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Art Gallery of Ontario

Weekend Roundup: January 13 to 16

Friday: Gaze in awe at The Blue Dragon (photo by Erick Labbe)

Friday, January 13
Follow the story of a Canadian expat in modern-day China and the two women in his life. Now at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Mirvish Productions presents The Blue Dragon, a stunningly staged display of drama and dance created by visionary theatre artists Robert Lepage and Marie Michaud.

Three of Disney’s darling princesses visit the Roger’s Centre at Disney Live! presents Three Classic Fairy Tales. Treat the kids to an evening of magic to see Cinderella, Belle and Snow White – and the princes – and watch their favorite fairy tales unfold on stage.

Be sure to visit the AGO‘s Chagall and the Russian Avant-Garde exhibition before it closes on Sunday. The colourful works of Marc Chagall and his contemporaries trace a revolution in modern art movement that swept through Russia during the early 1900s.

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30 Things We Love About Toronto This November and December

2. Spirits by Karoo Ashevak (photo courtesy of the Museum of Inuit Art)

1. Crunching into stone-baked pizzas and grilled panini at Café Uno in the the Distillery Historic District.

2. Marveling at finely crafted stone and bone carvings at the Museum of Inuit Art.

3. Horses and llamas and cows (oh my!), plus a giant vegetable competition and more at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

4. Admiring Grace Kelly’s glamourous gowns, Oscar and more at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

5. Savouring straight-from-the-tandoor-oven naan—alongside chicken tikka and palak paneer—at Little India. (more…)

Hot Art: A Full Palette of Chagall (and More!) at the AGO

Marc Chagall's Blue Circus (©ADAGP/Centre Pompidou)

OCTOBER 18 TO JANUARY 15 Russia isn’t exactly the most colourful place on earth, but you wouldn’t know it by viewing the works of Marc Chagall. One of the 20th century’s most successful artists, he was at the vanguard of early modernism, incorporating elements of cubism, fauvism and surrealism into vivid dreamscapes such as Blue Circus. The Art Gallery of Ontario presents some of the Belorussian-Frenchman’s best-known images in Chagall and the Russian Avant-Garde, an exhibition created by Paris’s Centre Pompidou. In addition to more than 30 of Chagall’s finest works, the display also offers context through a major assemblage of paintings, drawings, sculpture and more by his contemporaries, including Wassily Kandinsky, Sonia Delaunay and Kasimir Malevich.

30 Things We Love About Toronto This October

3. Medieval Times

1. The wonder of liquid nitrogen ice cream from Colborne Lane prepared tableside.

2. Catching a live performance by the iconic Liza—with a z—Minnelli on October 28.

3. Jousting knights on horseback at Medieval Times.

4. Seeing the city on two wheels with the rental of Bixi Bikes; return them to many conveniently located docking stations in the downtown core.

5. Serpentine sculptures handmade by Native Canadian artists from Eskimo Art Gallery. (more…)

Weekend Roundup, August 5 to 7

Friday: Quartango asks "What's Classical?" at Harbourfront Centre (photo by Andre Tremblay)

Friday, August 5
The myriad interpretations of “classical” music are explored at Harbourfront Centre’s What’s Classical? festival, which begins this evening with a performance by Montreal’s Quartango, and continues throughout the weekend.

Ontario Place‘s 40th-anniversary season continues—enjoy free park admission and, tonight, a complimentary concert by beloved Canadian rock band Sloan at the park’s lakeside Echo Beach venue.

Always a popular summertime event, the 17th annual Toronto’s Festival of Beer opens tonight at Bandshell Park. Delight in over 120 brands on sight, live music, grilling tents and much more (but remember not to overindulge).

Saturday: Serena Williams is among those vying for this year's Rogers Cup

Saturday, August 6
This year’s Rogers Cup serves up the world’s best female professional tennis players. Starting today, top draws including Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniaki begin a week-long battle for $3 million in prize money and bragging rights heading into the U.S. Open.

Don’t miss the Taste of the Danforth, showcasing Greek culture and cuisine all weekend long in Toronto’s historically Hellenic neighbourhood. Enjoy live music, street eats and fun events along Danforth Avenue, where the celebration of tradition is as rich as the food.

Playwright Eugène Ionesco gets the tribute treatment from Soulpepper Theatre Company—its staging of Ionesco’s Exit the King begins today, and follows a monarch who’s kingdom and life crumble before his very eyes.

