Presenting films dedicated to the cinema and culture of the Latin world, the Toronto International Latin Film Festival (TILFF) shows films from all over the world, including Brazil, Columbia, Spain, Portugal, Italy and even our very own Quebec!
The Toronto International Latin Film Festival started on October 1st and continues until October 9th; for more information, visit the Latin Film Festival’s writeup at toronto.com.
Love the written word? Whether you’re a fan of best-selling fiction, a magazine junkie, a cookbook collector, or a writer in the making, there’s something for everyone at the Word on the Street Festival. Taking place at Queen’s Park today from 11am until 6pm, Word on the Street is a celebration of Canadian literature. You’ll have the opportunity to purchase books and magazines from a variety of publishers and book-sellers, hear from your favourite Canadian authors, participate in contests and even join in on a workshop for aspiring writers. Kids can join in on the literary fun with “KidStreet” a special area of the park devoted to families which offers children’s programming, including the TVO Kids Stage, the Children’s Reading Tent and the Children’s Activity Tent.
The Word on the Street National Book and Magazine Festival is free for all; for more information, go to www.thewordonthestreet.ca.
The Toronto Ukrainian Festival was born in 1995 as a celebration of the influence of Ukrainian culture in Ontario. By the early 1950s, approximately 84,000 Ukrainians resided in our province, making Toronto the new “Ukrainian capital.” The Festival celebrates the diversity of our city, and is considered one of the premier Ukrainian festivals in North America. By showcasing contemporary professional and amateur artists and performers of Ukrainian heritage, the culture, music, dance and visual arts of the Ukraine is preserved and celebrated each year at the Festival.
This year, participants will enjoy Mandry, the Toronto Ukrainian Festival 2011 feature band; Roman Danylo, the Headlining Standup from Vancouver; Verkhovyna Song & Dance Ensemble from Edmonton; Tyt I Tam, one of Canada’s premium Ukrainian party bands; Suzirya Ukrainian Dance Theatre from Calgary; and the Lemko Tower, all the way from Lemkivshchyna! In addition to performances, the Festival features plenty of opportunities to purchase culture memorabilia, and of course, the chance to sample delicious Ukrainian food!
The Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival finishes today, so make sure to join in on all the fun while you still can! For more information, go to www.ukrainianfestival.com.
Each year the Cabbagetown Festival celebrates the sights, sounds, people and community of one of Toronto’s favourite neighbourhoods – Cabbagetown! Festivities include the Cabbagetown Art & Crafts Sale, stage entertainment, a “Grand Parade,” plenty of pub and patio entertainers, street vendors, a Short Film & Video Festival, “Blair’s Run,” pub crawl, Riverdale Farm Fall Harvest Festival, walking tours of historic Cabbagetown, and much more!
The festival started on September 7th and continues until September 11th, so there’s still plenty of time to be part of all the fun – in fact, many of the festival’s events begin today! For more information, go to the Cabbagetown Festival’s website.
Lauded as one of the prestigious film festivals in the world (Time has noted that the festival has “grown from its place as the most influential fall film festival to the most influential film festival, period”), the 36th Toronto International Film Festival is finally here! Known as the festival from which the Oscar race begins, this annual film extravaganza brings celebrities from all over the world to our very own city.
With reasonably priced tickets and a variety of ticket packages, anybody can get in on all the TIFF action! Single tickets start at $19.69 and a 50-film pass will cost $524. Tickets have been on sale for a few days now so selection may be limited, but you can still get in on the TIFF action by bringing your camera for some “star-gazing!”
For more information on the Toronto International Film Festival, go to www.tiff.net/thefestival.
Featuring some of the best musical programming in the world, the Black Creek Summer Music Festival is a tour de force of musical events in Toronto. A wide range of artists and performances ensures that every musical genre is explored during the two months of the festival, which invites only the most accomplished of guests. Today’s performer is no exception: Barry Manilow!
Having sold over 80 million records, to say Barry Manilow has enjoyed success is an understatement! Ranking as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time, Manilow has recently released his first original album of the last ten years, called 15 Minutes; tonight’s performance will surely include the singer/songwriter’s latest work, as well as the classics he is so famous for.
Tickets for tonight’s 8pm concert range in price from $64.50 to $156.00. All Black Creek Summer Music Festival concerts are located in Rexall Centre on the campus of York University. For more information and a full schedule of all concerts, go to www.blackcreekfestival.com.
Celebrate South Asian culture with Masala! Mehndi! Masti! today at the Harbourfront Centre! Showcasing the vibrant and diverse cultures of this global hot spot, feature presentations include music by Devis n’ Divas, dancing by GhuMMo, and showings of MMMovies. The World Cafe will be open today from 6pm to 12am, giving you the chance to savor the tastes of South Asia. Sample butter chicken, samosas, vegetable curry and more!
Masala! Mehndi! Masti! starts today and continues until August 21st. For more information, go to the Harbourfront’s website.
Hosted by the Harbourfront Centre, the Fortune Cooking Festival features Pan-Asian cuisine and its influence in the cooking of the world! In addition to learning how the flavours of Asia have infiltrated the tastes of dishes across the planet, you’ll have the opportunity to discover how Asian culture has influenced the West. Learn the ways in which Korean cooking has transformed the restaurant culture of Los Angeles; discover how Asian street food has inspired street food in Toronto; find out about how Japanese manga has affected graphic novels across the world; discover how Thai and Korean filmmakers have changed filmography throughout all of Asia. You’ll learn about the cultural “hot spots” of Pan-Asia, and even have the opportunity to witness a Fortune Cooking Iron Chef Competition!
What would the Fortune Cooking Food Festival be without delicious Pan-Asian food to sample? Check out the World Cafe today for Thai green curry, eggplant and tofu stir fry; dumplings, spring rolls and fishballs; beef noodle soup and more!
Today is the final day of the Fortune Cooking Food Festival. Admission is free; for more information go to www.harbourfrontcentre.com.
Local, sustainable food isn’t simply a trend; it’s a way of life! Whether you’ve long been a subscriber to the local food movement, or whether you are just learning about how you can eat “greener,” the Conscious Food Festival is an excellent opportunity for you to celebrate “conscious food” at Fort York National Historic Site!
The Conscious Food Festival brings together Torontonians and our rural neighbours in an effort to highlight the connection between our food and the environment. You’ll have the opportunity to taste fantastic local eats, learn from chefs and farmers, enjoy live music, take part in open forums and conscious debates, participate in interactive exhibits, check out seminars on food values and social justice, and more! You are also welcome to bring your own grocery bag so that you can do your own shopping – the Festival features vendors that will sell retail food products, produce, wine, beer, and much more.
The festival starts at 11am and continues until 8pm today; tickets are $20 at the gate. For more information, go to www.consciousfoodfestival.ca! Be sure to bring your appetite!
The largest juried festival in Canada featuring mostly new Canadian plays, SummerWorks prides itself in bringing Toronto “the most provocative and powerful theatre in the country.” Today’s schedules includes 29 plays, installations and more, showing at over a dozen venues.
In addition to the Theatre Festival, the SummerWorks Music Series will be an excellent opportunity to enjoy the work of local performing artists. Including some of Canada’s best musicians from just about every genre, this Indie Theatre and Arts Festival features something for everyone!
The SummerWorks Festival takes place from August 4th to 14th; tickets are $10 per performance (including the SummerWorks Music Series) and can be purchased at the Arts Box Office (located at Theatre Passe Muraille, at 16 Ryerson Avenue) or by phone. Music Series tickets can also be purchased from Rotate This and Soundscapes.