Category Archives: 365 Things to Do in Toronto

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

84. JUNOFest

March 25, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 25, 2011

We’ve been mentioning it all month, but now we are officially into JUNO weekend! Toronto has the honour of hosting the 40th JUNO Awards, and JUNO Fest will get the big event started on the right foot with two nights of over 100 bands playing at 20 different venues around the city.

Purchase a wristband for $30 and get access to all JUNOFest shows (some shows are restricted to ages 19 and over), or get advanced tickets to individual JunoFest shows for $17.50 each. Participating artists include Bedouin Soundclash (all ages show), DJ Egypytrixx, D-Sisive, Hannah Georgas, Justin Rutledge, Said the Whale, The Planet Smashers (all ages show), and Whale Tooth. Venues include the Bovine Club, The Drake Hotel, El Mocambo, The Gladstone Hotel, Horseshoe Tavern Hugh’s Room, Lee’s Palace, Lula Lounge, Mod Club, Sneaky Dee’s, The Dakota Tavern and Phoenix Concert Theatre – where ever you are in Toronto, a place not to far from you is hosting a JUNOFest concert!

For more information on who is playing at JUNOFest, check out the JUNO Awards website. To purchase tickets or wristbands for JUNOFest, go to www.ticketmaster.ca.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Toronto, Toronto business, Yorkville

83. Start shopping for your Spring wardrobe at Serpentine!

March 24, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 24, 2011

It is officially Spring, and whether or not the weather will cooperate with the calendar, some new Spring clothes are in order! Now that the thaw is settling in, motorcycles will be coming out in full force, and new duds are a necessity. With available brands such as Chronicles of Never, Diet Butcher Slim Skin, Fuct, Passarella Death Squad, The Cast, Tuesday Night Band Practice and Wolverine, Serpentine, located in the Yorkville neighbourhood, is the perfect place to do a little shopping before you get that bike on the road.

Want an edgy look for the JUNOs on Sunday? Jeanne Beker would certainly approve of any purchase made at Serpentine for the red carpet – after all, she listed the Yorkville store as one of her “Top 100 Shops.”

Serpentine is located at 18 Hazelton Avenue in the Yorkville neighbourhood. Check out Heikki’s interview with one of the owners, Paul Mailing, to hear about the inspiration for Serpentine’s location in the Yorkville neighbourhood.

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

82. JUNO Songwriters’ Circle

March 23, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 23, 2011

One of JUNO Week’s most popular events, the JUNO Songwriters’ Circle comes to Massey Hall this year, uniting some of Canada’s most talented singer-songwriters in an unforgettable evening of songs and stories.

Your host, Johnny Reid, will lead discussion with the artists, interact with the audience, and perform some of his own hit songs. All proceeds of this event go towards MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS.

To be part of this one-of-a-kind event, go to www.masseyhall.com to purchase tickets, priced between $29.50 and $49.50. The show starts at 8pm at Massey Hall.

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

81. Ovation: Celebrating 40 Years of the JUNO Awards

March 22, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 22, 2011

The JUNOs are only five days away, and the celebrations continue to ramp up! Tonight only, Roy Thomson Hall and CARAS present an all-star line-up of Canada’s top classical music artists including the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, soprano Measha Brueggergosman, the Gryphon Trio, violinist Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà and other special guests.

This evening’s Virtuoso performances start at 8pm; tickets range from $49.50 to $99.50. To purchase tickets online, or to find out more about this one-of-a-kind musical event, go to the Roy Thomson Hall’s website.

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

80. Drop-In Improv Class @ Second City

March 21, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 21, 2011

Explore your dramatic side with Second City’s weekly Drop-In Improv class! Hosted every Monday at Second City’s Training Centre at 70 Peter Street, this class is perfect for those who want to try out their improv skills without committing to a more in-depth course.

The Second City Training Centre has been in operation since the early 1970’s, and has produced celebrated alumni such as Catherine O’Hara and Mike Myers – start your own journey to comedic fame by participating in this Monday drop-in class!

Drop-In Improv gets started at 6pm every Monday and costs only $5. No preregistration is required, but this is a popular class, so plan to show up at least 15 minutes early to make sure you get a space. For more information on The Second City Training Centre, including a full list of all of the classes available, check out http://secondcity.com/training/toronto/.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, JUNOs, Toronto, Toronto events, Toronto museums

79. JUNO Week at the Ontario Science Centre

March 20, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 20, 2011

Celebrating 40 years of the JUNO Awards, the Ontario Science Centre presents six days of “family-friendly music-themed events.”

