The old adage remains painfully true, Toronto has two seasons: winter and construction.

City councillor Jaye Robinson, chair of the City's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, held a press conference on Wednesday specifically to proclaim the beginning of the latter for 2018.

"On my way to the intersection of Gerrard and Parliament Street to announce the start of this year's construction season in the City of Toronto," wrote Robinson on Twitter Wednesday morning.

That's right, Toronto now has a legit "construction season" in the eyes of city officials, worthy of its own press release and announcement ceremony.

Upgrading and renewing the City's infrastructure is essential to keeping Toronto a world-class city. Thanks to Public Works chair @JayeRobinson for kicking off the 2018 construction season. pic.twitter.com/NIBK5rU8NU

— John Tory (@TorontosMayor) May 9, 2018

To be fair, that press release is incredibly handy in terms of planning — especially with more than 200 projects on deck within Toronto this summer — and it's not like we didn't know this was coming.

"Warmer temperatures are hopefully here to stay and the City is wasting no time in tackling the 2018 major infrastructure projects," tweeted Robinson during the announcement.

"Our city has one of the fastest growing populations in North America and it is essential that we maintain and improve our aging infrastructure."

We work hard to mitigate the impacts of this construction, including working around the clock 24/7, extending work hours, improved signage, keeping parallel roads free and adjusting signal timing on alternate routes to cut congestion. @TO_Transportpic.twitter.com/IXRoGQ65Sv

— Jaye Robinson (@JayeRobinson) May 9, 2018

The City of Toronto says it will invest over $720 million this year to maintain and upgrade its infrastructure, including $360 million on roads, expressways and bridges, $299 million on sewers and watermains and $61.2 million on basement flooding protection. 

Mayor John Tory said in today's press release that, while 2018 will be a busy year on local roads for construction, the work is essential when it comes to keeping Toronto a world-class city.

"As always, I will be pushing to make sure the work is done as quickly as possible," he said, "to minimize any disruptions for pedestrians, transit riders, cyclists and drivers." 

Here, via the City of Toronto, is a list of major projects planned for this year.

• Replacing the TTC track and concrete at the Gerrard Street East and Parliament Street intersection 
• Six Points Interchange Reconfiguration in the area of Bloor Street West/Dundas Street West/Kipling Avenue 
• Harbour Street streetscape and multi-use trail construction until July 
• Resurfacing Eglinton Avenue West between Islington and Jane Street (resuming from 2017) 
• Watermain replacement and road resurfacing on Jarvis Street from Dundas Street East to Queen Street East 
• Watermain replacement and road resurfacing on Adelaide Street East from Jarvis to Parliament streets
• TTC track replacement at the intersection of Dundas Street East and Broadview Avenue and on Dundas Street East from Broadview Avenue to Gerrard Street East (8 weeks) 
• Watermain replacement and road resurfacing on Kipling Avenue from Albion Belfield roads
• Watermain structural relining on Kennedy Road from Ellesmere Road to Lawrence Avenue East 
• Road resurfacing on Pharmacy Avenue from Sheppard to Finch avenues and from Lawrence Avenue to the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks north of Lawrence Avenue 
• Road resurfacing on Martin Grove Road from Lavington Drive to Eglinton Avenue West 
• Watermain replacement and road resurfacing on Dundas Street West from Bay Street to Spadina Avenue 
• Rehabilitation of the Gardiner Expressway from Jarvis to Cherry streets starting later this year. 

Toronto's premier comic book-themed espresso bar has a hot new drink on its hands, both literally and figuratively (unless you order it iced, in which case, just the latter.)

The Black Canary cafe inside Silver Snail at Yonge and Dundas has been stirring up some buzz lately with an activated charcoal latte that's black as the soul of Victor Zsasz.

Called "the Black Panther," presumably in honour of the comic book-turned-action movie, the espresso-based drink is made with black charcoal and coconut, but you can substitute the coconut for other flavours.

