It’s the last weekend before Labour Day weekend, which means get your a*s outside, friends! Here’s what to do during the last full weekend in August.
Thursday
Bacardi Thursday @ Touro
Touro’s Bar Roster Nights have arrived with premium cocktails by Bacardi, including their new Daiquiri #125 created exclusively for the event. Get your rum party buzz on for $5 a cocktail (this week only) by signing on to their email list at TouroSteakhouse.com.
Anchor Shop Presents: Luke Austin
With special guests Chad Price and Sarah J. Felker, crooner Luke Austin will be serenading the crowds with his signature lyrics and ballads at Clinton’s. Bring tissues, FYI.
Summer Craft Beer Fest 2013
Squeeze every last delicious drop of craft beer out of this summer by heading down to the Summer Craft Beer Fest 2013 at Liberty Market Building Galleria. There’ll be over 20 of the best craft brewers on hand plus big bites from the Liberty Market Food Vendors.
Open Roof Festival – “Kings of Summer” Screening
Screw Netflix, head down to Queens Quay to see a cute new indie movie and get serious artistic cred with your hipster friends at the Open Roof Festival. This weekend’s screening, Kings of Summer, is an adolescent coming of age storing with the cute gay kid from Shameless.
2 Michelin-Starred Chef Oliver Glowig at Toca Restaurant
Mediterranean culinary mastermind and 2 Michelin-Starred Chef Oliver Glowig will be coming to Toca Restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto from August 22nd to 25th. Enjoy creations from one of Rome’s finest, ranging from interpretations on classic Italian fare to his own specialty combinations.
UMMET OZCAN @ MAISON AUG 22ND
DJ UMMET OZCAN, joined by DJs SAAD AYUB and PAPERCUT, will be rocking the house at Maison. Check out their Facebook page for a chance to win one of three tickets for free.
Unravel the Red | Charity Trivia Night
Relive one of the best parts of your college days (AKA drinking and trivia) at the Ossington while also testing your knowledge about local and international HIV and AIDS issues. Bring three other friends for your team and pass the night with music, games, yummy drinks, and tonnes of prizes. Tickets are $10 per person for participants with all the funds going to support Africa’s Children – Africa’s Future.
Surf, Turf, & Sail… Foodies on Foot 1 Year Anniversary Party
Following a year of taking people on culinary adventures by foot, bus, and streetcar, Foodies on Foot will be taking to TO’s Seven Seas (ie Lake Ontario) from Queens Quay for an evening of sailing lessons, prizes, and, of course, excellent food and drink from some of their favourite restaurants and food vendors in the city.
50/50 4th Annual Juried Art Exhibition
Running August 22nd to 29th, the 50/50 4th Annual Juried Art Exhibition will be playing host to over 20 artists, all in the square format. With the opening reception on August 22nd, the event will include live music, storytelling, and Tombak, a goblet from Persia.
Reposition Exhibit
Showing off some sweet local talent with ten graphic design projects of recent OCAD grads, Reposition will be exhibiting their work for new audiences to enjoy and, hopefully, help challenge the status quo of graphic design. The exhibit will be available to see from August 21st to September 1st.
Friday
THIS IS HOW WE DO IT! 90’s Hip Hop & House
The warm weather seems to be coming back for one last hurrah so why not celebrate by dancing and sweating to some sweet ’90s hip hop and house. Music by LEXX DECIBEL, RICK TOXIC, D-MONIC, and MC JD.
FanExpo Canada
Celebrating 19 years of ComicCon North, the third largest sci-fi et. al. pop culture event is no longer solely for those who still live in their mother’s basement. A multi-faceted affair, there are over 900 exhibitors and celebrities on hand to have something interesting for everyone to do. It’ll be running August 22nd to 25th at Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Aloha Toronto!
Most people do not associate Toronto with surfing but really, has that ever stopped us from doing anything? The Aloha Toronto beach festival will be bringing the sunny Hawaiian lifestyle to Hogtown with funds going to support Autism Ontario.
Scotiabank Toronto Buskerfest
Fire-breathers, jugglers, and contortionists… you actually probably would see these on Yonge Street downtown on any given weekend. However, this weekend (August 22nd to 25th), it will be even more entertaining weirdos than usual for Toronto’s annual Buskerfest. The festival is organized by Epilepsy Toronto, raising funds and creating awareness for the world’s most common neurological disorder.
BAT TO THE 90s SUPER HERO PARTY AT TATTOO
Dust off your Wonder Twins costumes, kids, and head down to Tattoo Rock Parlour for a ’90s night of superhero proportions. Those who actually dress up get in for free before midnight.
Va Va Voom
Burlesque booze cruise? Burlesque booze cruise. For one night only, the River Gambler will be transformed into a house of strip-tease on the high seas featuring local talents Dew Lily, Dolly Berlin, Rubie Laframboise, Miss DD Starr and Ava Noir.
ADANA TWINS [Exploited | JEUDI Records]
Event production and press company Keep It Deep will be celebrating their first anniversary with German DJ duo the ADANA TWINS, joined by POUPON, JEFF BUTTON, and KASEL VS. WESKA.
