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Things to Do in Toronto this Weekend: Friday May 24 to Sunday May 26, 2013

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:56:27 +0000

The big event for this weekend is Doors Open Toronto, with over a hundred of Toronto's most prominent and significant buildings opening their doors to the public on Saturday and/or Sunday. You can learn more about Doors Open Toronto, or go directly to the official Doors Open website to explore this year's offerings.

The public can also get a rare glimpse inside another important building during the The Ontario Food Terminal's Taste of the Food Terminal event on Saturday afternoon (buy your ticket online in advance for a discount).

The Inside Out LGBT Film Festival runs from May 23 to June 2.

The Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival continues to the end of the month.

On Saturday there's a Friends for Life Walk-A-Thon in support of the Ontario SPCA in Coronation Park (Lakeshore Blvd West and Strachan Avenue).

And on Sunday, the Etobicoke Humane Society has teamed up with the Mimico-by-the-Lake BIA for the second annual Leashes-By-The-Lake Dog Walk-A-Thon and Pet Fest at Amos Waites Park (Lakeshore Blvd West and Mimico Avenue).

If that wasn't enough dog-walking action for you, the Purina Walk for Dog Guides takes place at two Toronto locations on Sunday - the Beaches, and Harbourfront.

Anime North, a fan-run anime convention, is on from Friday to Sunday at the Toronto Congress Centre and the Doubletree International Plaza Hotel (near Pearson Airport).

Iranian Heritage Day at the Royal Ontario Museum is actually two days, running both Saturday and Sunday.

Also at the Royal Ontario Museum, the theme for this week's ROM Friday Night Live is "ROMicon", in celebration of superheroes.

At Downsview Park, this Sunday's free "Nature Connection" event is tied to "Doors Open", and will look at the history and transformation of the site.

desiFEST at Yonge-Dundas Square offers a "Bollywood in the Square" film screening on Friday night and a free, day-long concert on Saturday.

On Sunday the annual Great Strides Walk will raise money for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. The Toronto walk takes place at the Toronto Zoo.

Asian Heritage Month events at the Toronto Public Library continue through the weekend.

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Things to Do in Toronto this Weekend: Friday May 17 to Monday May 20, 2013

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:28:11 +0000

At 6pm tonight, Thursday May 16, the Bata Shoe Museum is screening Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing as part of a lecture and film series which accompanies their new exhibit "Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture."

It's Victoria Day Weekend, with family events and a few fireworks celebrations planned (weather permitting!)

Two of Toronto's Historical Museums will be celebrating Victoria Day with special events on Monday - there are the annual Victoria Day events at Fort York, plus a Victoria Day Tea and Tour at Montgomery's Inn.

HarbourKIDS: The Toronto International Circus Festival offers free family fun at Harbourfront Centre from Saturday to Monday.

The Woofjocks will be doing demonstrations of canine sports at PawsWay Toronto on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (also at Harbourfront Centre).

From Saturday to Monday, the Victoria Day weekend theme at Black Creek Pioneer Village is "Pirates and Princesses". Events include storytelling, a treasure hunt, and "Fairytale Family Tea."

At the Toronto Zoo, the Giant Panda exhibit opens to the public this Saturday, May 18. Also, World Turtle Week begins on Saturday and continues until May 23.

The Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival continues through May.

Asian Heritage Month continues through May as well, with some related events on this weekend at various Toronto Public Library branches.

The Artfest at the Distillery - Spring Craft Show is on from Saturday to Monday.

It's another busy weekend at Evergreen Brick Works with several special exhibitions continuing, the Farmer's Market on Saturday, a Community Clothing swap on Sunday, gardening and biking workshops, tours and more. Then on Monday, you can enjoy and learn about local beers and food during Brewer's Backyard: "Queen Victoria's Secret."

Heritage Toronto offers two tours on Saturday - "Crazy Cloth: A High Tech Trip into Toronto History and Culture" (which is for kids and their families and will use tablet computers as part of an exploration of the Fashion District) and "Exhibition Place and the Battle of York, 1813" (which will follow the route taken by the Americans who advanced on the fort).

Mountain Equipment Co-op is hosting the free event MEC Bikefest Toronto in Trinity Bellwoods Park on Saturday.

The Lulaworld 2013 Music Festival - "Lula's Latin Soul" is on now and continues until May 31.

"Bugs Bunny at the Symphony" is on at the Sony Centre on Saturday night.

