The Distillery District has been revamped to create a safe, socially-distanced space for Torontonians looking to get out and support local business while enjoying delicious food and inspirational and uplifting art installations. With (up to 3 hours) free parking all month and wide streets and walkways, The Distillery District is the best place to enjoy a socially-distanced summer. 

Here’s what’s happening this summer in The Distillery District:

Open-air art exhibit

July 2nd marked the start of the outdoor art exhibit, showcasing the works of Scott Froschauer and his collection, “The Word On The Street”. Visitors to the district will be able to walk through the open-air brick-lined streets to find new street signs that replace the typical negative wording like stop”, “Do not enter and “Wrong way” with positive affirmations. “The work aims to change how the viewer interacts with the world at large”, says Froschauer. In addition to the permanent art installations already on-site, and The Word on The Street installation, new art pieces centred around social distancing and hygiene have also been added

Toronto’s largest patio district

The Historic brick-paved Trinity Street and the Pure Spirits Mews courtyard have been transformed into a fully licensed European-style seating area, with a sea of colourful umbrellas for guests to kick back and enjoy the beautiful weather. These patio extensions along with the patios at local restaurants, Madrina, El Catrin, Cluny Bistro, Pure Spirits, Mill Street and Boku make the Distillery District the largest patio district in the city with flavours from around the world, coffee shops, breweries, bakeries and more. The Distillery District is the place to be this summer with an impressive 13 acres of land, 44 historic buildings, 500,000 historic pavers, 12 patios, 250 tables, approximately 1,000 patio seats, and 100 LOCAL businesses you can enjoy and support.

Grab n’ go patio stations

Both Madrina and El Catrin have set up grab n’ go patio stations for guests looking to pick up a snack on-the-go. Madrina is serving up Spanish-style street food while over at El Catrin, guests can stop by its Curbside Taqueria to get their fix of tacos, tortas, and botanas.

Support LOCAL

Starting this week, the Distillery District is kicking off their LOCAL campaign which encourages visitors and residents of the GTA to live local while you shop local, love local, eat local, and enjoy art from local artists and artisans. Guests are reminded of the neighbourhood’s independent shops, boutique makers, and artisans thanks to the giant “LOCAL” illuminated colour scrolling sign sitting in the core of the district. The campaign also includes smaller vertical signs scattered through the neighbourhood which read SHOP, EAT, LOVE, MEET, and more. The signs are hand-made using recycled and reclaimed materials.

For more information on The Distillery District, its summer programming, and the steps they’re taking to ensure the safety of all guests and staff, please visit thedistillerydistrict.com.