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Harbourfront Centre
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Performing Arts, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
235 Queens Quay WToronto, ON M5J 2G8
Neighbourhood: Harbourfront
(416) 973-4000
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 11 pm
Sun 10 am - 9 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
21 reviews for Harbourfront Centre
20 reviews in English
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Review from Jon R.
2/23/2012
After an enjoyable time at the Hockey Hall of Fame, we took the Exhibition Streetcar from Union to the entrance of the Harbourfront Centre. By doing some research, I found that there were plenty of Family Day activities, and I was excited to bring my niece, nephew, and fiancée for some free family fun.
We first had a difficult time finding exactly where all of the attractions were. We entered the Queen's Quay Terminal, which was dead da-dead da-dead. Basically a shopping mall with no one in it on a Sunday afternoon of a holiday weekend. We scrambled a bit to figure out where the fun was, but finally figured out it was in the York Quay Centre instead. We walked towards the water, and were on our way.
As we went out to the harbour, we immediately saw where all the fuss was. People were walking all over the waterfront (it was a pretty warm +3C for February and beautifully sunny). The ice skating rink was overrun with happy Canadians skating about. We decided not to go for that, and instead wandered inside the York Quay Centre to find the free activities.
We first wandered to the Junkestra, an assortment of recycled goods which were hung on a large wall, which kids (and adults alike) can come up and strike. All together the wide variety of timbres and people playing on their own made quite the blissful cacophony.
Next, we went to the Brigatine Room where they had a large tent with a replica of aurora borealis inside. They gave us a short Inuit story to read to the kids as we sat under the dancing lights. Its sweet simplicity allowed for us to cooly relax in what was otherwise a very stimulating day.
After that, my fiancée went with my niece to make buttons while I took my awesome hockey nut nephew to make a hockey mask. They had glitter (though he respectfully chose not to use any) and a wide assortment of markers to create the mask. He made a cool Penguins mask to go along with the Marc-Andre Fleury goalie stick he bought from the HHOF gift shop. At the button spot, kids could cut out pictures from magazines and put them together in artistic ways to make buttons. How neat! We only participated in 4 of the 18 free activities at the Harbourfront that day and amused ourselves for a few hours!
After the Harbourfront's Family Day fun, I kept thinking about how different this would have been if it were happening in my home, New York City. It certainly would not have been free, but I also feel like it would have been a much bigger production. Professional buttons, real hockey masks not just made of paper, and a laser aurora borealis show with video and surround sound audio. But this was truly simple. It allowed for my niece and nephew's imaginations to soar. It was so sweet in its simplicity, it seemed much more real and from the heart rather than commercially motivated. It captured the kind of free, imaginative fun I will be looking for when I someday have children. What a great city, Toronto must be, in which to raise a family. -
Review from Jason B.
8/29/2011
This is probably the most lively spot to hit on the Toronto waterfront.
Its beautiful, outdoor, and the entertainment is free! There are sometimes street performers along the boardwalk, such as a magician or a human statue, or you might catch some live music or a film at the outdoor amphitheatre.
In fact, there are free cultural live music shows in the summer... a different theme every weekend! Also in the summer, there is an outdoor island-style flea market, a food tent, a bar, and a number of restaurants each with patio's along the water and on either side of the harbour.
If you go during one of the food festivals, you might be able to try some celebrity chef cooking! And you might find they have even closed down Queen's Quay for the festival.
In the winter, there is free skating with DJ'd music. There are outdoor art exhibits and there's a film festival theatre indoors. Its fairly touristy... but what do you expect?
Tip: The best Second Cup is right there on the water. -
Review from Denise S.
Gotta give props to the Harbourfront Centre for always keeping things interesting, diverse, and FREE!!
I discovered the Harbourfront Centre in high school when I came for the Canada Day celebrations and found out about their summer weekend festivals (e.g. Hot & Spicy Food Fest, Francofete, Iranian Fest, Ritmo y Color, etc.). Always bustling with energy and lots of performances (music, dance, theatre) as well as cooking demos, a market area, crafts for the kiddies, film screenings, art exhibits, etc. Where else would I have the chance to see Indonesian shadow puppets or try a free flamenco class? I have been to some awesome free outdoor concerts here over the years, including Feist, Esthero, K'Naan and Patrick Watson. The programmers and curators here really do a great job.
