Harbourfront Centre

Harbourfront Centre at 235 Queens Quay West is a waterfront arts and culture complex on Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto, Ontario. It occupies a stretch of the former industrial waterfront that was redeveloped from the 1970s into a public cultural site. The grounds include the Harbourfront Centre Theatre, the Craft Studio where glass, ceramic, textile and metal artists work and sometimes demonstrate, the Power Plant contemporary art gallery, the Natrel Rink, outdoor stages and open plazas with views of the lake. A steady programme of festivals, concerts, readings, dance and family activities runs throughout the year, many of them free. Notable events include the International Festival of Authors, summer music series and the winter skating season. The lakeside boardwalk along Queens Quay connects the centre to the ferry docks for the Toronto Islands, the Music Garden and the sailing clubs, and offers views of boats, Adirondack chairs and the CN Tower. Visitors typically spend one to two hours exploring the grounds, watching craft artists and walking the water's edge, and a full afternoon is easy with a performance or a meal on a patio. Summer weekends are the liveliest and most crowded times, with outdoor concerts and families, while weekday mornings in spring and autumn are calm. Photographers favour the boardwalk at sunset and the view back toward the skyline. Access is by TTC streetcar 509 or 510 to Queens Quay and Lower Spadina, and the walk from Union Station is about fifteen minutes. Entry to the grounds is free, although some performances and exhibitions are ticketed, so the event listing on the website is worth checking in advance.