A post shared by The Black Canary Espresso Bar (@blackcanarycafe) on Feb 15, 2018 at 9:30am PST

The drink was invented by a barista at the cafe and has become popular among the regulars since hitting the menu in February.

A post shared by Sarah Guest (@_x_sez_x_) on Mar 1, 2018 at 3:19pm PST

What better way to participate in the "I consume dirt for pleasure!" trend than with a life-sized Batman figure watching you the entire time?

Don't tell him the drink is based on a Marvel character, though. I don't think he'd be pleased.

A post shared by Brendon Chen (@c.pohan59) on Mar 8, 2018 at 1:09pm PST

For those who care more about fantasy epics than superhero comics, one Instagram user helpfully points out that it "looks straight out of Mordor."

"They sure don't skimp on the charcoal powder lol," she wrote. "It actually looks a little terrifying to drink (it has charcoal powder mixed into the latte and then sprinkled on top as 'garnish')." 

A post shared by Sydney Harrison (@lonqu) on Feb 22, 2018 at 10:37am PST

The drink retails for $4.20, if you're keen. A little bird (a canary, perhaps?) told me that you can get it iced.

The best French toast in Toronto satisfies the sweet tooth of anyone who’s ever wanted dessert for breakfast. Don’t get it twisted though, there are plenty of savoury spins on classic French toast in this city, including options with duck confit or cheese. We even have vegan French toast now.

Here is the best French toast in Toronto.

Events in Toronto today has Arcade Fire's Win Butler spinning tracks and a big flower market overtaking Union Station. The International Film Festival of South Asia begins today and there's a fair-trade expo on as well.

Toronto restaurant openings highlights the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now

• Tondou Ramen has replaced AF1 Caribbean Kitchen in the cursed (until now?) space at 596 College Street (at Clinton Street) in Little Italy.
• Tacos Baos, a spot for both "street-style tacos and unique bao," is now open at 914 Bloor Street West one block west of Ossington in Bloorcourt.
• Sofia, an Italian "destination for upper-tier dining, art and entertainment," from Charles Khabouth's INK Entertainment (Akira Back, Kost, Estia) with chef Christine Mast at the helm, opened for business this week at 99 Yorkville Avenue.
• Good Things, a cafe and juice bar, is now serving up fresh juices, smoothies, coffee, toasts, wraps, power bowls and house-made salads at 235 Broadview Avenue (at Dundas Street East), straddling East Chinatown and Riverside.
• Sheila's Basement, a rock bar that has transformed itself from what was formerly Peacok Bar, is now open at 365 King Street West (by Peter Street) in the Entertainment District.

Recently reviewed

• Biscotteria Forno Cultura
• Chica's Nashville Hot Chicken
• Commisso Brothers
• Market 707
• 214 Augusta
• Machino Cafe
• Good Cheese

Opening soon

• Drake Mini Bar, a day-to-night eatery and bar from the team behind the Drake Hotel, officially opens across the lobby from Drake One Fifty at 150 York Street in the Financial District this Monday, May 14.
• Speaking of excellent bars, the team behind Alo (and Aloette) is aiming to open a new bar at 162 Cumberland St. in Yorkville for mid-June.
• Alma, a restaurant from former Figo executive chef Anna Chen, is set to open this summer at Bloor and Dufferin. Check out her pop-up preview at Montgomery's next week.
• Bubble tea chain CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice is opening a location at 630 Bloor Street West in Koreatown, right beside TeaGather and across the street from ShareTea.
• Stray, a "cocktail-based snack bar," with "everything motorcycles" looks to be opening soon at 532 College Street (just east of Euclid Avenue) in Little Italy.
• Mezu, a spot for Korean tapas, will be taking over what was previously Solita at 1375 Dundas Street West. 
• Mr. Pretzels, a chain that makes hand-rolled pretzels, will be opening its first Toronto locations soon at Dufferin Mall and at Yonge & Eglinton.
• Vivo Pizza + Pasta is expanding across the GTA, with a location at 75 Billy Bishop Way in North York and a handful of other Toronto locations to come, including 33 Laird Drive in Leaside.
• My Roti Place is set to replace Saigon Hustle at 406 Queen Street West (at Cameron Street just west of Spadina).