Sunday: Tour Toronto's infamous Graffiti Alley (photo by Josh McConnell)

Sunday, August 7
See a side of the city that most people pass by on the Toronto Laneways Bike Tour. This casual group ride takes cyclists through the Trinity Bellwoods, Queen West and Little Italy neighbourhoods to glimpse original laneway homes and local attractions like “Graffiti Alley.”
Step over to the west side of downtown to the 99 MRKT, featuring fresh food, plus artwork and fashion from local designers at the 99 Sudbury event space. In the heart of Liberty Village, this market is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Art Gallery of Ontario presents Haute Culture: General Idea, a retrospective exhibit showcasing works by the groundbreaking Toronto art group. The display is divided into five themed sections to best underline the transgressive and provocative nature of the group’s work.

Travel Tuesday – Interview with Dylan Lowe of The Grand Canadian Hitchhike

Dylan Lowe of The Grand Canadian Hitchhike. Photo: Dylan Lowe

Dylan Lowe, also known in blogger circles as The Traveling Editor, is no stranger to hitchhiking. He’s managed to travel his way through Morocco, Spain, New Zealand and Germany by the kindness of others. His current expedition is the Grand Canadian Hitchhike where he has hitched his way through each province from Vancouver to Ontario, and is continuing east to Halifax. We were able to prod Dylan away from the road for a few minutes to ask him a few questions about his journey.
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30 Things We Love About Toronto This June

3. The Art Gallery of Ontario, complete with Henry Moore sculptures (photo by Roger Yip)

1. The soulful voice of Aretha Franklin, who opens the TD Toronto Jazz Festival with a free concert on June 24.

2. Donning red and white to cheer on the Toronto FC.

3. Admiring the collection of Henry Moore sculptures housed at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

4. Sipping a cappuccino from White Squirrel Coffee Shop while seeking its namesake critters in adjacent Trinity-Bellwoods Park.

5. Practicing your swing at Polson Pier’s lakeside driving range.

10. Toronto's skyline

6. Receiving a boisterous greeting from servers and chefs upon entering Japanese izakaya Guu.

7. Examining industrial-landscape photographer Edward Burtynsky’s latest exhibit about the oil business at the Royal Ontario Museum.

8. Strolling the pedestrian-friendly outdoor retail complex Shops at Don Mills.

9. The fervor of the “scramble” at Yonge and Dundas, where you can cross the street in any direction.

10. Taking the ferry to the Toronto Islands and looking back at the impressive skyline.

13. The Rex

11. Perusing refined Scandinavian design at Mjölk.

12. Admiring the cavernous grandeur of Union Station (65 Front St. W.).

13. Winding down the week with the live jazz and laid-back vibe at The Rex.

14. Walking beneath architectural artist Philip Beesley’s Sargasso installation, featured in Brookfield Place during Luminato.

15. The sense of otherworldliness in Sarah Anne Johnson’s Arctic Wonderland photos, displayed at Stephen Bulger Gallery.

19. Buca

16. Queuing for the $5.99 lunch specials at Sushi on Bloor—it’s worth the wait.

17. TV’s Rachel and Finn—a.k.a. Lea Michelle and Cory Monteith—belting it out on stage for Glee Live! In Concert!

18. Working up the courage to step onto the CN Tower’s glass floor, then looking down at the street 342 metres below.

19. Crunching on crispy pigs’ ears within Buca’s reclaimed industrial space.

20. Centering yourself at a drop-in yoga class at the Evergreen Brick Works.

24. Stillwater Spa

21. Finishing off a meal at The Gabardine with a burnt marshmallow ice cream sandwich.

22. Ordering creative cocktails and shareable snacks at Origin.

23. Admiring the elaborately designed merchandise windows at posh Holt Renfrew.

24. Getting pampered with a deep blue Tahitian massage at Stillwater Spa.

25. Picking up a new pair of flip-flops or sandals at always on-trend shoe store Get Outside.

26. The Drake General Store

26. Quirky items from the Drake General Store to bring back home to your family and friends.

27. Tucking into tacos el pastor and a bowl of guacamole at Mexican stalwart El Trompo.

28. Coveting the volume of tomes at The Cookbook Store.

29. Scouring the rows of kitchenware at Chinatown’s Tap Phong Trading Company (360 Spadina Ave., 416-977-6364).

30. A stroll through the ravines of the Don Valley—you might glimpse a white-tailed deer by the river.

Hot Art: N.Y. in T.O. at the AGO

Mark Rothko's No. 5/No. 22

MAY 28 TO SEPTEMBER 4 The instinct to order and define can be difficult to reconcile in the visual arts, where success is often measured by one’s ability to break from boundaries and established tropes. Yet labels can enhance our understanding of art, and certainly help in the curation of displays like Abstract Expressionist New York at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Drawn from the Museum of Modern Art’s collection, the show features important works from the post-WWII Empire City that are characterized by their anti-figurative style and emotional force. Happily, the category offers a relative diversity of eye candy, from the blocky colour fields of Mark Rothko to Jackson Pollock’s famed drip paintings.