BeerProv
Two classic Canadian comfort ‘foods’, beer and improv, are brought together once again for BeerProv, one of Toronto’s most hilarious comedy nights. Enjoy the spontaneous hilarity and suds while host Jim Robinson makes you laugh until you black out. Or maybe the beer does that. Either way, don’t wear white.
Instagramification
Do what you do every Friday night: drink and take selfies with your friends on Instagram. Music by DJ JUS FLOW, DJ YOUNG LEGEND, DJ TCUBED, SANGA GENESIS, THE BASS 6, and DJ SPARKA.
BRAS FOR A CAUSE
Hosted by Serenity Hart, in conjunction with GET FREE, T.dot’s newest open format neighbourhood party, come out and dance to some of the city’s best DJs while helping to support and raise awareness about local Women’s Shelters and Underprivileged Women around the world. Also, check out the Facebook page for locations around town you can donate your gently used/unused bras. This is great.
Saturday
The O Course Crucible
The O Course Crucible is a timed military obstacle course race designed by a Military Ops unit, spanning 10-12 km with 30 unique obstacles. Fun?
The Little House That Could – Canadian Film Premiere & After Party
LA-based, TO-born DJ/filmmaker Mars Roberge comes home for the Canadian premiere of his documentary, The Little House That Could. Based on the life of Patricia Field, most well-known as the creative genius behind all the fabulous frocks on Sex and the City, the film looks at her life prior to the series as she and her unconventional family of LGBT youth changed fashion and music the world over.
961 Roundup: GRAND OPENING PARTY!
Celebrate the grand opening of Rosie the Rebel & Loveless Boutiques with a carnival of fashion including a fashion show, burlesque, magic, sideshow weirdos, palm readings, tarot cards, and carny games! Performances by Dolly Berlin, Charlie Quinn, Fiona Flauntit, Leelando, Miss Mitzy Cream, and Chris Mysterion. Master of Ceremonies? The Canadian Wolfman, obvee.
WAYLA Bar presents HARD CANDY back2School Retro Dance Party with DJ daVinci!
Sick of the village? Who isn’t. Get out of the Church strip and head east to Wayla Bar for a hot night of retro music, with beats by DJ daVinci. Also, no cover yo.
Barns Art Market: August
One Saturday of every month (May to October) head down to the Barns Art Market to see over 25 exhibitors, open studios, and building tours all for free. Get some sweet jewelry, paintings, prints, ceramics, clothing, and more.
The Bridging Festival
Rope the horses to the caravans and head east to the distant land of Scarborough for the Bridging Festival, a weekend (August 23rd, 24th) celebrating cuisine, art, the environment, and community with free activities in Kingston-Galloway/Orton Park.
PrismFEST 2013 | EDM Boat Party Phase One Announced
Huge dance party on a boat, y’all.
The Culinary Adventure Company – Uncork the County
Take a tour of beautiful Prince Edward County and experience some of the scenic vineyards and landscapes that produce fantastic Ontario wines right in our own backyard. Sample 12 wines at four different wineries and have lunch overlooking a vineyard as you are guided by a chef and, more importantly, wine lover, on a day you are not likely soon to forget.
RIOT FEST TORONTO @ FORT YORK – AUG 24 & 25
Two days only, come rock out with your ____ out to the traveling exposition known as Riot Fest.
Underworld’s ‘Summer End Skate Jam’
Get stoked to end the summer with some sick skateboarding and tonnes of prizes as FSU’s 2013 Canadian Tour makes its stop in T.dot.
9th Yonge Street Pub Crawl for Right to Play
Do you think you can pub crawl up the longest street in the world? Well, chances are by the end you may literally be crawling but that’s okay, it’s for a good cause. Support Right to Play and get your drank on, yo.
Guvernment Foam Party BUS GROUP
“Foam, beach balls, half-naked sexy people, VIP entrance and crazy DJs all night.” Enjoy.
Toronto Chinatown Festival
Come to Chinatown for a weekend (August 24th, 25th) of cultural experiences including dance performances and vendors selling everything from food to exotic merchandise.
Sunday
Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market
Toronto’s most eclectic and interesting neighbourhood, Kensington Market, is closed off to cars between 12pm and 7pm (until 10pm on the north block of Augusta) so that we may roam its storied streets and explore all it has to offer. Besides all sorts of neat vendors, there will also be artists, musicians, and performers.
Strings of Change
Join violinist Sharon Lee, cellist Sybil Shanahan, and guitarist Rob MacDonald as they explore little known gems for this instrumentation along with cornerstones of the repertoire. And it’s totally free, so why not get your high-brow culture on?
Wild Blueberry Festival
Enjoy wild blueberry season with live music, a pie bake-off, and a gardening workshop where you can learn how to grow your own blueberries all for free!
Chill: Patio BBQ & Party
Come get some meat… off the grill and meet some friends, have a beer and celebrate one of the last weekends of summer at The Vic Public House at an in-town BBQ. The event is free entry though donation boxes will be set up, with support going to Avalanche Fund which helps out the LGBT community.