Closed

• Scarborough Town Centre's location of Sweet Jesus has shuttered, and will be replaced with an outpost of Eva's Original Chimneys.

Other news

• The Goods will soon be moving from Dundas West & Dovercourt to 279 Roncesvalles Avenue this June.

Inside this former Roncesvalles area baseball glove factory is a gorgeous 3-bedroom condo with vintage posts and beams, exposed brick and wood ceilings.

One of the exposed brick walls has graffiti on it and I’m not sure if this is cool or just trying too hard.

The kitchen is a bit of a gutter alley; so don’t expect to have more than two people at a time in there.

But the living and dining room are open-concept so the apartment feels airy and spacious.

The bedrooms are surprisingly large and two have spa-like en-suite bathrooms.

The only big downside to this place is that there isn’t any outdoor space. So if you need fresh air it looks like you’re going to have to stick your head out a window. 

Specs

• Address: #102 – 1 Columbus Ave.
• Price: $2,395,000
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 3
• Parking: 1
• Walk Score: 87
• Transit Score: 98
• Maintenance Fees: $953.21
• Listing agent: Robin John Pope
• Listing ID: W4101740

Good For

A small family who isn’t ready to move to the suburbs yet. This 2270 square foot apartment spread out over three floors offers enough living space to comfortably fit a family but has that inner-city vibe that lets you ignore the inevitable relocation to suburbia for just a little while longer.

Move On If

You want outdoor space. This place doesn’t even have a balcony, and for more than $2 million you could definitely get a house with a backyard or at least a condo with a balcony.

Toronto Police are investigating after reports of a hidden camera in the public washroom of a busy downtown coffee shop surfaced on Reddit.

The establishment in question is Starbucks — specifically, the Starbucks at the corner of Yonge and King streets — and the camera in question had been recording customers in the bathroom for an indeterminate amount of time.

Regulars are pretty freaked out, to say the least.

To the sicko that installed a hidden camera in the washroom at starbucks downtown; you are vile POS. #Toronto

— Jermaine (@DumbSmokeTrees) May 10, 2018

Rumours of the hidden device started circulating earlier this week after a Starbucks employee posted screenshots from a store managers' group chat to the r/Toronto subreddit.

"Team - URGENT - a recording device was found in a washroom at 4 King," reads a group text. "It was found behind a fake outlet that was placed on the wall."

The manager also sent along an image of the dismantled fake wall outlet after it had been removed.

A photo of the fake wall outlet that concealed a camera. Image via barista_bitchxxx on Reddit. 

Both police and Starbucks Canada have confirmed that a recording device was found hidden in one of the unisex washrooms at 4 King Street on May 2.

Police collected the camera the next day and are now conducting an investigation to see how it got there.

Toronto Police Services did reveal to reporters that the device was found under a sink, facing the toilet.

they found a camera in the washroom of a starbucks pic.twitter.com/AZc0i2sMjS

— 🏹 (@chanyeolsferret) May 10, 2018

"Our partners (employees) regularly clean and stock the washrooms many times throughout the day," said Starbucks Canada senior communications manager by email when asked about the device.

"If we notice anything or are alerted to anything unusual, it's immediately reported to the police and we respect their investigation process."

If you took the TTC this morning, you probably got to work so frustrated you had to take a breather before stepping into the office. 

I would have gotten to work faster if I'd walked. Thank you #TTC!

— Melanie (@MellieLangie) May 10, 2018

Now, while subway delays in this city aren't uncommon and always seem to strike at the worst possible time — during rush hour — this one is taking a particularly long time to clear, and it took over both subway and streetcar service. 

