Blog

Getting Ready for Riverside Dog Lovers’ Market 2025

In case you missed our announcement, the annual Riverside Dog Lovers’ Market will be back for its fourth run on Sunday, September 21st, 2025 (11am-4pm) in Riverside Common Park and Joel Weeks Park.

The 2025 Riverside Dog Lovers’ Market is co-hosted by the Riverside BIA and Toronto Dog Moms, with support from our friends at Toronto Humane Society, Dirty Pawz Dog Wash and Sparky’s Comrade.  

With Riverside Dog Lovers’ Market less than a month away, we’ve got a few reminders for you to make sure you have a paw-sitively good time:

Spread the word.

At this party, everybody is welcome! Tell your family and friends—and your dog’s friends! The Dog Lovers’ Market is also a great opportunity to meet not only fellow dog owners but also amazing entrepreneurs from all over the city. Your dog might even make a new friend or two.

 

Prepare your dog’s necessities.

Ready the essentials, from food and water to leash and poop bags. Throw in an emotional support plushie and a cute outfit to wear for the Vintage Photo Booth. The Dog Lovers’ Market is a rain-or-shine event, so be sure to dress and pack for all types of weather.

Come with a plan.

While the Dog Lovers’ Market runs for five hours, two venues and 40+ vendors might be a lot to cover if you’re pressed for time. To make the most out of your visit, we recommend making a note of the things you plan to shop or do at the event and hit the ground running.

Connect with us on social.

If you want a teaser into what’s happening during Dog Lovers’ Market, be sure to follow @riverside_bia and @torontodogmoms on Instagram as we’ll be posting updates regularly in the coming days.

RSVP and let us know you’re coming.

If you click on the RSVP button above, you’ll receive pre-registration links for a complimentary enrichment session with Sparky’s Comrade and the affordable microchipping service by the City of Toronto’s Chip Truck straight to your inbox.

As with all events of our Riverside C’Mon! series, the Dog Lovers’ Market is free and open to all. You can get your FREE tickets here.

Who’s excited for the 2025 Dog Lovers’ Market? Exciting vendors, fun activities and cool freebies await you and your furry best friends on September 21st!

Photos by Riverside BIA

The 2025 Riverside Dog Lovers’ Market is organized and hosted by the Riverside BIA and Toronto Dog Moms, along with friends Toronto Humane Society, Dirty Pawz Dog Wash, and Sparky’s Comrade.

Caribbean Street Food Festival 2025: All You Need to Know + Getting Ready

The rich, vibrant flavours of the Caribbean are coming to Riverside! Join us on Sunday, August 31st (11am-7pm) for the Caribbean Street Food Festival, hosted by Jamaican Eats and Riverside BIA and happening at Riverside Common (657 Queen St E).

Here’s a sneak peek of some of fun activities happening at Caribbean Street Food Festival — plus, some pre-event reminders:

Ode to the Patty

Are you a patty poet? A flaky-crust fanatic? It’s time to pay tribute to Jamaica’s golden treasure. Join the Ode to the Patty contest and drop your best five to seven lines of lyrical love. The flakiest, most flavourful patty ode takes the top prize!

Amazing Race

We’re looking for dynamic duos to take on the Amazing Race, where you’ll skip, hula hoop, answer Caribbean trivia and compete for awesome prizes. Grab your bestie, sibling, parent or anyone who’s up for an island-style adventure! To enter, simply send an email with your names to caribbeanfoodguide@gmail.com with “Amazing Race” in the subject line. A big prize package awaits the winning duo.

Curry Goat Showdown

Canned, patois (with goat meat straight from Jamaica) or ol’ time country curry goat? You be the judge. Email caribbeanfoodguide[at]gmail.com with “Curry Goat” in the subject line.

Trivia Game

Think you know the Caribbean? Prove it! Test your knowledge of island history, culture, music, and style in this fun, fast-paced trivia game. Awesome prizes are in store for the sharpest minds and quickest answers.

Paint the Caribbean

Drop in, pick up a brush and let your imagination run wild. Channel island vibes, play with bold colours and take your masterpiece home when you’re done. No experience needed. Just bring the vibes! This activity is free.

Now, let’s get ready for the Caribbean Street Food Festival:

Wear the right outfit.

The Caribbean Street Food Festival is a rain-or-shine event so be sure to dress for all kinds of weather — we all know how unpredictable summer weather can be.

Make a plan.

If you’re unfamiliar with Caribbean food, we recommend doing a bit of research and listing down things you want to try as there will be a lot of food to choose from at the Festivalival.

Help us spread the word.

Tell your family, friends, classmates, neighbours — everybody! It’s not a party without good company, after all. The Caribbean Street Food Festival is free and open to all!

Bring your appetite.

Come hungry, of course. The Caribbean Street Food Festival is all about celebrating the best of island flavours, including patties, curry goat and so many more delicious dishes!

RVSP to the event. 

Do you want event information straight to your inbox? Simply sign up HERE or click the RSVP button below to get your free tickets to the Caribbean Street Food Festival! 

Be sure to follow @riverside_bia on Instagram for updates on the Caribbean Street Food Festival. See you all at Riverside Common on August 31st!

Photos courtesy of Jamaican Eats

‘Riverside Love, Underneath the Moon’ Mural by Jasmine Vanstone

‘Riverside Love, Underneath the Moon’

Location: 3 Munro Street

This mural by artist Jasmine Vanstone (IG @articulately_jasmine) is a love letter to community life, interconnection, and the small wonders that root us.

