Free, Family-Friendly Spring Activities in Mississauga

Top Image Photo Credit: Mark Ashford

The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer – and we’re back with another list of free and/or inexpensive activities in Mississauga! Whether it’s ongoing free activities you can drop in or sign up for, festivals to celebrate the upcoming holidays, or our city’s best trails and parks to enjoy the returning birds and budding flowers – we’ve compiled a list for you to explore the nature and diversity of Mississauga without spending anything (or very little).

Outdoor Spring Activities

Discover the newness of Spring!

Take a spring walk through the woodlands, meadows, and ravines of Riverwood Conservation area. Spanning 150 acres along the Credit River, you might spot some deer, beavers, songbirds or woodpeckers. The Conservancy also offers affordable events ($5 – $15) such as birding workshops, forest bathing, nighttime nature and tracking. Park admission and parking are both free.

Explore the ‘last remaining lakefront marsh of its kind’ between Toronto and Burlington by strolling along the boardwalk at Rattray Marsh Conservation Area. A great place for nature lovers and birdwatchers, be on the lookout for beavers, deer, foxes, and songbirds! Entry to the conservation area is free!

Stop and Smell the Flowers!

These three Mississauga parks are fantastic spots to enjoy the blooms this spring!

1. Kariya Park is the perfect place to see the cherry blossoms in late April or early May.
2. Check out the rhododendrons in May and June at the Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens.
3. Enjoy the small Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Garden at Celebration Square.

Kariya Park | Photo Credit: Ian Muttoo

Festivals, Expos & Free-Entry Markets

April 5 – 6: MNN Eid Festival

Celebrate Eid at the Muslim Neighbour Nexus (3520 Odyssey Dr, Mississauga) from 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. with food, shopping, and family fun! There is also FREE face painting, henna, and an entertaining show for kids! This festival is free for all ages (and includes free parking).

April 19: Mississauga Easter Market

This Easter market taking place in Port Credit offers free admission!  Running from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., it promises vendors with unique crafts and delicious treats, giveaways and prizes, and a chance to meet and take pictures with the Easter Bunny!

April 26: Expo Latino Mississauga

Live music, food, traditional dances, artisans, a Kids Zone, and more – celebrate Latino culture at Anapilis Banquet Halls from 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on April 26th! This event has free admission and is ideal for families!

May 3: Native Plant Sale

Nothing says spring like a plant sale! The Riverwood Conservancy is hosting a free-admission plant sale on May 3rd from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m inside the MacEwan Barn. The plants, a selection of native-to-Ontario trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, range in price from $5.00 – $70.00.

May 16-18: Discover Egypt Heritage Festival

Save the date to celebrate Egyptian heritage, culture, and community spirit at Celebration Square! This event is free for all ages. Learn more here.

May 24 – 25: Carassauga Festival of Cultures

It’s the 40th anniversary for this Festival of Cultures! With over 50 cultural food vendors, dance lessons and arts and crafts, and non-stop entertainment from over 2,500 performers – this festival takes place all over Mississauga and is sure to be a great celebration of our multicultural city. The festival’s admission is a called a Carassauga passport and it’s free for children 12 and under, with a cost per adult of only $15. With this passport, you have unlimited access to all the Cultural Pavilions, live performances, various foods and kids’ activities and also free transportation to all the different locations on all MiWay buses and Carassauga shuttles.

Carassauga | Photo Credit: Adam Pulicicchio

May 31: Cricket to Conquer Cancer

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation will be hosting Canada’s first-ever street cricket fundraiser! Players of all ages and skill levels will come together to raise funds for life-saving cancer research. You can register your team now, or head down to Celebration Square on May 31st from 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m to cheer on the playing teams! This event is free for all ages.

May 31: Streetsville Artisan Market

This free-admission Local MRKT event, taking place in Streetville on May 31st from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., is great for families – and that includes the furry friends too! There will be small business vendors to support, live entertainment to enjoy, and free face painting for kids.

June 14: Streetville Dogsville

Streetville is being taken over by adorable puppies on June 14th! This dog-friendly festival is dedicated to doggies and the humans you love them. There will be live music and pet-centric goodies and services, and more! This event, taking place from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the Streetsville Village Square, has free admission and is happening rain or shine!

Photo Credit: Brady Wakely

June 14 – 15: All About Pets Show

From 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on June 14th and 15th at Port Credit Memorial Park, this pet-friendly event will a vibrant celebration of furry, feathered, and scaly friends!  There will be pet vendors, a treat hunt and a lure course along the Credit River, and a Team Absolute K9 performance show. The show is free for kids aged 6 and under, and general admission for this show is $12, with a discount rate of $8 for youth (7-15) and seniors (65+).

June 27 – 28: Living with Wellness Arts Festival

Celebrate wellness, music, art, and community at the Living With Wellness Festival 2025! Located at Celebration Square, this festival is FREE for all and will have live performances, yoga on the square, a vendor market, family fun zones, and an opportunity to watch local artists showcase their creativity and masterpieces.

