Graffiti Alley, Kensington Market & Chinatown

• Kensington used to be a Jewish immigrant neighbourhood in the early 1900s — you can still spot remnants of old kosher butcher shops.
  
  

• It’s one of the few places in Toronto where streets are occasionally closed off for pedestrian-only festivals like Pedestrian Sundays.
  
  

• The neighbourhood was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 2006 because of its cultural significance.

• Toronto actually has multiple Chinatowns, but the Spadina/Dundas one is the largest and most famous.
  
  

• During Lunar New Year, the area comes alive with lion dances, lanterns, and street celebrations.
  
  

• Some shops here carry imported snacks, teas, and herbs you won’t find anywhere else in the city.
  
  

Origins: Once an overlooked laneway (Rush Lane), it became a hotspot for local graffiti artists in the early 2000s, gradually gaining recognition as an urban art space.

Legitimization: The non-profit Style in Progress and its graffiti/hip-hop festivals helped transform the alley into a celebrated showcase, and a 2011 city bylaw formally recognized murals and street art as legitimate public art.

Cultural Impact: Now a constantly evolving open-air gallery, Graffiti Alley is a popular destination for tours, photography, and media.