Calling Toronto’s Festival Organizers
Toronto’s Festival Industry Is Coming Together
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Toronto’s festivals and events are more than entertainment, they are economic drivers, cultural anchors, tourism attractions, and community builders that bring our city to life year-round.
From neighbourhood celebrations and cultural festivals to music events, food experiences, parades, markets, and large-scale productions, festival organizers play a critical role in shaping Toronto’s identity and vibrancy. Yet despite the scale and impact of the sector, there has never been a unified organization dedicated to representing and supporting festival organizers across the city.
As part of the City of Toronto’s Festival Strategy, TABIA has begun the process of forming a new Toronto Festival Association — an industry-led initiative designed to bring festival and event organizers together under a shared voice.
Why This Matters
Festival organizers across Toronto face many common challenges:
- Navigating permits, logistics, and city processes
- Rising operational costs and funding pressures
- Sponsorship and audience development
- Increasingly complex safety, security, and infrastructure demands
- Industry fragmentation and limited collaboration opportunities
The Toronto Festival Association is being created to help address these challenges collectively while strengthening the future of the sector.
To ensure the association reflects the industry, we are engaging with stakeholders throughout the summer alongside our partners at LURA consulting.
Who Should Get Involved?
We welcome participation from:
- Festival organizers and producers
- Cultural and community event leaders
- Arts and entertainment organizations
- Event professionals and suppliers
- Industry stakeholders and partners
- Emerging and independent event creators
Whether your festival serves 500 people or 500,000, your perspective matters.
Join the Conversation
We are currently building the foundation of the Association and inviting members of Toronto’s festival and event community to help shape its direction, priorities, and future initiatives.
This is an opportunity to help create a stronger, more connected, and more influential festival industry for Toronto.
JOIN
Together, we can build the future of Toronto’s festival sector.