Cheap Canada Day Celebrations

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6 places recommended by m8ven

OurFaves Deal Seekers from Scarborough

Created on Jun 30 2009

Toronto's city strike closed down many Canada Day festivities tomorrow, but there are still plenty of things to do to celebrate the True North Strong and (especially) Free. Take a look at my top six spots for the best deals and events on our fave statutory holiday...Special note: TTC offers a $9 Day pass for up to six people, as well as discounted admission to TO attractions for Metropass holders.

Ontario Place

955 Lake Shore Blvd W, Toronto, ON, M6K3B9

Rated this place:

posted Oct 2 2008

Note: Looking for fireworks? Included in the cost of admission (less than $20) is access to the Canada Dry Festival of Fire. Spend the day with the kids, then enjoy the evening extravaganza at 10:30pm with musical accompaniment by Canadian artists.

2 events-for-1 price date idea: The only entrance ticket you should buy is for the Chinese Lantern Festival, which not only allows you to see amazing displays and cool cultural performances (like a girl juggling chairs and a huge urn with her feet), but also includes entrance to the CNE. Buy the festival tickets in the day to get into the CNE and end the date with an evening at Ontario Place, where they also have food kiosks (ha! Mandarin!) if you crave Asian cuisine. ETA: I just found out it's free AFTER 6pm! Be forewarned!

Art Gallery of Ontario

317 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON, M5T1G4

Rated this place:

posted Nov 28 2008

Note: There is an advantage to having Canada Day fall on a weekday. Use the free admission to see the architectural additions from the inspired mind of Frank Gehry. Open until 8:30pm, you can climb the winding wooden staircase at the back of the gallery and catch a spectacular view of the city.

Cheap entertainment: I love it for being open to everyone and having kickass exhibitions (I missed Andy Warhol and was very sad). They are also free Wednesday nights.

Yonge-Dundas Square

40 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M5G2C2

Rated this place:

posted Nov 28 2008

Note: If you aren't tired of hearing "Thriller" for the past week and missed the flash moonwalk mob at Yonge-Dundas, then you should come here from 8-11pm for "Michael Jackson: A Toronto Tribute & Canada Day Celebration". Three straight hours of MJ's music for free. See their Facebook group for more info.

Place to buy theatre tickets at half-price: There's a special booth where you can buy tickets for half-price for certain shows, like Evil Dead The Musical, Spamalot and Dirty Dancing. We paid $35 each for $70 seats, whatta bargain! BUT you must attend the show the day of purchase, and when you make your transaction, you receive vouchers (not tickets) that reserve your seats. Then you exchange these vouchers at the theatre/venue for real tickets.

Mandarin Restaurant

88 Copper Creek Drive, Markham, ON, L6B 0P2

Rated this place:

posted Feb 24 2009

Note: Word on the web has been running for a while about this, but if you haven't heard, I've got two words: FREE BUFFET. Show your Canadian citizenship (passport, birth certificate) to any Mandarin location for a free meal. Beware of long lineups.

Same place, better service: My boyfriend and I love coming here because it's just like every other Mandarin but with faster service since it's fairly new. The servers are practically perched and ready to fill your glasses with water or to clear your plates. Come here any night and don't worry about any long lineups. Another perk: fancy hand dryers in the bathroom!

Exhibition Place

200 Princes' Blvd, Toronto, ON, M6K 3C3

Rated this place:

posted Jun 30 2009

Note: Want to be able to enjoy Ontario Place's fireworks without paying for it? Come to the 43rd Annual CHIN International Picnic from noon-11pm and see the show for free. The cast of Jersey Boys will also be there as well as plenty of shopping.

A gateway to summer fun: The towering, graceful archway that marks the entrance to Exhibition Place brings to mind the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In the summer, it's surrounded by swarms of buzzing pedestrians and automobiles as the host of a number of annual summer celebrations that include Canada Day fireworks, concerts, Indy races and CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) festivities. For out-of-town guests, it is more than the place to go for photo ops -- it's the spirit of our city.

Royal Ontario Museum

100 Queens Pk, Toronto, ON, M5S2C6

Rated this place:

posted Jun 30 2009

Note: Check online for tickets and grab your chance for the once-in-a-lifetime exhibit to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. The museum will definitely be open, but time slots can fill up quite quickly. Don't expect to show up and find that tickets will be there.

Art, culture, history: Never has there been a more exciting time to visit the ROM than now. In 2007, it proudly touted its award-winning addition of the Michael Lee-Chin crystal that juxtaposed sharp, angular architecture (think urban jungle meets Superman's Fortress of Solitude) against a mishmash of classical elements that included Gothic gargoyles and carvings. Today, you can revel in even more eye candy from renovations that have taken place over the years alongside fascinating exhibits, from dinosaurs to a simulated bat cave. Fifty-percent discounted rates await you on Fridays.

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