Top 5 nightlife events to celebrate TIFF in Toronto
Published September 3, 2025 at 3:09 pm
TIFF kicks off this week, and we have the best spots in Toronto where you can party like a movie star.
Whether it’s secret cocktail programs for those breaks between showings, or a place to party like an A-lister all night, we have you covered.
Fox on John
Starting where the action is, the Fox on John is an iconic nightlife spot just around the corner from the TIFF Lightbox theatre.
Keeping on the pulse of Hollywood-style parties, the Fox on John for the whole festival’s duration (Sept. 4 to 14) has received privileges to operate until 4 a.m. alongside TIFF programming.
This includes post-movie premiere soirees, DJ sets, and a specialized cocktail program.
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The Writers Room
Shifting gears, we come to the Writer’s Room, a Toronto institution that knows that behind every great film is a great screenplay.
The same way that behind every great drink is an equally talented bartender.
To celebrate TIFF, this rooftop institution, frequently visited by celebrities, is offering two specialized cocktails. The Wake Up Dead Man, in homage to the upcoming film by Rian Johnson of the same name, and Le Magnifique.
To sample these innovations, head to the rooftop of the iconic Park Hyatt hotel in Yorkville.
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The Fifth Social Club
After a few cocktails on a rooftop, why not get some proof that you are just as much of a star as those flying into TIFF?
The Fifth Social Club downtown is doing exactly that with their TIFF ‘After the After Party,’ where guests can access a photo corner with its own red carpet, and party like a true celeb after the fact.
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Shangri-La
A downtown Toronto icon serving up iconic cocktails, the Shangi-La’s TIFF 50 Signature Cocktail series aims to showcase equal parts glamour and innovation with eight movie-inspired drinks.
Whether it’s the Golden Reel inspired by Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, Earl Grey gin coupled with a bergamot puree, and monk fruit syrup. Or Star the Fruit, top-shelf vodka mixed with starfruit syrup and coconut rum in a nod to the indie darling Whale Rider — there is something here for every connoisseur of movies and mixology.
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Library Bar
This celebrated cocktail lounge, nestled in the Fairmont Royal York hotel, is paying homage to the godfather of all cinema with its cocktail inspired by, well, The Godfather.
A cocktail built on only the finest Irish whiskey, paired by default with a venison tartare in a cannoli shell, is the perfect late-night endeavor for any TIFF mover and shaker looking to be treated like a star.
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