A couple of weeks ago, I was walking home from a restaurant on Queen Street when I saw a group of people all filming something. Naturally, I followed their line of sight to a streetcar at a stop.
At first, I was confused about what I was looking at. I could hear music, but I didn’t know where it was coming from. After looking closer, I noticed security standing at each entrance of the streetcar and a blue light radiating from the interior.
Then I saw it: a DJ with a turntable in the middle of the streetcar and people dancing.Â
The second I got back to my apartment I looked up “TTC DJ” wondering what this could possibly be. Living in downtown Toronto, you get used to seeing some weird stuff, especially at night. The idea that it was some random guy with a portable turntable wasn’t out of the question.Â
Instead, what I found was that for the month of January, Heineken would be partnering with Toronto’s TTC streetcars. Their goal is to bring a fun bar hopping experience that is completely alcohol-free to celebrate dry January.Â
This served as a great option for anyone who doesn’t want to partake in drinking but still wants to experience Toronto’s nightlife. With all the places open late in Toronto, it’s hard to find options if you don’t want to drink.Â
Each week in January, a different DJ took charge of a streetcar, leading its crowd to one of the many participating bars in the city. Some of the DJs included Toronto artists Ace and Dre Ngozi.Â
As stated on Heineken’s Instagram, the streetcar picked up passengers at Richmond and Spadina, with pickups said to have come every hour.
Even if you couldn’t make it last month, this isn’t the first Toronto event Heineken has put on and it doesn’t look like it will be the last.
Apart from Heineken’s event, there are some other spots around Toronto to check out, like the first entirely alcohol-free bar in Toronto, Zero. Sobar Social Club is another great option — they are constantly hosting alcohol-free events.
While it can be fun to grab drinks with friends, it’s great that there are options in the city for those who choose not to drink — or even just for those who want another option for socializing that doesn’t come with the pressure to drink.