10 Fall Things to Do in Toronto This October (Beyond Pumpkin Spice and Netflix)
Fall in Toronto hits different. The air’s crisp, the coffee’s hot, and the market finally slows to a simmer. With fewer bidding wars and more breathing room, buyers are taking their time — and sellers are strategizing their next move. But while real estate finds its fall rhythm, the rest of the city? It’s buzzing.
Whether you’re freshly unpacked in a new home or just daydreaming about one with better insulation, October is packed with things to do that’ll make you fall (pun intended) for Toronto all over again. From ghost tours and Oktoberfest tents to all-night art shows and haunted castles, there’s no shortage of reasons to trade your slippers for boots.
And if you spot your favourite real estate agent out there, just assume I’m “scouting the local vibe”.
1. Nuit Blanche Toronto (October 4–5, 2025 – Citywide)
From dusk to dawn, Toronto transforms into one big open-air gallery. Nuit Blanche takes over downtown streets, parks, and alleys with art installations, light shows, and live performances that run straight through the night. Bundle up, grab a coffee, and wander — you’ll find glowing sculptures in Nathan Phillips Square, projections along Queen West, and wild pop-ups in unexpected corners. Whether you’re an art lover or just in it for the late-night people-watching, it’s a surreal, once-a-year reminder that Toronto’s creativity doesn’t sleep.
2. Legends of Horror at Casa Loma (Nightly through October – Casa Loma, Toronto)
If haunted mansions are your thing, Casa Loma delivers. Each fall, the historic castle transforms into an immersive haunted experience — half theatre, half horror movie, all spine-tingling atmosphere. Walk through candle-lit tunnels, encounter elaborate set pieces, and maybe regret your life choices by the second ghost corridor. Perfect for Halloween lovers who like their scares wrapped in history, this event sells out fast every year. Bonus: the castle grounds lit up against the night sky make it one of the most photogenic haunts in the city.
3. PumpkinFest Toronto (October 10–13, 2025 – Downsview Park)
Toronto’s fall festival staple returns for Thanksgiving weekend at Downsview Park. Expect pumpkin carving contests, food trucks, live music, carnival rides, and a sea of orange photo ops. It’s a perfect family day, date outing, or friends-hang situation — the kind of event where everyone ends up with kettle corn, hay on their shoes, and questionable selfies with oversized gourds. Arrive early for the craft market and stay for the pie-eating competitions. Even the most city-bound Torontonian can’t resist a little countryside energy.
4. Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland (Select Nights – Vaughan, ON)
Every October, Wonderland trades sunshine for screams. The park becomes a full-scale Halloween Haunt, complete with haunted mazes, live scare actors, and themed rides under flickering lights. It’s equal parts terrifying and fun — especially if you’re the type to laugh your way through haunted houses just to hide the fear. It’s worth catching the fireworks finale, and yes, even seasoned thrill-seekers jump at least once. A must for anyone craving an adrenaline-fuelled fall night.
5. Toronto After Dark Film Festival (Mid-October – Various Venues)
October’s for spooky cinema, and Toronto After Dark is your ticket to the weird and wonderful. From horror premieres to cult classics, this genre film festival draws cinephiles from all over. Screenings usually happen downtown, with filmmaker Q&As and audience-choice awards adding to the buzz. It’s dark, it’s creative, and it’s where you’ll find your next favourite psychological thriller before it hits streaming. Grab your popcorn and brace for jump scares — this one’s a fall favourite among Toronto film lovers.
6. Haunted Walk of Toronto (Nightly – Old Town, Distillery District & U of T Campuses)
Toronto’s haunted history runs deep — and this walking tour spills all the eerie secrets. Choose your route: Old Town’s ghost stories, the haunted halls of U of T, or the cobblestone charm of the Distillery District. Knowledgeable guides blend storytelling and true local lore with just enough suspense to keep you side-eyeing every shadow. It’s historical, theatrical, and a little creepy in the best way. Pro tip: go after dark for maximum goosebumps.
7. Kensington Market Pedestrian Sunday (October 27, 2025 – Kensington Market)
The final Pedestrian Sunday of the year lands in late October — a vibrant farewell to summer and an early toast to sweater season. The market shuts down to cars and fills with musicians, performers, artisans, and food vendors. Grab a cider, wander the laneways, and soak up Toronto’s most effortlessly cool community event. It’s local, eclectic, and the best kind of urban chaos — the kind that reminds you why living here is worth it.
8. Evergreen Brick Works Sunday Market (Every Sunday in October – 550 Bayview Ave.)
Fresh produce, live music, local food stalls, and perfect skyline views — the Sunday Market at Evergreen Brick Works is the definition of slow-fall living. It’s open year-round, but October’s when it truly shines. Crisp air, autumn colours, and Toronto’s best brunch-adjacent energy. Bring your friends, a tote bag, and no agenda. It’s where city meets nature, and where your “I’m just browsing” turns into you somehow buying artisanal maple syrup.
9.Diwali – Festival of Lights (October 11–12, 2025 – Nathan Phillips Square)
Toronto’s biggest Diwali celebration takes over Nathan Phillips Square for two dazzling days of lights, music, and celebration. Running from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day, this free event fills downtown with live performances, South Asian food vendors, cultural showcases, and a grand fireworks and laser light show that lights up the skyline. Whether you’re there for the food, the music, or the magic of it all, Diwali brings serious energy (and sparkle) to the heart of the city — and proves Toronto knows how to throw a festival of light.
10. High Park & Don Valley Leaf Walks (All October – Toronto Trails)
Toronto doesn’t mess around when it comes to fall foliage. High Park, Don Valley, and Crothers Woods explode with reds, oranges, and golds through October. No tickets, no lines, no apps — just you, some leaves, and that sweet reminder that nature does its best work when we stop doom-scrolling. Take a friend, a dog, or your podcast queue and get outside before the city turns grey again.
Fall Is for Finding Your Space
October isn’t just about leaf piles and haunted houses — it’s a reset. The air feels clearer, the market steadier, and people start to picture what “home” means heading into winter.
Right now, buyers have room to breathe. Sellers have time to plan. And for everyone else? It’s the perfect moment to enjoy the city you already live in. Because a home isn’t just a roof over your head — it’s your launchpad for everything else you love doing in Toronto.
So get out there. Chase the leaves. Sip the cider. Get spooked at Casa Loma or snack your way through Kensington. Toronto’s showing off this month — and when you’re ready to find a place that fits your fall vibe year-round, you know who to call.
Much love,
Your Home Girl, Vanessa Copeland
