BizBash
  • Production & Strategy
  • Catering & Design
  • Event Tech & Virtual
  • Venues & Destinations
  • Meetings & Trade Shows
  • Sports
  • Advertise
  • Events
Topics
  • Production & Strategy
  • Catering & Design
  • Event Tech & Virtual
  • Venues & Destinations
  • Meetings & Trade Shows
  • Sports
  • Advertise
  • Events
  • Industry Buzz
  • BizBash Lists
Resources
  • On-Demand
  • White Papers & E-Books
  • Podcast
  • Magazine
  • Events
  • Awards
  • Subscribe
User Tools
Follow BizBash
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconFacebook iconTwitter X icon Pinterest iconYouTube iconTikTok
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Get Featured
  • Press Releases
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Subscribe to Magazine
Follow BizBash
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconFacebook iconTwitter X icon Pinterest iconYouTube iconTikTok
  • Production & Strategy
  • Catering & Design
  • Event Tech & Virtual
  • Venues & Destinations
  • Meetings & Trade Shows
  • Sports
  • Advertise
  • Events
  • On-Demand
  • White Papers & E-Books
  • Podcast
  • Magazine
  • Events
  • Awards
  • Subscribe

Toronto's Top 100 Events 2018 - Theater & Film Events

July 24, 2018
1. Toronto International Film Festival
1. Toronto International Film Festival

#1 Theater & Film Event
With the announcement last year that TIFF C.E.O. Piers Handling was stepping down, the city’s biggest film fest will now have two new co-heads: Cameron Bailey, promoted from artistic director, and another to be named. Bell remains the lead sponsor for this massive 11-day event that screened 340 films last year from 74 countries. Next: September 6-16, 2018

Photo: Courtesy of Bell
2. Hot Docs International Documentary Festival
2. Hot Docs International Documentary Festival

#2 Theater & Film Event
Hot Docs continued to break attendance records in 2018, its 25th anniversary, with 223,000 doc lovers screening 247 films at 16 venues over 11 days. Scotiabank returned as the presenting partner, with Netflix and Samsung also supporting the festival. Next: Spring 2019

Photo: Taku Kumabe
3. Toronto Fringe Festival
3. Toronto Fringe Festival

#3 Theater & Film Event
Cannabis company Tweed and new-on-the-scene fintech player Koho sponsored the 30th anniversary edition of the theater festival in 2018. The fest featured 160 productions seen by about 20,000 patrons, and the same numbers were expected again this year for the combination of free and ticketed performances. Next: July 2019

Photo: Colleen Yates
4. TIFF Kids International Film Festival
4. TIFF Kids International Film Festival

#4 Theater & Film Event
The family-friendly fest moved to March break this year, welcoming 15,000 kids and parents to see 100 films from more than 40 countries. Sponsors included Bell, RBC, L’Oréal Paris, and Visa. Next: Spring 2019

Photo: Courtesy of TIFF Kids
5. Dora Mavor Moore Awards
5. Dora Mavor Moore Awards

#5 Theater & Film Event
Venue availability forced the Doras to move to a smaller space this year—the Winter Garden Theatre—leaving room for only 990 acting community stalwarts at the cocktail reception, sit-down dinner, award ceremony, and dance party. Broadway’s Come From Away star Astrid Van Wieren hosted, flying in for the event on her night off. Next: Spring 2019

Photo: John Lauener
6. Toronto Jewish Film Festival
6. Toronto Jewish Film Festival

#6 Theater & Film Event (up from #7)
About 25,000 people attended this year’s cinematic celebration of Jewish culture, which showcased films from 23 countries at seven venues. Sponsors included Cineplex and the Toronto Star. New this year: the Chosen Film People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Air Transat. Next: May 2-12, 2019

Photo: Courtesy of Toronto Jewish Film Festival
7. Inside Out
7. Inside Out

#7 Theater & Film Event (up from #8)
The film festival champions innovative L.G.B.T.Q. filmmakers from around the world, screening 133 films in 11 days, slightly down from 136 last year. RBC returned as the lead sponsor, with Bell sponsoring the festival lounge. Among the highlights was a newly created, two-day finance forum. Next: Spring 2019

Photo: Lucy Lu
8. SummerWorks Performance Festival
8. SummerWorks Performance Festival

#8 Theater & Film Event
Fewer spectators were expected at this year’s 11-day curated festival of theatre, dance, music, and live art as it refocuses and scales back to 32 performances from last year’s 52. New this year: The $700 artist participation fee was waived as part of the festival’s commitment to removing barriers. TD returns as the music programing sponsor. Next: August 9-19, 2018

Photo: Dahlia Katz
9. Canadian Screen Awards
9. Canadian Screen Awards

#9 Theater & Film Event
Returning to the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in 2018, comedians Jonny Harris and Emma Hunter hosted the gala this year, where writer Margaret Atwood and broadcaster Peter Mansbridge were honored. Sponsors included CBC, Telefilm, Bell Media, Netflix, Canada Media Fund, Cineplex, and Cogeco Fund. Next: March 2019

