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Free Activities at This Year’s Riverside Halloween Fest

In case you didn’t know, the Riverside Halloween Fest will be back on Sunday, October 25th (11am-3pm) at Joel Weeks Park (10 Thompson St)!

This year, we’ve prepared plenty of free activities for the whole family to enjoy. Check out all of the fun and FREE activities at the 2026 Riverside Halloween Fest (while quantities last!):

Pumpkin patch and pumpkin decorating

Cupcake decorating and cotton candy

Henna and face painting

Crafts by Riverside BIA and Queen/Saulter Library Branch

Halloween beats by DJ Stevie Kicks

Photo credit: D&A Creative Toronto

Painting on canvas by D&A Creative Toronto (12-3pm)

Photo credit: Robot Dog Activations

Robot Dog Activations and selfie station (1-3pm)

Halloween market with local vendors

There will also be giveaways, local raffle and more! On top of that, there’s also the Dog Costume Party (12-2pm) and the Queen Street East Candy Crawl (3-4pm) — click on the hyperlinks to know more. It’s going to be a spooktacular afternoon in Riverside this Sunday!

Don’t forget to follow @riverside_bia on Instagram and check the Riverside Blog regularly for updates. In the meantime, get your FREE tickets to the Riverside Halloween Fest by clicking on the RSVP button below!

This programming is made possible thanks to funding support from the Transit Construction Mitigation Fund of the City of Toronto and Fed Dev Ontario. This programming is also funded and coordinated by the Riverside BIA.

New in the Neighbourhood: Lunaris Vision

Riverside, it’s time for a clearer perspective. Located at 779 Queen St E in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood, Lunaris Vision is championing the importance of healthy vision while bringing chic eyewear to the East End.

Inspired by her grandfather’s humble beginnings as an entrepreneur, Dr. Monica Udaykumar dreamed of having her own independent practice — Lunaris Vision, which officially opened its doors just this month, is a realization of that dream.

“I want the community to know that Lunaris Vision is dedicated to helping people with their eye health. Healthcare can sometimes feel scary so I want to provide people with a safe and friendly environment,” says Dr. Monica. 

Lunaris Vision puts an emphasis on patient education and empowering people to take care of their eyes. The clinic specializes in dry eye treatment, using state-of-the-art technology such as intense pulsed light (IPL) and radiofrequency (RF) therapy. 

Aside from eye care services, Lunaris Vision also carries a curated selection of eyewear. From classic specs to funky frames, try on styles from independent brands like Masunaga, Eyevan, Anne & Valentin, Orgreen, just to name a few.

“Riverside is a unique neighbourhood. It feels homey here and I feel a sense of community. This is the type of neighbourhood where I would like to put down roots and stay a long time,” says Dr. Monica. Welcome to the Riverside family, Lunaris Vision!

You can find more information about Lunaris Vision’s services and how to book an appointment here. Follow @lunarisvision on Instagram for updates!

Don’t forget to follow @riverside_bia on Instagram and check the Riverside Blog regularly so you’re always updated on new businesses in the neighbourhood!

Photo credits: Riverside BIA

Queen Street East Costume Parade & Candy Crawl: All You Need To Know

After a long hiatus, the Queen Street East Costume Parade & Candy Crawl is back!

Happening as part of the 2026 Riverside Halloween Fest on Sunday, October 25th, the Queen Street East Candy Crawl (3-4pm) is a fun guided parade that will take costumed participants along Queen St E sidewalks, dropping by participating businesses to grab some free Halloween candy.

No tricks here, just treats! Here’s everything you need to know about the much awaited return of the Queen Street East Costume Parade & Candy Crawl:

How It Works

In their Halloween costumes, participants will be visiting select Riverside businesses along Queen St E to get free Halloween treats from our lovely BIA members.

Pre-registration for a free ticket via Eventbrite is required. After clicking on “Reserve a spot”, select “3-4pm Queen St E Candy Crawl & Costume Parade”, finish the checkout process and you’re all set! 

Sign up for the Queen Street East Costume Parade & Candy Crawl HERE.

Where To Meet

Participants of the Queen Street East Candy Crawl will get together at 2:45pm at Joel Weeks Park’s iconic squirrel sculpture (10 Thompson St). Wem you arrive, just approach a Riverside BIA team member/event volunteer to be checked in.

What To Expect

The Queen Street East Costume Parade & Candy Crawl will start at 3pm and take about an hour. The final stop will be at Glass House Garden Centre and Cafe (771 Queen St E), where the program will culminate with Spooky Story Time hosted by the Queen/Saulter Library Branch.

