Toronto is getting a major caffeine boost this month, and if you take your espresso seriously, you’ll want to make some room in your schedule.
From October 16 to 18, the historic Design Exchange is becoming a full-blown “Coffee City” for Canada’s Coffee Culture Festival. Hosted by local favourite De Mello Coffee Roastery, the three-day event takes over three floors of the downtown venue, with coffee-focused programming running daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Rather than standard trade show booths, the festival is creating full-on neighbourhoods and spaces that bring coffee culture to life. Wander through home-brewing setups, grab a pour-over at a replica café counter, snap a few photos at coffee-inspired landmarks or hang out in an outdoor coffee corner. Upstairs, ticketed workshops let you make your own coffee cocktails, learn latte art from pro baristas or taste beans from 10 Canadian roasters before creating a custom blend to take home.
At the centre of it all is the Canadian National Latte Art Championship, where top baristas from across the country will go head-to-head for a spot representing Canada on the world stage. The competition runs throughout all three days, so you can watch the country’s best latte artists work their magic under pressure.
Admission is completely free, but with Toronto’s appetite for a good pop-up, those session passes are expected to go quickly. Reserve your spot online, then head to Bay Street in mid-October and get ready to spend the day in Coffee City!