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Highlights from A Night of Spooktacular Shopping: Riverside Vintage Crawl – Halloween Edition

First off, a huge thank you to all those who came to the first ever Halloween edition of the Riverside Vintage Crawl last Thursday, October 17th.

Your continued support means so much to our BIA members and we look forward to seeing you again at our future events. 

After the success of the first vintage crawl in June, Riverside’s small but mighty group of vintage stores teamed up again for an evening of fashion, discounts, prizes and treats in the spirit of Halloween.

Here are highlights from the Riverside Vintage Crawl – Halloween Edition, courtesy of local content creator Christian Jay Quilo:

Ran’s Closet prepared buckets of candy for shoppers during the Riverside Vintage Crawl.

These racer jackets from Ran’s Closet are such statement pieces.

Spooky yet chic. Well done, Second Voyage!

The shade of orange on these pumps from Second Voyage just screams Velma Dinkley.

If you love bold, funky prints, Good Juice Box has racks of them!

This colour-blocked windbreaker from Good Juice Box instantly reminded me of Stranger Things.

Arts Market did not disappoint with their window display for Halloween.

This boxed set of horror flicks from Arts Market would be perfect for a Halloween movie marathon.

The white floor-sweeping dress from Common Sort is a head-turner for sure.

Local lager and candy, compliments of Common sort.

Check out our recap on Instagram as well. While you’re at it, follow @riverside_bia so you’re always updated on fun events we have in the neighborhood.

Would you like to see another installment of the Riverside Vintage Crawl — a holiday edition, perhaps?

Photos by Christian Jay Quilo

What’s Happening in Riverside This Halloween?

Check out this round-up of Halloween happenings in Toronto’s Riverside – from costume contests to prizes and more – our local businesses have fun surprises in store to celebrate the spooky season.

Here’s a list of special events and offerings from businesses in Riverside this Halloween:

Photo credit: Duke’s Refresher + Bar

Halloween at Duke’s Refresher + Bar

Address: 709 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1H1

Spend Halloween at Duke’s Riverside on October 31 for a night of music and movies. There will be special cocktails, a movie screening at 7pm, raffle and costume contest. The best costume gets a prize so bring your A-game!

Photo credit: The Opera House

Prism Presents: Scream From Hell

Address: 735 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1H1

Dance the night away at The Opera House on October 26 with Prism Presents: Scream From Hell. DJ lineup includes GSP, Mohammad and Manzone & Strong. Doors open at 10pm. Get your tickets here.

Photo credit: Blackbird Baking Co.

Blackbird Baking Co.’s Marbled Pumpkin Sourdough

Address: 635 Queen St E Unit 101, Toronto, ON M4M 1G4

Blackbird Baking Co. puts an autumn spin on their bestselling bread with the Marbled Pumpkin Sourdough, made with roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin puree and turmeric. This seasonal offering is only available until the end of October.

Photo credit: Prohibition Social House

Prohibition Social House Halloween Party

Address: 696 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1G9

Come in your scariest, funniest, most creative look to Prohibition Social House’s Halloween Party on October 26 at 9pm. There will be games, food, drinks and music by DJ Kwes. Prizes will be given to the best costumes. Admission is free!

Photo credit: The Broadview Hotel

Electric Evenings on The Rooftop

Address: 106 Broadview Ave, Toronto, ON M4M 2G1

Enjoy awesome music by DJ Jonathan Amar, delicious drinks and breathtaking views every Thursday in October from 7pm to 10pm at The Broadview Hotel’s The Rooftop. Outdoor heating and blankets are available for a cozy night out.

Follow @riverside_bia on Instagram to stay updated on exciting events in the neighbourhood!

Spooky Fun for The Whole Family: Riverside Halloween Fest

Spend your pre-Halloween weekend at Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood for a day of spooky, spectacular fun with the fam.

The Riverside Halloween Fest is happening on October 27 (10am-3pm) at Riverside Common Park (657 Queen St E). From face painting to free treats and a Ghost Walk, there’s something for everyone.

Here’s everything we have in store for the whole family at this year’s Riverside Halloween Fest:

Pumpkin Patch 

Grab a free pumpkin and get creative! We’ve also got cookies and cupcakes to decorate.

 

Haunted House

Come into our haunted tent for a spooky good time with playful frights and fun surprises.

Live DJ 

Get ghoulish and groovy to classic Halloween tunes with DJ Stevie Kicks. A party would not be complete without good music after all!

Halloween Treats 

We’ve got free treats from local Riverside BIA businesses that’ll cast a delicious spell.

Face Painting by Merlin and Laura

Complete your Halloween look with face art done by talented local artists.

Halloween Vendors

Shop for unique items while supporting small businesses. That’s always a win-win!

… but wait, there’s more!