Living with Wellness Arts Festival | Photo Credit: Nisarg Media Productions

Mississauga-centred Activities

Youth Nights at the Museum

Benares Historic House is offering free Youth Nights at the Museum for those ages 14 -21. Wednesday evenings, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 6 (Bradley Museum) and May 14 (Benares Historic House), teens can dive into creative activities to connect them to Mississauga’s local history, get behind-the-scenes access to museum tours you won’t find anywhere else, and help shape museum youth events and exhibits! These events count towards volunteer hours for students who are looking for opportunities to give back to their community.

April 8: Astronomy Night

The Riverwood Conservancy is hosting an Astronomy night from 8:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. on April 8th. Telescopes will be set up to provide views of the moon, the planets, and more! The event is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 years of age and under (TRC and RASC members can access the event for free). Registration is required (and spaces fill up fast!)

April 10: KUNÉ – Universal Echoes

On the evening of Thursday, April 10, KUNÉ, an eleven-piece collective made up of ten immigrants musicians from around the world and one metis-Canadian, will be performing at the Meadowvale Theatre. Their unique sound can be enjoyed by all ages, and general admission tickets are pay what you choose, ranging from $10 – $60 (taxes and fees included).

KUNÉ Universal Echoes

May 5 & May 26: Homegrown Mississauga Spring Season Garden Planning Workshop

This hands-on gardening workshop is perfect for folks with limited or no gardening experience! The workshop, held at Burnhamthorpe Community Centre, takes place from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 5 and Monday, May 26. The event is free for all ages (children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult) but registration is required.

Ongoing Free (or Inexpensive) Activities

Food Sorting at Food Banks Mississauga

Volunteer at Food Banks Mississauga

Sign up to volunteer at our warehouse and sort food for distribution to neighbours in need through our network of 60+ agency members across the city. Children who want to volunteer must be at least 9 years old and be accompanied by an adult. Any youth volunteers 14 years of age and older can volunteer independently if they choose. Public registration is only open from March 31st – April 11th, so don’t miss out!

Spirit Seeds at Bradley Museum

This exhibition of Indigenous beadwork, Spirit Seeds by Indigenous artist Naomi Smith (Chippewas of Nawash, Neyaashiinigmiing, Ontario), is free for all ages at the Bradley Museum. Check out the exhibit from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays until August 3rd.

Saturday Family Fun at Bradley Museum

Saturday afternoons are for crafts and games at Bradley Museum! This relaxed activity is free and perfect for kids and parents alike! Adult supervision is required, but no pre-registration is needed. This event runs every Saturday from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. all year long!

Bradley House Heritage Garden | Photo Credit: City of Mississauga

To participate in the following ongoing activities, you must sign up online or borrow a pass.

Latin Arts & Crafts for Kids

On the last Saturday of every month from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., kids ages 4-12 years old and their families are welcome to participate and learn about Latin American culture with fun arts and crafts activities! This event, put on by Spanish4You Canada, costs $10 per family (up to 4 kids per registration) and all materials are provided. You must register in advance for this monthly activity.

Get Creative in the Mississauga Public Library’s Makerspaces!

With a Mississauga Public Library card, you can access their Makerspaces for free! These are collaborative spaces where you can access free services, technology, and equipment. At various library locations across the city, you will find photography and filmmaking studios (with cameras, lights, and green screens), sound studios and recording booths (with audio equipment and electronic instruments), computers equipped with Adobe Creative Cloud, digital media labs with Cricut machines, button makers, and sewing machines, and maker studios with 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters.

Visit the Peel Art Gallery

With a Mississauga Public Library card, you can get a “PAMA Family General Admission Pass” that allows free admission to the Peel Art Gallery for you and your family (up to 2 adults and 5 children).

Explore Mississauga’s Natural Beauty

With a Mississauga Public Library card, you can borrow a pass to visit the Credit Valley Conservation parks or any Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) parks for free. TRCA Parks include the Black Creek Pioneer Village, Bruce’s Mills Conservation Park, Heart Lake Conservation Park, and more! You can also get an Ontario Parks Pass to access and visit over 100 provincial parks for free.

Credit Valley Conservation

Discover Egyptian History in Mississauga

Learn all about Egyptian history at the Egyptian Museum in Riverview, Mississauga. Families can take advantage of the 50% discount and get tickets for only $10. Children under six can visit for free!

Sauga At Play

Sauga At Play is a free, drop-in, after-school program for 10 to 18-year-olds. Find drop-in programs like badminton, basketball, volleyball, and soccer at various community centres across the city. Youth Memberships may be required; visit your local community centre to pick up your membership and view the drop-in program schedule!

This article is a part of a seasonal series, so check back in a few months for a list of activities for the summer months! If you have a free, family-friendly activity to add to this list, email us at marketing@foodbanksmississauga.ca.