Like Mark Renton needs smack, your summer soundtrack wants a tropical injection. Traipsing between Nathan Phillips Square and Queen's Park from August 1 to August 4 the Irie Music Festival brings tropical sounds northward for a long weekend of sweat drenched nodding. As the city melts into the pavement, score some aural relief via this fest. -S.T.


In the midst of the summer heat, the steady steel drum can be heard across the city: Welcome to Caribana. Every year it seems to change its name or sponsor but the vibe remains the same: thousands of people flocking from near and far to catch a glimpse of the glitz and glam. Technically Caribana lasts from July 15th to August 3rd, but the real draw is the parade, a colourful whirl of music, costumes and dance. Whether or not you want to go is irrelevant; you probably won't be able to avoid it. - R.T.


Hops and barley died so that you and suds could be together. They're Sydney Carton to your Charles Darnay. Be grateful and get lit. Nothing celebrates post-colonialism like getting drunk in a garrison. Like children in September, the Festival of Beer has returned bigger and brasher. Along with myriad vendors this year's edition has sundry other attractions, including tantalizingly grilled good, live music care of the English Beat, beer-related paraphernalia aplenty, and even the occasional Dickensian allusion. This is a good opportunity to take your Beer-Store damaged palette on a tour of both local and distant breweries, from micro to macro. It goes from August 7 to August 10, so be prepared to forget those dates. -S.T.


If you've lived in Toronto and you've never been to Taste of the Danforth, I think you're the only one. Last year, I could barely even move. In case you've been living under a rock, taste of the Danforth is a celebration of Greek culture and cuisine in Greektown (a.k.a "The Danforth") and it all goes down from August 8 to August 10. Restaurants cook and sell their food on the streets for very low prices and you line up for miles in order to get some $5 souvlaki. It's tradition. - R.T.