Contact Curated: Downtown

This year’s Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival features exhibitions at more than 200 venues across the city. Make the most of your festival experience by concentrating your gallery-hopping within specific Toronto neighbourhoods, such as the Downtown core.

At the Design Exchange: Guy Tillim's Apartment building, Avenue Bagamoyo, Beira, Mozambique (courtesy of Kuckei + Kuckei, Berlin and Stevenson, Cape Town/Johannesburg)

Design Exchange
Guy Tillim: Avenue Patrice Lumumba (April 20 to June 14)

Another of Contact’s highly anticipated primary exhibitions, Tillim’s Avenue Patrice Lumumba series examines the effects of colonialism on modern history and architecture in African nations like Mozambique, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

University of Toronto Art Centre
Suzy Lake: Political Poetics (May 3 to June 25)

Over the past 40 years, artist Suzy Lake has captured and expressed the female identity within the political, social and media context. She was also one of the forerunners of body-based photography. Lake’s exhibit at the University of Toronto Art Centre touches themes like beauty, femininity and identity.

Art Gallery of Ontario
Abel Boulineau: “Where I was born…”: A Photograph, A Clue, and the Discovery of Abel Boulineau (March 5 to August 21)

This series of gelatin silver photo prints in the Art Gallery of Ontario’s collection was only recently discovered to be part of Boulineau’s portfolio. A painter by trade, the French artist’s photographs reveal the stillness of everyday rural from 1897 to 1916.

At the ROM: Edward Burtynsky's SOCAR Oil Fields #9, Baku, Azerbaijan (courtesy of Nicholas Metivier Gallery)

Royal Ontario Museum
Edward Burtynsky: Oil (April 9 to July 3)

The Royal Ontario Museum’s Institute for Contemporary Culture presents internationally renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky’s collection of 53 large-format photographs, which explore the ugly reality of the oil industry and oil dependence in contemporary society.

First Canadian Place
Dr. Roberta Bondar: Within the Landscape—Art Respecting Life (April 4 to May 20)

Using artistic elements like line, texture and colour, this exhibition offers a look at diversity of patterns in nature viewed at a distance—for example, a herd of buffalo moving across a plain, shot from above by the first Canadian woman ever to travel to outer space.

Nicholas Metivier Gallery
Edward Burtynsky: Monegros (May 5 to 28)

Depicting the complex and diverse landscape of Monegros, Spain, this collection of large-format Burtynsky photographs explores the effects of industrial farming in the region.

Toronto Imageworks Gallery
Dianne Davis: Impervious (May 5 to June 4)

Davis’s works utilize tableaus and subjects that tell the story of a specific place and time to examine notions of fragility, transience and the brevity of life.

At Bau-Xi Photo: Brett Gundlock's yntitled image from his Home series

Bau-Xi Photo
Rafal Gerszak, Brett Gundlock, Jonathan Taggart, Aaron Vincent Elkaim and Ian Willms: Boreal Collective (April 30 to May 13)

The Boreal Collective features the work of young photojournalists who document social, psychological and physical inequities through Canadian-based narratives.

Leo Kamen Gallery
Roberto Pellegrinuzzi: Constellations (April 30 to May 28)

What you see isn’t what you get with Pellegrinuzzi. In this exhibition, each layered, translucent photo offers an atypical way of viewing a landscape.

TIFF Bell Lightbox
Creative & Technical Team, Pearl Chen, Meagan Durlak, Matthew Fabb, Priam Givord, Brandon Hocura and Ana Serrano: Becoming What We Behold: A CFC Media Lab Project (May 7 to 29)

This interactive installation features a geometric web of tablet computers showcasing user-generated content. Viewers become artists as they upload images and share photos in the literal web of interconnectivity that’s meant to mimic social media.