We highly encourage bringing your own bag for the Queen Street East Candy Crawl OR grab a Halloween bucket from us, courtesy of Riverside’s local Tim Hortons. Limited quantities!

Also, we will be doing a quick raffle draw. There will be (3) winners of local gift cards so be sure to stay ‘til the end!

Important reminder: Be sure to check in at the meeting point so you are entered into the raffle.

This year’s Riverside Halloween Fest has quite the line-up of free activities and programming. Read the blog post linked below for a preview:

BLOG: Riverside Halloween Fest is back October 25th! What’s Happening This Year?

Don’t forget to follow @riverside_bia on Instagram and check the Riverside Blog regularly for updates on the Riverside Halloween Fest and our other upcoming events! 

In the meantime, get your FREE tickets to the Riverside Halloween Fest by clicking on the RSVP button below!

This programming is made possible thanks to funding support from the Transit Construction Mitigation Fund of the City of Toronto and Fed Dev Ontario. This programming is also funded and coordinated by the Riverside BIA.

Riverside BIA Blog is among Best Toronto Blogs to Follow in 2026

This year, the Riverside BIA Blog is #30 in FeedSpot’s 45 Best Toronto Blogs to Follow in 2026!

This prestigious list includes Toronto Star, Toronto Life, Narcity Toronto, Curiocity Toronto, Daily Hive Toronto, among other amazing local blogs and media outlets. 

We are in great company, to say the least!

Over the years, the Riverside BIA Blog has been an outlet for us to highlight and share Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood; the local businesses, community events, our milestones. 

Catch our Riverside BIA Community Pop-up every Wednesday this October & November 4th at 1pm by the LOCAL sign (771 Queen St E)!

We would like to take this chance to thank all of you who take the time to read the Riverside BIA Blog and discovering what our humble neighbourhood has to offer.

We look forward to many more years of showcasing Riverside through this wonderful platform. Once again, thank you to FeedSpot for the recognition!

You know the drill: follow @riverside_bia on Instagram and check the Riverside Blog regularly so you’re always updated on what’s new and happening in Riverside!

FeedSpot is an RSS Reader that lets you subscribe to blogs, news sites, and any website you want to keep up with.

Riverside Halloween Dog Costume Contest: Are you ready to paw-ty?!

Bring your pups and their spookiest costumes to Riverside on Sunday, October 25th for the Riverside Dog Costume Party, taking place at Joel Weeks Park (10 Thompson St) from 12-2pm!

Register your dog for the Dog Costume Party (see below), or just come and watch the fun!

Happening as part of the annual Riverside Halloween Fest, the Dog Costume Party is a Riverside Halloween tradition where dogs get to show off their adorable costumes and have fun!

Who’s up for the barkin’ good time in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood? Here’s everything you need to know about the Dog Costume Party:

Registration Details

To join the Dog Costume Party, registration is required prior to the event or on site by noon. All dogs are welcome to participate in the parade, however, only the top 3 finalists will be voted on by our judging panel. Register your dog for the Dog Costume Party HERE.

Event Program

See schedule for the Dog Costume Party below. Please be guided accordingly:

12pm – Check-in begins for registrants

1pm – Start of costume contest and dog parade

2pm – Finalists and winners are announced; group photo and acknowledgements

Awards & Prizes

There will be two awards to be given away for the Dog Costume Party:

  • Best Costume – show us why your pup is the top dog
  • Best Pair – dog + human(s) costumes

Winners will win doggy prize packs from local businesses — and barking rights! 

Free Dog Treats 

We’ll be giving away free treats to all the doggos. Best to arrive early as they come in limited quantities.

Free Photo Booth

Have a photo taken by Pawelec Photo and immortalize your 2026 Riverside Halloween Fest experience with your dog at our free photo booth.

Robot Dog Activation

If you love robotics, check out the Robot Dog demo (inside the basketball courts) and see it do fun tricks!

With a stacked agenda, this year’s Riverside Halloween Fest is shaping up to be quite the event. For a preview of all the exciting activities, read the blog post linked below!

BLOG: Riverside Halloween Fest is back October 25th! What’s Happening This Year?

Don’t forget to follow @riverside_bia on Instagram and check the Riverside Blog regularly so you don’t miss updates on our events! 

In the meantime, get your FREE tickets to the 2026 Riverside Halloween Fest by clicking on the RSVP button below!

This programming is made possible thanks to funding support from the Transit Construction Mitigation Fund of the City of Toronto and Fed Dev Ontario. This programming is also funded and coordinated by the Riverside BIA.