Harbourfront happenings
Celebrate Canada’s birthday when Luke Doucet and White Falcon, featuring Melissa McLelland hit the West Jet Stage on Canada Day. Esthero follows with a hot set of her sensual sounds
Also on Canada Day, they’ve programmed performances of The Carnegie Hall Show by improv greats the National Theatre of the World, and the Second City company puts on something called Absolutely Positively Completely Made-Up Show. If those two professional outings pique your interest in improv, check out the Canadian Improv Games’ Intro To Improv – maybe you’ll get to try it out yourself. They all happen July 2. Harbourfrontcentre.com/summer.
Think you’re as good as those B-list celebs on Dancing With The Stars? Try out your moves Thursdays from June 23 to September 1 at Dancing On The Pier, Harbourfront’s all-ages party complete with bands, DJs and instructors, where you can learn about dance trends from around the world. harbourfrontcentre.com.
The Free Flicks series – once again hosted by NOW film writer Norman Wilner – moves from Wednesdays to Tuesdays this year, and focuses on cinematic depictions of cities. Obviously, that means starting at home with a screening of Edgar Wright’s proudly Toronto-centric Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (July 5). harbourfrontcentre.com.
North By Northeast nuggets
The freebie component at the massive NXNE festival includes some rockin’ nights at Yonge-Dundas Square, including Toronto dance pop upstart Diamond Rings, dreamy Montreal popsters Stars and the guitar wizardry of Land of Talk on June 17. Also at the Square, on June 18, New Wave pioneers Devo and spastic art punkers DD/MM/YYYY. For more on North By Northeast, see page 58.
Luminato lustre
If you’re looking for big free concerts, Luminato (June 10 to 19) is bringing some huge names to David Pecaut Square this year. Highlights include East Coast rocker Joel Plaskett (June 10), oddball novelty band They Might Be Giants (June 11), k.d. lang (June 17) and Indian-British electronic fusion artist Nitin Sawhney (June 19). luminato.com.
The film component of Toronto’s art festival has a Middle Eastern flavour this year, screening films about Arab culture and creativity in two King West locations. The indoor screenings – including Lawrence Of Arabia (June 12), The Battle Of Algiers (June 16) and Incendies (June 18) – take place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, while a selection of music and documentary films screen a few steps southeast in David Pecaut Square. June 10-19. luminato.com.
And you can see some of the world’s most celebrated authors without paying a cent. UK wonder Jeanette Winterson and Pulitzer Prize-winner Geraldine Brooks check into the Toronto Reference Library on June 17 and June 12 respectively. luminato.com. For more on Luminato, see page 77.
Movies in the square
The theme for this year’s free movie series at Yonge-Dundas Square is Dancing In The Dark, with screenings every Tuesday night from June 28 to August 30. Highlights include a Pride Week double bill of Paris Is Burning and Hairspray June 28 Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! July 19 and a double bill of Chicago and All That Jazz August 23. Tap shoes optional. ydsquare.ca.
Out and proud
Having survived that ridiculous debate at City Hall over funding, Pride Toronto is getting set for another spectacular festival. Yes, it’s scaled back – now five stages, down from last year’s nine – and it doesn’t have the mega-stars, but it’s got more soul and a stronger sense of community. Look for trans legend Kate Bornstein at the Trans Pride march and for the Cliks to take the stage that night (July 1). Carole Pope is back for Dyke Day (July 3). Among the heavy hitters: JoJo Flores and Quentin Harris come to town as part of Blockorama on Pride Day (July 3). It’s all free and fabulous.
Do the Waterfront Shuttle
Members of the Waterfront BIA have instituted a free shuttle bus to take you along Queens Quay from Union Station to Ontario Place (or back). Pick it up at Union, the Radisson Admiral, Queens Quay Terminal, the Westin Harbour Castle or Ontario Place every half-hour. The Waterfront Shuttle operates 10 am to 7 pm daily May 21 to October 10.
Busker blowout
BuskerFest – now in its 12th year – takes street entertainment to a whole new level. Close-Act, from the Netherlands, arrive with XL-INSECTS, which features huge insects that writhe and wiggle above the audience. And FlameOz from Australia manipulate fire and dance into something sizzling. August 25 to 28 in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood. Voluntary donation to Epilepsy Toronto. torontobuskerfest.com.