UPDATE: 501 Queen continues to divert eastbound only via Shaw, King, Spadina due to rail problems at Queen and Shaw. Shuttle buses operating between Shaw and University.

— Official TTC Tweets (@TTCnotices) May 10, 2018

This morning was, and continues to be, a mess. 

Update: Longer than normal travel times southbound between St. Clair West and Union Stations due to the earlier delay at Dundas Station.

— Official TTC Tweets (@TTCnotices) May 10, 2018

At 4:19 this morning, @TTCnotices announced that the 501 car along Queen Street would be diverting eastbound via Shaw, King and Spadina because of rail problems at the intersection of Queen and Shaw streets.

Following that, at 6:43 a.m. they tweeted that trains were holding northbound at Dundas station because of a mechanical issue.

40 mins to get from sheppard to eglinton. Couldn't see anything but I heard lots of yelling coming from platform. Still no announcements or explanation from @ttc#ttc What's happening?

— Louise Armstrong (@TorontoLouise) May 10, 2018

Commuters are still watching one, two, three trains full of people go by before they can squeeze on. 

After unsuccessful attempts to squeeze onto 3 southbound trains at sheppard, I gave up and went north. Zero announcements to explain delays. Whats up @ttc? #late#ttcpic.twitter.com/wCIWWRpc5I

— Louise Armstrong (@TorontoLouise) May 10, 2018

Make that four trains...

It is ridiculous, in 40min at Davisville station, only 4 trains passed by on south direction. Platform still crowded. No announcement. #TTC@TTChelps@TTCnotices@ttcriderspic.twitter.com/Ox7q3TWsGD

— IamMargieB (@mpbonatto) May 10, 2018

Five?!

And that makes train number 5 to arrive at york mills station so full that nobody can get on... why @TTChelps does this keep happening??#ttc#ttcfail#lateagain

— Abby Radovski (@AbbyRadovski) May 10, 2018

Many in this city are railing against the TTC for the service this morning.

Another fantastic commute on the subway this morning. Honestly, how does the #TTC expect us to use it's services as reliable transportation? Ridership down yet extreme overcrowding and delays every. single. day. Can't wait to start taking @GOtransit

— Carli Atherton (@carliatherton) May 10, 2018

But, some are taking notice that TTC workers are doing the best they can in a situation like this.

@TTChelps shout out to the morning guy at Yonge/Bloor. Many mornings the southbound platform is rammed but speaks calmly and tries to keep it light even though most people are cranky as hell. Makes it easier to wait. #ttc#bemorekind

— Kevin Steenburg (@k_steenburg) May 10, 2018

Earth's most-innovative little critter continues to surprise and delight the people of Toronto with its undeniably adorable (albeit sometimes inconvenient) urban antics.

A raccoon who clearly gives no effs about what you think found a new spot to nap at Ryerson University on Wednesday: on top of a sign that's on top of a door that leads into a theatre, gym and learning space.

Due to the animal's presence, the school was forced to close off Kerr Hall North, Ryerson Theatre, and the Recreation and Athletics Centre's swimming pool area.

Someone must have been tired after their workout 🤔🤔🤔‼️ Kerr Hall North / Ryerson Theatre area / RAC swimming pool area will be closed off until friendo here is safely escorted out of the premises 🐾pic.twitter.com/ESEnzGWIPP

— Ryerson Recreation (@RURecreation) May 9, 2018

Ryerson University Recreation wrote on Twitter around 9:30 a.m. that it was closing off the area for safety reasons— presumably referring to the safety of both humans and the raccoon.

It wasn't until around noon that RU Recreation announced the raccoon's safe removal from the premises.

"Update: our raccoon friend is gone and the RAC back turnstile is good to use again," wrote the recreation centre on Twitter. "For now."

No word on where the woodland creature was taken, but he did appear to be enjoying that makeshift sign hammock — and if I know raccoons (which I do), he'll be back.