Most people probably only come here in the summer, but there's also a lot going on year-round. Some things I have checked out included Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations, Vegetarian Food Fest, International Festival of Authors (Douglas Coupland gave a talk about Marshall McLuhan), Ontario Dance Weekend (every January). The skating rink is nice in the winter and on selected Saturdays there's a DJ! Admittedly, it's much quieter (sometimes dead) in the off-season, but it rewards anyone willing to explore.
You can definitely come here and make a day out of it. The gift shop has some great stuff and then there's the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery next door. Food options are the only thing that is a bit weak... There's the nearby Queens Quay Terminal that has a Sobey's, Il Fornello, and Watermark Irish Pub. In the summer, the best thing is to just grab something from one of the stands (e.g. churros!) and have a picnic, possibly on H20 beach.
For free cultural happenings and Canadian content, the Harbourfront Centre can't be beat! -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
10/5/2011 3 photos
I have not been to Harbourfront Centre ever until this Summer. It is a little out of the way for me since I live in the Suburbs. But with all the events they held this Summer, I decided to make the trek down.
Nice to walk around when the weather is nice. Live entertainments, exhibitions and events every week during summer.
I think I would come down more often next year if there are more interesting events. -
Review from Angelo T.
6/18/2011
When I visited T.O. a year and a half ago, I got a chance to walk around and explore the Harbourfront. For a weekday, there wasn't much to check out save for a couple of galleries and shops, but I did get a chance to go on a complimentary boat tour.
One the weekend I was blown away at how the whole area came alive. There were more market vendors to check out, as well as some street food to get my sticky fingers into. Not to mention the thick variety of Torontonians wandering about the area enjoying the weather and culture. The stories I could tell about the characters I met those days...
The concerts here were awesome! It just makes me wish I lived in TO considering most of my fav bands are based in this city alone and nearly all of them have had several shows in this place. -
Review from Tanya N.
5/23/2011
Love Harbourfront especially in the spring & summer. While there's events, classes, exhibits throughout the year I personally think it's the best in the spring and summer as they have the outdoor market with food, clothing and trinket stands - not too mention free samples from companies.
I love that every weekend in the summer there's always some sort of festival or event to bring people out to enjoy. The Harbourfront folks seem to put in their best efforts to make the place entertaining and the weekend festivities are free! Fun and free, can't be beat!Listed in: Getting Cultured
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Review from Mila F.
Vaughan, ON
6/18/2011
I love this place!
Amazing location right on the lake, great festivals and activities and all FREE!
Plus in the winter you can skate at Harbourfront FREE!
I have gone there so many times and even when I just sit and relax I have fun.
Thankyou Harbourfront, for always providing a great atmosphere for everyone! -
Review from Alaine H.
7/27/2011
Beautiful views. People watching. Relaxed atmosphere. What's not to love?
I came to the Harbourfront Centre twice, once late at night with one of my dancers and we walked around a bit before heading back. The view of the moon was gorgeous - it reflected upon Lake Ontario.
I came back to the Harbourfront Centre on a night they were doing a free film screening of Paris Je'taime (22 short films filmed in Paris). It was amazing! Everyone around me had a great time. I enjoyed the free screening. Most of the people were Torontonians and I felt for a brief moment one of them while sitting there watching the films. -
Review from Fabiano P.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2010
The Harbourfront Centre, a place that I heard about since I came to Toronto 2 months ago, but since I was always busy, didn't have the chance to go there.
Well finally on Sunday I got my schedule organized and went there to see the mexican Dead Party festival. I have to say that I got way more impressed by the harbourfront centre than for the festival, but that's natural, since the festival was just a small event compared to the place itself.
I want to go their again at the summertime, have a nice day walking around and drinking a good beer, watching the sunset, that's one of the nice places I found in this beautiful and gigantic city.
Other reason to go back there is that I didn't see even a half of the attractions, just the beauty of the place. So, check-ins will be here for sure!
FP. -
Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
1/8/2009
I love Harbourfront in the summer. Love, love, love. They have great free events in the summer -- tons of concerts with actual big name bands and performances.
It's a gorgeous place to take a walk, but is obviously much cooler than the rest of the city since it's close to the lake. If you're dying of heat in the summer, head over to the Harbourfront for a walk and you'll cool down in no time. Plus they've got some great parks for kids to play and it's just an all-around fun place to be.
Note for bikers: They've got some great bike paths around the area so take advantage of them and explore! -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
1/11/2009
I love Harbourfront Centre and what they offer, but so much more could be done year-round to attract a buzz and consistent pedestrian traffic.
