Toronto
#1 Festival & Parade
The monthlong celebration—culminating in the 38th Pride Parade—brought together some 2.6 million revelers, expanded southward to Dundas Street this year, and included a Wellness Zone with vendors and exhibits. LiveNation sponsored the new Pride Toronto app, TD returned as a sponsor, and Lyft debuted as a sponsor. Next: June 2019
Calgary
#2 Festival & Parade
Great weather helped drive attendance in 2018 to almost 1.3 million—the second-highest ever. New draws at this urban rodeo included sidesaddle racing and North America’s tallest and longest multi-point zip line. BMO Bank of Montreal and Cenovus continued their support of kids’ day and family day, respectively. Next: July 5-14, 2019
Toronto
#3 Festival & Parade (up from #4)
More than 1.2 million partiers—including a growing number in the under-35 demographic, plus plenty of Americans—took in the Carnival and the Grand Parade this summer. E-commerce app Peeks returned as the presenting sponsor and Caribbean Airlines was a new sponsor. Next: Summer 2019
Quebec City
#4 Festival & Parade (up from #5)
There were more than 500,000 visits to the world’s biggest winter carnival in 2018, with over 200 activities to keep participants warm and busy. New additions included the Sap Tap Bar and a strength and fitness test for kids. The Loto-Québec Zone was home to the famed Ice Palace and Via Rail increased its sponsorship this year. Next: February 1-17, 2019
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
#5 Festival & Parade (new to the list)
Southwestern Ontario goes Bavarian for nine days every October, with about 700,000 beer-and-bratwurst aficionados eating 20,000 pretzels and 50,000 sausages from the tapping of the first keg to the closing ceremonies. Oktoberfest celebrates 50 years in 2018 and Erdinger Weissbrau, a Bavarian beer, is a new sponsor. Next: October 3-15, 2018
Ottawa
#6 Festival & Parade (new to the list)
Numbers were down in 2018 due to 2017’s amped up "Canada 150" celebrations and a heat wave in the capital. About 250,000 patriotic people visited the city and 48,000 attended festivities on Parliament Hill. New this year: celebrations started one day early, with family events and circus shows at Major’s Hill Park. Sponsors included President’s Choice and Tim Hortons. Next: July 1, 2019
Quebec City
#7 Festival & Parade
RBC returned as the pyrotechnic show’s presenting sponsor in 2018, when about 700,000 sky-gazers took in the events. New this year: a reserved-seating section, bars and food trucks, plus a drag queen as emcee and DJ for the pre-show dance parties. Next: Summer 2019
Vancouver
#8 Festival & Parade
Attendance grew to 1.2 million this year over three nights as South Africa, Sweden, and South Korea competed to wow crowds with music and fireworks displays using “love” as the theme. Honda remained the title sponsor and Red Bull joined with the Red Bull Air Force Air Show dazzling the audiences before the sun went down. Next: August 2019
Halifax
#10 Festival & Parade
The free, oceanfront event drew about 250,000 spectators over six days in 2018 to witness scary, silly, and sublime acts from Canada, the U.S., Australia, Ireland, and the U.K. New this year: a Marquee Music Stage featuring musicians from Nova Scotia. Budget car rental was a sponsor. Next: July 31-August 6, 2019
Ottawa
#11 Festival & Parade
More than 1 million tulips were in bloom for over 600,000 flora-philes in the capital this year. The theme was A World of Tulips, and 40 embassies joined the festival, expressing friendship through this iconic flower. Lee Valley was a new sponsor this year. Next: May 10-20, 2019
Victoria
#12 Festival & Parade
Victoria harbor hosted 40,000 music fans this year—and more tuned in via Facebook live stream—when movie music was the theme of the floating concert. Highlights of the night included renditions of the themes to Star Wars and ET. Quality Foods returned as the presenting sponsor. Next: August 4, 2019
Collingwood, Ontario
#13 Festival & Parade
Hundreds of tribute artists and thousands of fans attended the world’s largest Elvis festival this year. Tim E. Hendry won the pro-division competition, securing a spot for his ninth attempt to become the Ultimate Champion in Memphis. OLG returned as the main sponsor. Next: July 26-28, 2019
