Things to do in Toronto this week: July 19–25

Sunday is your golden day this week—overcast but dry, temperatures climbing to 24°C—so get outside early and often. After Tuesday's thunderstorms roll through, the rest of the week settles into cool, drizzly patterns perfect for indoors. Plan accordingly.

The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experience runs nightly at CAA Theatre from Sunday through Friday, a six-show run celebrating the Canadian songwriter and poet whose influence spans folk, contemporary pop, and beyond. If you've never caught a Cohen tribute or deep-dive, this is the week to reset that.

Sports anchors the weekend. The Blue Jays face the Chicago White Sox at Rogers Centre on Sunday at 12:15 p.m., then host the Tampa Bay Rays across four games from Monday through Thursday. Both series are worth a daytime or evening scoop if baseball is your ting.

On the music side, Sunday evening offers three solid competing pulls. Josh Johnson brings stand-up to Massey Hall at 5:00 p.m. (two shows that day), Steve Forbert—the American folk-pop singer who wrote "Romeo's Tune" in 1979—plays The Great Hall at 7:00 p.m., and if you're after something weirder, TRF, a Japanese pop and electropop outfit, takes The Mod Club at 6:00 p.m. For the 19+ crowd, Shordie Shordie (trap) performs the School's Out Tour at Adelaide Hall at 9:00 p.m.

Monday brings the Las Vegas Aces to Coca-Cola Coliseum at 8:00 p.m. to face the Toronto Tempo—a rare WNBA matchup in the 6ix worth catching if women's professional basketball isn't already on your radar.

Wednesday and Thursday stay cool and overcast, ideal nights for something indoors and warm. That's when the city's restaurant scene becomes your play. Banh Mi Nana, the Markham vendor that sold 2,000 sandwiches on opening day, has just landed near Yonge and Finch with their single-item menu—every element made from scratch in-house. If you're chasing the viral moment with substance behind it, this is the week. Rose's Pantry, Chef Shauna Godfrey's new prepared-foods and takeout shop in Harbord Village, stocks cheffy meals and nostalgic Jewish baked goods—perfect for a quick dinner before or after a show.

Friday's drizzle makes it a night-in vibe, but Magic Men Australia lands at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre at 7:30 p.m. if you want a theatrical escape. Saturday stays damp but manageable at 26°C—Scarborough Shooting Stars host the Niagara River Lions at CIBC Pan Am Parapan Am Aquatics Centre and Field House at 6:30 p.m. if you're willing to head north.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway now in Toronto at the city's stadium, one of the season's defining events. Check the full fixture schedule at /toronto/fifa-world-cup to catch matches as they land.

Given the weather split—one clear day and then a wet stretch—I'd use Sunday afternoon on a Blue Jays game at Rogers Centre in full sun, then pivot to The Secret Chord at CAA Theatre that evening: Cohen's voice and poetry on a cool night when the city settles in feels exactly right.