Hey {{first_name | Friend}}! 👋

Hope everyone stayed dry through last night's wild storm. One last long weekend of summer, and then the school bells ring Tuesday. You got them through a whole summer, parent, take the win! I do miss it already. ☺️

This week's scoop has free observatory afternoons starting this weekend, a farm festival season opener, and a low sensory morning way up high. Plus apple season quietly opens at the bottom.

Note: This is your YORK Edition. Reply HALTON to switch. Or BOTH to get both editions.

PS: See all events on our event page.

Newly found or rare events

📍 Richmond Hill David Dunlap Observatory · SAT Sep 5 + SUN Sep 6 · 1 to 5 PM · 💰 Free

Free self-guided tours of the historic observatory start this weekend and run to Oct 25. Go at your own pace. → Details

📍 Toronto CN Tower · SUN Sep 20 · first 90 minutes after opening · 💰 Included with regular admission

Reduced elevator capacity, no music, a quiet space, free sensory kits and social stories. Also runs SUN Oct 4. → Details

📍 Mount Albert Brooks Farms, 122 Ashworth Rd · SAT Sep 12 + SUN Sep 13 · 9 AM to 4 PM · 💰 Ticketed

Fall season opens: barnyard playland, wagon rides, apple picking, pig races. Weekends through October. → Details

Fri Sep 4 to Mon Sep 7

📍 Toronto Exhibition Place · through MON Sep 7 · from 10 AM · 💰 50% off admission on self-declaration of a disability

The CNE closes Labour Day. Free sensory rooms at the Better Living Centre, support person free with an Access 2 Card. → Details

📍 Stouffville Treewalk Village, 3291 Stouffville Rd · open daily · 💰 From $35

Miniature houses and winding slides high in the trees, with a daytime route and an after-dark Aglow version. → Details

📍 Tottenham Downtown Tottenham station · SUN Sep 6 · 10:30 AM, 12, 1:30 + 3 PM · 💰 $17 adult, $9 child

A seated heritage train excursion, about 45 minutes round trip. Diesel locomotive this date. → Details

📍 Richmond Hill Richvale Community Centre, 160 Avenue Rd · FRI Sep 11 · pre-show 6:30 PM, film at dusk · 💰 Free

Free outdoor movie night. Smurfs follows FRI Sep 18 at David Hamilton Park. → Details

📍 Vaughan / Markham / Richmond Hill participating stores · SAT Sep 12 · 8:30 AM or 10:30 AM · 💰 Free

This month's free build is a school bus organizer. Registration opened Aug 10 and fills fast. → Register

📍 Toronto Ripley's Aquarium · SUN Sep 13 · 9 AM to 12 PM · 💰 Included with general admission

Raised lighting, no music, quiet room, sensory kits. Certified Autism Center. → Details

📍 Newmarket Ray Twinney Recreation Complex, 100 Eagle St W · SAT Sep 12 + SUN Sep 13 · 10 AM to 4 PM · 💰 Free

About 70 vendors, SuperDogs shows and dock-jumping demos. Note: lots of dogs and demo crowds. → Details

And on the horizon:

The orchards are opening. Getaway ideas for the first picking weekends.

📍 King City Pine Farms Orchard · open daily, picking ends 4:30 PM · 💰 $10 ages 3-64

Quiet orchard with kid-height dwarf trees. Apples $2.35 per pound. → Details

📍 Milton Chudleigh's · McIntosh ready around THU Sep 10 · 💰 $$

Timed 3-hour visits, online advance tickets only, no walk-ins. Apple bags $20 for 5 lb. → Book

📍 Hamilton 1668 Hwy 6 · THU to SUN · 9 AM to 5 PM · 💰 $$

Paula Red, Ginger Gold and Pioneer Mac are ready now. Wagon rides, sunflower fields, a corn pit and a hay jump between rows of retired tractors. → Details

These run every week across York Region and Toronto, see the full list on our sensory hours page.

🦁 Toronto Zoo Sensory-Friendly Early Admission: SAT + SUN early entry at 9 AM, before the 9:30 general open. Sensory bags at the Accessibility Hub.

Thank you for being here and read this far! This list only exists because you keep telling me what your family actually needs.

Hit reply and tell me one thing you are hoping goes smoothly this week. I read every single one.

See you next week!

Stella

Sensory Scoop · sensoryscoop.ca