Gallery 44
Surendra Lawoti: Don River (April 30 to June 4)
Chris Boyne: Stillwater (April 30 to June 4)
Susan Kordalewski: Space vs. Place (April 30 to June 4)

The three exhibitions at Gallery 44 study landscape and place in various contexts. The first, by Lawoti, focuses on locals and displaced residents living in and around the Don River Valley in the midst of urban Toronto. On the other hand, Boyne’s works depict unseemingly colourful landscapes with dark histories told through audio narratives. Lastly, Kordalewski’s photos play with one’s sense of perception by placing 2D representations within 3D spaces.

At Birch Libralato: Lee Goreas's The Happy Hooker (courtesy of Birch Libralato)

Birch Libralato
Lee Goreas: New Works 2011 (April 30 to June 4)
James Nizam: Memorandoms (April 30 to June 4)

Lee Goreas uses golf balls to create a series of large portraits that demonstrate the “character” of ordinary objects—form, colour, surface and age reveal each ball’s unique history. In Memorandoms, photographer James Nizam takes viewers inside the oldest public housing development in Vancouver, just before it was demolished. Using leftover objects like doors, drawers and shelves, he re-creates a sense of place with a fleeting identity.

KWT Contemporary
Caitlin Cronenberg, David Frankovich: RED / Plus de Deux (May 5 to 28)

Using images selected from the New York Times’ Canadian Photography Archive, Cronenberg’s series at KWT Contemporary reimagines and reinvents the photos as a commentary on how Americans have viewed Canadian culture in the past.

Textile Museum of Canada
Peter Wilkins: Loop (April 29 to June 12)

Concerned with “pattern languages” in urban settings, Wilkins’ exhibition transforms man-made objects and structures into abstract geometric patterns through repetition and reflection.

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Contact Photography Festival 2011: Downtown in a larger map

*All images courtesy of the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival unless otherwise noted.

Hot Art: David Blackwood’s Icy Imagery

David Blackwood's Vigil on Bragg's Island (image courtesy of the Art Gallery of Ontario)

FEBRUARY 5 TO JUNE 12 A distinctly Canadian visual narrative unfolds at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Its stunning exhibition, Black Ice, features prints by David Blackwood that evoke the age-old struggle for survival in the rugged environs of Newfoundland. In such masterpieces as Fire Down on the Labrador, Vigil on Bragg’s Island and more than 60 other works produced over 40 years, this artist from “The Rock”—he was born and raised in the coastal village of Wesleyville—draws on memories and myths to create the iconography of a unique place and its proud people.

Weekend Roundup, April 1st to 3rd

Friday: Peruse funky bowls by Carolyne Brouillard and many other items at the One of a Kind Spring Show

Friday, April 1
Artists, designers and shoppers unite! The always anticipated One of a Kind Spring Show has begun, and runs through to this Sunday at Exhibition Place’s Direct Energy Centre. Here, 450 artisans offer unique, handmade art, clothing, accessories and designs for purchase. This year, the show features a Muskoka Artists Marketplace as well as workshops and seminars on home design.

In the same vein, the International Home & Garden Show also takes place this weekend at the International Centre, just west of Toronto. Hundreds of home experts, interior designers and landscaping professionals will be on hand for consultation, offering thousands of products and ideas to help freshen up your home this spring.

A new Major League Baseball season begins tonight as the Toronto Blue Jays go to bat against Minnesota Twins. The game at the Rogers Centre is officially sold out (yes, all 50,000 seats), but you can catch the game with the locals at Real Sports Bar & Grill or Wayne Gretzky’s.

Saturday: Rod Steward joins Stevie Nicks for an evening of song (photo by Mark Seliger)

Saturday, April 2
Catch Toronto FC in the second game of its fledgling Major League Soccer season, as the boys in red square off against Chivas USA from Carson, California. The match starts at 1 p.m. at BMO Field, just steps from the popular Liberty Village neighbourhood. Before the game, fill up on some comforting brunch dishes at School Bakery & Café or Mildred’s Temple Kitchen.

The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts offers two chances (at 2 and 8 p.m.) to hear A Little Nightmare Music, with classical musicians and YouTube sensations Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo. The duo has taken the world by storm with their unique and hilarious theatrical show that combines classical music with popular culture.

On Saturday evening, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks bring their Heart & Soul Tour to the Air Canada Centre. A “can’t-miss” concert event, the distinctive singers are slated to perform hits from their catalogs, as well as some duets.

