Category Archives: Harbourfront

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events, Toronto festivals

196. Columbian Colours II Diaspora Festival

July 15, 2011 Heikki Walden

July 15, 2011

Starting today and continuing until July 17, the Columbian Colours II Diaspora Festival presents a collection of dancers, musicians, artist and more. Through their art, performers illustrate a world view and the way in which their voices have evolved to influence and fuse with different cultures.

Highlights of this weekend’s festival at the Harbourfront Centre include salsa star Alfredo de la Fe, Folklore Urbano, and sensational acapella group NVOZ. For more information on this exciting free event, go to www.harbourfrontcentre.com.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events, Toronto music

195. Summer Music in the Garden 2011

July 14, 2011 Heikki Walden

July 14, 2011

Join the Harbourfront Centre in their 12th year of presenting free concerts in the Toronto Music Garden! Bring along your lawn chair (bench space is limited) and listen to the beautiful sounds of the Cecilia String Quartet (CSQ) as they perform”Labours of Love: Visionary works for string quartet, from Mozart to Piazzolla,” including Mozart’s Quartet in G Major, K. 387, Beethoven’s Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135, and Four for Tango by Astor Piazzolla. The accomplished young women of the CSQ are the first prize-winners of the 2010 Banff International String Quartet Competition, and are currently the Graduate Resident String Quartet at The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School. The quartet takes their name from the patron saint of music, St. Cecilia.

The Toronto Music Garden is the brain-child of renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, garden designer Julie Moir Messervy, filmmaker Niv Fichman and philanthropist James Fleck. For a free tour of the garden, come early to the concert (which begins at 7pm) for a 5:30pm tour which starts at the Prelude section at he west end of the garden.

For more information on tonight’s concert, or for a full schedule of future concerts in the Toronto Music Garden, go to the Harbourfront Centre’s website.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events, Toronto music

180. TD Toronto Jazz Festival Presents Eliane Elias

June 29, 2011 Heikki Walden

June 29, 2011

The Harbourfront Centre and the TD Toronto Jazz Festival presents Eliane Elias, multiple Grammy Award nominee and Top 5 recording artist in Billboard Magazine. Elias is best known for blending her fantastic voice and outstanding piano playing with Brazilian roots music. As the first female instrumentalist to appear on the cover of DownBeat Magazine, Elias has been celebrated internationally for her distinctive and innovative musical style.

Tickets are available at www.harbourfrontcentre.com for $51; the concert gets started at 7pm tonight in the Harbourfront Centre’s Enwave Theatre at 231 Queens Quay West.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events

156. Neighbourhood Maverick – Architecture at Harbourfront Centre

June 5, 2011 Heikki Walden

June 5, 2011

Today is the second last day of the Neighbourhood Maverick exhibition, the Winter/Spring instalment of Architecture at Harbourfront Centre. This examination of neighbourhoods and the houses that define them ask questions about maintaining existing streetscapes, the considerations architects must take into account when designing for a specific streetscape, and the effect of “maverick architecture” on the character of a pre-existing neighbourhood.

This free event takes place at the York Quay Centre, which is open from 10am until 9pm today. You can learn more about Architecture at Harbourfont Centre at www.harbourfrontcentre.ca.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events, Toronto festivals

143. Toronto International Circus Festival

May 23, 2011 Heikki Walden

May 23, 2011

Ever thought about running away to join the circus? The 9th annual Toronto International Circus Festival will give you a taste of life “under the big top!” You’ll witness amazing acrobatics, daredevil stunts, daring unicyclists, fearless fire eaters, creative balloon sculptors, hilarious clowns, and much more, all at the Harbourfront Centre! Your kids can even learn how to juggle, cartwheel, hang upside down, or hula hoop in circus workshops!

The Toronto International Circus Festival brings the Zero Gravity Circus to Harbourfront Centre in their fourth year of partnership. You can check out the Canadian National Youth Circus , the Vague de Cirque and “46 Circus acts in 45 Minutes” at the WestJet Main Stage; puppets, magic shows and more at the Redpath Variety Stage; marionettes from Montreal’s Panadream Theatre at the Studio Theatre; and much more as acrobats, fire eaters and other circus performers roam the Harbourfront Centre!

