Calendar of Events

January, February, March, and April are dominated by trade shows, such as the International Boat and Automobile shows, Metro Home Show, Outdoor Adventure Sport Show, and more. For information, call Tourism Toronto (tel. 800/499-2514 or 416/203-2600; www.torontotourism.com).

For an exhaustive list of events beyond those listed here, check http://events.frommers.com, where you'll find a searchable, up-to-the-minute roster of what's happening in cities all over the world.

January

Winterlicious, citywide. Baby, it's cold outside, but Toronto's restaurants really know how to heat things up. More than 100 of the city's finest eateries offer prix-fixe lunch menus for C$20 (US$19/£9) and dinner menus for C$35 (US$33/£16). Visit www.toronto.ca/special_events for a complete listing. Late January through early February.

February

Chinese New Year Celebrations, downtown. 2008 is the Year of the Rat. Festivities include traditional and contemporary performances of Chinese opera, dancing, music, and more. For Harbourfront celebration information, call tel. 416/973-3000 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com; for the Rogers Centre, call tel. 877/666-3838 or check www.rogerscentre.com. The New Year starts on February 7.

Winterfest, Nathan Phillips Square, Yonge and Eglinton, and Mel Lastman Square. This 3-day celebration spreads over three neighborhoods. It features ice-skating shows, snow play, midway rides, performances, ice sculpting, arts-and-crafts shows, and more. For information, call tel. 416/338-0338 or visit www.toronto.ca. Usually around Valentine's Day.

Toronto Festival of Storytelling, Harbourfront. Now in its 30th year, this event celebrates international folklore, with 60 storytellers imparting legends and fables from around the world. For information, call tel. 416/973-3000 or check www.harbourfrontcentre.com. Last weekend of February.

March

Canada Blooms, Metro Toronto Convention Centre. At this time of year, any glimpse of greenery is welcome. Canada Blooms treats visitors to 2.5 hectares (6 acres) of indoor garden and flower displays, seminars with green-thumb experts, and competitions. For information, call tel. 416/593-0223 or visit www.canadablooms.com. Usually the second week of March.

St. Patrick's Day Parade, downtown. Toronto's own version of the classic Irish celebration. For information, call tel. 416/487-1566. March 17.

April

Blue Jays Season Opener, Rogers Centre. Turn out to root for your home-away-from-home team. For information, call tel. 416/341-1000 or visit www.bluejays.ca; for tickets, which usually aren't too hard to get, call tel. 888/654-6529. Mid-April.

The Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. This festival presents the plays of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries, as well as modern works. Call tel. 416/690-7301 or 905/468-2172, or visit www.shawfest.com. Mid-April through October.

Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children, citywide. 2008 marks the 11th anniversary of this movie event, which screens more than 100 movies from 29 countries. Call tel. 416/968-FILM, or visit http://sprockets.ca for details. Mid-April.

Total Heath Show, Metro Convention Centre. Founded in 1975, this 3-day event organizes panels and events with medical professionals, authors, alternative practitioners, organic farmers, and local chefs to talk about public and personal health issues. For information, call tel. 416/924-9800 or visit www.totalhealthshow.com. Mid-April.

Sante -- The Bloor-Yorkville Wine Festival, Yorkville. This 4-day gourmet event brings together award-winning Ontario vintages, food by top-rated chefs, and live jazz. For information, call tel. 416/504-3977. Last weekend in April.

May

CONTACT Toronto Photography Festival, citywide. This annual month-long event shows the work of more than 500 Canadian and international photographers. For information, call tel. 416/539-9595 or visit www.contactphoto.com. May 1 to 31.

Milk International Children's Festival, Harbourfront. This is a 9-day celebration of the arts for kids, with everything from theater and music to dance, comedy, and storytelling. For information, call tel. 416/973-3000 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com. Usually starts on Mother's Day (second Sun in May).

The Stratford Festival, Stratford, Ontario. Featuring a wide range of contemporary and classic plays, this festival always includes several works by Shakespeare. Call tel. 800/567-1600 or 416/364-8355, or check www.stratfordfestival.ca. Early May through October.

Doors Open Toronto, citywide. This weekend event invites city residents and visitors alike to tour some of Toronto's architectural marvels. Some of the more than 150 participating buildings aren't normally open to the public, and all are free of charge. Call tel. 416/205-2670 or check out www.doorsopen.org. Late May.

Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, citywide. Toronto has no shortage of film festivals, but Inside Out, now in its 18th year, is unique. This 11-day event has nurtured plenty of new talent and supported many established artists. Call tel. 416/977-6847 or check out www.insideout.on.ca. Late May.

June

Harbourfront Reading Series, Harbourfront. Now in its 34th year, this festival celebrates the best of Canadian literature. Participating authors read from their most recent works. For information, call Harbourfront at tel. 416/973-3000; for tickets, call tel. 416/973-4000 or go to www.harbourfrontcentre.com. Readings go on through most of June.