The High Park cherry blossoms have reached peak bloom. Huge crowds have been filtering into Toronto's sakura wonderland since the weekend to check out the scene. Unlike last year where the cold weather led to diminished blooms, this year marks a return to form as the trees are at their most beautiful.

Check out our photo gallery of the cherry blossoms in High Park.

Toronto can now add "crab assault" to its ever-growing list of weird stuff that happens on the TTC.

Four lives crabs were spotted riding the Red Rocket earlier this week, each with a seat of its own, on an otherwise rammed Line 1 subway train.

A woman who happened to be heading home at the time, Kristine Hughes, snapped a photo of the scene to share on Facebook because.... well, there were freaking crabs on the subway — and as it turns out, they weren't there by chance.

Hughes wrote in the caption of her post that a man had seemingly barricaded himself into a quiet spot by placing crabs on the seats surrounding him.

Normally, horrible people do this with shopping bags, purses or feet. Got to give the guy props for creativity, I guess, if this was indeed his play. But the story doesn't end there.

The TTC has crabs!!! lol#Periscopepic.twitter.com/8utNVUSr14

— §ñïP€®₩ΩГƒ 🐾^..^🐾 (@johnnyghicas) May 7, 2018

"A girl walked by, thinking there was a free seat, saw the crabs, let out a small shocked scream, and kept walking," wrote Hughes. "About 30 seconds later she comes storming back and became a real effing hero."

The girl is said to have berated the man for taking up so many seats with his crabs.

"What is this?!? Crabs on the seats? So no one can sit down?" she said, according to Hughes. 

"All these people standing here tired after working all day? What's that? Oh you paid for their seats? You paid 2 dollars extra so they can have seats?"

The woman then "smacked" each crab off of its seat, according to Hughes, sending one into another woman's lap and one onto someone's feet, before storming off.

Just some live crabs riding the TTC because Toronto. pic.twitter.com/9QjUvBPgYC

— Alice Moran (@Alice_Moran) May 7, 2018

The man promptly accused the woman of both "crab assault" and human assault (given that a crab had landed on a human).

Hughes says that he then picked up his crabs, put them back in their individual seats and that the drama ended there.

And yet, so many questions remain.

Where did the man get his crabs? Is k-os reshooting the music video for his 2004 hit song Crabbuckit? Does this have anything to do with the live eels found on a bathroom floor at a mall in Scarborough?

TTC spokesperson Brad Ross says that transit officials are aware of the incident based on social media reports.

"Crabs are not permitted on seats, even if they're accompanied by hot drawn butter and a bib," he said. 

"And unless a crab is a service crab or emotional support crab, and we're doubtful that is the case here, they must be contained in a sealed carrier at all times."

On a serious note, Ross says that customers who have a concern with the behaviour of others are encouraged to use the SafeTTC app or speak directly with a uniformed TTC employee.

"If safety and security is a risk," he says, "Please use the emergency alarm."

Weekends events in Toronto are chock full of parties and concerts to help shake off the work week. A ton of spring markets are happening and there's lots of photography shows to check out. Don't forget, some bars are open until 4 a.m.

Not even the wealthiest of home buyers are immune to Toronto's volatile real estate market right now.

A new report on luxury residential properties from Royal LePage shows that the average price of houses on the higher end of the market dropped by roughly $6,000, year over year, in the first quarter of 2018.

That might not sound like much, given that the average price of a high-end home is still $3.52 million, but it's not a good sign when compared against Toronto's increasingly hot luxury condo market.

Sales of luxury houses have also declined year over year by 68 per cent, but numbers have dropped off a cliff all around when it comes to detached houses.

Experts continue to blame the sharp dip on two things: the contrast between last year's record-breaking market numbers and a series of cooling measures recently rolled out by both our provincial and federal governments.

"The introduction of the new mortgage stress test ... created market turmoil as buyers moved to the sidelines in order to gauge the impact on luxury home prices," reads the Royal LePage report. "Similar to what was witnessed in the overall residential resale market."

