NOW critics pick the best things to do in Toronto on the weekend of October 1, including the Smashing Pumpkins guitarist’s NFT public art installation at Fort York, the return of TIFF Bell Lightbox, a hay-covered fall patio, the Geary Art Crawl and more.
Continuum
Artist Krista Kim and Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder are teaming up for a massive light and sound installation that’s running at Fort York Historic Site this weekend. It’s billed as a meditative and healing experience (it’ll probably look good on Instagram, too). Schroeder will perform twice a day at the 100-foot screen and the whole darn thing is also being sold as an NFT at auction house Sotheby’s as part of an exhibition curated by DJ Steve Aoki. Can you handle it?
October 1-4. 250 Fort York. Free but must pre-book tickets here.
GTA21 at MOCA
The Museum of Contemporary Art launches its inaugural Greater Toronto Art 2021 (GTA21), a triennial survey show featuring newly commissioned works by 21 buzzy artists and art collectives who are either working in the city, or have deep connections here.
To January 9. 158 Sterling. moca.ca
TIFF Bell Lightbox reopens
With the requirement that patrons over 12 be fully vaccinated – and after last month’s nearly COVID-free festival – the lights are back on in the Lightbox again, starting with this weekend’s run of Julia Ducournau’s Titane. And that’s not all: Toronto is getting one more chance to see last year’s Oscar-winners Minari and Nomadland with a crowd, TIFF Cinematheque has a revival run of classics from Kubrick, Campion, Kiarostami and other masters, and Dune director Denis Villeneuve gets a spotlight that’ll hopefully include his earlier, weirder films as well as the hits. You can’t fully appreciate Arrival until you see Maelström, after all.
350 King West, showtimes and tickets available at tiff.net
Fall N’ Leaves
Patio season is officially a fall thing in Toronto. The heaters come out and, in the case of autumn-themed pop-up wine bar and pizza spot Fall N’ Leaves, so does 5,000 lbs of hay and 7,000 hanging leaves.
October 1-31. 621 Richmond. fallnleavesto.com
Touch
Dancer/choreographer Guillaume Côté and multimedia artist Thomas Payette’s live, immersive work features two dancers moving among tripped-out projections for a new-type of modern dance experience.
To October 17. Toronto Star Building (1 Yonge). artbylighthouse.com
UNCOVERED 2021: The Music Of Dolly Parton
The Musical Stage Company’s annual fall concert series returns, this time devoted to the music of the legendary Parton. Jully Black, Sara Farb, Beau Dixon, Hailey Gillis and others perform imaginative arrangements of the icon’s music.
To October 2. Koerner Hall (273 Bloor West). $45-$115. Koerner Hall. musicalstagecompany.com
Night/Shift
Citadel + Compagnie’s late-night livestream series looks at several Toronto-based dance artists as part of the Fall For Dance North Festival: Kean Buffalo & River Waterhen (September 30), Sashar Zarif (October 1) and Bakari Ifasegun Lindsay (October 2).
To October 2. $15. ffdnorth.com
The Christie Pits Riot
Sam Rosenthal and Drew Carnwath’s original radio drama podcast is set during the infamous Toronto riot of August 16, 1933. The immersive show can be enjoyed at home or experienced as a walking tour through sections of downtown Toronto.
From September 30. hogtownexperience.com
Legends Of Horror At Casa Loma
This physically distanced walk through the gardens and dimly lit tunnels of Casa Loma includes scary creatures and horrifying 3D imagery projections.
October 1-31. Casa Loma (1 Austin). $30-$48. legendsofhorror.ca
Pulse Topology
Mexican-Canadian media artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s interactive light display based on viewers’ heartbeats goes on display in a storage space under the Gardiner Expressway.
October 2-31. 250 Fort York (250 Fort York). Pwyc, suggested minimum contribution of $5. thebentway.ca/pulseTO
The Best Of
Stand-ups Rebecca Reeds, Nour Hadidi, Dena Jackson, Karis Anderson, Sammy Farid and host Brian Ward perform in this comedy showcase.
October 2. Comedy Bar (945 Bloor West). 7 pm. $23-$28. comedybar.ca
The Toronto Blue Jays’ final regular season homestretch
The Toronto Blue Jays are in a hunt for a wildcard playoff spot that will likely take them into the final game of baseball’s regular season. There are only five home games left (not counting the playoffs, fingers crossed) and they are very high stakes. With capacity limits increasing to 30,000 at the Rogers Centre, the team has just released tickets for as low as $15. If ever there was a time to go, it’s now.
Until October 3. Rogers Centre (1 Blue Jays Way). From $15. mlb.com
Geary Art Crawl
Geary Avenue is a budding and precarious neighbourhood with a vibrant art and music scene. You can celebrate it this weekend with the Geary Art Crawl, which will fill the stretch with art installations, food, vendors and more. There are also a handful of outdoor live music shows, though those are ticketed. Una Note is taking over 282 Geary with collaborations with Promise and Lulaworld and artists including LAL, Bruno Capinan and Soukustek. There’s also two days of music at 1110 Dupont – a Saturday Music Gallery event with Bonnie Trash, New Chance and others, and a Sunday samba event.
October 2-3. Geary Avenue. Free-$19. gearyartcrawl.com
