Free Skate Sharpening from SportChek

Here's a great freebie from SportChek. Get one free skate sharpening up until June 30th, 2009 with this coupon.

Happy skating! Once you're all sharpened why not head down to the Harbourfront Natrel Rink for some free skating.

Free Admission to the AGO - FREE!

This is an amazing deal, no strings attached. You get free admission to the Art Gallery of Ontario, to be used any time up until January 18th, 2009. Regular price admission is $18 so this a great find. And with the AGO transformation designed by Frank Gehry, it's a whole new experience.

Here's what you have to do: text message WHOA to AGOAGO (246246) from your cell phone. They'll text you back one free admission. Keep the text message and show it to get in for free.

Here's more details.

Harbourfront Natrel Skating Rink

The rink down at harbourfront is now open, so lace up your skates and get down there for some free skating and breathtaking waterfront views. The rink is open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

No skates? No problem. You can rent them there for $7 for adults, or $6 for children and seniors.

Check out the Harbourfront Centre's site for all the info.

Umbra Factory Sale December 13th & 14th, 2009

It's that time of year again! Snow is on the ground, and there are great bargains to be had this weekend at the annual Umbra Factory Sale. Umbra has great items for the home, everything from photo albums and playing cards to clocks and hardware. Check out the Umbra site to see what you might find at the sale.

It's down at the CNE in the Direct Energy Building, right across from the Automotive Building. Receive a free gift with a $2 donation to Sick Kids or a non-perishable food item for the Daily Bread Food Bank. Admission is free but expect line-ups and bundle up-- this is a popular event.

Hours are 9-6 Saturday and Sunday. Pay by Debit, Visa, Mastercard or Cash.

More details here.

Harbourfront Natrel Ice Skating Rink Opening November 17th

Well, nothing says winter like ice skating on the Toronto Harbourfront. The Natrel rink opens tomorrow, November 17th, weather permitting. You can skate at Harbourfront for FREE all winter long. Skate rentals are available for $7 adults, $6 children or seniors. Music is provided and the rink is easily accessible by TTC using the 509 or 510 streetcars.

Check out all the details at the Harbourfront Centre.

Toronto's 2nd Annual Nuit Blanche September 29th 2007

Anyone who made it out to last year's (Scotiabank) Nuit Blanche knows it tops the charts for free fun in Toronto. Get a crowd of friends together and come downtown to explore all sorts of interesting and creative events across the city. It's FREE. And it's all night long. The even starts at sunset, 7:03 p.m. on September 29th.

TIPS: Have a nap in the afternoon. No really. Bring lots of water and some snacks - even though art galleries and games and all sorts of other crazy places are open it's not that easy to find refreshments. The line for Tim Horton's was an event in itself. Also, bring an umbrella. Being cold and wet and walking through the fog at 4 a.m. will make a great story, but other than that it's just how it sounds. Cold and wet.

Check out all the details along with maps and a handy Nuit Blanche Survival Guide here.

Travel & Leisure Show - Ways to Save

The Travel & Leisure Show is going on this weekend, April 20th-22nd. It's happening at the International Center, Hall 5, located at 6900 Airport Road in Mississauga. There are a couple ways to save a lot of money on admission prices. Regular Adult Admission is $12, but BelAirTravel.com has offered this great coupon for 2-for-1 admission. If you're an Air Miles collector the deal is even sweeter - show your blue Air Miles card and you will get in to the show for free. An even better bonus is the first 200 Air Miles customers each day will receive VIP parking!! So take advantage of these great offers and head to the Travel & Leisure Show this weekend.

Free Starbucks on Earth Day

Starbucks will be doing a promotion this year on Earth Day, April 22nd. Bring in your own coffee travel mug and Starbucks will fill it with FREE coffee. Keep bringing in your travel mug and get a $0.10 discount on your drink. We LOVE free stuff!

WinterCity Fest: Wild On Winter WOW! Series at Nathan Phillips Square

As part of the two-week WinterCity Festival, there is an amazing free (yes, free!) concert and entertainment series going on at Nathan Phillips Square. The Wild On Winter concert series includes some great bands including Sloan, The New Pornographers, and The Philosopher Kings.

Concert Days: January 26th, 27th, and 28th, and February 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

While various bands and local talent will appearing throughout the day, here are some highlights:

January 26th: The Philosopher Kings @ 8:00 P.M.
January 27th: Sloan @ 8:00 P.M.
February 2nd: Mobile @ 8:00 P.M.
February 3rd: The New Pornographers @ 8:00 P.M.

