It\u2019s that time of year again, Toronto. March break is around the corner, running from Mar. 16 to 20.<\/p>\n
With the kids out of school, there are plenty of opportunities for families to have some time together in the city, with many popular events and attractions offering March break programming.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the best free \u2014 or almost free \u2014 activities to check out in Toronto.<\/p>\n
St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade<\/p>\n
Taking place on Sunday, March 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Toronto\u2019s streets will be painted green when the St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade<\/a> takes over St. George Street and Yonge Street. An ode to Irish heritage, this year\u2019s parade is free to attend, and will feature thousands of performers, from marching bands to Irish dancers. After the parade, be sure to stop by any of the surrounding restaurants in the area, where you\u2019re sure to find some St. Patrick\u2019s Day-inspired food and drink specials.<\/p>\n Sugar Shack TO<\/p>\n Back at Toronto\u2019s waterfront for another year, Sugar Shack TO<\/a>, taking place from March 14 to March 15 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. is a weekend event celebrating all things maple. Free to attend and held at the Harbourfront Centre, the event features two sugar shacks serving maple taffy ($5 or five for $20 plus tax), alongside maple food and drinks for purchase, live entertainment, and warming stations with communal bonfires.<\/p>\n Address: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W.<\/p>\n Royal Ontario Museum<\/p>\n The third Tuesday night of every month is always free at the Royal Ontario Museum<\/a>, which means that during March break, you can check out most of the exhibits and galleries at no cost after hours from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17. Advance tickets are required and walk-ins are not accepted, so be sure to book ahead online.<\/p>\n Address: 100 Queen\u2019s Park.<\/p>\n Art Gallery of Ontario<\/p>\n From March 14 to March 22, the Art Gallery of Ontario<\/a> is hosting a series of free hands-on activities. Visitors can also grab a copy of the free AGO PLAY activity booklet, which is full of artmaking challenges, scavenger hunts and quizzes and games. The Hands-On Centre, located on the concourse level, is open daily over the course of nine days from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and invites young visitors to create their very own paper cameras. The Art Cart, also in the concourse level, is open daily and will teach visitors how to make glowing sculptures. The AGO is always free for visitors aged 24 and under.<\/p>\n Address: 317 Dundas St. W.<\/p>\n Retro Arcade at Hotel X<\/p>\n The Retro Arcade<\/a>, a nostalgic nod to the best arcade games of the 1980s and 1990s, is back at Hotel X until March 22. Visitors can challenge their friends to a match of eight-player foosball, or go single-player mode in a round of Street Fighter. The ticket includes a retro film and snacks in the hotel\u2019s screening room, too. An unlimited day pass is $24.78. The weekday pass, valid for a family of up to four guests, costs $78.64. Kids aged five and under can enjoy the arcade for free.<\/p>\n Address:\u00a0111 Princes\u2019 Blvd.<\/p>\n The Toronto Zoo<\/p>\n During March break, The Toronto Zoo<\/a> is extending its admission hours from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. \u2014 that\u2019s two hours later than their regular end time of 4:30 p.m. during the winter! All March break programming is included in the cost of a regular priced ticket, which is $23.50 for children aged three to 12, and $34 for adults aged 13 to 64. Children aged two and under are admitted for free. On March 17 and March 19, visitors to the zoo can enjoy a Paw Patrol meet and greet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Special Events Centre.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also an Ontario Science Centre pop-up experience happening on March 16, March 18, and March 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., where visitors can explore biodiversity through three pavilions, while learning about DNA, food ecosystems, and camouflage techniques.<\/p>\n Address: 2000 Meadowvale Rd.<\/p>\n Lumi\u00e8re: The Art of Light<\/p>\n Running until March 27, Lumi\u00e8re: The Art of Light<\/a> is a free, outdoor art installation at Ontario Place that showcases 14 lit-up exhibits at Trillium Park. Free to attend, this year\u2019s theme is \u201cRhythms of Light: Motion, Sound, and Time\u201d and the displays are turned on nightly from 6 to 10 p.m. Bonfires are also on site, weather permitting.<\/p>\n Address: 955 Lake Shore Blvd. W.<\/p>\n Spring Equinox Festival<\/p>\n Always a hub of activity, during the week of March break, STACKT Market<\/a> is hosting a weeklong festival from March 17 to March 22 to usher in the spring. Free to enter, the festival is on daily from noon to 8 p.m. Programming includes a series of kid-friendly workshops and DIY activities, family-friendly wellness and meditation sessions (like puppy yoga with English bulldog pups), a series of local vendors, live performances, and plenty of seasonal food and drink.<\/p>\n Little Canada<\/p>\n From March 16 to March 20, miniature village Little Canada<\/a> is hosting a special workshop that invites guests aged six and above to take home their own miniature creation, as part of the Build-a-Tiny-Tree Workshop, in partnership with BMO. The workshop is roughly an hour long, with three time slots to choose from each day. A general admission ticket must be purchased to take part in the workshop, which costs an additional $10. Children\u2019s general admission tickets with the workshop included cost $32, while adults are $46.<\/p>\n Address: 10 Dundas St. E., B1 (lower level).<\/p>\n Canadian Opera Company<\/p>\n On March 18 at noon inside the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, music fans can catch a free concert series courtesy of The Canadian Opera Company<\/a> and TD Bank Group. Running until May 20, the string of concerts is completely free, and showcases global talent from the stunning glass space within the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the event, and admission is on a first come, first served basis.<\/p>\n Address: 145 Queen St. W.<\/p>\n Japanese Cultural Pop-Up at Welcome Market<\/p>\n