival Street Music Stage will feature jazz legend Dave Young, Thompson Egbo-Ebgo, and the Jacob Chung Quintet, hosted by Raoul Bhaneja. Continuing the musical celebrations on Friday, September 8, Diamond certified rock band Nickelback hits the Festival Street Music Stage to promote the premiere of their TIFF Gala Presentation Hate to Love: Nickelback, an intimate portrait of the Canadian stadium rockers’ celebrated career to date. Additionally, electronica and pow wow techno artist Classic Roots will take the stage also on September 8. On Sunday September 10, revel in additional performances by Luna Elle (RBCxMusic Artist), Toronto Dance Theatre, and Doug Tielli. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop, the Festival Street Closing Performance will be by the Godmother of Canadian Rap, Michie Mee.

TIFF’s returning Cinema Park, presented by L’Oreal Paris, will present open-air screenings in David Pecaut Square, showcasing classic films of some of the talent in TIFF 2023 Official Selection films: The Spiderwick Chronicles; Batman; Contact; a 40th-anniversary screening of Superman III; a memorial tribute to Paul Reubens with Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure; Rocky; plus four screenings presented by the Next Wave committee which include a 30th-anniversary screening of Addams Family Values, Clueless, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and Where the Wild Things Are. 

New this year, the TIFF Next Wave Block Party, presented by Snapchat, takes place on Saturday September 9. This party will include additional performances from The Aubreys, featuring Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard; Alex Porat; winner of TIFF Next Wave’s Battle of the Scores, daydream; Sho Madjozi; and Grammy Award winner Zakes Bantwini. Also new this year is the Festival Street Art Market, a market filled with fun activities in celebration of art and community from the city’s most exciting community film festivals and arts organizations on Simcoe St. Participants include: Inside Out Film Festival, imagineNATIVE Film Festival, Reel Asian Film Festival, Regent Park Film Festival, Hot Docs, Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT), Muse Arts, Reel Canada, and Workman Arts. 

Taking place during the first three days of Festival Street is the Festival Street Mural Project, where street artists Darcy Obokata and Tim Fukakusa (TIFF’s POP Japan mural artist) will create an exciting and evolving large art mural – a Toronto love letter to Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. The mural will be an homage to Miyazaki and the studio’s influence on artists and film lovers all over the world, and will celebrate TIFF’s Opening Night International Premiere of Miyazaki’s latest, The Boy and the Heron.

Additional activations on Festival street include: Myseum of Toronto’s 36 Questions That Lead to Loving Toronto to Festival Street, an exhibition that invites Torontonians to fall in love with the city for the first time, or all over again; a Group Morning Mobility, a gentle mix of movement and meditation in David Pecaut Square by Have a Nice Day Pilates Studio on Saturday, September 9 at 11am for 30 minutes; and five additional vendors by BlackOwnedTO.

Torontonians and the City of Toronto are an integral part of TIFF and the Festival. Quite simply, Festival Street would not exist without their tremendous support. To say thank you to the city and the people who call it home, TIFF has once again partnered with the TTC to give Torontonians more access to Festival films. On Saturday, September 16, members of the public are invited to Roy Thomson Hall for the TTC Free Screening of a Festival title. For details please visit https://tiff.net/