Here's the full line-up for the Wild On Winter series.

Before the concerts you can catch some free theatre as Italy's Kitonb Extreme Theatre Company presents the North American Premiere of "Carillon -- The Flight of Time". With a show that features dance, acrobatics, light displays, and an aerial performance that takes place 20 metres above the audience, this one is sure to be an unforgettable experience.

Carillon can be seen January 26th & 27th, and February 2nd and 3rd at 7:00 P.M.

Also at Nathan Phillips Square, The American Express Ice Gallery presents Gordon Halloran's Paintings Below Zero, featuring an installation of colourful and abstract paintings in ice. The ice rink itself will become a giant piece of art, so this one promises to be a unique experience -- how often do you get to skate on a painting?

The Ice Gallery Hours:

January 26 - February 4, 2007
Monday to Friday: 5 - 10 pm
Saturdays: noon - 10 pm
Sundays: noon - 6 pm

Don't forget, all of this is FREE, so take full advantage of WinterCity and enjoy the best that T.O. has to offer, including Winterlicious and the Warm-Up Series with discounts and coupons for attractions and events going on across Toronto.

The National Post Offers 3 Months Free

The National Post currently has a promotion offering a complimentary 90 day subscription in celebration of the Financial Post's 100th Anniversary. It's free, and at the very least you might learn something. Or someone will think you look smart, reading the paper on the subway every day. So sign up.

Rogers Cable Offering Free Preview Channels

Rogers is offering free previews of thirteen premium channels for digital cable subscribers, so take full advantage while you can-- from my experience Rogers doesn't offer free stuff all that often. Some of the channels currently available are Turner Movie Classics, American Movie Classics, Showcase Action, Showcase Diva, National Geographic, Biography, Independent Film Channel, and Discovery Health.

Preview channels vary by region, so check out the complete list.

ZOOM! Family Sundays at Harbourfront Centre

For those of you who are looking for somewhere to take your kids on the weekend, Harbourfront Centre always delivers quality family programs. ZOOM! Family Sundays actually started back in September and is winding down, but there are still two opportunities to spend a fun-filled afternoon of family activities: December 10th and 17th from 1-5 p.m. And did I mention it's free?

ZOOM! activities include concerts, tours of the art exhibitions, readings at the Children's Reading Library, puppet theatre, and skating at the Natrel Rink. Gallery Kids brings kids and parents into the The Power Plant at York Quay Centre from 2-4 pm on Sunday.

Visit Harbourfront Centre for more information on ZOOM! and other family programming.

Categories: Toronto, Harbourfront, Family, Culture, Free

One Zone: Free Wireless Internet From Toronto Hydro

This is kind of old news, but in September Toronto Hydro launched a free wireless internet network in the dowtown Toronto core. It's expected to be fully operational by the end of December. Spanning a border from Front Street north to Bloor, and Jarvis west to Spadina, the Wi-Fi network covers just over six square kilometres.

The great news is they're offering the service free for six months, so there is still a few months to take advantage of free internet in downtown Toronto. Free access is available until March 6th, 2007.

This service will be especially useful for visitors to Toronto that want to access maps or directions, since the network can easily be accessed using any Wi-Fi device including cell phones.

For more details on how to connect, visit the One Zone.

Categories: Toronto, Free, Tourism, Technology

Free Ice Skating at Harbourfront Centre's Natrel Rink

As the temperature continues to drop, it seems that our outdoor activity level inevitably plummets with it. However, in true Canadian form, Toronto offers a great venue for free ice skating down at the Harbourfront.

The Natrel Rink opens next Saturday, November 18th. Admission is free and there is even music to provide a backdrop for your ice capades.

There are facilities available including indoor lockers and changing rooms. Parking is also available, but unless you're taking a whole crew it's probably cheaper to take the TTC (509 or 510 Streetcar) or even better yet, walk. The rink is located just south of the York Quay Centre at 235 Queens Quay West.

To warm up, there is hot food and drinks available at EATS but it's closed on Mondays. Of course you can always bring your own thermos of hot chocolate goodness to keep the cost to a minimum.

If you don't have skates, not to worry, you can rent them for $7, or $6 for children and seniors.

For more information visit the Harbourfront Centre.

Categories: Free, Fitness, Toronto, Outdoors, Family