And similar to what is now being witnessed in the overall residential market, luxury condos are on fire.

Prices of high-end condos are forecasted to rise 10.4 per cent this time next year to $1.85 million on average. Luxury homes, on the other hand, are expected to remain flat.

The work of legendary artist Ai Weiwei is coming back to Toronto for a special exhibit.

Ai Weiwei: Unbroken arrives early next year at the Gardiner Museum with a body of work formed over the past decade that speak to the artists' love for the expressive and enduring nature of ceramics.

Known for his multi-faceted and challenging art, Ai Weiwei often uses his art as a tool to create a dialogue surrounding human rights and global issues.

A post shared by Ellen Christiaensen (@ellen.christiaensen) on May 8, 2018 at 10:48pm PDT

A piece from his series of Han Dynasty urns with the Coca Cola logo painted on them is one of several examples of this tendency to use art to question the political and historical conventions of China. This piece will be among the works displayed in the exhibit.

A post shared by Mary Boone Gallery (@maryboonegallery) on Apr 17, 2018 at 1:16pm PDT

Colored Pots (2006) will also be included in the exhibit. Each pot is meant to explore the idea of covering up and changing history while the remnants lie just beneath the surface. 

Installations and sculptures will also be among the works displayed.

One of them is Sunflower Seeds (2008–2010), a patchwork of handmade, life-sized sunflower seeds each made of porcelain—a main export of China—that encourages a closer look at the cultural and economic impact of mass production on China.

Toronto is no stranger to Weiwei's work.

Many may recall seeing Forever Bicycles, an enormous sculpture consisting of over 3,000 interconnected bikes, which served as the centrepiece for the 2013 Nuit Blanche in Nathan Phillips Square.

The new exhibit is set to arrive sometime in February 2019.

Free movies are going down in Toronto at the Ontario Place Cinesphere as part of this year's Doors Open.

The Cinesphere is one of over 100 historically and culturally significant buildings that are participating in this year's annual event.

As part of Doors Open, it's hosting a weekend of free screenings from May 26 to 27 with five showings each day.

The beloved waterfront golf ball reopened last summer for a special TIFF screening and continues to be used for ongoing screenings and film festivals like Hot Docs.

The theatre underwent a series of extensive renovations that have, slowly but surely, brought it back to life as part of the overall revitalization of Ontario Place.

The Doors Open screenings will include the first movie ever shown in Canada's first IMAX theatre, North of Superior, and a 7-minute prologue to Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience.

There will also be a free, full-length film screening of Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience on May 25.

If you're looking to catch the Dark Knight in full, it's screening from May 17 to 21 inside the ol' dome.

In an effort to help combat what the TTC itself calls "historic" overcrowding on public transit, the transit agency will be adding more buses to 34 of its busiest routes across the city. That's a lot more buses.

Mayor John Tory and Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão announced the news this morning with TTC Chair Josh Colle at Dufferin Station — one of seven hubs designated to get a new "express bus route."

It's all part of a plan approved earlier this week by the TTC board to improve capacity on both bus and subway lines.

The TTC does, of course, have a long-term strategy for dealing with what's become a crucial issue for the people of Toronto. The plan approved this week, however, focuses on what can be done in the short-term with the $3 million that city council recently appointed to relieve congestion ASAP.

A report detailing the plan says that the TTC can realistically do the following things by September of this year: improve service reliability on Line 1, relieve peak crowding on bus routes, relieve off-peak crowding on bus routes and implement new express bus services.

We’re working hard to #getTOmoving by adding more buses to the #TTC’s 34 busiest bus routes to relieve overcrowding. We’re also excited to announce that we’re adding a new 29 Dufferin express bus route. Thanks to Mayor @JohnTory and Councillor @anabailaoTO for your support. pic.twitter.com/voWCeR1vKx

— Josh Colle (@JoshColle) May 10, 2018

Additional trains will be added to Line 1 during rush hour to boost service by 3,300 to 3,600 passengers per hour this fall.

