On Saturday September 6, 2025, Toronto will host the 26th edition of the Jesus in the City Parade & Festival, an emblematic event of the Canadian Urban Christian scene. From noon, the procession will start since Queen’s Park to cross the main arteries of the city. This public festival, recognized as one of the greatest gatherings of faith in Canada, marks 25 consecutive years of major community celebrations and community activities around the biblical message.
The event welcomes thousands of participants every year, gathered around colorful tanks, brass bands, choirs and costume artists. Beyond the musical and festive parade, the festival is distinguished by its social actions, in particular the distribution of solidarity parcels intended for vulnerable people from the metropolis. This initiative, born in 1999 under the leadership of the Reverend Ayanna Solomon, today brings together more than 300 partner churches and organizations as well as many local and international artists.
The Jesus in the City Parade is based on a clear mission: to promote the love of neighbor, community unity and artistic creativity by faith in Jesus Christ. Thanks to the continuous involvement of the Toronto town hall and a large associative network, the event has managed to reach more than 30,000 people each year and generated more than 1,000 spiritual conversions. Its influence is now radiating beyond Canada, with international editions and a growing network of collaborations.
The parade, whose official route includes Queen’s Park, Bloor Street, Yonge Street and College Street, also offers educational stands and Gospel concerts, open to all audiences and all generations. The initiative embodies diversity and cultural opening up respecting Christian values, making this festival a flagship moment of the Toronto cultural calendar and the Christian Francophonie in Canada.