Head over to Joel Weeks Park at 10 Thompson St for dog-friendly fun, including free treats, a doggy donation drive, free photobooth courtesy of Jenny & Shane Sage Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage and the main event: the Dog Costume Contest, which you can pre-register for here.

AND don’t miss the Ghost Walk from 1 PM – 2PM, Get your ticket for just $5 and experience spooky local stories, led by Shari Kasman (artist, writer, and seasoned ghost walk leader!).  The stories are all based on historical facts, but spooky fictional details will be included. Your ticket includes a snack at a local Riverside business and entry to our prize draw! Ticket proceeds to be donated to a local charity. **Walk stories are geared toward teens/ adults. Meeting spot details will be provided once you’ve purchased your ticket ️

P.S. The first 25 people to come to the BIA booth and show their ticket will get a special treat. Get your free tickets here.

Don’t miss important updates on our community events by following us on Instagram (@riverside_bia). Who’s excited for the Riverside Halloween Fest?

Stock images from Pexels and Amazon

Getting Ready for the Riverside Halloween Fest

In case you hadn’t heard, the annual Riverside Halloween Fest is coming up!

Riverside Halloween Fest is happening on October 27 (10am-3pm) at Riverside Common (657 Queen St E) and Joel Weeks Park (10 Thompson St).

It’s going to be an exciting day filled with fun activities for the whole family, from local vendors to face painting to pumpkin decorating, with lots of treats.

Before we indulge in all the Halloween shenanigans, here’s a few reminders:

Plan your day.

This year’s Riverside Halloween Fest is a big one as there are two venues, so we suggest coming early or at least planning what you want to do (especially if you want to get those free treats first) as quantities of freebies are limited.

Prepare your costumes.

Come in your spookiest ensemble! We love to see people go all out with their Halloween looks. If you don’t have a costume yet, you might find one at one of our local vintage shops Second Voyage Vintage, Common Sort, Good Juice Box Vintage or Ran’s Closet, and pick up some accessories at Arts Market.

Tell your family and friends.

Bring the whole gang. Spread the word! From pumpkins to face painting to Halloween vendors, there’s something for everyone–and it’s free admission!

Bring your dogs.

When we say “everybody is welcome”, we mean everybody. There’s plenty to do at Riverside Common, but the real fun for the pups will be over at Joel Weeks Park (10 Thompson St). Did we mention there’s going to be a dog costume contest?

Did somebody say “Ghost Walk”?!

There is even a guided Ghost Walk happening during the festival (1pm). Get your ticket for just $5 and experience spooky local stories, led by Shari Kasman (artist, writer, and seasoned ghost walk leader!).  The stories are all based on historical facts, but spooky fictional details will be included. Your ticket includes a snack at a local Riverside business and entry to our prize draw!  Ticket proceeds to be donated to a local charity. 

RSVP for any/ all of the above here:

RSVP.

Let us know you’re coming. When you pre-register, you can get event deets and other important updates straight to your inbox. Get your free tickets here.

Connect with us on Instagram (@riverside_bia) so you’re always in the loop as to what’s happening in the neighbourhood. See you on October 27!

Stock images from Pexels

Getting Ready for the Riverside Vintage Crawl – Halloween Edition

The first Riverside Vintage Crawl in June was such a hit, we’re doing another round–a Halloween edition!

On October 17 (6pm-10pm), your favorite vintage stores in Riverside will be curating clothing and accessories perfect for the spooky season.

Aside from cool vintage pieces, there will be Halloween music and refreshments as well, plus enter our Raffle in stores. Just like the first installment, the stores will also be covering the tax for all purchases made in-store during the event.

We’re all excited to go shopping but before we go on another fun night of all things vintage, we’ve got a few reminders:

Plan your Route.

Just like you did for trick or treating as a kid, but easier, since we’ve got five participating Vintage Shops within just a few blocks, you should have no problem finding and visiting them all!

Photo credit: Second Voyage Vintage

Prepare costume references.

The event is only four hours so you want to come with a mission. That means having a costume in mind, so you know what pieces to look for. A list of items would be helpful as well.

Photo credit: Pexels

Dress strategically.

Wear a jacket that’s easy to take on and off. A tank top or a t-shirt works great as a base layer so it’s easy to try on clothes. All the participating stores have changing rooms.

Photo credit: Pexels

Bring a reusable bag.

Don’t forget to bring a reusable shopping bag or two to put your purchases in, especially if you plan on doing quite a bit of shopping.

Photo credit: Pexels

Follow the vintage stores on social.

They usually post pieces they have in store, so you get dibs if you follow their accounts. Feel free to tag them during the event too!

RSVP.

Give us a heads up that you’re coming. When you sign up, you get event details, perks and promos straight to your inbox. Get your free tickets here.

Reminder to check out all participating Locations:

Don’t forget to follow @riverside_bia on Instagram for updates on the Riverside Vintage Crawl and other exciting happenings in the neighbourhood. See you on Thursday!