To kick off the week of exploring the partnership between science and music, Children’s Album of the Year nominee Bobs and LoLo will give two concerts today only at noon and 2pm! Bring your kids to the concert today, and then participate in music-themed workshops with JUNO Award nominees and winners over the next five days of this special exhibit!

Regular Ontario Science Centre admission applies to JUNO Week: $20 for adults; $16 for youth, students, and seniors; $13 for children. For more information about JUNO Week at the Ontario Science Centre, check out the Science Centre’s Website.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Toronto, Toronto events

78. Wizard World Toronto Comic Con

March 19, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 19, 2011

Pop culture fans unite! Wizard World Comic Con comes to Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre this weekend!

Celebrate movies, TV, comics, video gaming, horror, wrestling, MMA, original art, collectibles, anime, manga and more. Special guests include stars from your favourite cult classics (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars, X-Men, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, and more!) and comic/toy creators including illustrators, animators, graphic artists, poster artists and writers.

One day tickets are $35.00, three-day weekend tickets are $55.00. VIP tickets are also available. For more information on the Wizard World Toronto Comic Con, check out the event’s website.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Toronto, Toronto events

77. March Break @ Toronto Zoo

March 18, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 18, 2011

March Break is coming to a close, and with it, parents are coming to the end of their wits. Get the kids out of the house today and head to the Toronto Zoo, “the hottest place to be this winter.”

Escape the cold weather and visit the Zoo’s tropical pavilions, where you can make some exotic new friends – meerkats, pygmy hippos, and ring-tailed lemurs to name a few! Learn more about the animals with daily “Keeper Talks,” or grab a hot chocolate and brave the Tundra Trek where you’ll have the opportunity to see the Zoo’s three playful polar bears. The Toronto Zoo opens at 9am and closes at 6pm, giving you plenty of time to explore. Admission is $23 for patrons aged 13 to 64, $17 for seniors, $13 for children 4 through 12 years of age, and free for children 3 and younger.

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Greektown on the Danforth, Toronto, Toronto events, Toronto food, Toronto restaurants

76. St. Patrick’s Day!

March 17, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 17, 2011

Everyone’s Irish on St. Patty’s Day, so don your green attire and head out for a night on the town! Yes, it’s Thursday night, but every Irish pub in the city will be in fine form tonight – the Guinness will flow, the music will lilt, and you may not feel so well in the morning, but this day is simply not complete without a pint of the “black stuff.”

There are plenty of Irish pubs in Toronto: here’s a few:

Dora Keogh – 141 Danforth Ave. (Greektown on the Danforth)
Fionn MacCool’s – 181 University (Entertainment District), 21 St. Clair W. (Summerhill), 70 The Esplanade (King West)
Foggy Dew – 803 King St. W. (King West)
Irish Embassy – 49 Yonge St. (Downtown)
James Joyce Irish Pub – 386 Bloor St. W. (The Annex)
McVeigh’s – 124 Church Street (Downtown)
P.J. O’Brien Irish Pub – 39 Colborne St. (King East)
Pour House – 182 Dupont St. (The Annex)

365 Things to Do in Toronto, Green, JUNOs, Toronto, Toronto events

75. Canada Blooms

March 16, 2011 Heikki Walden

March 16, 2011

Celebrating its 15th year, Canada Blooms is Canada’s largest and most prestigious gardening festival! Enjoy six acres of beautiful gardens in full bloom; an annual design, horticultural and floral competition; over 100,000 square feet of shopping that will make every gardener’s green thumb a little greener; four educational stages hosting over 200 hours of seminars, workshops and demonstrations; master gardeners one-on-one sessions; make-and-take workshops, and much more!

This year, in honour of the 40th JUNO Awards, Canada Blooms presents the “JUNO Rocks” Gardens; JUNO-nominated artists have partnered with landscape artists to create personal, “green” interpretations of what rhythm and music means to them. Check out gardens designed by opera-singer Ben Heppner, country-singer Carolyn Dawn Johnson, R&B singer Jully Black, singer-songwriter and environmental activist Sarah Harmer, and a garden inspired by the music of Oscar Peterson, designed with help from his wife and daughter-in-law.

Canada Blooms started yesterday and continues until March 20th. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online, at ticket outlets, or at the door. For more information on the schedule of events, speakers, workshops, and garden tours, go to the Canada Blooms website.