In the summer, it's fantastic. Programs run daily, with many free weekly movies (Run Lola Run, Monsoon Wedding) and concerts (Ladytron and Ohbijou) held in the waterside performance space. Though the seats are slightly uncomfortable, it's a fabulous way to spend a warm summer's night with all types of people, not just the scenesters who are obsessed with whatever's on offer. My other favourite pasttime there involves the cooking demos, after which you can indulge in $2 sampler meals. Yum. In fact, I can't think of another place in Toronto where I've gotten so much free, quality entertainment.
Whoever's in charge of their summer programming, I give you some serious kudos.
BUT... You'd think that with so many people living down in Harbourfront condos, there'd actually be a bustling community to support activity in the winter: everyone seems to stay inside or drive everywhere come November/December. I don't know if it's a chicken-and-egg scenario, but sometimes I think if there were way more activities in the winter, people would actually come out. Sure, they've got the Natrel skating rink and some indoor performances here and there, but beyond that, ??.
At the same time, on a strictly neighbourhood sense, I do love it in the winter and come out for a walk every week. There's NOBODY around except for random old men and families/tourists skating in the Natrel rink. It's a quiet, eerie, and magical walk, if you can brave the cold.Listed in: Free and cheap hangouts in…
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Review from Amanda A.
Toronto, ON
7/27/2009
I love the Harbourfront Centre. I know I'm in for a good day if the sky is clear and I have plans to go there.
I've lived in the GTA my whole life, but I honestly think I enjoy the boat tours here more than visitors. The best one is Shark Attack - its the bright yellow speed boat you'll see zipping along and blasting music. It's about $20 per person, and an hour and a half long tour. The boat slows down at points for the tour guide to point out interesting facts and even to go through the bird sanctuary, which is pretty cool. The boat speeds up and goes pretty fast - so you actually go pretty far. Its awesome.
There are great areas to just hang out and enjoy our short-lived summer weather. There's a stand that sells fresh fruit cups, this always hits the spot. I've never eaten from the food tent - but there are a lot of international foods that smell amazing.
There's a little outdoor patio restaurant there. I can't remember the name, but I'd like to review that seperately. It's overpriced in my opinion. Skip it, and take a walk north in the city for better choices.
There is a small shopping centre here. Its not much, but its nice to have the opportunity to go inside and cool off for a while. I think there is a food court on the 2nd level.
There are lots of festivals, concerts, etc. here that are great. I wish all of Toronto's festivals were held here.
My only (small) issues is that I do feel most things (food, tours, etc) are overpriced here. Also, I feel like its missing... something. I wish I could tell you what, but I wish there was something else to do in the area. I'm cool with just hanging out, but when I bring visitors I wish I had something else to show them.Listed in: Toronto's Best Spots of the…
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Review from Vanessa G.
Toronto, ON
10/28/2008
I work in the terminal building right next to Habourfront Centre and I have to say, I feel great coming to this area day in and day out. It's right on the lake and provides a majestic view of the city.
I always see tons of ads posted for different events, authors fair, science days for kids, holiday celebrations of all kinds. They also have boat tours, cruises, kayak and canoe rentals during the warmer months.
Unfortunately, they also have tourists prices for everything - the shops in my building are exorbitantly over priced and the gifts stores nearby are clearly robbing visitors to Toronto. Il Mercato as well as some other resto lounges are located in the building - but I wouldn't come here for a meal.
Harbourfront Centre is beautiful and it's worth it to stop by, check out the sights and sounds and the view. I would advise against shopping or eating here as you'll pay too much and there are TONS of other places in the city to do both of these activities. -
Review from Robin D.
9/7/2010
Weather was really windy when I went, but it was still nice. There was a Jewish event going on with music and booths selling variety of goods.
Harbour front itself is nice + the festive atmosphere the centre gives makes it a nice place to chill. There is also a Tim Hortons, Second Cup, and Starbucks nearby if you need your fix of coffee too. -
Review from Ayesha A.
5/30/2010
Fun for the whole family.
I can't imagine Toronto without Harbourfront Centre.
I grew up going there for....everything!
Summer camps, March Break camps, School visits, festivals.
Even now I go for at least a few summer festivals every year.
It's fun for the entire family and almost every event is FREE!
Yes that's right, free! -
Review from Mozart A.
Whitby, ON
7/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
What do you do when a vending machine eats your money at 11:30 PM of a holiday and there is surprisingly no information sticker/note on the machine about how to proceed when it happens?
