Things To Do in Toronto This Week (October 5–11, 2026)
Looking for things to do in Toronto this week (October 5–11)? You could share a free Friendsgiving dinner under the Gardiner, catch a paper-candy exhibition before it closes, or spend Saturday picking out locally grown flowers. Thanksgiving weekend also brings pumpkin-filled outings, while haunted attractions are ready for anyone who wants an early Halloween scare. I’ve rounded up 10 events and seasonal experiences in Toronto and nearby Vaughan to help you plan the week without spending the whole group chat deciding where to go.
Editor’s Note: Event details and ticket availability can change. Check the official links before heading out, and register ahead where required. This guide covers October 5–11; some Thanksgiving events continue on Monday, October 12. Vaughan locations are identified below so you can plan the extra travel time.
Things to Do in Toronto This Week: 10 Fall Events & Experiences
Food & Thanksgiving Fun
King’s Hawaiian Friendsgiving at The Bentway
Photo via King’s Hawaiian
October 8, 2026 | 4–7 PM | The Bentway, 250 Fort York Blvd., Toronto | Free with advance registration
Dinner plans usually start with choosing a restaurant. This Thursday, they could start with a seat at a communal table beneath the Gardiner. King’s Hawaiian is hosting a Friendsgiving gathering at The Bentway, with dinner served from 5 to 7 PM. Bring a friend or come ready to meet someone new over a shared meal. Admission is complimentary, but registration is required. If you want to sit together, complete your group’s registrations together rather than counting on neighbouring seats when you arrive.
Register on Eventbrite · Read our Friendsgiving guide
Arcadia Earth Harvest Café
Photo via Arcadia Earth
October 9–12, 2026 | Harvest Café: 12–5 PM | The Well, 486 Front St. W., Building C, Toronto | Entry by food or monetary donation
A little pumpkin painting makes a good break from Thanksgiving errands. Arcadia Earth’s Harvest Café returns with coffee, apple cider, seasonal activities and live music in its Marketplace. Bring a non-perishable food item or make a monetary contribution for Second Harvest to enter. Mini portraits are also scheduled for Sunday and Monday, making October 11 a useful date to keep in mind. Planning to explore the immersive exhibition too? Admission to Arcadia Earth’s main attraction is separate from the café.
Visit Arcadia Earth · Read our Harvest Café guide
Toronto Pumpkinfest at Downsview Park
Photo via pumpkinfesttoronto
October 10–12, 2026 | 10 AM–6 PM | Downsview Park, 35 Carl Hall Rd., Toronto | Ticketed
If the kids have been asking when pumpkin season officially starts, this weekend gives you an easy answer. Toronto Pumpkinfest brings rides, inflatable attractions, stage entertainment and autumn photo spots to Downsview Park. There are food trucks for a snack break and pumpkins to browse when you need a pause between activities. Saturday and Sunday both fit this week’s plans, with the festival continuing on Thanksgiving Monday. Check the ticket descriptions before booking, as inclusions and extras vary.
Official event details and tickets · Read our Thanksgiving events guide
Woodbridge Fall Fair
Photo via Woodbridge Fall Fair
October 10–12, 2026 | Saturday–Sunday: 11 AM–7 PM | 100 Porter Ave., Vaughan | Ticketed
Some fall plans call for a slower afternoon of wandering between displays, snacks and whatever catches your eye. Woodbridge Fall Fair brings that kind of outing to Vaughan over Thanksgiving weekend. Expect agricultural competitions, pumpkins, vendors and rides, with a car show also part of the fair’s programming. Check the daily schedule if there is something specific you want to see. It is a good option for a group with different interests, especially when nobody wants the entire day planned minute by minute.
Official fair information and tickets · Explore our Thanksgiving events guide
Art, Markets & Outdoor Activities
Sweet Reams: Paper Candy & Confectionery Pop-Up
Photo via @freshcutpaperstudio / Instagram
Until October 6, 2026 | 12–6 PM | Northern Contemporary Gallery, 420 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto | Free
You have Monday and Tuesday left to catch this candy shop with a twist: the sweets are made from paper. Artist Alex Dunsmuir’s Sweet Reams exhibition recreates nostalgic treats and packaging through detailed paper work, giving familiar childhood favourites a second life as art. Take your time looking at the folds, textures and tiny details. It is an easy indoor stop to work into a Roncesvalles afternoon, and general admission will not eat into your coffee budget.
