The calendar may say it’s still Spring but everyone knows that the May long weekend is when those summer vibes really start. Kick off the season without spending a thing with the free family activities, events and amenities in Mississauga this weekend!
Celebration Square Activities and Events
Bring your family – and your swimsuits – to Celebration Square! This weekend, the Square’s wading pool, The Fountain, opens for the season. Once you’re done splashing around, why not enjoy a picnic on the patio while you dry off?
Celebration Square is also the destination for this year’s 6th Annual Discover Egypt Fest, happening on Saturday, May 18 from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. This free festival will host dozens of entertainers, including comedian Shadi Alfons and pop band Sharmoofers. Try some treats from Mawrawy Egyptian Kitchen, explore vendors in the marketplace and enjoy the Egyptian vibes as you dance along to live music.
Parks and Conservation Areas
With hundreds of greenspaces filled with amenities including playgrounds, sports facilities, walking paths and waterfront picnic spots, Mississauga has enough outdoor activities to fill your entire long weekend. Need some inspiration? Visit our guide to help pick your perfect park, or try one of these local favourites.
- Erindale Park: For a little bit of everything, head to Erindale Park. Take a stroll across the bridge to view the Credit River from above, then continue along the hilly trails to enjoy the scenery. The park includes plenty of picnic tables and a playground, making this a favourite of families with younger and older kids alike.
- Mississauga Valley Park: This park has one of the broadest arrays of amenities in the city, including a whimsical pirate ship-themed splash pad, pickleball, baseball, bocce and beach volleyball courts, plus a community garden.
- Riverwood: Go wildlife spotting in one of the city’s most scenic locales. This conservation area includes picturesque historic grounds, beautifully curated gardens, multiple trails and some of the best birdwatching in Mississauga – all for free.
- Rattray Marsh: For a taste of nature paired with park amenities, head to Rattray Marsh Conservation Area. First, enjoy marsh and shale beach views from the boardwalk before walking to Jack Darling Park to make use of the playground, splash pad, and leash-free dog park. This is the perfect spot to enjoy a packed lunch with views of Lake Ontario from the sandy beach or the nearby picnic tables.
Galleries and Museums
Mississauga is home to many free cultural attractions. Plan a visit to see some of the latest exhibits.
- Art Gallery of Mississauga: In addition to a permanent collection focused on cultural diversity that showcases Canadian and international artists, the AGM is also currently showing a special exhibition: Undergrowth, featuring works by artist Sara Angelucci. The exhibition includes a decade of eye-catching pieces including found photographs transformed to bring attention to the cultural and historical conditions outside the image frame.
- Benares Historic House: Built in 1857, the Benares house currently displays memorabilia spanning four generations, including possessions of the home’s original family. Guests can learn about the families who lived in the house during a free guided tour. The museum also runs the guided tour Cedar Park & Cherry Hill: Mississauga’s Forgotten Black History for a look into more of the city’s heritage.
- Bradley Museum: The museum’s expansive grounds include an Ontario Regency-style cottage, a barn, a farmhouse and a restored 19th-century log cabin, along with a maple grove. The free guided tours share the history of the settler experience in Mississauga, Black history in Peel, and education about Indigenous peoples and truth and reconciliation. In addition to tours, Bradley Museum also has two special exhibits during Victoria Day weekend:
- Meet Me at the Park explores the mutually beneficial and cyclical relationship between the community – those who steward our greenspaces – and the nurturing role of the parks of Mississauga.
- Generation X Marks the Spot: Black History in Mississauga showcases the story of young Caribbean Canadians who shaped a distinct Canadian culture in Mississauga in the 1980s.
- Leslie Log House Museum: Learn about the history of Streetsville while you visit this circa-1826 log cabin and enjoy the grounds featuring beautiful gardens, picnic areas and a Chimney Swift tower for birdwatching.