TORONTO, May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Toronto Waterfront Festival, presented by Redpath Sugar, announced today a pause for the 2026 season. The festival was slated for September 2026 however, due to lack of funding, the festival is taking a year break.
A perfect storm of circumstances led to this difficult decision. For the first time in its 16-year history, the Toronto Waterfront Festival (TWF) received no grant funding from any level of government. At the same time, the excitement for FIFA World Cup 2026 has created considerable competition for corporate sponsorship, and therefore the festival finds itself in a challenging funding position for 2026. As a result, the board of Water’s Edge Festivals & Events has decided to take one year off, regroup, and return with an event the Waterfront deserves.
“The Toronto Waterfront Festival has been an award-winning event for 16 years. We have welcomed millions of visitors, driven tens of millions of dollars in economic impact, and consistently delivered world-class programming that put Toronto’s waterfront on an international scale. Taking a year off is not a decision we made lightly. As a free, not-for-profit festival, without any government grant support and a decrease in corporate sponsorship, we are not in a financial position to put on a successful event for 2026. We are committed to doing this right, and we will be back,” said Mike Riehl, Chair, Water’s Edge Festivals & Events Board of Directors.
The festival team is using the 2026 pause to plan a GIANT return. To give Torontonians something to look forward to, Water’s Edge Festivals & Events is thrilled to announce that the World’s Largest Rubber Duck will be returning to Toronto’s waterfront in 2027.
“Mama Duck floated into Toronto in 2017 to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary. A decade later, we felt it was only fitting for her to waddle back for Canada’s 160th in 2027,” states Victoria Mahoney, Co-Producer of the festival.
Mama Duck, as she’s also known by, is 6 stories tall, 16,000 pounds and has brought over 1 million people to Toronto’s waterfront and an economic impact of over $9 million on her last two visits combined.
The team is already getting their ducks in a row for 2027 and is excited to share what’s coming. Visit www.towaterfrontfest.com and follow @towaterfrontfest on social media for updates and programming announcements in the coming months.
ABOUT TORONTO WATERFRONT FESTIVAL:
The Toronto Waterfront Festival, presented by Redpath Sugar, is an annual summer event that celebrates the uniqueness of Toronto’s waterfront with on-land and on-water programming. The festival showcases the history, culture and importance of water through nautical attractions, arts, culture and Indigenous entertainment, music, food and interactive activities www.towaterfrontfest.com.
ABOUT WATER’S EDGE FESTIVALS & EVENTS:
Water’s Edge Festivals & Events is an Ontario not-for-profit corporation created in 2011 with a mandate to produce cultural family festivals and events to increase tourism to Toronto’s waterfront. WEFE produces the annual Toronto Waterfront Festival and Sugar Shack TO. Past projects have included the pan-provincial TALL SHIPS 1812 Tour (2013) and the ONTARIO 150 Tour (2017), which featured the World’s Largest Rubber Duck.
For additional information and interview requests, please contact:
Victoria Mahoney
Co-Producer & Head of Marketing
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/baec588d-71f5-4545-97d9-85de0438a3c5