1) Talk to the customer service / management on the day after to know how the refund system works
2) Wander around in the dark searching for a security guy, even though there's no security issue
If your answer was 1, congrats, you would get your money back in 99% of the occasions - except if this machine is located at the Harbourfront Centre.
Since the machines on this place astonishingly don't carry any instructions on how to proceed when they keep your money and don't give you what you've purchased - something I've never seen before - I decided to do what it's always expected, talk to the people who manage the location.
I called them this morning to know how the refund works and the lady told me right away that I should have looked for a security officer. Since I didn't do that I would have to get there in person until 5PM to get my money back because they could only process that in the same business day. After explaining to the lady that it wouldn't work for me - I would waste at least an hour of work that's worth way more than $2 only to get my $2 back - and asking if tomorrow would be OK, she directed the call to the security office.
(Note: why do they have this ridiculous rule of "only in the same business day" in place? What prevents me from going there any day and tell them I lost some money that day?)
The security lady told me the same thing. I asked her why is it my fault that the machine ate my money and nowhere was posted that I should talk to the security instead of taking the regular measures - requesting a refund to the management - and she interrupted me very rudely saying that my last resort was to call the phone that was posted on the machine and deal with the company myself. When I told her that there was no phone posted on the machine, the response was "look for PepsiCo International on the internet and call them".
For the Harbourfront Centre's crappy refund system for their vending machines, and for the absolute lack of help and excess of rudeness of their customer service, I bestow them their first crappy review. Enjoy! -
Review from Lynda W.
Toronto, ON
9/5/2008 2 photos
I heart Harbourfront! Right by Lake Ontario, this area is absolutely beautiful and lively. From performers, to restaurant patios, people jogging and rollerblading and not to mention festivals galore!
Unlike a lot of places in downtown toronto, Harbourfront is the meca for artsy, cultural and some of the friendliest people in this city. I love going down here in the summer and walking along the boardwalk. Also the festivals are great - I especially love the Hot n Spicy food fest and the veggie food fest (happening this weekend - Sept 5-7).
Definitely a place worth checking out. 5+ stars! -
Review from Brad C.
9/5/2008
I only went here while I was in Toronto for the weekend so I'm not sure if it is always like this... the air show was also going on that day. With that said it felt like tourist central, it was packed! I could barely walk around at times without someone bumping into me. Sure I was a tourist and I was there and I guess if I was a tourist in Chicago I would probably go to Navy Pier even tho it sucks - so I get why there were so many people around but still - not fun when dealing with the crowds.
On the plus side It was really nice to walk on the boardwalk and I'm sure its a lot better when its not packed and the view of the water is beautiful and I did get a few good skyline shots. So go when its not crowded and it would probably be better. -
Review from Walter P.
8/19/2008
Extremely magical during the winter. This is a joy to visit during Christmas time! Decorations filled the pier sides as songs of Christmas Carols can be heard from shop to shop. If you can bear the snow, there's a spectacular ice skating arena filled with families and couples. I don't ice skate, but I found it amazing to be in another world where the locals have embraced the beauty of snow. I was reminded of the Charlie Brown Christmas special where all the kids were gliding around, chasing each other, and laughing. One of my favorite moments was watching the snow flakes fall from the sky. I'd never seen snowflakes so closely and it amazed me to see the intricate star patterns. I would catch a few on with my fingertips and watch them melt quickly before my eyes. I even tried to take pictures, but with a cheap 35mm camera I had no luck. These tiny things are a must see in person.
I have to say that I can't remember the name of the restaurant, where I had my first candle light dinner in Toronto. If I ever find that business card, I'll be sure to Yelp it. All I remember was the hot meals and intimate dining space that allured couples to celebrate candle light moments there. Ending a perfect dinner would be the opportunity to walk the Harbourfronte and stop along the side shops for a hot beverage.
Walter P Trip Advisory:
- Dress accordingly to avoid the cold winds. This is definitely an outdoor venue nearby Lake Ontario. Bring gloves and a winter hat.
- Parking: I suggest taking a cab. This gives you every excuse to relax and have that extra glass of wine.Listed in: Toronto - Canada's Hollywood
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Review from Michael S.
Toronto, ON
5/3/2010
What would Toronto be without the Harbourfront Centre? An amazing variety of cultural event all year long ... I personally love their "ethnic events" during summer ... They also offer amazing summer camps for kids btw.. Sign up for their newsletters to not miss any of the events.
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