Summer in Toronto hits different. The city comes alive with celebrations, concerts, and outdoor movie screenings under the stars.

And starting this June, Toronto Outdoor Picture Show, lovingly known as TOPS, will host its 16th summer festival in the city.

Toronto Outdoor Picture Show 2026

This year, TOPS will kick off with a special three-night opening weekend at Christie Pits Park from June 26 to 28.

Located at 777 Crawford St., the festival will also run at Christie Pits on Sundays throughout July and August.

On Thursdays in July, Torontonians can catch a flick under the stars at Corktown Commons, found at 155 Bayview Ave.

Plus, the festival will also return to Bell Manor Park, 1 Bayside Ln., this summer from Aug. 13 to 15.

And while TOPS is known for its screenings at the Fort York National Historic Site, it will not be hosting movies at 250 Fort York Blvd. in 2026 as the space will be in use for official Fan Festival events throughout the FIFA World Cup.

“We can’t wait to return to the site in 2027,” according to the TOPS team.

All TOPS screenings are free to the public and do not require tickets or advanced registration to attend. Showtime starts at sundown and guests are asked to bring their own blankets or chairs to make themselves comfy. Films are also screened with open captioning.

History of Toronto Outdoor Picture Show 

TOPS was started by artistic and executive director and founder, Emily Reid, back in 2011 as the Christie Pits Film Festival.

After an “enthusiastic” response, the festival continued to “organically” grow as Reid added additional nights of programming each year.

But after four summers in Christie Pits, “it felt like it was as big as it was going to be,” as up to 1,000 movie fans gathered to the park each night, Reid previously told Toronto.com.

Along with her team, she incorporated Toronto Outdoor Picture Show as a non-profit charitable organization. Screenings now attract thousands throughout a number of parks across the city.

Over its first 15 years, the festival has curated short and feature films by 211 Canadian filmmakers. In 2024, more than 26,000 residents and tourists attended the festival’s programming throughout the Greater Toronto Area — a nine per cent increase over its previous summer season, according to TOPS.

And while the dates for this year’s festival have officially been unveiled, the first program reveal of 2026 is set to drop on May 12. Film buffs can sign up online to stay in the loop with the festival’s screenings across the city.