Week of May 14 - 20

Summer is knocking, and this week, there's plenty to open the door for

May 14, 2026

Victoria Day long weekend is just around the corner, and if you're anything like me, you’re more than ready for the warm weather that's reportedly arriving by tomorrow.

This week feels like a proper turning point for events with the Underpass Park Farmers Market opening up its season today and a month-long city-wide dining event launching tomorrow.

Further out, the summer calendar is starting to fill up nicely, we've got a march, a happy hour, a street fest, and a night market all on the horizon. Read on below for details.

This Week:

📅 Every Thursday, May 14 – October 15
🕒 4:00–7:30 p.m.
📍 Underpass Park, 29 Lower River St (Corktown)
🎟️ Free admission

The Underpass Park Farmers Market kicks off its 2026 season today, running every Thursday rain or shine through mid-October. The market features fresh produce, prepared foods, local arts and crafts, and live music, and for our readers, the good news is that Bad Attitude Bread will have a booth on site. A great after-work Thursday ritual if you're in the east end.

📅 Friday, May 15 – Sunday, June 14
📍 35+ participating restaurants across Toronto
🎟️ No event pass required: just book a table at a participating restaurant

Toronto's first-ever city-wide climate-smart dining festival kicks off tomorrow, running for a full month in the lead-up to Toronto Climate Week (June 1–7). Organized in collaboration with Toronto Climate Week, Zestyplan, and the Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank, Sustainalicious brings together 35 local restaurants to serve special plant-based and climate-conscious dishes throughout May and June. At the end of the event, organizers will publish a report tracking the total greenhouse gas savings generated by participants.

Fully vegan and plant-forward spots on the lineup include:

Sushi Momo, Stefano's Diner, Bar Avelo, Bellona Kitchen, Hawker, Taqueria Vegana, Bad Attitude, Tsuchi Cafe, Saigon Lotus, and more…


(Event details are accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of publishing. Events are intended to be vegan, but details may change, please confirm directly with the organizer if you have specific concerns.)

Product of the Week

Each week, I share a vegan product I personally use or trust. Some links are affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely stand behind.

The entire lineup is 100% plant-based, gluten-free, and free of artificial preservatives, genuinely good food for the trail.

Use our link and you'll get 25% off your entire order.

⭐ Spotlight: Nomad Nutrition Meals: Indian Red Lentil Stew: a fully vegan, 100% plant-based dehydrated adventure meal, made right here in Canada.

Camping season is officially on the horizon, and Nomad Nutrition is one of the best things to happen to vegan adventurers who refuse to compromise on what they eat in the backcountry. Their Indian Red Lentil Stew is a hearty, flavourful dal-inspired meal made with red lentils, potatoes, carrots, coconut milk, and warming spices. It cooks in about 15 minutes with just boiling water, and packs 24–26g of protein per serving.

Worth Noting:

Vegan Spring Fest Cancelled

Unfortunately, Vegan Spring Fest,which was scheduled for this week, May 16 at Ashbridges Bay Estate, has been cancelled. It's a disappointing loss for what would have been a welcome outdoor celebration heading into the warmer months, and it means Toronto's vegan community will be without a dedicated festival until the Vegan Night Market launches at Balmy Beach Park in June.

The AVA Summit is coming to Toronto for the first time next week, and it's a significant moment for the Canadian animal advocacy community. Held at the Sheraton Centre (123 Queen St W), the four-day conference brings together advocates, campaigners, researchers, funders, nonprofit teams, and policy actors from across North America and beyond to focus on high-impact strategies for farmed animals. It's worth being upfront: this is a professional conference with a price tag to match, and it's not designed as a casual public event. That said, if you work in or are serious about animal advocacy, the access to global experts, funders, and fellow organizers in one place makes it genuinely worthwhile if it's within your budget. Important deadline: day passes will no longer be available after May 20, so if you're considering going, now is the time to act. The Summit also serves as the backdrop for the Toronto Animal Rights March on May 24: a free public event that closes out the weekend and is open to everyone.

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On The Horizon:

*(more info will come closer to the dates)

  • Toronto Animal Rights March 2026

    📅 Sunday, May 24, 2026
    📍 Meet at 123 Queen St W (across from the Sheraton Hotel)

    An annual march through downtown Toronto, this year serving as the closing event of the inaugural Animal & Vegan Advocacy Summit. Gathering begins at 2:30 p.m. with the march stepping off at 3:30 p.m.; the route is expected to take no more than two hours.

  • Climate Week Kickoff Happy Hour

    📅 Monday, June 1, 2026
    🕒 6:00–8:00 p.m.
    📍 Wishbone Animal Rights Lab – The Lab Vegutainment Centre, 108 Dundas St W
    🎟️ Suggested donation $5 (pay what you can)

    A mocktail happy hour hosted by VegTO to kick off Toronto Climate Week, featuring sustainable bites from Sau Bake (Brazilian street food) and So Daam (Korean-inspired dishes), plus an all-Canadian sober bar with drinks priced at $5. Hosted at Wishbone's Vegutainment Centre; optional dress code for fun — come as your favourite season.

  • Do West Fest

    📅 Friday–Sunday, June 5–7, 2026
    📍 Dundas St W, from Shaw St to Lansdowne Ave (Little Portugal)
    🎟️ Free admission

    Toronto's unofficial start to summer when 16 blocks of Dundas West go car-free for a weekend of live music, local food vendors, art, and community programming. Good Rebel has confirmed they will be bringing their vegan grill to the fest, serving up BBQ vegan chicken legs with their signature ranch drizzle.

  • Vegan Night Market

    📅 June 18 (with additional dates July 16, Aug 13, Sept 10)

    📍 Balmy Beach

    More details expected closer to the date.

Do you have a business or event that you think should be listed? Email us at [email protected] to submit a request.