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🦝 Canada Day, Pride, and Breakfast

🦝 Canada Day, Pride, and Breakfast

What's happening in the West End June 26th to July 1st.

Xavier W
June 26, 2025

Happy Thursday Toronto and welcome to this week’s West End Raccoon - long weekend edition.

I mean it’s not technically a long weekend but it is a long weekend though right? Can we all agree to just not work too hard on Monday?

This week’s newsletter is packed! There’s an insane amount of stuff going on. Let’s get right into it.

Featured Events

(Full list of events at end of newsletter)

🌈 Toronto Pride 2025

All Weekend

This weekend is the Toronto Pride Festival! This is the culmination of Pride month, with hundreds of 2SLGBTQIA+ events taking place across the city. The pinnacle is of course the Pride Parade on Sunday, one of the largest of its kind in the world. Also included is the Trans March on Friday at 8PM as well as the Dyke March on Saturday at 2PM. For a full overview of everything going on (including a Rebecca Black concert), visit the Pride Toronto website.

🇨🇦 Canada Day Celebrations

July 1

The celebrations will then continue with Canada Day on Tuesday. Again, there’ll be a bunch of events all over the city, not just on Tuesday but spread across the weekend. The main festivities downtown will be at Queen’s Park - a big bash with food, music, and rides. The day will even feature a performance by the Olympic breakdancing Gold-medalist Phil Wizard. Details

If you want fireworks, the main official display will be at Harbourfront Centre, although you can likely go to a park near you to find an un-official display. Firework details.

Something New 🍳🥞🥓

Introducing a new section in the newsletter, The West End Breakfast Battle. The goal is simple: to crown the West End’s favourite breakfast spot. We’re blessed to live near so many amazing breakfast places: from cafés to doughnut shops to old fashioned diners. Any and all places that serve food in the morning are eligible to compete.

Over the next month or so, we’ll we’ll progress through a March Madness style bracket, voting to crown the official CHAMPION of West End breakfasts. Along the way we’ll explore hidden gems and re-discover timeless classics. The match-ups will be provided in advance, giving us all plenty of time to do some thorough research and investigation 😋

The first stage of the battle is choosing which restaurants to include! Please submit any restaurants worthy of participation using this form. The spots that receive the most nominations will be seeded into a bracket to be released next week.

West End Updates

New Cafe Opens in BWV

There’s only one way to explain the amount of cafés and brunch-eries that’ve opened around here in the past month: rumours of the Breakfast Battle have gotten out and people are rushing to be included. The most recent entrant is Capybara Cafe, which opened last weekend in Bloor West Village near the RBC. Their menu features all the coffee options you’d expect, as well as extra delights like vitamin teas, pastrami sandwiches, and macarons. Full menu here.

They’re also giving away 10 Nespresso machines over the first 10 weeks they’re open. Just sign your name and number on your receipt and drop it in the box on the counter!

Davenport Diamond Greenway Construction

After much hullabaloo and advocacy Metrolinx have finally announced the start of work on the Davenport Diamond Trail. For those who don’t know, this will be a large greenspace and trail under the elevated GO Train line North of Bloor. It’ll start near Wallace Ave where a public square will be built and then progress North all the way to Earlscourt Park. Work is expected to conclude in 2026 with some road and sidewalk closures along the way. Full details here.

Fancy House of the Week

How you like them apples? This week’s fancy house is 5 Harvard Ave, in Parkdale just steps away from Queen West. This place recently underwent a $900k renovation and comes with a first rate kitchen, an amazing balcony/outdoor space, and for some reason what looks like a hair salon in the basement. $3 million, check it out.

Events

If you have an event you’d like included in the West End Raccoon, please submit it here.

Thursday & Friday

Outdoor Yoga @ Bickford Park - Thursday 6PM
PWYC all-levels yoga class in the park. Details

“How the Americans Ruined Dinner” Walking Tour @ Fort Rouillé Monument - Thursday 630PM
Ring in Canada Day weekend with one of our national pastimes, complaining about The States. This walking tour will take you through the sites and stories of the American occupation of Toronto (then York) during the War of 1812. $10

CTRL SHIFT Vol 4 @ Youthful Vengeance - Thursday 7PM
Speaker series/networking event with a bunch of talks about AI and other techy stuff. $25

HPTA Annual General Meeting @ 50 High Park Ave (Clubhouse) - Thursday 7PM
"Join us for the High Park Tenants’ Association’s Annual General Meeting, to hear about the year in review, elect directors and shape priorities for the community. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Meet your neighbours over light refreshments before the 7 PM meeting." Details

Rollerskating Party @ The Bentway - Friday
You know what the hardest part about rollerskating is? Finding a good rollerskating party. Lucky for all of us there’s one at the Bentway all day Friday. Expect multiple DJs, cheap skate rentals, and some live painting. Details

Kyle Mooney @ Lee's Palace - Friday 6PM
Kyle Mooney, who you may know from his iconic SNL sketches, is in town this week for his "Real Me, Fake Me" tour. $51

Ru Paul's Drag Race Watch Party @ Three Dollar Bill - Friday 6PM
Watch party for RPDR All-Stars 10. "Get ready to gag over the sickening looks, fierce lip-sync battles, and shady drama of your favourite queens." $7

Messy's Drag Bingo @ Junction Craft Brewing - Friday 7PM
Pride edition! Lots of fun prizes. Details

Saturday

Queen West Sidewalk Sale @ HamsArt Market - Saturday 10AM
A bunch of small businesses on W Queen W participating in a sidewalk sale including some giveaways and live performances. Details

