This summer, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is offering more than the usual outdoor events.
From citizen science with bumble bees to exploring haunted heritage sites, TRCA invites GTA residents of all ages to connect with nature, learn from experts, recharge with wellness activities, and enjoy immersive adventures with family and friends.
High school students can also earn volunteer hours while making a real impact in local conservation. Explore what’s happening near you.
FREE EVENTS
TRCA Butterfly Festival (August 23)
The TRCA Butterfly Festival is a free public event at Tommy Thompson Park celebrating the monarch butterfly as it begins its remarkable migration to Mexico. Visitors can enjoy educational activities, guided walks, and nature-themed programming that highlight the importance of pollinators and the role of urban habitats in conservation.
Date: August 23
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Tommy Thompson Park, 1 Leslie Street, Toronto, ON
Bumble Bee Watch (July 5)
Join TRCA at Claremont Nature Centre to learn how to safely catch, release, and identify bumble bees. Once trained, volunteers can contribute to Bumble Bee Watch throughout the summer. Last year’s findings included two at-risk species.
Date: July 5
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: Claremont Nature Centre, 4290 Westney Rd N, Pickering, ON
Sustainable Balcony Gardening (July 5)
Join TRCA for this workshop and discover how to turn even the smallest outdoor space into a thriving, eco-friendly garden. Learn about plant selection, containers, watering, and maintenance. Designed for older youth and adults, this beginner-friendly workshop includes a free gardening starter kit for all participants.
Date: July 5
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Rexdale Community Hub, 21 Panorama Court, Toronto, ON
Conservation Youth Corps – Peel
(July 22–24 | August 11–15 | August 18–22)
The Conservation Youth Corps (CYC) program gives Peel Region high school students the chance to volunteer for one week in July or August, assisting with hands-on conservation projects. Working in crews, participants gain outdoor experience, build teamwork skills, and can earn up to 30 community service hours through the program.
Dates: July 22–24 | August 11–15 | August 18–22
Location: Marie Curtis Park, 2 Forty Second St, Toronto, ON
ORCCR Series: Frog Watch (July 24)
Participants will learn about Ontario’s frogs and toads and how to identify them by their unique calls. The session also introduces FrogWatch, a citizen science program that monitors amphibian populations across the province.
Date: July 24
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Oak Ridges Community Center, 12895 Bayview Ave, Richmond Hill, ON
All About Bats (August 7)
Join TRCA for a family-friendly evening to learn about local bat species and how to identify them. Using special bat detectors, participants will listen for bats while exploring the area. Designed for ages 6 and up, this outdoor program welcomes children, youth, and adults.
Date: August 7
Time: 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Location: Paul Palleschi Recreation Centre, 30 Loafers Lake Lane, Brampton, ON
FAMILY-FRIENDLY EXPERIENCES
Ghosts of The Village
(July 4 | July 19 | August 1 | August 16)
Explore the supernatural side of The Village at Black Creek on this evening ghost tour. Featuring some of the city’s oldest buildings, it’s a chilling setting for real ghost stories experienced by past visitors and guides. A thrilling experience for paranormal fans!
Dates: July 4 | July 19 | August 1 | August 16
Location: The Village at Black Creek, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto, ON
Fireside at Claireville
(July 4 | July 17 | August 8 | August 14)
Experience summer evenings around the campfire at Claireville Conservation Area, a peaceful nature retreat close to home. Families can roast apples, toast marshmallows, and enjoy nature activities together. Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner, cozy up by the fire, and create lasting summer memories. Indoor washrooms are available on site.
Dates: July 4 | July 17 | August 8 | August 14
Time: 5:30 p.m to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Claireville Conservation Area, 8180 Hwy 50, Brampton, ON
Family Experiences at Kortright: Nature Experience (July 5)
Join TRCA for an immersive nature experience led by an experienced guide. Participants will explore forests, observe birds, and discover the fascinating life in and around a pond. This engaging program offers a chance to connect with local ecosystems while learning about the plants and animals that call them home.
Date: July 5
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan, ON
Alone in the Dark
(July 5 | July 18 | August 2 | August 15)
Join The Village at Black Creek for a spine-chilling, once-in-a-lifetime paranormal adventure, where intimate groups of 12 or fewer will have exclusive access to investigate haunted heritage buildings on site in the dark. Including the notorious Half Way House, known to harbour untold secrets and restless spirits!
Dates: July 5 | July 18 | August 2 | August 15
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Location: The Village at Black Creek, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto, ON
Little Saplings Parent & Tot Program (July 9)
Little Saplings is designed for children ages 1 to 5, offering weekly nature-themed activities. Each session includes circle time with songs and stories, outdoor exploration, and opportunities to connect with other families. Parent or caregiver participation is required to support young learners in discovering the natural world.