And from the calendar of User-submitted events for May:
- Theatre Scarborough has a final performance of "South Pacific" on Saturday (but it's now listed as sold out!).
- Workman Arts' "Here is Where" pop-up gallery and "Being Scene" exhibit continue.
- On Friday night the Ed Vokurka Jazz Trio is at Playful Grounds on College Street.
- On Saturday night Toronto-based vocalist/Hammond Organist Amanda Davids is performing "urban funk" at 3030 Dundas West.
- The "Spring into Art" event continues at the Williams Mill Creative Art Center in Georgetown.

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Things to Do in Toronto this Weekend: Friday May 10 to Sunday May 12, 2013

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:45:58 +0000

Along with moms, migratory birds are also being celebrated this weekend.
Photo © Marilyn Campbell, 2012

This Sunday is Mother's Day, so there are a number of special events on to celebrate (many centered around brunch or afternoon tea!).

Some moms might be interested in Downton Abbey Day at William Ashley, which takes place on Saturday in partnership with Spadina Museum.

Saturday is International Migratory Bird Day, and here in Toronto celebrations include the annual Spring Bird Festival at Tommy Thompson Park and the 14th Annual International Migratory Bird Day activities at the Toronto Zoo.

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is on Saturday and Sunday at the Toronto Reference Library. There are also talks and other events on leading up to the festival, including a Librarian & Educator Day on Friday - check the "Events" section of the TCAF website for details.

On Saturday, free Science Rendezvous events will be on at locations across the city (and the country!) offering hands-on activities, presentations, and challenges, all in the name of bringing science to the streets!

SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival is on at Harbourfront Centre from Thursday to Sunday, offering a variety of free and ticketed a cappella shows.

The Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival continues throughout the month.

Asian Heritage Month events also continue.

This Saturday the Toronto Roller Derby holds their final regular-season bout, a double-header at the Bunker in Downsview Park.

This is the final weekend for the 2013 installment of the Mayworks Festival of Working People and the Arts, which continues until Wednesday May 15.

At the Royal Ontario Museum this weekend, the theme for ROM Friday Night Live is "Photography" and Saturday is South Asian Heritage Day. Offsite, there's a free ROMwalks tour of The Grange on Sunday.

And from the calendar of User-submitted events for May:
- On both Saturday and Sunday Tasty Tours offers special Mother's Day walking tours.
- Workman Arts has numerous events on this weekend to mark the beginning of Mental Health Week, including exhibitions and a screening of the film Fat Kid Rules the World.
- Performances of Scarborough Village Theatre's production of South Pacific continue.
- Soprano Lesley Bouza and the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra present "Songs of the Auvergne" at Mississauga's Living Arts Centre on Saturday.
- The Spring into Art exhibition and fund raiser continues at the Williams Mill Creative Art Center in Georgetown.

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Things to Do in Toronto this Weekend: Friday May 3 to Sunday May 5, 2013

Thu, 02 May 2013 01:55:30 +0000

The Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival runs throughout May, offering exhibitions at various locations. This year's theme is "Field of Vision".

Hot Docs, the Canadian International Documentary Festival, continues until Sunday.

The annual Mayworks Festival of Working People and the Arts is on now and continues until May 15.

Jane's Walk events will be taking place this weekend in cities around the world - and here in Toronto, of course.

Adopt-A-Pond's 14th Annual Spring Toad Festival is on Saturday and Sunday at the Toronto Zoo.

There's a High Park Nature Walking Tour on Sunday focused on the birds of the park, plus special Cherry Blossom Tours on both Saturday and Sunday.

The Toronto Humane Society is having an open house on Saturday from noon until 5pm, and a Garage Sale and Bake Sale on both Saturday and Sunday.

You can visit with a kangaroo, a lemur, and other exotic animals at the Pawsitively Pets Street Party on Sunday afternoon.

ROM Friday Night Live events return to the Royal Ontario Museum this weekend with JUNOS After Dark. And for families, this is ROMkids Early Life Weekend, with activities exploring the world before dinosaurs.

The Blue Jays are in town from Thursday to Sunday.

Since it will be the first Saturday in May, this Saturday is Free Comic Book Day, and numerous comic shops in Toronto will be participating (use the website's store locator feature to find one near you).

And visit the calendar of User-submitted events for May for more information on these events:
- Summer Reading Book Sale in support of the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra on Saturday and Sunday.
- On Saturday the free M4S (Mining, Minerals, Metals and Materials Show) explores mining.
- Theatre Scarborough's production of South Pacific continues until May 18.
- The Mandarin MS Walk in support of the MS Society of Canada is on Sunday.

