• Featured: Thank you & Photos for Wine & Craft Beer; Retail Main Streets Study – Surveys Launched!
• BIA Notices/Reminders: Digital Main Street Forum; Will You Take Part? Riverside Eats & Beats Streetfest – Let Us Know by April 15th!; Clean Toronto Together.
• Riverside BIA 2019 Event Calendar
• Upcoming Riverside BIA Member Happenings 
• Neighbourhood News: RTCC Community accepting Nominations for 2019 Volunteer Awards; Vehicle-for-Hire Bylaw Review

Submit YOUR Riverside news/events via office@riverside-to.com

• 160 people attended Tasting Night on Thursday and 600 people at the EXPO on Saturday! 
• 20+ events and special promotions via participating restaurants, retailers and community organizations hosting events from April 2nd 6th.
• 13 wineries & craft breweries took part from diverse parts of Niagara, Prince Edward County, and right here in Riverside!
• $3,200 raised for community programming at the Ralph Thornton Community Centre

Enjoy the memories of some of the 2019 Festival Highlights, and check out our blog post to see more photos and stats. 

The survey will give the City a deeper understanding of the current economic, policy and regulatory environment in which these businesses operate, the key issues they face and the types of supports that will be most helpful to them.
 
The two surveys (one for businesses/retail main street owners and one for residents/customers) are available until May 20th at the links below: ​
Residents: chkmkt.com/retailmainstreetsRESIDENTS
Businesses: chkmkt.com/retailmainstreetsBUSINESS
 
The results of the study will be presented to the Economic and Community Development Committee in early 2020. More information about the City’s retail main streets study is available at: toronto.ca/retailmainstreets.

The Digital Main Street Forum aims to assist main street businesses in embracing digital technologies to build and grow their operations – from online marketing and leveraging data to better engage your clients, to adopting e-commerce to reach a broader customer base.

Fri, May 10, 2019 from 9am – 4pm
Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. West, Council Chamber
Register here for FREE!

Riverside’s annual Eats & Beats Streetfest is coming Saturday, June 1st (1-6pm). The festivities that you know and love will be happening on the first Saturday of June within the Riverside BIA along Queen E from the DVP to Empire Avenue, alongside the Riverdale Art Walk. 

As always, all local businesses and organizations are invited to open their doors and host specials, tasters, music, sidewalk sales, and/or other activities during the festival!

To be included in our printed Event Guide which goes out to 10,000 residents& businesses, let us know what you have planned for June 1st by April 12th.* Please see last year’s event guide for examples of activities to help you develop your description (or if you took part last year and are doing a repeat just email us with REPEAT).

Sat, June 1, 1-6pm

• Your Activity Name:
• Timing of Your Activity:
• Your Address:
• Description of Your Activity (1 short sentence):

Important Considerations:

• Using Your Sidewalk Space: The Riverside BIA has applied for a Sidewalk Sale permit to enable businesses and other vendors to animate the sidewalk space along Queen Street East, from the DVP to Empire Avenue. You must maintain a minimum clearance of 2.13 m from the face of the curb for the unimpeded passage of pedestrian traffic, or to a greater distance as may be directed by staff from Transportation Services.
• Outdoor Food Tasters: If providing food/drink outdoors you must complete and abide by Toronto Public Health Form pg 2-5 (pls email completed form to marketing@riverside-to.com by MAY 17th and we will submit). 
• Hosting Live Music: The BIA has applied for a Noise Exemption permit for the hours of 1pm to 6pm on June 2nd. You can host your own live music (or DJ’d music) from your storefront or on your sidewalk space (abiding by the Sidewalk Permit rules above).
• Street Closures: The BIA has applied for partial street closure permits for: Carrol (north of WQueen to the laneway), Munro (north of Queen), Broadview (South of Queen to the laneway), Saulter (south of Queen to the laneway), and McGee (south of Queen to the laneway); NOTE: Queen Street East will remain open to vehicle traffic throughout the festival.

Our 2019 calendar shows an overview of what’s happening this year! Email marketing@riverside-to.com anytime with your questions and to get involved.  
P.S. Check out our detailed Riverside Online Events Calendar which showcases BIA member and community events – to get your event posted, submit anytime to marketing@riverside-to.com