Sunday: Partake in historical fare at Fort York (photo by Webguy63)

Sunday, April 3
History is made fun at Fork York National Historic Site, in the heart of downtown Toronto. The heritage site hosts a Historical Food Tasting and Tea experience from 1 to 3 p.m., including samples of old-fashioned food recipes from the fort’s restored 1826 kitchen, plus tea and the freedom to explore the rest of the site.

Starting today, a new exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario features the evolution of 20th-century Inuit art. Inuit Modern: the Samuel & Esther Sarick Collection showcases more than 175 works, including pieces by David Ruben Piqtoukun, Kenojuak Ashevak, Karoo Ashevak, and Lucy Tasseor.

In support of Raising the Roof’s Youthworks initiative, the All-Star Comedy Cabaret is just one aspect of this weekend’s April Fool’s Weekend of Comedy festival. Taking place at 7:30 p.m. at The Second City, the fundraiser is hosted by Steve Patterson of CBC’s The Debaters and features comedians like CBC’s Pete Zedlacher (Just For Laughs, The Hour), Almost Heroes’ Ryan Bellevill, CityTV’s Jonny Harris, David Merry, Evan Carter and Shaun Majumder.

Weekend Roundup, March 25th to 27th

Friday: Thrill to the fleet footwork of Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance (photo by Ken Howard)

Friday, March 25
Michael Flatley, who has been aweing audiences for over a decade as the Lord of the Dance returns to the Sony Centre for a mythic tale of Irish folklore that has dazzled over 100 million people worldwide. Don’t miss this classic story of good versus evil expressed through fast-footed dance.

Emerging director Philip McKee of artistic troupe Idée Fixe presents a passionate adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear at Harbourfront Centre. As the king comes closer to death, he demands his daughters prove their love to him in order to secure their inheritance. When the most faithful fails to offer concrete evidence of her devotion, Lear banishes her from his home and heart.

Celebrating 40 years of Canadian music, Junofest features over 100 bands in 20 venues over two nights across the city. Catch tunes from such bands as Billy Talent, Die Mannequin and Bedouin Soundclash playing at such concert locations as the Opera House and Phoenix Concert Theatre.

Saturday: Check out the best bikes at the National Motorcycle Show

Saturday, March 26
Turn off your technology and experience Earth Hour at the Ontario Science Centre with a free live stage show from TVOkids entitled Don’t Sit Still. Or, as the lights go out, observe the stars in Toronto’s sky and a special viewing of Saturn through a telescope with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Rev up your engines and head down to the Better Living Centre for the 30th anniversary of the National Motorcycle Show. View vintage bikes, including the new row of champions, and find everything you need to get geared up for the season.

Celebrate with tequila at Embrujo Flamenco, an authentic Spanish tapas restaurant which this weekend features a special pre-fixe tasting dinner menu with tequila tasters. Sample fare like flambéed shrimp cooked in Cuervo Blanco tequila and a chocolate mousse with Jimador Reposado tequila and orange marmalade. Post-supper fun includes flamenco dancing and a live music show.

Sunday: Applaud your favourite Canadian musicians at the Junos

Sunday, March 27
The Juno Awards mark their 40th anniversary here in Toronto, home of the very first awards show honouring Canadian musicians. Rap superstar Drake hosts a line-up of stellar performances featuring Sarah McLachlan, Broken Social Scene and Hedley, nominated respectively for Best Artist, Group and Album of the Year.

Hurry to the Art Gallery of Ontario for the last week to see the majesty of the Maharaja: The Splendor of India’s Royal Courts. See amazing artworks, royal costumes, jewellery and a life size model elephant enrobed in textiles, trappings and a silver howdah. Don’t miss the afternoon performance by South Asian dance company inDance.

Marvel at the National Ballet of Canada’s premiere performance of Russian choreographer Alexei Ratmansky’s Themes & Variations, Apollo & Russian Seasons. This showcase features three short one-act ballets set to Tchaikovsky’s Orchestral Suite No.3., created by George Balanchine and Igor Stravinsky with a score by Leonid Desyatnikov.

Yours to Discover: Day Four

Winter’s on its way out; it’s time to get a head start on exploring. Guide yourself with our specialized itineraries, or contact one of Toronto’s many tour operators to delve deeper into this multifaceted metropolis. And don’t forget to check out previous Yours to Discover posts, here: Day One, Day Two, Day Three.

MUSEUM SHOWPIECES
Must-see art and artifacts at the city’s preeminent institutions.

