5 ways to hang out outdoors in Toronto this winter

by Nicole Gottselig

Think you can’t hang outdoors when it’s -15 C with wind chill? Think again. Here’s our top picks for where to buy winter gear and our favourite ways to hang outdoors during the season. [Image credit: iStock.com/benedek]

Every Torontonian knows it’s all about the attire on those bone-chilling days of winter. Hit up Tuck Shop Trading Co. for a City of Neighbourhoods toque and rep your favourite TO hood. If you’re feeling like a splurge, layer up with a cashmere full cable infinity scarf. As for warm socks, puffy jackets and scarves, check out Parkdale favourites North Standard Trading Post or The Future of Frances Watson. For some really budget-friendly options, shop vintage winter gear at these well-curated outposts, or hit up these destinations for stylish-meets-cozy loungewear.

Warm up with a coffee flight or shot of bourbon at Boxcar Social in the Harbourfront Centre before hitting the waterfront for the larger-than-life art installations of Winter Stations. Past pieces have included a massive faux fur-lined dome and a sauna. Tip: bundle up and bring a sense of adventure. As organizer Tomek Chwieszczenik explains, “there are often massive ice accumulations on the beach that can reach several metres thick, which makes for a fascinating (albeit sometimes challenging) locale.” Cost: free!

Who says block parties only get down in the heat of the summer? On Saturday nights from December 19 to February 20, local and international DJs hit the decks for DJ Skate Nights for what promises to be Toronto’s hottest (ahem, coldest) winter block parties. We guarantee an above-average Saturday night at this (free!) event where you can pirouette and backslide to your heart’s content (skating along the wall for support is just fine, too). Music genres include live electro and hip-hop beats.

Whether you prefer wearing T-shirts or sweaters on a patio, the Drake Hotel’s rooftop SkyYard is a quintessential West Queen West destination – no matter what time of year. The patio is “a weather defiant oasis, sunlight or starlight,” explains Jessica Rodrigues, manager of public relations at the Drake Hotel. So in the frigid days of January, grab a city-fave Moscow Mule before transporting yourself to a warm and cozy après ski-style vibe with a crackling fire and plenty of fireside chats. Pssst: watch for an Icelandic wonderland for winter 2017.

Make your way into the Garden District and take a pit stop in Allan Gardens Conservatory. Follow the path inside where you’ll be bathed in warmth and enveloped by lush leafy greens and pops of pinks and yellows. Mingle with the gardens’ year round residents: palms, banana trees, orchids, jasmine and gingers.  After all that sauntering about, grab a cab or take a shuttle from Broadview Station and refuel on some local and seasonal fare from the Evergreen Brick Works year-round weekend farmers market.