There is lots of street parking and public paid lots around the Kensington market area, including Green P lots at 20 St. Andrew Street & 40 Larch Street. Take note of street closures for Pedestrian Sundays in the market.
Street parking in the area. Green P lot located at 123 Bonar Place.
There are free parking lots at Beth Tzedek, Holy Blossom & Beth Shalom, as well as parking on adjacent residential streets.
There is free parking at Earl Bales Park, but it is available on a first come first served basis. If lots in the Park are full there is ample parking on the adjacent residential streets within 10-15 minutes walk.
Free Parking onsite
BY CAR: Kensington Market is located in the tightly packed streets between College & Dundas and Spadina & Bathurst.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
TTC subway to Spadina Station, then take the 510 Street car south to Nassau stop;
TTC subway to College Station or Queens Park station, then take the 506 streetcar westbound to Augusta;
TTC subway to TMU or St. Patrick station, then take 505 Streetcar westbound to Spadina or Augusta
TTC subway to Bathurst Station, then take Bathurst Streetcar 511 south to College or Dundas and walk east (approx. 10 minutes).
BY CAR: Lula Lounge is located on Dundas Street two blocks west of Dufferin
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Take TTC Streetcar west along Dundas to Sheridan Ave or Brock Ave.
BY CAR: each venue is located between Allen rd and Bathurst, just south of Eglinton Ave.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: TTC subway to Cedarvale Station, and cross to the south side of Eglinton Avenue W. Walk 2 blocks west to Atlas Avenue for Beth Shalom Synagogue. Eglinton LRT Forest Hill stop (Bathurst/Eglinton) is 5-10 minute walk from Holy Blossom and Beth Tzedec. Bathurst 7 north/south bus also has stops on Bathurtst right in front of each shul.
BY CAR: EBP is on Bathurst street at Raoul Wallenberg Road (a few blocks south of Sheppard). Once you arrive at the park entrance, follow signage to "Area 5" – stay to the right ayt the first fork from the park entrance and follow all the way to the end. This will bring you to the parking lot for Area 5 in Earl Bales Park.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: TTC Bathurst 7 bus to Bainbridge Avenue. Follow Raoul Wallenberg Road to the right of the fork, and all the way to the end (Area 5).
BY CAR: Sherman Campus is on Bathurst two blocks north of Sheppard Ave.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: TTC Bathurst 7 bus to 4588 Bathurst St. stop.
Kensington Market is a food-lover's dream! There will be numerous food options available throughout the market from sit-down restaurants to sidewalk food stands. Come hungry!
The dinner menu at Lula Lounge is full of fresh tropical flavours and Latin American-inspired dishes. There are options for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters, but please make a dinner reservation directly with Lula Lounge if you plan to order dinner before the concerts. https://www.lula.ca/reservations
Friday night synagogue events each have different options in terms of opting in to dinners being offered by the shuls themselves.
At Earl Bales Park, we will have 1 - 2 food trucks with food options available for purchase in the parking lot adjacent to the concert area (Area 5). Think handheld foods, perfect for a bite in the park!
The Last Horrah at Honey & Barry Park will have food vendors onsite, ready to offer you some delicious kosher eats.
The Ashkenaz Festival will take place across the city all the way from downtown to North York. Toronto has many hotels, vacation rentals, and other options for a beautiful stay. Feel free to choose the area of the city that works best for you and your interests! If you are here without a car we recommend staying near the Subway line for ease of movement. For an affordable stay in North York we recommend the Novotel at 3 Park Home Ave.
Officially, unauthorized audio and video recording of Festival artist performances is prohibited. Unofficially, we do encourage you to document your Festival experience in various ways and to share your photos and short videos on social media.
We ask you to please be mindful and respectful of performers and other audience members in various venues, in order not to disrupt anyone else's experience. Flash photos are prohibited under all circumstances.
Ashkenaz has been working closely with Toronto Police and the Jewish Security Network to ensure the Festival will be safe for everyone involved. There will be both visible (uniformed officers & private security) and hidden security measures in place, as well as additional measures and increased security presence.
Kensington Market, Earl Bales Park, and Honey & Barry Park are outdoor venues, so unless your animal is restricted by law, all are welcome. Animals are not permitted at any indoor venues other than required service animals unless legal restrictions apply. Please contact us if you require a service animal at an indoor venue and we will advise.
The majority of Ashkenaz Festival events are totally free! This is only possible because of incredible supporters and Festival patrons like you. However, there are some special ticketed presentations that require ticket purchase:
The Ashkenaz Festival is a family-friendly community event. Unless the Festival schedule denotes differently, all presentations and shows are appropriate for every member of the family.
Absolutely not! The Ashkenaz Festival is proud to reach a wide array of diverse cultures, ethnicities, and peoples. Many of our performers come from incredibly diverse backgrounds and travel all over the world, and many of them aren't Jewish themselves. Everyone is welcome to enjoy.
Most Ashkenaz Festival venues are wheelchair accessible. Outdoor park venues have paved paths to the (mostly flat) grassy areas, thought there are some curbs and uneven transitions to navigate. All indoor venues are accesible, with the exception of Supermarket in Kensington Market. Please reach out and let us know if you have any other accessibility issues, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
In case of an emergency, please alert an Ashkenaz staff member or volunteer who will be pleased to assist you. In the case of a medical emergency, please call 911.
Ashkenaz staff members will be wearing lanyards and volunteers will be in bright, orange t-shirts. Any one of us will be happy to answer questions or direct you to someone who can!
Toronto weather can be unpredictable, so come prepared for the day's weather forecast. This can range from sunny and very hot (hat, water, sunscreen) to rainy and chilly (umbrella/rain coat, sweatshirt).
Yes, in fact picnic blankets, lawn chairs and other assisted seating devices are strongly encouraged for events at Earl Bales Park and Honey and Barry Park. Feel free to bring anything that may assist your experience along with you to Ashkenaz.
Alcohol is not permitted at Festival events, unless purchased from an official bar (Lula Lounge, The Great Hall). Ashkenaz cannot officially sanction alcohol at Earl Bales Park, but attendees at those events are permitted to bring their own beverages.
The Ashkenaz Festival will take place rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather conditions, depending on the severity, some performances at outdoor venues might be affected. In the event of severe weather, keep an eye on our website and social media for real-time programming updates.
