By Veeda Tanwir, Assistant, Events & Outreach

Over the course of a two-year pilot project, Toronto Arts Foundation, with support from TD Bank Group, will work directly with community members to support the co-curation and enhancement of existing Arts in the Parks activities and events. These enhancements are based on a series of community consultations that took place in the spring of 2026 and will continue into 2027. For more information on the pilot, please reach out to engagement coordinators Jeff (jeff@torontoarts.org) and Liz (liz@torontoarts.org). 

On Sunday, July 12, Dentonia Park came alive with music, art, food, and community as Bangladeshi Queer Liberation (BQL) brought Shopner Mela (Festival of Dreams) to the neighbourhood. Running from noon to 8 p.m., the multidisciplinary arts mela celebrated queer and trans Bangladeshi resistance, joy, and cultural expression through live performances, visual art, storytelling, vendors, food, and film. 

For Bangladeshi Queer Liberation, Shopner Mela is about creating a space where culture and community can exist side by side. Founded in 2023, BQL works to advocate for LGBTQIA+ and hijra communities in Bangladesh while creating opportunities for queer and trans Bangladeshis and Bengalis in Toronto to connect, celebrate, and build community together. 

The event continued BQL’s tradition of bringing people together at Dentonia Park. After organizing annual picnics and a grassroots Pohela Boishakh celebration in previous years, this year’s mela expanded that tradition into a full day of arts and cultural programming. 

From the moment attendees arrived, there was plenty to explore. Bengali meals were served at the beginning of the event, giving community members an opportunity to gather over familiar flavours before enjoying the day’s programming. Throughout the park, artists and vendors showcased their work, including artists selling prints and other creative goods. The atmosphere was lively, welcoming, and distinctly community-oriented. 

One of the highlights of the day was the event’s performances, which brought together a range of artistic practices and perspectives. Music, dance, storytelling, and other forms of live performance filled the park, offering audiences opportunities to experience the many ways Bangladeshi and queer identities can be expressed through art and culture. 

But for many attendees, one of the biggest surprises of the day came in the form of something a little sweeter. 

As part of this year’s Arts in the Parks programming, several events received extra enhancements funded by TD Bank Group, providing additional experiences designed to encourage attendance and deepen audience engagement. At Shopner Mela, that enhancement took the form of an ice cream truck, which served more than 200 free ice creams to the community. 

The ice cream truck quickly became a gathering point throughout the afternoon. People stopped by to cool down, grab a treat, and spend more time enjoying the event. Children and families gathered around the truck, while other attendees enjoyed their ice cream as they explored the performances, vendors, and activities happening throughout the park. 

More than just a fun addition to the day, the enhancement helped create an even more welcoming and accessible environment. A simple summer treat became a reason for people to stay, connect, and share the experience with one another. It was a small addition that made a big impact, one that helped draw even more members of the community into the celebration. 

As the afternoon continued, Dentonia Park became a space where people could celebrate parts of themselves and their culture openly and joyfully. For members of Toronto’s Bangladeshi queer community, events like Shopner Mela offer an opportunity to gather in a space that recognizes both their cultural heritage and their identities. For allies and the wider community, it was an invitation to listen, participate, and celebrate alongside them. 

The event’s welcoming atmosphere was felt throughout the day, with strong attendance and enthusiastic participation from the community. Whether attendees came for the performances, food, art, vendors, film programming, or simply to spend a summer afternoon with friends and neighbours, Shopner Mela offered something for everyone. 

As the day moved toward its evening programming, the park remained filled with the energy of a community coming together. The event demonstrated how arts and culture can create meaningful opportunities for connection. 

Shopner Mela was a celebration of queer joy, Bangladeshi culture, artistic expression, and the power of community. Through its performances, food, art, and shared experiences, Bangladeshi Queer Liberation created a space where people could come together, celebrate their identities, and dream of a more inclusive future. 

If you are interested in helping us continue to make art accessible across Toronto and bring meaningful programming to communities like the one in Dentonia Park, visit us here.