One of Toronto's prominent street festivals, the Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market, is set to be paused as organizers seek to "reimagine" its future. The Kensington Market Business Improvement Area (BIA) announced on Friday that the May 25 edition of Pedestrian Sundays will not occur following extensive community feedback regarding the festival's direction.
Pedestrian Sundays are an event where the vibrant streets of Kensington Market are closed off to vehicular traffic on the last Sunday of each month from May to October. This unique urban event aims to create a space for art, music, dance, play, and community engagement.
In the BIA's statement, they mentioned that the temporary halt in the festival reflects a collective desire among residents, businesses, and the BIA Board to reimagine the event. They want to ensure that Pedestrian Sundays celebrate Kensington Market’s rich cultural diversity in a safe, inclusive, and community-centric manner. The organizers cited several concerns, including overcrowding, disrupted pedestrian flow, and complicated logistical challenges as reasons for pausing the event.
Despite the enthusiasm of many vendors, the BIA emphasized the difficulty in ensuring safe and consistent planning due to a lack of coordination with BIA staff. Over the years, the originally family-friendly and car-free event has taken on a more commercial feel, which, according to the BIA, no longer aligns with the core values that initially shaped it. Organizers stated, "While we understand that festivals naturally evolve, we believe it’s time to realign with the spirit that made PSK special in the first place."
Looking ahead, the BIA noted the need for future funding and will be actively exploring options with the City of Toronto and other grant programs to meet the financial demands necessary for a community-focused festival. Mayor Olivia Chow recently announced a list of 64 festivals slated to receive funding as part of the City’s $2.5 million Cultural Festivals Funding Program (CFFP). However, Pedestrian Sundays were notably absent from this inaugural list, raising questions about the festival's financial future.
In addition, the City of Toronto is developing a policy to govern the circumstances under which streets will be designated as pedestrian-only for festivals, a move that could further impact the future of street events in the area. This comes amid rising security concerns for public gatherings, amplified by the tragic car-ramming incident during Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day block party last month, which resulted in 11 fatalities and numerous injuries.
To gauge community sentiment and determine the future of the remaining Pedestrian Sundays, a community survey is currently being conducted. The outcomes of this survey may play a crucial role in reshaping the festival to better reflect the aspirations and values of Kensington Market's community.