In terms of buses, the TTC will focus on adding more vehicles to routes where overcrowding "is 30 per cent greater than the TTC standard."

A total of 1,640 buses will be on the streets in 2019, up from just 1,575 now. By September, Toronto will have 1,610 buses on the road.

“This plan adds more buses on our roads which means shorter waiting times, less crowding and a better chance of getting a seat after long day at work,” said Tory during today's press conference.

"Buses are the backbone of our transit system. Adding more buses on our roads is a simple and direct way to improve service for people."

Toronto is fast becoming known as a land of opportunity... for people who want to buy dilapidated houses on the cheapincredibly expensive.

Our latest contender for priciest local murder shack (note: not actually a murder shack) comes to us via Century 21, which recently listed a boarded up bungalow in Leslieville for $800,000.

The price dropped a full $100,000 this week, down to just under $700,000, but it somehow has yet to sell. Maybe because no one can go inside?

The house at 28 Woodfield Road, near Queen Street East and Coxwell Avenue, "may not be safe" according to the real estate listing. It doesn't even have a key.

**Do Not Enter The Home**. It May Not Be Safe. It Has Been Vacant For Some Time. There Is No Key.https://t.co/3NyuxiTZLZpic.twitter.com/UBT9ckLZKN

— Scott Ingram CPA, CA (@areacode416) May 7, 2018

"This home is being sold 'as is'," it reads. "Its value is the land. **Do Not Enter The Home**.... It has been vacant for some time."

Knowing that the home itself is meant to be a teardown, the property becomes a bit more appealing. It's in a prime location within a covetable neighbourhood and the lot itself decently-sized for the price. In Toronto.

Indeed, some real estate buffs might see this as a great opportunity.

The rest of us will continue to see a creepy, doorless, windowless shack until it's torn down.

The most-iconic (and arguably best) electronic dance beach party series in Toronto just dropped its 2018 event schedule and, unlike last year, there are a lot of dancing days on deck this summer.

Promise Cherry Beach is set to kick off its 17th season on June 3, markedly earlier than what we saw in 2017 when pretty much all of Toronto's beaches were being held captive underwater.

A total 0f 14 day-to-night dance parties will take place at Cherry Beach in June, July, August and September, most of them on Sundays between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Dancing with sand under your toes makes you happy at Promise Cherry Beach. #promisecherrybeach #ilovepromise #torontobeachparty #promiseparties

A post shared by Promise Cherry Beach (@promisecherrybeach) on Apr 10, 2018 at 2:42pm PDT

If the weather doesn't cooperate, oh well — organizers have a backup warehouse space standing by for your grooving pleasure. Take that, rain.

The party series is also licensed now, so bring ID to get drinks at the on-site beach bar. Water, as always, is free.

If you haven't been, you can expect excellent DJs, a thumpin' sound system, accessible washrooms, dogs, dog lovers, and plenty of good vibes.

Summer drummer fun at Cherry Beach. #promisecherrybeach #ilovepromise #torontobeachparty #promiseparties

A post shared by Promise Cherry Beach (@promisecherrybeach) on Apr 10, 2018 at 2:36pm PDT

Organizers Irving Shaw and David Macleod describe Promise Cherry Beach as an "unmissable chance to take in simply the best of our underground music scene surrounded by sun and fun at the beach."

"Bring your lover and a picnic and pass the time with friends and friends of friends," reads the event's description for 2018. "The perfect day."

Events in Toronto today include the continuation of CMW, Contact Photography and the recurring Friday night parties inside the ROM.

Canada's biggest country music festival will be taking over Burl's Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte August 9 to 12. Want to go? We've teamed up with Boots & Hearts to give you a chance to win VIP tickets, a camping pass and swag for this summer's festival.

Check out all the contest details here.