Date: July 9
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Claireville Conservation Area, 8180 Hwy 50, Brampton, ON
Team Challenge Day (July 12)
TRCA presents a family-friendly Team Challenge at Bruce’s Mill Conservation Park, featuring exciting group exercises, a forest scavenger hunt, and a race through the woods. Teams compete for the chance to become the first Champions. Bring energy and teamwork for an afternoon of fun and adventure in nature.
Date: July 12
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location: Bruce’s Mill Conservation Park Nature Centre, 3291 Stouffville Road, Stouffville, ON
Where Dark Things Dwell
(July 12 | July 25 | August 9 | August 29)
Trapped overnight in the cursed village of Black Creek, teams of four must work together to solve puzzles, uncover a powerful incantation, and stop an ancient evil from rising. Guided only by their wits and a lantern, players explore eerie grounds in a thrilling, immersive adventure set in the Middle Ages.
Dates: July 12 | July 25 | August 9 | August 29
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: The Village at Black Creek, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto, ON
Family Experiences at Kortright: Mapping and Orienteering (August 9)
This active program introduces participants to common map features such as symbols, lines, scales, titles, dates, and grids. Attendees will learn and practice essential map and orienteering skills, including how to read a map, orient it correctly, and follow a mapped route through hands-on outdoor exploration.
Date: August 9
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan, ON
Family Experiences at Kortright: Nature Experience (August 23)
Explore the outdoors through an immersive nature experience guided by an experienced leader. Participants will learn to identify trees, observe local bird species, and discover the many creatures living in and around a pond. This engaging program offers a chance to connect with nature through hands-on exploration and discovery.
Date: August 23
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan, ON
WORKSHOPS
Bees (July 5)
This hands-on workshop offers a close-up look at the world of bumble bees. Participants will explore bee biology, identification, and their ecological role, while learning about threats to their survival. Attendees will practice finding, collecting, and photographing bumble bees and discover how to contribute valuable observations to scientific research.
Date: July 5
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan, ON
First Saturday: Jewelry Making and Land-based Learning (July 5)
Join TRCA and Indigenous artisan Tanya Gluvakov for a live demonstration exploring the cultural meaning of cedar and beadwork in Indigenous traditions. Participants will create a craft inspired by traditional designs using cedar and natural materials. All materials are provided. Open to all skill levels and encourages respectful learning.
Date: July 5
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: The Village at Black Creek, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto, ON
Dragonflies and Damselflies (July 6)
Join TRCA for an engaging session on the biology, behaviour, and migration of dragonflies and damselflies, some of the world’s most ancient flying insects. Guided by an expert naturalist, participants will explore outdoor habitats, learn identification skills, and observe these striking insects in the wild.
Date: July 6
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan, ON
Butterflies of Ontario (July 12)
This session explores the life cycles, habitats, and identification of common Ontario butterflies. After an introductory classroom lesson, participants will venture outdoors at the Kortright Centre to observe and identify butterflies across diverse habitats, deepening their understanding of these vibrant insects in their natural environment.
Date: July 12
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan, ON
First Saturday: Clay Pressings (August 2)
Join Sun Raven Arts (Rhonda Lucy), a 2-Spirit Indigenous artist of Mohawk (Grand River Six Nations Territory, Wolf Clan), Finnish, and Mulungeon ancestry for a hands-on clay pressing workshop using natural materials. Participants will explore how art reflects the textures, stories, and relationships we share with the land, while engaging in meaningful conversations about nature, place, and identity through a creative lens.
Date: August 2
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: The Village at Black Creek, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto, ON
Painting Pollinator Pots (August 9)
Join TRCA at Bruce’s Mill for a hands-on workshop celebrating pollinators and the native plants that support them. Participants can paint a pot and plant pollinator-friendly seeds to take home or create a bee bath for their garden. All materials are provided. Just bring creativity and love for nature.
Date: August 9
Time: Session 1: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | Session 2: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Bruce’s Mill Conservation Park Nature Centre, 3291 Stouffville Road, Stouffville, ON
Adult Workshop: Fish Identification (August 24)
Discover the aquatic life of the Greater Toronto Area through this hands-on workshop focused on local fish species. Participants will explore fish biology, identification techniques, and the importance of healthy freshwater ecosystems. Ideal for nature enthusiasts of all levels, this program offers a deeper understanding of the region’s underwater biodiversity.
Date: August 24
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: Kortright Centre for Conservation, 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Vaughan, ON
WELLNESS
Wellness & Makers Workshops (July 25 | August 15)
Experience an evening of hypno-meditation and live mediumship at The Village at Black Creek. Hypnotherapist Melissa Cigna leads a guided meditation to foster self-love and inner strength, followed by spiritual messages from psychic medium Sandy Duncan. Participants are encouraged to bring a mat, blanket, and eye mask for comfort.
Date: July 25 | August 15
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Location: The Village at Black Creek, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto, ON