North by Northeast Festival, citywide. Known in the music biz as NXNE, the 3-day event features rock and indie bands at 28 venues. For information, call tel. 416/469-0986 or visit www.nxne.com. June 12 to 15, 2008.

Distillery Blues Festival, Distillery District. Toronto shows that it's got soul in this 3-day festival of Canada's best blues musicians. The event is free; no tickets are required. For information, visit www.distilleryblues.com. Second weekend in June.

Toronto International Festival Caravan, citywide. This popular 9-day event is North America's largest international festival. It features more than 40 themed pavilions, craft demonstrations, authentic cuisine, and traditional dance performances by 100 cultural groups. For information, call tel. 416/977-0466. Usually the third and fourth weekends of June.

Symphony of Fire, Ontario Place. This international fireworks competition is set to music and draws two million people to the waterfront. Six shows take place, on several Saturdays and Wednesdays. For information, call tel. 416/442-3667; for tickets for waterfront seating, call tel. 416/870-8000. Mid-June through July.

Taste of Little Italy, College Street between Euclid and Shaw streets. Restaurants, craftspeople, musicians, and other performers put on displays during this 2-day festival for the entire family. For information, call tel. 416/531-9991. Mid-June.

International Dragon Boat Festival, Centre Island. More than 160 teams of dragon-boaters compete in the 2-day event, which commemorates the death of the Chinese philosopher and poet Qu Yuan. For information, call tel. 416/595-1739 or visit www.dragonboats.com. Third weekend in June.

Pride Week & Pride Parade, citywide. Celebrating Toronto's gay and lesbian community, Pride Week features events, performances, symposiums, and parties. It culminates in an extravagant Sunday parade, one of the biggest in North America. For information, call tel. 416/92-PRIDE or 416/927-7433, or visit www.pridetoronto.com. Late June.

Downtown Jazz Festival, citywide. This 10-day festival showcases international artists playing every jazz style -- blues, gospel, Latin, African, traditional -- at 60 venues. For information, check out www.tojazz.com. Late June.

July

Canada Day Celebrations, citywide. July 1, 2008, marks the nation's 141st birthday. Street parties, fireworks, and other special events commemorate the day. For information, contact Tourism Toronto (tel. 800/363-1990 or 416/203-2600; www.torontotourism.com). Weekend of July 1.

Summerlicious, citywide. It's just like January's Winterlicious event, except that you can dine alfresco. The prix-fixe menus (C$20/US$19/£9 lunch; C$35/US$33/£16 dinner) are the best deal around. Visit www.toronto.ca/special_events for a complete list. First 2 weeks of July.

The Fringe -- Toronto's Theatre Festival, citywide. More than 90 troupes participate in this 10-day festival of contemporary and experimental theater. Shows last no more than an hour. For information, call tel. 416/534-5919 or visit www.fringetoronto.com. First week of July.

Celebrate Toronto Street Festival, Yonge Street. First staged in 1998, this block party is set up along the world's longest street. The festivities are set up in five areas (usually Yonge's intersections with Dundas St., Bloor St., St. Clair Ave., Eglinton Ave., and Lawrence Ave.) and include live music, jugglers and stilt-walkers, amusement-park rides for kids, and plenty of food. Visit www.toronto.ca/special_events for a listing of performers and events. Mid-July.

Grand Prix of Toronto, the Exhibition Place Street circuit. Still known by its original name, the Molson Indy, this is one of Canada's major races on the IndyCar circuit. Away from the track, you'll find live music and beer gardens. For information, call tel. 416/922-7477 or visit www.grandprixtoronto.com. Third weekend in July.

Beaches International Jazz Festival, Queen Street East between Woodbine and Beech avenues. Both local and international jazz artists turn out for this annual festival, which plays out over 9 days. All of the performances are free. For information, visit www.beachesjazz.com. Late July.

Caribana, citywide. Toronto's version of Carnival transforms the city. It's complete with traditional foods from the Caribbean and Latin America, ferry cruises, picnics, children's events, concerts, and arts-and-crafts exhibits. Call tel. 416/465-4884 for more information, or check www.caribana.com. Late July through early August.

Jump Up! -- One of the undisputed highlights of summer in Toronto is the annual Caribana festival. Created in 1967 as a community heritage celebration to tie in with Canada's centennial, Caribana has become North America's largest street festival, drawing more than a million visitors from North America, Britain, and the Caribbean each year. Originally based on Trinidad's Carnival, the festival now draws on numerous cultures -- Jamaican, Guyanese, Brazilian, and Bahamian, to name a few -- for its music, food, and events.

During the 2 weeks that it runs, you will see the influence of Caribana around the city. It starts with a bang (literally, as there are steel drums involved) at Nathan Phillips Square in front of Toronto city hall, with a free concert that features calypso, salsa, and soca music. In the days that follow, there are boat cruises, dances, and concerts; the King and Queen Extravaganza, which showcases some of the most amazing costumes you could hope to see; and an arts festival. The highlight is the Caribana Parade, which brings together masquerade and steel-drum bands, dancers, and floats in a memorable feast for all the senses. This is one party you just can't miss.

