Toronto hosts a wide range of cultural and arts festivals throughout the year, with summer as the natural peak period. Spring highlights include Canada Blooms, when the impending arrival of spring is welcomed by this huge flower and garden show in March and Doors Open Toronto, a two-day exploration of the city's history and architecture on the last weekend in May. Summer plays host to Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival which draws local and international stars into the city's clubs and onto the outdoor stages in mid to late June. Pride Week, one of the world's largest celebrations of all things gay, attracts up to a million people to its week-long festivities in late June.

International Dragon Boat Festival, a weekend Chinese festival attracting over one million attendees annually, takes place on the Toronto Islands in late June.

Beaches International Jazz Festival, a five-day event billed as the city's largest free festival, is held in the picturesque Beaches locale during the third week in July.

Caribana, North America's largest Caribbean festival, attracts large numbers of US visitors in late July/early August. The centrepiece parade boasts attendance of close to a million.

The Toronto International Film Festival, which now rivals Cannes as the world's most important film festival takes place September 10-17, while the International Festival of Authors, another world-renowned event, brings book-lovers to the Harbourfront area for 10 days in late October. Nearing Christmas is the Santa Claus Parade, an institution for over a century, it attracts half a million kids and parents as it winds through central city streets in late November

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