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ONTARIO
Exploring Mississauga’s Seasonal Delights
BY Waheeda Harris
Mississauga by the Numbers
- Canada’s sixth-largest city
- 500 parks and nine community public gardens
- 1500 restaurants, with over 150 different countries represented
- 56 percent of the population speaks a second language
- Residents come from over 230 different cultural origins and speak 149 languages
- 73 Fortune 500 companies
- 400 km multi-use trails and cycling paths
Mississauga welcomes visitors from across Canada and around the world. Home to Pearson International Airport (YYZ), the country’s largest and busiest airport, the city serves as the gateway to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). From world-class sporting events, cultural festivals, waterfront trails, and much more, ‘Sauga (a popular local nickname) delivers year-round experiences for every age and interest.
Spring
Spring blossoms at Celebration Square, the city’s outdoor civic plaza. Since 2011, it has hosted concerts, community events, and athletic competitions. In April, Beneva Mississauga Marathon welcomes runners in 5K, 10K, half- and full-marathon races.
May brings Kariya Park’s cherry tree blossoms to life. Named for Mississauga’s sister city in Japan, the serene Japanese garden is just minutes from the urban core. That month also ushers in the Carassauga Festival of Cultures, one of Canada’s largest multicultural celebrations, with pavilions featuring global cuisine, music, and dance.
As temperatures rise, there are over 500 parks and 400-kms of multi-use trails to walk, run, cycle and get a healthy dose of the outdoors. A highlight is the 13-kilometre stretch of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, tracing the picturesque shoreline of Lake Ontario.
Summer
Summer arrives with a festival flourish. Streetsville’s historic village hosts weekly concerts, artisan markets, and the long-running Bread and Honey Festival in early June. After Canada Day, adrenaline-laced thrills and eye-catching moves occur at Jackalope, an action sports event spotlighting skateboarding, BMX, bouldering and breaking competitions to inspire youth and the young at heart.
The Mississauga Latin Festival ignites the fiery energy and passion of Latin culture with a parade and celebrations with representation from Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. Mid-August brings Mississauga Italfest, showcasing Italian-Canadian heritage through traditional food, dance and music.
The bounty of locally-sourced ingredi-ents make for easy to find foodie souvenirs discovered at weekly farmers markets. The Lakeview Farmers Market in Lakeview Village has Insta-worthy moments at its memorable sunflower field. The season concludes with MuslimFest, the largest festival of its kind in North America, with entertainment and events celebrating Islamic faith and practices, an extensive smorgasbord of halal food and a bazaar with tempting gifts, crafts and clothing from the Middle East, Asia and local creators.
Fall
Leaves are one of the first signs of autumn’s appearance. Brilliant leafy shades appear throughout the canopy at the Rattray Marsh Conservation Area, a 38-hectare wetlands known for its boardwalk trails and memorable birdwatching. Nearby, Riverwood Conservancy spans 61 hectares of meadows, ravines and woodlands. Each fall, salmon can be spotted returning along the Credit River to spawn. Enjoy guided hikes, workshops and garden tours to explore the area.
This September, a new festival debuts in Mississauga’s Erindale Park. The Great Outdoor Comedy Festival promises to bring top-named talent and endless laughs from headliners John Mulaney, Fred Armisen and Hasan Minhaj (to name a few).
Indoor cultural life thrives as well. The Living Arts Centre, approaching its 30th anniversary in 2027, will have a jam-packed schedule of music, dance and theatre performances. The centre is also home to the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, and the Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra. The popular Art Gallery of Mississauga continues to showcase contemporary exhibitions alongside community programming.
Sports fans can join the energetic fanbase of Raptors 905, the city’s NBA G League affiliate, when the basketball season tips off in November. For those who want to perfect their golf swing, the BraeBen Golf Course, an 18-hole championship golf course and nine-hole, par-3 course, is open for tee time reservations.
Winter
When temperatures drop, outdoor skating rinks at Port Credit Memorial Park, Woodhurst Heights Park, and Celebration Square light up with twinkly lights, music, food trucks and heated patios. The square also hosts the three-day APIK Festival in a custom urban snowpark in the middle of the city’s centre. Big energy fuels the ski and snowboard competitions (with $100,000 in prizes), demos, lessons and DJ after parties.
For indoor warmth, Mississauga’s diverse culinary scene shines. Square One Shopping Centre boasts over 330 stores and over 100 dining options, including The Food District, a curated and artisanal collection of 25 restaurants and The District Kitchen, a rotating pop-up of food concepts. MICHELIN-recognized eateries like Tamarind Modern Indian Bistro and Mama Fatma highlight the city’s global flavours.
Year-round, interactive attractions engage visitors, from the new Space Explorers VR experience at GYGO, simulating spacewalks and ISS visits, to temporary new exhibitions that are always on the horizon (www.visitmississauga.ca).