This is your last day to enjoy the circus festivities – check it out from 11am until 5pm, rain or shine! For more information on the Festival, go to www.tocircusfestival.com.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events

103. Children & A Few Minutes of Lock

April 13, 2011 Heikki Walden

April 13, 2011

The Harbourfront Centre presents Nigel Chamock’s Children, a dance of “ecstasy and agony” as two people try to “stay together for the sake of their kids.” The second piece of the evening, A Few Minutes of Lock, includes excerpts of three Édouard Lock duets.

Performed by Canadian dance icons Louise Lecavalier and Fou Glorieux, this event is not to be missed. Lecavalier has not performed in Toronto since beginning her own dance company in 2006; at 50 years of age, the dancer brings a unique perspective to her work, examining the beauty and relevance of dance through the lens of time.

Tonight’s performance starts at 8pm and is the first of four shows. As such, the performance will be followed by an Opening Night Reception at the Watermark Irish Pub and Restaurant (located in the Queen’s Quay Terminal). Tickets for the show are $45. To purchase tickets and for more information on the evening’s performance, go to the Harbourfront Centre’s website.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events, Toronto galleries

101. Beyond Imaginings: Eight Artists Encounter Ontario’s Greenbelt

April 11, 2011 Heikki Walden

April 11, 2011

Celebrate the beauty of Ontario with Beyond Imaginings at the Harbourfront Centre!

Eight emerging contemporary photographers have created 72 stunning images, documenting their encounters with Ontario’s Greenbelt. The photographers explore the themes of Working the Land, Natural Beauty and People of the Greenbelt. Now including 32 new summer and fall images, you won’t want to miss the beauty of our home province captured by these talented photographers. For more information on this free event, visit the Harbourfront Centre’s website.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events, Toronto theatre

93. The War of the Worlds

April 3, 2011 Heikki Walden

April 3, 2011

In 1938, Orson Welles’ adaptation of H.G. Well’s The War of the Worlds aired on the American radio drama series “Mercury Theatre on the Air,” inspiring fear and paranoia in listeners. Presented as news bulletins, the realistic adaptation suggested that an alien invasion was in progress. Though the performance was a Halloween prank and public outcry ensued, Welles’ fame was secured by his successful adaptation of the 1898 novel.

The War of the Worlds returns to inspire fear in 2011; performed at the Harbourfront Centre by the Art of Time Ensemble, a live orchestra, foley artist and well-known actors will bring the 1898 novel and 1938 radio show to life. In addition, a commissioned instrumental suite based on Dan Parr’s original film score will set the mood for some 21st century paranoia.

Today’s performance is the last presentation of The War of the Worlds. The show starts at 4pm; ticket prices range from $25 to $59. For more information, go to the Harbourfront Centre’s website.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events

65. Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra – NOOR (Light)

March 6, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 6, 2011

A collaboration of diverse dance artistry, Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra presents Noor (Light) at the Harbourfront Centre. This production highlights the Muwashshahaat tradition of ancient spiritual poetry expressed through Andalusia’s music, along with Egyptian bellydance, Lebanese debke, and the Spanish flamenco.

Watch as 17 dance artists, led by Yasmna Ramzy, and 14 musicians, led by Bassam Bishara explore this new realm of music, dance, and the sharing of ancient traditions. Today’s 2pm and 8pm performances will be the last, so don’t miss out! Regular tickets are $45 (students and seniors pay $40) and can be purchased online through the Harbourfront’s website.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Harbourfront, Toronto, Toronto events

60. FemCab 2011

March 1, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 1, 2011

Celebrate the women in your life (or celebrate yourself!) by attending the Nightwood Theatre’s International Women’s Day Celebration! In its 28th year, this event features performers of every discipline coming together to honour women with an irreverent and energetic evening of performances.

Award-winning Canadian comic, Sandra Battaglini, will keep host this year’s celebration; other participants include key-note speaker Judy Rebick, musicians Shakura S’Aida, Alejandra Ribera, and the Donna Grantis Band; dancer Julia Aplin; theatre performer Judith Thompson; spoken-word performer Lara Bozabalian; and comic Chelsea Manders.

FemCab starts at 8pm in the Brigantine Room at the Harbourfront Centre; tickets are $32 (HST included). To purchase tickets, call 416-944-1740 x5, or email hilary@nightwoodtheare.net.