About the Art

This is a love letter to community life, interconnection, and the small wonders that root us. Inspired by the story of Joel Weeks and the revitalization of the park in his name, this work transforms memory into a vibrant ecosystem where joy, growth, and care thrive. A basketball eclipses the moon, fireflies float into constellations, and gardens bloom with life, both human and more-than-human. It is a place of play, rest, stewardship, and remembrance. Through bold colour and lyrical imagery, the mural invites viewers to imagine what’s possible when we tend to one another in public space.

About the Artist

Jasmine Vanstone (she/her) is a Jamaican-Canadian multidisciplinary artist who inspires and amplifies marginalized voices through arts mentorship, community arts programming, and public art. She experiments in various mediums such as collage, murals, poetry, and paper crafts to share visual reflections of identity, wellness, and the natural environment. Jasmine’s talent, along with the power of mentorship, has earned her awards and features at CBC Arts, DesignTO, Nuit Blanche, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, YZD, and Pearson Airport. Most recently, Jasmine received the JAYU Arts For Human Rights Award and co-founded Verse & Visual Expressions to amplify equity-deserving artists in their interdisciplinary creative collaborations across poetry and visual art. More: www.jasminevanstone.com | IG @articulately_jasmine)

Kudos to our partners in art!

Sincere gratitude to the artists Sagal (@sagal.duale), Morgan Velasquez (@pioquez), and Amirah Star who assisted the installation of this mural. Thank you to the City of Toronto Outside Mural & Street Art Program for financial support to make this public art project possible. Thanks to the Riverside BIA for project coordination and community liaison support, and thanks to Oma Chiropractic and Wellness for providing the wall space for public art.

Mural in Riverside by Jasmine Vanstone

Mural by Jasmine Vanstone at 3 Munro St, Toronto in Riverside neighbourhood

The mural plaque for Jasmine Vanstone's mural at 3 Munro Street

The mural plaque at 3 Munro Street

 

 

“Waters That Wander” Mural by birdO

Waters That Wander by birdO

Location: 4 Boulton Ave

This mural by Jerry Rugg (@jennyrugg) a.k.a. birdO celebrates the Don River’s winding past through the lens of one of its quiet architects: the muskrat. You can find it on the north-facing wall of 4 Boulton Ave in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood.

About the Art

This mural celebrates the Don River’s winding past through the lens of one of its quiet architects: the muskrat. A symbol of adaptability and balance, it is shown amid local plants and food sources that sustain river life. The imagery is bold and imaginative, inviting children and families to pause, wonder, and reconnect with the stories of nature woven into Toronto’s landscape.

About the Artist

Jerry Rugg aka birdO is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto. While his surreal geometric animals can be found on canvas, in digital print, and installation, birdO is primarily known for his large-scale mural work on walls and buildings around the world. Jerry’s long passion for the arts, his storied experience working in film, and the skills acquired as an award winning graphic designer, have all contributed to his approach, which focuses on an acute awareness of the surface and studious preparation with regard to local culture and surroundings.

Kudos to our Partners in Art

Thank you to the City of Toronto Outside Mural & Street Art Program for financial support to make this public art project possible. Thanks to the Riverside BIA for project coordination and community liaison support, and thanks to Amber Kitchen for providing the wall space for public art.

“Waters That Wander” Mural by birdO at 4 Boulton Ave

Close up of the Mural Plaque with artist statement, bio and thank you and recognition

 

What’s Happening at Afraspektion 2025 at Riverside Common Park – August 17!

Get ready for a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity, and community! On Saturday, August 17 from 2 PM – 7 PM, Riverside Common Park (657 Queen Street East) transforms into the ultimate stage for Afraspektion 2025, presented by Oddside Arts and the Riverside BIA.

The afternoon kicks off with an opening ceremony and an interactive drumming activity that will have everyone moving. Be dazzled by the traditional Rwandan dancing of Amarebe Cultural Troupe, the infectious rhythms of Pan Fantasy Steelpan, and the high-energy spectacle of Moko Jumbie Stilt Walkers.

Moko Jumbie Stilt Walkers.

Join in on the fun with Superhero Pictionary hosted by fan-favourite cosplayers WonderWoman905, TrinidadianSuga, and Cosplay Q, then groove to the beats of DJ Ace Dillinger. Watch Chef Lee in action during a live cooking demo, and don’t miss the fierce artistry of the House of Monroe ballroom performance.

TrinidadianSuga

Chef Lee

All day long, guests can get a custom sketch by artist Zaina Bovell or add some sparkle with face painting by Najla Nubyanluv.

Free admission – come celebrate, dance, and create lasting memories at Afraspektion 2025!

More About Afraspektion:

August 1, 2021, was the first time that Canada officially (according to Parliamentary Motion) recognized Emancipation Day, when the Slavery Abolition Act was enacted in 1834 to free enslaved Africans and their descendants in colonies of the Caribbean, Africa, South America and Canada.

Afraspektion is a way to celebrate and highlight the contributions and creativity of the Afrodiaspora, and honour the legacy of African Canadians. Afraspektion features family friendly entertainment, art, a curated market, music, and activities.

Afraspektion is curated by Queen Kukoyi and Nico Taylor of Oddside Arts and co-hosted by the Riverside BIA.

We acknowledge and thank for their support of Afraspektion 2025:

  • The City of Toronto’s Cultural Festival Funding Program
  • Hullmark
  • Ontario Arts Council
  • Toronto Arts Council
  • Government of Canada Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative
  • Scadding Court Community Centre