Cabbagetown is a neighbourhood located on the east side of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its name derives from the Irish immigrants who moved to the neighbourhood beginning in the late 1840s, said to have been so poor that they grew cabbage in their front yards. The area today known as Cabbagetown was first known as the village of Don Vale, just outside of Toronto; in 1850 they established in the area the city’s main cemetery. In the late 19th century the area was absorbed into the city. It became home to the working class Irish inhabitants who were employed in the industries along the lake shore. After the First World War the area became increasingly impoverished, and it become poorer and poorer with the years and the houses deteriorated. But in the beginning of the 1970s, professionals gentrified Cabbagetown and many residents restored the small Victorian row houses. We can find vintage clothing stores, health food stores, a gestalt therapy clinic and a farmer’s market. The area is also distinguished by a large number of rooming houses and other forms of low income housing. Many artists live there (musicians, journalists, writers, etc.).
Tips
If you go to visit the town at the same time of its annual festival, you must go on the second weekend of September. You’ll find many events during the week and the festival takes place at the weekend. The festival starts on Saturday morning with a band. There’s an arts and crafts fair. You can also do a tour of homes paying for it.
There’s another festival into the festival for film lovers. It’s a short film & video festival presenting productions running no longer than 15 minutes.
