TIFF brings 'pop up economy' with small biz, overall spending up 10% in 2025

TIFF kicks off Thursday night with Academy Award winner Sian Heder's big-screen adaptation of Judy Heumann's bestselling memoir Being Heumann. A sign is seen outside the TIFF Lightbox ahead of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on September 3, 2024 in Toronto. (Photo by Brian de) See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Toronto International Film Festival, which unfurls Thursday and runs until Sept. 20, isn't just about movie-watching and star-gazing. It also creates a 'pop-up economy' according to data from Visa, whose 29-year-old partnership with TIFF continues this year. Visa says last year, TIFF saw local small business spending up 10% year-over-year, while overall spending in the TIFF Zone – where the majority of films are shown along King Street – grew 10%. Meanwhile, foreign visitor spending hit a record high — up 15% year-over-year — accounting for 20% of all local commerce during the festival. Additionally, since 2022, the number of small businesses operating in the TIFF Zone expanded by 30%, driving a 20% increase in small business sales. 'For nearly three decades, Visa has been proud to partner with TIFF, one of the world's most influential film festivals,' said Michiel Wielhouwer, President and Country Manager, Visa Canada, in a statement. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We're thrilled to extend this important partnership and continue giving Visa cardholders opportunities to get closer to the Festival experiences they love.' Visa cardholders get early access to tickets, priority lines and lounges at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre and Roy Thomson Hall. Free ticket giveaway Visa Sharing The Screen will also this year distribute 500 complimentary screening tickets and host a special Creator Talk with director Rebeca Huntt and soccer icon Megan Rapinoe in support of their documentary RAPINOE, premiering at TIFF on Thursday. 'Visa has been an excellent partner to TIFF for nearly three decades, and we're grateful for their continued commitment to our Festival,' said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF, in a statement. For those who want a peek at the energy TIFF brings to downtown Toronto, the pedestrian-only Festival Street returns Thursday to Sunday on King Street West between Peter Street and University Avenue. The street will welcome close to half a million people and will feature art installations, live music and DJs, free outdoor film screenings, art market, food trucks, partner activations and family-friendly activities. One major change is that the iconic TIFF Festival Street sign has been redesigned with LED lighting creating a vibrant (and no longer orange) backdrop for one of TIFF's most beloved annual traditions: the Festival Street photo. TIFF kicks off Thursday night with Academy Award winner Sian Heder's big-screen adaptation of Judy Heumann's bestselling memoir Being Heumann . Celebrity World World Canada Toronto Maple Leafs