Toronto Easter Parade &
Weekend Celebration 2023

Toronto Easter Parade & Weekend Celebration 2023

Easter in Toronto is a massive affair as the city shakes off the cold and the snow and welcomes the Spring season with gusto, including the world’s largest Easter Parade.

Visiting Toronto, stay in the heart of the city’s gay district in Church-Wellesley Village. Consider the Anndore House, a “Fabulous” rated 4-star hotel with large rooms and just steps from the city’s nightlife.

The Easter Parade

• April, 9th, 2023 – The Parade is held on Easter Sunday and begins at 2:00 pm sharp and runs for approximately two hours. It starts on Queen Street at Munro Park and proceeds west along Queen Street, ending at Woodbine Ave. More than 50,000 people watch the Parade, which features colourful characters, marching bands and floats.

The Toronto Passion Play

• One of the celebration’s highlights is the annual Toronto Passion Play hosted by the Christian Performing Arts Centre. The event is held in the Church on the Queensway on Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.
• The Toronto Passion Play features more than 70 actors, singers, and dancers depicting the life of Jesus Christ. The production values are high, and the event comes complete with live orchestras, dazzling lights, and other special effects. No matter your religious beliefs, the play is very moving and attracts more than 15,000 spectators annually.

Gay Easter events in Toronto

• A lot can happen in Church-Wellesley Village on the weekend, and all of the bars and clubs will host special Easter themed parties and events throughout the weekend. Make sure you grab some Easter brunch in the village before the start of the Sunday parade. Glad Day hosts Canada’s longest-running Drag Brunch every weekend with a new drag guest. Note, the bars fill up fast once the Parade ends. The endpoint of the Parade is a 20-minute drive from the gay village.
• Start your Easter in Woody’s, a focal point of the village for decades and dance at nearby brother bar, Sailor. For something light and fun, catch a weekend drag show at Crews & Tangos; for something a little heavier, try Black Eagle, Toronto’s original leather and cruise bar. They also host a fun Sunday BBQ. From mid-afternoon to 9 pm, the party takes place at an upstairs patio.
• Stay at the Kimpton St. George Hotel, just minutes from Toronto’s gay Easter parties. It has a Fabulous rating, charming rooms and high-end amenities.

Toronto’s gayborhoods can be found spread out over CHurch Street and Ossington Av. Here are the hotels we recommend that have good reviews and keep you close to all the action

Church Street Hotels, Best Western,    Courtyard by Marriott,

Ossington Ave Hotels, Gladstone Hotel,    The Drake Hotel,    Hotel Ocho     Hyatt Regency.