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May is Asian Heritage Month!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:30:14 +0000

As May begins, so too does Asian Heritage Month in Canada. Every year during the month of May, all Canadians are encouraged to learn about and celebrate the contributions made to this country by people of East Asian, Southern Asian, Western and Southeast Asian descent.

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Will You Be On a Jane's Walk This Weekend?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:19:20 +0000

This weekend, volunteer guides and walk-participants will honour the memory of writer and activist Jane Jacobs by participating in themed walking tours which are taking place across the city.

The American-born Jacobs, who may be best known for her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, passed away here in Toronto in April of 2006 after dedicating much of her life to urban studies and related activism. The annual Jane's Walk event takes place during the first weekend in May, to fall near Jacobs' May 4th birthday. During the weekend, volunteer leaders offer up free tours to the parts of the city that they know and love, inviting everyone to become urban explorers for at least one weekend and encouraging many to keep exploring and imagining year-round.

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Income Taxes Due on April 30

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:12:29 +0000

For most Canadians, the deadline for filing personal income taxes is midnight on April 30 - which is tomorrow!

If you're still finishing your return, remember you can visit the Canada Revenue Agency website at www.cra-arc.gc.ca for forms, frequently asked questions, detailed pamphlets, phone numbers and more. There are also four CRA Tax Services Offices in the Toronto area which have drop-boxes available, but only one still offers payment and enquiry counter service. If you'd like to speak with someone there, you'll need to call in advance and make an appointment.

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Things to Do in Toronto this Weekend: Friday April 26 to Sunday April 28, 2013

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:59:31 +0000

The Canadian International Documentary Festival Hot Docs begins today, April 25, and continues until May 5.

The Bicentennial Commemoration of the Battle of York is on Saturday, and there are many activities planned to mark the occasion, both at Fort York and elsewhere in the city.

This is the final weekend for the Toronto Public Library's 2013 Keep Toronto Reading Festival.

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Things to Do in Toronto this Weekend: Friday April 19 to Sunday April 21, 2013

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:00:00 +0000

April 22nd is Earth Day, and many related events are taking place this weekend. The city's official clean-up days are on Friday (corporate/school) and Saturday (community). Visit www.earthday.ca to browse the other local event listings.

The Toronto Public Library's Keep Toronto Reading events continue throughout April.

The Images Festival continues until Saturday while the TIFF Kids International Film Festival continues until Sunday.

Toronto's Bridal Show is on from Friday to Sunday at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place.

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Things to Do in Toronto this Weekend: Friday April 12 to Sunday April 14, 2013

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 01:45:36 +0000

The annual Green Living Show is on from Friday to Sunday at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place.

The TIFF.kids International Film Festival is on now at the TIFF Bell Lightbox and continues until April 21. The TIFF Kids digiPlaySpace - an interactive adventure/exhibition designed for ages 3 to 13 - is also open until the 21st.

The new Spur Festival of "politics, art and ideas" runs from April 11-14, bringing panel discussions, debates, readings, live music, and more to several locations.

The Toronto Public Library's Keep Toronto Reading festival continues throughout the month.

The Toronto Art Expo is on from Thursday night to Sunday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

This weekend Casa Loma is offering an Adult Archery Workshop on Saturday and a Ghost Tracking tour on Sunday night.

On both Saturday and Sunday the Pawsway Pet Discovery Centre at Harbourfront is hosting a "Rescue Me" weekend, giving you a chance to learn about - and from - some of the many local animal rescue organizations.

Other film festivals on this week include ReelWorld, which continues until April 14, and the Images Festival which is on until April 20.

The Royal Ontario Museum is offering "Family Fun Weekends" during April, May and June - this Saturday and Sunday the theme is Archaeology.

There are several featured events at Toronto museums this weekend, including A Parler Fort Event, The Battle of York: Myth, Reality and the Explosion of the Grand Magazine on Sunday, an Outdoor Guided Walk looking at signs of spring at Todmorden Mills on Sunday, and Single Thread Theatre Company Workshops which the public can watch on both Saturday and Sunday.

And from the calendar of User-submitted events for April:
- Jazzforia is at Playful Grounds on Friday.
- On Friday at Ben McNally Books there's a launch event for After The Error: Speaking Out About Patient Safety To Save Lives by Susan B. McIver, Ph.D. and Robin Wyndham.
- There's a "Kensington Krawl" neighbourhood tour on Sunday April 14.
- And the Toronto Roller Derby is hosting a double-header on Saturday.

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