Canada’s Coffee Culture Festival Is Turning Toronto’s Design Exchange Into a Free ‘Coffee City’
Canada’s Coffee Culture Festival is turning Toronto’s Design Exchange into a three-floor “Coffee City” from October 16 to 18, and admission is free. Hosted by Toronto’s De Mello Coffee Roastery, the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day at 234 Bay St. You can wander through café-style spaces, try hands-on workshops upstairs and watch the Canadian National Latte Art Championship happen live all weekend as baristas from across the country compete for the title. Here’s what to expect and how to plan your visit.
Photo via GeorgeMichaelFarewell / Wikimedia Commons
Quick details
| Dates | October 16 to 18, 2026 |
| Hours | 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily |
| Location | Design Exchange, 234 Bay St., Toronto |
| Admission | Free; reserve your spot on Eventbrite |
| Workshops | Ticketed separately on-site |
| Host | De Mello Coffee Roastery |
What’s inside Coffee City
Instead of rows of trade-show booths, the festival is set up like a small city built around coffee. You can walk through cozy home brewing setups, order at café counters and hang out in an outdoor coffee corner. There are also coffee-themed landmarks to take photos with as you explore.
Watch the Canadian National Latte Art Championship
The centrepiece of the weekend is the Canadian National Latte Art Championship, which runs live all three days. Some of Canada’s best baristas will compete for the title and the chance to represent Canada on the world stage, so it’s worth timing your visit to catch a few rounds.
Hands-on workshops upstairs
Head upstairs for a few paid experiences, each ticketed separately on-site:
- Coffee cocktail workshop: Mix your own drink at a cocktail-bar-style session.
- Latte art session: Try pouring your own design with a barista coaching you step by step.
- Canadian roaster tasting: Sample beans from 10 Canadian roasteries, then blend your own bag to take home.
Planning your visit
Photo via Daniel MacDonald / Wikimedia Commons
The Design Exchange is in the Financial District at 234 Bay St., a short walk from King and Union stations. Entry is free, but organizers ask visitors to reserve a spot online through Eventbrite, and the free sessions are expected to fill up. If you want to try a workshop, bring a payment card since those are sold separately at the venue.
References
- Eventbrite: Canada’s Coffee Culture Festival — Coffee City
- blogTO: Coffee Culture Festival
- Streets of Toronto: A giant coffee festival is taking over downtown Toronto
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