Artist’s official Instagram · Read our Sweet Reams feature
Toronto Flower Market
Photo via Toronto Flower Market (@torontoflowermarket)
October 10, 2026 | 10 AM–3 PM | TD Commons at CAMH, 1001 Queen St. W., Toronto | Free entry
Your Thanksgiving table could use a little colour, and Toronto Flower Market offers a reason to shop for it outside. The final market of the 2026 season brings local growers and floral vendors to TD Commons at CAMH. Browse the seasonal flowers, ask what is available and pick out something that suits your space. You do not need a special occasion to take a bunch home, either. Leave time for a walk around Queen West before carrying your flowers back.
Official market dates and location · Explore our October events guide
Toronto Ravine Days
Photo via City of Toronto
September 26–October 18, 2026 | Toronto ravines and participating sites | Costs and registration vary by activity
For a break from busy venues, make room for a ravine visit. Toronto Ravine Days celebrates the city’s natural spaces through community activities, guided outings and workshops, alongside opportunities to explore on your own. Use the City’s event calendar to find a program during October 5–11, or plan a daylight walk with its ravine map. Bring shoes suited to the route and check the meeting point if you are joining a group. There is no single start time or venue for the whole series.
Official Ravine Days information · Browse the event calendar · Read our Ravine Days guide
Halloween & After-Dark Adventures
Legends of Horror at Casa Loma
Photo via Legends of Horror (@legends_ofhorror)
This week: October 7–11, 2026 | Entrance at Davenport & Walmer Rd., Toronto | Ticketed; timed entry
Casa Loma makes an atmospheric setting for a night out long before the first actor appears. Legends of Horror takes visitors along a two-kilometre route through gardens and tunnels, with theatrical sets and performances along the way. Choose a timed ticket and dress for an evening that includes outdoor walking. The attraction is closed October 5–6. For families wanting a less intense visit, October 10–11 have early Family Hours without live actors, though lighting and mechanical effects remain part of the experience.
Official schedule and tickets · Explore our October events guide
Screemers at Assembly Park
October 9–11, 2026 | Friday–Saturday: 7 PM–midnight; Sunday: 7–11 PM | 80 Interchange Way, Vaughan | Ticketed
If one haunted attraction never feels like enough, Screemers gives your group several to work through. Opening weekend brings seven haunted walk-through mazes to Assembly Park, with unlimited rides on the Midway of Madness included in general admission. This is a good pick for friends who want the scares to be the main event of the evening. Book for the correct date and allow time for queues. Fast Pass upgrades cost extra, so factor that into your budget if you are considering one.
Official Screemers dates and tickets · Read our Halloween events guide
Shopping & Lifestyle
Vaughan Winter Parka Warehouse Sale
Photo by Ingo Zöll / Unsplash
October 5–9, 2026 | The Terrace, 1680 Creditstone Rd., Vaughan | Free admission
Winter coat shopping is easier to think about before the first freezing morning. Sample Sale Guys is bringing its Winter Parka Warehouse Sale to Vaughan for five days, with discounts advertised at up to 70%. Stock and sizes will vary, so arrive with a few options in mind rather than one exact coat. Hours run later early in the week and finish at 8 PM on Friday. Try things on carefully and review the final-sale terms before paying.
Official sale details and opening hours · Read our warehouse sale guide
Planning beyond this week? Browse our October things-to-do guide for more seasonal outings, or explore our Thanksgiving events roundup if you are making plans for the long weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best free things to do in Toronto this week?
Sweet Reams is free to visit through October 6, and Toronto Flower Market has free entry on October 10. King’s Hawaiian Friendsgiving on October 8 is also complimentary, but advance registration is required. Shopping purchases are extra at the market.
Are there family-friendly events happening this week?
Toronto Pumpkinfest and Woodbridge Fall Fair offer seasonal outings over the weekend. Arcadia Earth’s Harvest Café is another option for pumpkin painting indoors. Check activity rules, ticket inclusions and age suitability before booking.
Which Halloween attractions can I visit this week?
Legends of Horror at Casa Loma operates October 7–11 this week, while Screemers opens in Vaughan on October 9. Casa Loma also offers earlier Family Hours on October 10–11 without live actors; mechanical effects remain active.
Do these Thanksgiving events continue on Monday?
Yes. Pumpkinfest, Woodbridge Fall Fair and Arcadia Earth’s Harvest Café continue on Monday, October 12. That holiday falls outside this guide’s October 5–11 date range, so check Monday’s hours separately.