Enhance your experience at the Art Gallery of Ontario and Gardiner Museum by joining docent-led collection tours, free with admission. The AGO’s hour-long highlights tour runs daily at 1 p.m., while the Gardiner offers a tour at 2 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The Bata Shoe Museum and the ROM provide guides for groups of 10 and 20 or more visitors, respectively; call in advance to arrange.

Yours to Discover: Day One

Henry Moore's Two Forms sit outside the AGO

SIGHTSEEING FOR SHUTTERBUGS
These landmarks are ready for their close up.

ALLAN GARDENS Featuring a glass domed Victorian-style “palm house” and an alluring architectural symmetry throughout its 16,000 square feet, Allan Gardens Conservatory is a popular photo-op spot. Venture inside for a lovely view of numerous flowers and plants, from orchids to cacti.

ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO The arcing glass facade and titanium tower comprising this Frank Gehry-designed museum are prominent in the midst of a largely residential quarter. Directly south is another intriguing edifice: the floating “tabletop” of OCAD University’s Sharp Centre for Design.

CASA LOMA This Gothic Revival mansion in midtown keeps imposing watch over the city and is surrounded by five acres of gardens. Inside, visitors can explore nearly 100 opulently decorated rooms.

The Allen Lambert Galleria in Brookfield Place

CN TOWER One of the tallest buildings in the world, this concrete needle makes for an iconic image from the ground. Or, ascend to its observation decks and snap a sky-high panorama—on a clear day it’s possible to see for many kilometres into the distance.

CITY HALL Toronto’s seat of government is a modernist landmark—at the north end of Nathan Phillips Square sit two towers parenthetically embracing a saucer-like Council Chamber. Within its rotunda you can view a scale model of the city, plus a variety of public art works.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT Canada’s power brokers swing deals amidst this area’s superior structures, including the Santiago Calatrava–designed galleria at Brookfield Place, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s TD Centre towers, and the Renaissance Revival–style Commerce Court North.

HIGH PARK If the weather is agreeable, this hilly, 399-acre greenspace offers ample opportunity for photographic pursuits—and general enjoyment. There’s nature’s bounty, of course, but also a small zoo, historic Colborne Lodge and more. Return in late April to see the cherry trees in bloom.

The Royal Ontario Museum's Michael Lee-Chin Crystal (photo by Brian Boyle)

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME This shrine to Canada’s favourite sport is located in a heritage Beaux Arts bank building. Its cathedral-like Great Hall enshrines the National Hockey League’s coveted trophies—including the famed Stanley Cup—for all to see.

OLD TOWN The city’s original blocks date to 1793 and feature photo-friendly historic sites like the Gooderham “flatiron” Building and St. Lawrence Market. The area’s eastern end is home to the circa-1850s Distillery Historic District.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM Arguably the most controversial site in Toronto, the ROM’s “Crystal,” conceived by architect Daniel Libeskind, is nothing if not striking. The geometric structure bursts forth from a neo-Byzantine heritage building. Set your sights on thousands of historical artifacts and natural specimens inside.

Many of these famous attractions can be spotted from the comfort of a coach or even a double-decker bus. The Toronto City Tour and Gray Line Hop-On, Hop-Off City Tour offer popular, fully narrated excursions.

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Yours to Discover: Sightseeing for Shutterbugs in a larger map

What’s Happening in Toronto for March Break

MARCH 14 TO 18 is March Break in Toronto! Still trying to plan your week of family fun? Check out our run down of special events and activities at Toronto’s top attractions. (Regular admission prices and hours apply, unless otherwise noted.)

The kids will be in awe of all there is to do during March Break in Toronto (photo by limaoscarjuliet)

Throughout the week at the Art Gallery of Ontario, families can enjoy performances inspired by the Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts exhibit as well as a dozens of free March Break activities that are included with the price of regular admission. March 14 to 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission for kids under 5.

Dive into March Break at the Royal Ontario Museum as the museum explores our blue planet with its latest showcase, Water: The Exhibition. Experience the interactive 10-foot-tall multimedia display, create water-themed crafts, learn about ancient marine life from museum curators, and even see live animals. Visit after 4:30 p.m. for $10 off admission. March 12 to 20, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Stay warm at the Toronto Zoo by venturing into its tropical pavilions—including the newly refurbished African Rainforest Pavilion, complete with new chameleons and ring-tailed lemurs. Families can register for the zoo’s twice-a-day Playtime Forest education program, with 1.5 hours of activities and crafts for $4 per family member. March 12 to 20, 10:30 a.m. to noon or 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The Hockey Hall of Fame gets March Break started off right: on Monday, from 10 a.m. to noon, kids can meet and pose for photos with Toronto team mascots like Carlton the Bear of the Maple Leafs. Throughout the week, children can challenge themselves with hands-on interactive activities like goaltending, shooting, play-by-play broadcasting, and more. March 12 to 20.