Photo: George Pimentel
Latest in Home
Sport Beach ran for four days during the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in June in Cannes, France.
Sports
See Inside Sport Beach—The Game-Raising Activation That Had Everyone Talking at Cannes Lions
Event Space at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
New York
12 New Venues in New York for Summer 2025 Meetings and Events
WorldPride D.C. took place May 17-June 8.
Event Production & Fabrication
WorldPride DC: How Event Organizers Created a Safe Space for the LGBTQ+ Community in the Nation's Capital
Spanning several rooms of the Mercer Labs Museum of Art and Technology in New York City, a recent Don Julio experience allowed visitors to step inside tech-driven installations that were powered by cinematic projections, 4D spatial audio, and evocative scents like the warm aromas of roasted agave and rich oak. See more: See Inside This High-Tech, Multisensory Experience from Don Julio
Event Tech & Tools
Event Tech Check: Cool New Tools for Attendee Engagement, Destination Sourcing, and More
Related Stories
Nuit Blanche Toronto
Top 100 Events
Toronto's Top 100 Events 2018
1. Indy Toronto
Home
Sports Events
1. Toronto Women's Fashion Week & Toronto Men's Fashion Week
Home
Fashion Industry Events
1. Scotiabank Giller Prize Gala
Home
Media & Literary Events
More in Home
Sports
See Inside Sport Beach—The Game-Raising Activation That Had Everyone Talking at Cannes Lions
Stagwell's buzzy experience returned for a third year, its biggest build yet.
Sport Beach ran for four days during the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in June in Cannes, France.
New York
12 New Venues in New York for Summer 2025 Meetings and Events
Take a peek at these buzzworthy restaurants, hotels, meeting and event spaces, and more recently opened in New York.
Event Space at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
Event Production & Fabrication
WorldPride DC: How Event Organizers Created a Safe Space for the LGBTQ+ Community in the Nation's Capital
The massive celebration was a challenge for many reasons, but the global Pride event was still authentically D.C. Hear from organizers at Destination DC and Capital Pride Alliance.
WorldPride D.C. took place May 17-June 8.
Event Tech & Tools
Event Tech Check: Cool New Tools for Attendee Engagement, Destination Sourcing, and More
BizBash takes a deep dive into the newest tech solutions for events of all types, plus the latest must-know industry news.
Spanning several rooms of the Mercer Labs Museum of Art and Technology in New York City, a recent Don Julio experience allowed visitors to step inside tech-driven installations that were powered by cinematic projections, 4D spatial audio, and evocative scents like the warm aromas of roasted agave and rich oak. See more: See Inside This High-Tech, Multisensory Experience from Don Julio
Brands & Event Pros
Industry Innovators 2025: 10 Brands That Took Experiential Marketing to a Whole New Level
These companies broke through the noise with creative activations, events, and experiences that engaged attendees, fans, and consumers.
2025 Industry Innovators Article Image Brands
Opinion & Experts
Top Trending Stories on BizBash: June 2025
Wondering what the rest of the industry is up to? Here, BizBash offers a peek over the fence at what other event profs have been reading this month.
Hennessy returned to Gov Ball with its revamped Hennessy Highline. Festivalgoers stopped by for live mural paintings, DJ sets between performances, custom photo ops, and an interactive claw machine where fans lined up for a shot at exclusive Hennessy premiums, as well as cocktails like the Henny-Rita, Hennessy Berry Mojito, and Hennessy Pineapple. See more: Gov Ball 2025: 25+ Eye-Catching Brand Activations From the NYC Music Festival
Most Popular
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Cannes Lions 2025: 90+ Bold Builds and Big Ideas From the French Festival of Creativity
Brands & Event Pros
Industry Innovators 2025: Sephora
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
50 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Liquid I.V., Martha Stewart, Foot Locker, and More
Brands & Event Pros
Industry Innovators 2025: 10 Brands That Took Experiential Marketing to a Whole New Level
Sports
Fanatics Fest 2025: This Mega Celebration of Sports Fandom Returned For a Bigger, Bolder Second Year
Industry Insiders
Inside the Build: How Bellagio Fountain Club Delivers F1® Weekend’s Most Luxurious Hospitality Experience
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Cannes Lions 2025: 90+ Bold Builds and Big Ideas From the French Festival of Creativity
LinkedIn, Spotify, Canva, Pinterest, Meta, and dozens of other top brands showed up in a big way at the world’s most creative week. Take a look inside their splashy activations.
LinkedIn's Rooftop & Studio
Sports
Fanatics Fest 2025: This Mega Celebration of Sports Fandom Returned For a Bigger, Bolder Second Year
The second-ever Fanatics Fest was a championship-size arena where $200 million in memorabilia and countless celebrity sightings meshed with high-energy activations and experiences that nodded to the culture and swagger of NYC.
The second-ever Fanatics Fest returned to New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Center June 20-22.
Chicago
9 New Venues in Chicago for Summer 2025 Meetings and Events
Take a peek at these buzzworthy restaurants, hotels, meeting and event spaces, and more recently opened in Chicago.
The Talbott Hotel
Sponsored
The Future of Meetings Is in Cincy
Cincy is redefining what's next in meetings and events.
Downtown Cincinnati's $240 million reimagined Duke Energy Convention Center
Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships
Block Party: See How Minecraft Was Transformed Into an IRL Video Game
The popular game has been turned into an interactive in-person experience that just opened in Canada.
Visitors embark on a rescue mission with a team of fellow Minecrafters.
United States
7 Event Venues in St. Louis That Will Wow Attendees
From an architectural playground and museum to a luxury hotel, visitors are sure to be pleasantly surprised.
1. City Museum
Page 1 of 302
Next Page
BizBash
Follow BizBash
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconFacebook iconTwitter X icon Pinterest iconYouTube iconTikTok
  1. Privacy Policy
  2. CCPA: Do Not Sell My Personal Info
  3. Contact Us
  4. Site Map
© 2025 Connect Biz, LLC. All rights reserved.