Ghostwood Market @ Parkdale Hall - Saturday 11AM
An alternative/goth market with a tons of cool vendors. "Venture through an eclectic array of vendors offering everything from vintage gothic attire, rare collectibles, handcrafted jewelry, to otherworldly art pieces." Details

Indigenous Brunch Pup-Up @ Loons - Saturday and Sunday 12PM
Loons will have Chef Charles Catchpole in the kitchen this weekend only cooking up some First Nations inspired brunches. The menu highlights include Duck Eggs Benedict with Smoked Lake Trout and Biscuits with Bison Gravy. Details

Pride Block Party @ George Chuvalo Centre - Saturday 12PM
Family friendly, free, and sober Pride party this weekend in The Junction. Includes multiple DJ sets, a drawing class for kids under 12, and pop-up vendors selling food and other fun stuff. Details

Immersive Scavenger Hunt @ High Park - Saturday 12PM
“The Hunt for the Brightwing Butterfly" is a like a scavenger hunt on steroids, complete with live performers and interactive puzzles. $29

Pride Dance Party @ Swan Dive - Saturday 10PM
Queer fronted Disco, New Wave, and Electropop dance party (no cover). Details

Sunday

Indie Market @ Youthful Vengeance - Sunday 10AM
Local artists, vendors, and live music at a trendy cafe by Ossington and Dundas. Details

Outdoor Painting and Sketching Meet-Up @ Trinity Bellwoods - Sunday 11AM
This is a group of artists that frequent local parks to paint/draw the outdoors. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Details

Toronto Pug Meet-Up @ Trinity Bellwoods - Sunday 2PM
If you have a Pug I recommend you bring them to this joyous Pug Party on Sunday. If you don't have a pug but you like watching creatures sniff each other's butts, I'd also recommend this event. Details

Rockabilly Dance Class @ Dovercourt House - Sunday 430PM
Learn how to dance the Rockabilly Jive, then stick around for a dance party following the lesson. $45

Family Trivia @ Snakes & Lattes - Sunday 5PM
This is Family Trivia in the sense that it's fun for the whole family, not in the sense that the questions are going to be "How old was Uncle Toby when he got that questionable back tattoo?". Questions for every generation, the winning table gets a prize, and everyone gets free popcorn. $33 per table

Can-Con Throwback Night @ The Piston - Sunday 7PM
Celebrate the best of our nation's history by dancing to Men without Hats, 54-40, and Corey Hart. $10

A Tribute to Brian Wilson @ Burdock Music Hall - Sunday 8PM
A ton of Toronto musicians performing a tribute to a legend. $23

Monday & Tuesday

Fringe is Funny Showcase @ Comedy Bar - Monday 730PM
The Toronto Fringe Festival starts next week, this comedy show is a taste of what you can expect. Over 20 performers from the festival will have 5 minutes on stage to convince you to see their act. PWYC

Silent Fireworks @ Fort York - Monday 930PM
A drone performance mimicking a firework show. Perfect if you want to bring your doggy as there'll be no loud noises. Details

“TURNING RED” Screening @ Revue Cinema - Tuesday 1:30PM
Canada Day screening of a Pixar coming of age movie that takes place in Toronto. $15

Canada Day Party @ Royal Canadian Legion - Tuesday 12PM
Big Canada Day bash featuring live music, door prizes, and if you're lucky some bagpipes. $23

The Roast of Canada @ Comedy Bar - Tuesday 930PM
"From our poutine to our prime ministers, our CanCon to our Convoys - nothing Great White North will be left untouched!" $20

🎵 Live Music Report 🎵

🎵 Natalie Wong & Eric St Laurent (Jazz) @ NeuLokal - Thursday 7PM
🎵 Fighting Chance (Indie) @ Burdock Music Hall - Thursday 7PM
🎵 Claire Hunter (Folk) @ Bluebird Bar - Thursday 8PM
🎵 Bonnie Trash Album Release (Done/Post-Punk) @ The Garrison - Thursday 8PM
🎵 The Beachmen (Beach Boys Cover) @ Rosario's - Thursday 815PM

🎵 Magda Baraczka & Gracie Singh (Jazz) @ NeuLokal - Friday 530PM
🎵 Tak Arukushi Trio (Jazz) @ La Rev - Friday 8PM
🎵 Ana Lia (Flamenco) @ NeuLokal - Friday 830PM

🎵 TBA (Someone) @ The Local - Saturday 2PM
🎵 Jazz Piano @ Gigli Cafe - Saturday 3PM
🎵 Peter Mathers (Spanish Guitar) @ Old Mill - Saturday 630PM
🎵 Start Run Radio (Funk) @ Steadfast Brewing - Saturday 7PM
🎵 Seu Quartet (Jazz) @ La Rev - Saturday 8PM
🎵 Live Salsa Orchestra @ Rosario's - Saturday 8PM
🎵 Josh Renegade (Punk) @ Junction Underground - Saturday 830PM

🎵 Julia Fauth & Ken Yoshioka (Blues) @ The Local - Sunday 2PM
🎵 The Steadfast Strangers (Bluegrass) @ Steadfast Brewing - Sunday 3PM
🎵 Samantha Rays (Folk) @ The Local - Sunday 9PM

🎵 Lyle Kam (Indie) @ The Great Hall - Monday 7PM
🎵 Semiah & Katya Coulton (Indie) @ Burdock Music Hall - Monday 730PM
🎵 arc, armak, and, WeTurnToRed (Mixed Genre) @ Burdock Music Hall - Tuesday 7PM

Thank you!

Thanks for reading the West End Raccoon! I hope you all have wonderful long-ish weekends.

As always, if you know a friend or family member who might be interested, please share the newsletter with them: www.westendraccoon.ca

Have a great weekend, and talk to you next Thursday!
Xavier