For a medieval-style March Break, head to Casa Loma—the estate turns into an enchanted castle for a Princesses and Pirates extravaganza. A musical performance by Cinderella and the Little Mermaid, followed by a meet-and-greet, take place four times daily. Get dressed up in costumes for a photos, meet Prince Charming in the great hall, or enjoy a pancake breakfast or cupcake party. March 14 to 19.

If you’re looking to save, check out the events for families, children and teens at the Toronto Public Library. Guests like musicians and scientists liven up the day, as do such activities as movies, crafts, and storytelling for kids, plus skateboarding, hip hop, DJ-ing and games nights for teens. March 12 to 19.

Enjoy a truly Canadian experience at the Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival, where families can partake in an hour-long maple syrup walk, and enjoy face painting, wood carving demonstrations, entertainers, sap sampling, horse-drawn wagon rides, pony rides, and a petting zoo, all day long at Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area. March 14 to 18.

At Black Creek Pioneer Village, families get a hands-on look at olden-days revelry. Start with a pancake lunch, then take a ride on a horse-drawn wagon, sing along with the village’s Mumblypeg band, learn how to make maple syrup, take a Victorian dance lesson, and warm-up in the Pioneer Play Area. March 12 to 20.

Have a magical time at the Wizard World Indoor Family Fun Park, starting for March Break at the Better living Center at Exhibition Place. The fun park includes 150,000 square feet of indoor fun: food and drinks, professional stage shows, 20 carnival rides, free loot bags for kids under 12, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, and much more. March 13 to 20.

Don’t forget Spring Fling, Canada’s largest indoor carnival, at the Rogers Centre. Enjoy the midway with rides, family entertainment, and exotic animals throughout the week. All-day ride tickets are $20. March 11 to 18, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Fun on Family Day

Ontario’s Family Day holiday falls this year on Monday, February 21, and offers an excellent opportunity to experience Toronto with your loved ones. Some of the city’s top attractions are even offering special family-oriented deals and programs!

Tim Burton is featured at the TIFF Bell Lightbox (photo by Derek Frey)

MOVIES! Family fun is free for the whole long weekend at the Tiff Bell Lightbox. Take the kids to see some fantastic films and explore the world of Tim Burton at the venue’s huge exhibition dedicated to the famous filmmaker. You can also see stand-up/cabaret artist Shawn Hitchins for a hilarious singalong featuring hits from the latest and greatest movies.

VISTAS! View the city from new heights at the CN Tower, which offers discounted Family Day admission. Be sure to stand on the iconic needle’s glass floor hovering 1,122 feet above street level, or go even higher to the Sky Pod and gaze kilometres into the distance. The attraction also offers a “Himalamazon” motion-theatre ride and the thrilling 3D movie Ultimate Wave Tahiti.

AFRICA! Among the thousands of diverse artifacts on display at the Royal Ontario Museum, your family is certain to be captivated by its display of contemporary pieces by Ghanaian artist El Anatsui. For Family Day, the special exhibition is supplemented by musical performances, films, drumming workshops and even a scavenger hunt through the museum’s comprehensive African rooms.

FEET! Kids can be honourary detectives at the Bata Shoe Museum during its weekend of family fun. Hunt for unique shoes throughout the space to earn a Shoe Detective certificate, try on some of the museum’s craziest shoes, and paint a mini clog to take home.

Harbourfront Centre's Natrel Rink (photo by Jennifer Hart)

SKATING! Make tracks to Toronto’s waterfront for a whole day of wholesome activities, as Harbourfront Centre hosts a family skating party with live music plus special guests including superhero characters, dancers, sock monkeys and Canadian Olympic athletes Jayna Heffors and Greg Westlake. Craft workshops help kids make their own mementos to remember the day by.

FINE ART! Discover some of the world’s most wondrous visuals at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Ask for a family activity bag at the ticketing desk to make your journey through the gallery even more enjoyable. There’s even a kid-focused exhibition, Animal Tales, which offers children the opportunity to share stories and create their own creature drawings.

ANIMALS! Walk into the wild at the Toronto Zoo and discover some fun facts about animal packs and how they work as families—just like us! The zoo’s indoor pavilions feature exhibits on family trees and conservation, too.

