Discover Kensington Market with Emmy Award-winning Filmmaker

The circuitous streets of Kensington Market have hosted waves of immigration since Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe first gave birth to this creative community around 1900. Although more up-market than before, the Market today maintains its eclectic, electric, eccentric personality characterized by immigrants from all over, by artists and entrepreneurs, fans and filmmakers, hipsters, tripsters, trendoids and other originals from punks to post modern poseurs.   

We start at my house – a former bagel factory to plan our route over coffee and local pastries then set out through Lois Lane - the graffiti alley adjacent and out into the internecine streets, the muttering retreats of the market where we locate local legends and living celebrities, sample foods and meet merchants, artists and artisans on a walking, tasting, tale-telling tour through the eyes and guise of a long time local.

DEAR TORONTO VISITORS: I simply can’t afford to give these tours for the small change that our guests are led to believe is reasonable when it isn't even minimum wage.   I’m leaving the GuruWalk platform because of its untenable tip-based pricing model and will now be found on Airbnb Experiences
"Kensington Market by Emmy Award-winning Filmmaker"
airbnb.ca/x/explorekensington

I consistently deliver an intriguing, idiosyncratic, intelligent and fun experience behind-the-scenes access and customized for my guests mainly because I love it but I also depend on the money.   It’s not a hobby.   My fee for the same tour is $65 per person on Airbnb.   I respect my commitments and will honour any pre-existing reservations on Guruwalk BUT I trust you to respect me too.     I apologize for having to be so blunt but it's either this or stop giving tours altogether and my reviews show that I know how to give my guests a great day while opening their eyes to seeing our city in an entirely new light.  I hope you will give me a chance 

NOW OFF THE SOAP BOX AND BACK TO THE TOUR! :)

"No matter your approach, once you crossed College Street or Spadina Avenue or Dundas, you were somewhere else when you entered Kensington Market." (from the Giller award winning novel "Bellevue Square" by Michael Redhill)

Selected Reviews of Patrick's Torontopolitan Tours from Trip Advisor

"See Toronto from the inside!   A great day hosted and run by the incredible Patrick.  We learned a huge amount and saw Toronto in a totally different light!" -  Des (from Scotland) July 2023

"Patrick was Great!    Wonderful experience; felt like being amongst friends.   This was an amazing experience. Patrick was an outstanding guide teaching us a lot about the area and life in Canada."  – Ian S. (from London UK) July 2023

"Awesome day!    We had an amazing day with Patrick as our Guide.   Really enjoyed learning about local Canadian culture." - Maja R and family, July 2023

Patrick kept us entertained with his local animated stories the whole day. He was quite knowledgeable of the area and its fascinating history.  Thank you for your time Patrick and thank you for the donuts!   - Mette and Trevor Tingey (from Cambridge, UK) October 2022

 
***DUE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF LAST MINUTE CANCELLATIONS AND NO SHOWS, GUESTS NEED TO CONFIRM THEIR ATTENDANCE ONE DAY IN ADVANCE. If I have not heard back from guests by 9 am on tour day, the TOUR WILL BE CANCELLED.  Please help me out with this minor request.   It's extremely difficult to plan if people don't communicate and I've set this time aside often months in advance and I need to know what food to have on hand.   

PAULA from SALAMANCA who took took the time to complain, could not take the time to respond to me respectfully as requested and was as a result disappointed.  She could have contacted me at any time and I would have accommodated her.