August

Festival of Beer, Fort York. More than 70 major Ontario breweries and microbreweries turn out for this celebration of suds. There's also a wide selection of food from local restaurants, as well as live blues, swing, and jazz music. For info, call tel. 416/698-7206 or visit www.fortyork.ca. First weekend in August.

Canadian National Exhibition, Exhibition Place. One of the world's largest exhibitions, this 18-day extravaganza features midway rides, display buildings, free shows, and grandstand performers. The 3-day Canadian International Air Show (first staged in 1878) is a bonus. Call tel. 416/393-6000 for information, or visit www.theex.com. Mid-August through Labour Day.

Tennis Masters Canada/Rogers AT&T Cup, National Tennis Centre at York University. These two international tennis championships (the former is for men, the latter for women) are important stops on the pro tennis tour. In 2008, the men play in Toronto and the women in Montréal. In 2009, they'll swap. For information, call tel. 416/665-9777 or visit www.tenniscanada.com. Mid- to late August.

September

Toronto International Film Festival, citywide. The stars come out for the second-largest film festival in the world. More than 250 films from 70 countries are shown over 10 days. For information, call tel. 416/968-FILM or log on to www.torontointernationalfilmfestival.ca. Early September.

PGA Tour Canadian Open, Glen Abbey Golf Club, Oakville. Canada's national golf tournament (tel. 905/844-1800) has featured the likes of Greg Norman and Tiger Woods in recent years. First or second weekend of September.

Word on the Street, Queen Street West between Simcoe Street and Spadina Avenue. This street fair celebrates the written word with readings, discounted books and magazines, and children's events. Other major Canadian cities hold similar events on the same weekend. For information, call tel. 416/504-7241 or visit www.thewordonthestreet.ca. Last weekend in September.

Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour, Muskoka region, Ontario. This 2-day arts festival invites travelers to visit the studios of local artists and craftspeople. For information, check out www.muskoka.com/tour. Late September.

October

Oktoberfest, Kitchener-Waterloo, about 1 hour from Toronto. This famed 9-day drinkfest features cultural events, plus a pageant and parade. For information, call tel. 519/570-4267 or visit www.oktoberfest.ca. Mid-October.

International Festival of Authors, Harbourfront. This renowned 11-day literary festival is the most prestigious in Canada. It draws more than 100 authors from 25 countries to perform readings and on-stage interviews. Among the literary luminaries who have appeared are Salman Rushdie, Margaret Drabble, Thomas Kenneally, Joyce Carol Oates, A. S. Byatt, and Margaret Atwood. For information, call Harbourfront at tel. 416/973-3000; for tickets, call tel. 416/973-4000 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com. Third weekend of October.

Toronto Maple Leafs Opening Night, Air Canada Centre. Torontonians love their hockey team, so securing a ticket will be a challenge (assuming that the NHL is playing this year . . . ). For information, call tel. 416/216-1700; for tickets, call tel. 416/872-5000 or visit www.torontomapleleafs.com. Mid-October.

The Old Clothing Show & Sale, Exhibition Place. Everything from Jazz Age flapper frocks to Austin Powers-like '60s suits, all under one roof. For information, call tel. 416/410-1310. Third weekend of October.

November

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and Royal Horse Show, Exhibition Place. The 12-day show is the largest indoor agricultural and equestrian competition in the world. Displays include vegetables and fruits, crafts, farm machinery, livestock, and more. A member of the British royal family traditionally attends the horse show. Call tel. 416/393-6400, or check www.royalfair.org for information. Mid-November.

Santa Claus Parade, downtown. A favorite with kids since 1905, it features marching bands, floats, clowns, and jolly St. Nick. American visitors are usually surprised that the parade's in November, but it's better than watching Santa try to slide through slush. For information, call tel. 416/249-7833 or visit www.toronto.ca. Third Sunday of November.

One-of-a-Kind Craft Show & Sale, Exhibition Place. More than 400 crafts artists from across Canada display their unique wares at this 11-day show. For information, call tel. 416/960-3680 or visit www.oneofakindshow.com. Last weekend in November through early December.

Cavalcade of Lights, Nathan Phillips Square. During this holiday celebration, lights decorate trees in and around Nathan Phillips Square, parties and performances take over the skating rink, and ice sculptures decorate the square. Visit www.toronto.ca for more information. Late November through December 31.

Canadian Aboriginal Festival, Rogers Centre. More than 1,500 Native American dancers, drummers, and singers attend this weekend celebration. There are literary readings, an arts-and-crafts market, and traditional foods. Call tel. 519/751-0040, or visit www.canab.com. Last weekend in November.

December

First Night Toronto and New Year's Eve at City Hall. First Night is an alcohol-free family New Year's Eve celebration. There are a variety of musical, theatrical, and dance performances at downtown venues. In Nathan Phillips Square and in Mel Lastman Square in North York, concerts begin at around 10pm to usher in the countdown to the New Year. Visit www.toronto.ca for more information. December 31.