This September, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) offers everyone across the GTA the chance to attend exciting events, learn from hands-on workshops, and participate in engaging volunteer opportunities.
Much of our programming is completely free and family-friendly, making it easier than ever to reconnect with nature in the Toronto region.
FREE EVENTS
TRCA Adventures of Salmon
Explore the incredible journey that salmon in the GTA make each fall, as they travel upstream to spawn.
Visit interactive booths to learn about the various species of salmon, their life cycle and migration, and the work TRCA is doing to help salmon thrive in our local waters.
Take a self-guided tour along the Highland Creek trail and see if you can spot salmon as they “jump” upstream to spawn!
Date: Sunday, September 22, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Morningside Park, 390 Morningside Avenue, Scarborough
Get Into The Meadoway: Saving Seeds
Discover one of Canada’s most exciting greenspace revitalization projects!
Join TRCA and the Toronto Master Gardeners to find out why The Meadoway matters and how it will transform the landscape for people, plants, and wildlife.
You’ll also learn the art of saving seeds from native species, and collect seeds to take home and help re-wild your own community!
Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: The Meadoway (Thomson Memorial Park), 1005 Brimley Road, Toronto
Adult Nature Walk: Wellness Walk
Spending time in nature has been shown to have a positive impact on both mental and physical well-being. Enjoy a leisurely stroll, taking time to slow down, connect with the natural world, and learn to cope with and manage stress.
Date: Friday, September 20, 2024
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan
Gardening for Birds, Butterflies, and Beyond
Helping the environment starts in your own backyard. Learn how to attract and protect native pollinators, such as Monarch butterflies and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, with beautiful landscape features. Participants will receive free gardening fact sheets and guides.
Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Downsview Park, 70 Canuck Avenue, North York
Birds in Our Neighbourhood: Fall Solstice Guided Nature Walk
Join TRCA and our partners for an educational outing around Alex Robertson Park! This family-friendly event is perfect for bird enthusiasts of all ages and those simply looking to enjoy the first day of autumn outdoors.
Learn to identify common and intriguing bird species by their calls, colors, and behaviours, and discover fascinating facts about their habitats and migration patterns.
Date: Sunday, September 22, 2024
Time: 7:00 to 9:30 a.m.
Location: Alex Robertson Park, 700 Sandy Beach Road, Pickering
Adult Nature Walk: Tech-Savvy Nature
TRCA will introduce digital literacy skills as participants explore potential smartphone applications that can be used for nature interpretation and community science initiatives.
Date: Monday, September 23, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan
Reconciliation Walk & Indigenous Art Trail
Join TRCA to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Gather for a day of contemplation and learning. Follow the self-guided Reconciliation Walk created by True North Aid to learn more about the Residential School system.
View art installations created by local and Indigenous artists, take part in reflection and art-based activities, and consider how you can follow the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action.
Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Black Creek Pioneer, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS FREE EVENT
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Event – Heart Lake Conservation Park
TRCA and the Four Colours Drum Circle invite you to attend a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation gathering at the Medicine Wheel Garden in Heart Lake Conservation Park in Brampton.
Together we will wear orange shirts to commemorate the Children of the Residential Schools and offer prayers of healing to all families affected.
Date: Monday, September 30, 2024
Time: Ceremony commences at 5:00 p.m.
Location: Heart Lake Conservation Park, 10818 Heart Lake Road, Brampton
FAMILY FUN
Fall Festival at Black Creek Pioneer Village
Embrace the changing of the seasons at Black Creek Pioneer Village. Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and tastes of fall.
Participate in a vegetable judging contest, enjoy autumn-themed crafts, marvel at the talents of our amazing travelling medicine man, and more.
Date: Saturday, September 21 & Sunday, September 22, 2024
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Black Creek Pioneer, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto
Family Experiences at Kortright: Nature Experience
Explore and learn about the natural world through an immersive nature experience. Guided by an experienced leader, learn about trees and birds, and discover the myriad creatures that live in a pond.
Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024
Time: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan
Honey Harvest Festival
Join us at Kortright Centre for a celebration of this ever-popular pollinator. Enjoy entertainment, tour Kortright’s Bee Space, meet a beekeeper, taste honey, and much more!
Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan
ADULT WORKSHOPS & ACTIVITIES
Enchanta Village
Come to Black Creek Pioneer Village for an enchanting evening of strolling entertainment, fantasy art, a fully licensed bar, a vendor market, and more.
Date: Friday, September 27 & Saturday, September 28, 2024
Time: Starts at 5:00 p.m.
Location: Black Creek Pioneer Village, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto
Community Fall Planting in The Meadoway
Fall in love with The Meadoway this autumn! Learn all about this exciting greenspace revitalization project, and help plant native wildflowers and grasses in the meadow to support birds, bees, butterflies, and beyond!
Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024
Time: 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: The Meadoway (Wexford Park), 51 Singleton Road, Scarborough
Nature’s Canvas: Painting by the Creek
Painting by Judith Jewer
Let’s relax and make some art! This workshop combines forest therapy with outdoor art, as participants engage in a mini mindfulness practice before setting up their easels and painting the creek! Come enjoy the sights and sounds of nature’s art, while making your own!
Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Claremont Nature Centre, 4290 Westney Road North, Pickering