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

Thursday May 16, 2013

  • 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.

If you're an event planner hosting something this weekend, feel free to tell us about it in the comments section below. For later events, learn how to submit an event listing to About.com: Toronto.

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

Thursday May 9, 2013


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.

If you're an event planner hosting something this weekend, feel free to tell us about it in the comments section below. For later events, learn how to submit an event listing to About.com: Toronto.

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

Thursday May 2, 2013

  • 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.

If you're an event planner hosting something this weekend, feel free to tell us about it in the comments section below. For later events, learn how to submit an event listing to About.com: Toronto.

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May is Asian Heritage Month!

Tuesday April 30, 2013

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.

For Asian Heritage Month in Toronto, related events will be held at library branches, schools, and museums. There are lectures, workshops, performances, children's entertainment and more taking place throughout the coming month. The Toronto Public Library offers a great deal of programming, while Toronto's local school boards team-up to offer events for students and community members.

If you'd like to spend some time this May learning about the culture and contributions of Canada's Asian immigrants and communities, you can explore ways to celebrate Asian Heritage Month in Toronto.

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