A massive sand dune is coming to the middle of downtown Toronto

While much of Toronto's downtown core can best be described as a concrete jungle, one area is getting a particularly intriguing dose of nature this summer in the form of an enormous artificial sand dune.

The onslaught of warmer temperatures and sunny days signals the return of some of Toronto's most celebrated spring and summer traditions, from outdoor concerts at Budweiser Stage to the cherry blossom bloom at High Park, but this year, the city is also gearing up for some interesting new events and attractions to keep things fresh.

Down at The Bentway, Toronto's reclaimed public space under the Gardiner Expressway, there's a particularly vibrant suite of programming scheduled to take place throughout the season, including the return of their popular roller skating rink and Art Socials.

Some additions for the 2025 spring and summer season promise to be a little bit more... unique, though, like Sand Flight, an immersive dance performance that takes place atop an enormous sand dune.

If you've found yourself rubbing your eyes after reading that last sentence, no, you didn't misread it. The Bentway is literally building a massive sand dune under the Gardiner Expressway as the set for the performance.

To get down to the nitty-gritty, they're bringing in 500 tons of natural sand to create a 15-foot-tall dune upon which the Sand Flight performances will take place.

The show itself promises to be similarly spectacular. Running between June 12 and 15, eight dancers and a 50-person choir descend upon the dune for a dazzling performance described by The Bentway as "a powerful performance that speculates on climates-to-come, where shade-worshipping is the new normal."

After Sand Flight's run wraps, the sand will be sent back to the vendor for future use, in line with the exhibition's message of sustainability.

The performance is part of the public space's larger Sun/Shade public art exhibition, which will see a number of installations, like a pop-up forest that travels around the city and a quilted canopy providing shade to people below, added to the area from May 23 to October 5.

Moving Forest will also be a travelling element of The Bentway's Sun/Shade exhibition. NL Architects.

The entire exhibition has been curated to highlight and speak to the environmental issues we in Toronto — and around the world — face today, taking specific aim at extreme heat and the luxury of shade.

"As extreme urban heat events rise in Toronto and cities everywhere, it's even more vital to create accessible spaces where communities can maximize access to shade and stay protected from harsh light," says The Bentway's Co-Executive Director, Ilana Altman.

"This season of programming explores how we must adapt to our changing climate and reshape our public spaces to balance the benefits of both sun and shade. Our creative collaborators are prompting us to recognize shade as an essential public resource and embrace sunlight as a creative collaborator."

The Bentway's spring and summer event schedule kicks off with a huge opening night party held in collaboration with Fashion Art Toronto on Friday, May 23, which will be hosted by Canada’s Drag Race’s Jada Shada Hudson.

For the complete list of installations and events coming to The Bentway this summer, be sure to visit their website.