Your Guide to Contact Photo and Doors Open Toronto (Events and Tours in the City)
With the arrival of May it means a few things to Torontonians. First of all, spring makes a real appearance, after the chill and teases that appear from late March through April, and warmer weather heralds the beginning of event and festival season in Toronto.
Though things will truly start cooking by June and July, the month of May does bring to us two treats for fans of photography and city exploration: Contact Photo Festival and Doors Open Toronto. Of course we offer our own photo walks and tours so be sure to check out our site tdot.com/events as well.
Here’s a little about each.
Contact Photo
We love the high brow vibe and focus on photography as art. If you are tired of the selfie, cityscape and landscape photography that dominates Instagram, and want to seek out some challenging photo art, the exhibits of Contact Photo are a great idea for exploration.
According to their site: “During the month of May experience over 180 lens-based exhibitions, site-specific installations, and commissioned projects by artists and photographers at museums, galleries, and public spaces throughout Toronto.”
It’s a wide variety of photo exhibits and installations at interesting spaces around the city, both indoor and outdoor, and well worth your while. Go forth and explore!
Doors Open Toronto
Hosted by the City of Toronto and various local organizations and institutions, Doors Open Toronto is another annual festival whereby we get to explore landmarks, buildings and spaces that are normally inaccessible or not open to the public. As a bonus there are neighbourhood tours. As we mentioned during this time we also offer tours of Toronto via Tdot Events.
There are 150 locations to explore this year. Be sure to go early to avoid disappointment. There are often lineups!
Our picks:
- R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant
- Osgoode Hall / City Hall
- Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at U of T (only Saturday May 27)
Toronto Photo Walks and Walking Tours by Tdot Shots
Led by Tdot Shots founder, Mike Simpson, our events offer a fresh way to check out the city. Join a meetup with photographers and city explorers, as we check out iconic Toronto spots like the University of Toronto, Financial District, Harbourfront, Union Station, Gooderham Building, City Hall and Chinatown / Kensington Market.
View our event listings site and register today. Private group tours can also be arranged. Send us an email and we’ll customize a walking tour for you and your group.
Toronto is a bright and colourful city from spring through fall and exploring via events like Contact Photo, Doors Open or Tdot Shots events is a great way to see and learn something new, get some exercise, and snap some great pics in the city of Toronto.
Credits
Feature image: Maggie Groat, twins, webs, ripples, shifts, sounds, 2022 (found paper). Courtesy of the artist