HISTORY! Step into Casa Loma and partake in an old-fashioned scavenger hunt with Dora the Explorer. Kids can meet Dora in the library, and see other costumed characters while searching for treasure inside Toronto’s famous castle. For a more regal experience, youngsters can see what it was like to be a knight in the middle ages, courtesy of the Barrie Swordplay Association.

See how tornadoes form at the Ontario Science Centre (photo by Carsten Peter/National Geographic)

HOCKEY! Head to the Hockey Hall of Fame and receive free admission for up to four children with the purchase of one regularly priced adult. Kids will also receive a free muffin voucher from Marché—the better to keep their energy levels up! The museum features interactive activities in the NHLPA Be A Player Zone, as well as numerous artifacts, including hockey’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup.

SCIENCE! Heat up inside the Ontario Science Centre with the institution’s newest exhibition, Nature Unleashed, which demonstrates how earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tornadoes occur from the inside out. Kids of all ages can also marvel at the world’s largest mammals in the Whales/Tohora exhibit, or sit back and enjoy one of three mind-blowing Imax films.

MARILYN! The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg opens two special exhibitions in honour of the American film legend Marilyn Monroe. Guided tours, film screenings, music and other special programming is scheduled to help shine the spotlight on the shows and their superstar subject.

Weekend Roundup, February 18th to 20th

Friday: Be enthralled by South Pacific's timeless love story (photo by Kim Ritzenhaler)

Friday, February 18
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved, Tony Award–winning musical South Pacific has returned to charm audiences at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. This timeless tropical-island tale follows four lovers who must overcome adversity against a backdrop of World War II.

The Canadian International Auto Show has rolled into town and parked at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Rev your engines while admiring the latest consumer, luxury and concept cars. Classic cruisers and environmentally friendly vehicles are also on display.

Get your eyes—and ears—ready: the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Juno Tour of Canadian Art opens today, to mark the 40th anniversary of Canada’s music awards. This innovative project pairs great Canadian art—as well as the AGO’s collection of Henry Moore sculptures—with tunes and commentary from Juno-winning musicians.

Saturday: See the seductive Saint Carmen of the Main (photo by Bruce Zinger)

Saturday, February 19
A Greek tragedy gets a Canadian twist in tonight’s performance of the Canadian Stage Company’s St. Carmen of the Main. This unique play Carmen leave Nashville and return to her roots in Montreal, where she sings of the hustlers and whores who attend her nightclub shows and sees those on the fringes of society become the heroes of her songs.

Classical music is always in fashion at Roy Thomson Hall, where the Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents masterworks by Brahms and Dvorak. Estonian conductor Eri Klas and Israeli violinist Vadim Gluzman are featured in this evening’s performance.

The National Home Show has set up shop at the Direct Energy Centre. Don’t miss an appearance by interior design expert Debbie Travis today at noon, followed by a book signing. Afterwards, check out many other design and renovation features including a futuristic glass house built by Concept PolyHome.

Sunday: Jesse Cook's flamenco stylings heat us the Rose Theatre in Brampton (photo by Simon Law)

Sunday, February 20
Those who head to Brampton’s Rose Theatre tonight are rewarded with a lively performance by Jesse Cook. The Toronto-based nuevo flamenco guitarist has is renowned for his sensuous picking and strumming, showcased most recently on his Juno-nominated album The Rumba Foundation.

Experience the avant-garde as Los Angeles–based art collective My Barbarian offers its Post-Living Ante-Action Theatre performance at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Starting at 2:30 p.m., the show draws on current events and politics—and references avant-garde theatre collectives of the 1960s—to create an interdisciplinary work of art.

Sway to the sultry sounds of R&B-gospel-jazz vocalist Liz Wright, who performs music from her latest album, Fellowship, at Glenn Gould Studio.

Weekend Roundup, February 4th to 6th

Friday: Partake in a tour and tasting inside Casa Loma

Friday, February 4
Tour Toronto’s castle on the hill to get a true taste of times past. This evening, Casa Loma offers a Winterlicious dining event that allows guests to sample seasonal fare in its many rooms. Enjoy infused oils and artisanal breads in the great hall; a rotisserie station spins in the library and rustic chocolate bread pudding awaits in the conservatory. End the evening in the Cellar with cheeses and local wines.

Hop on over to the Bata Shoe Museum as it welcomes Chinese New Year with an exhibit dedicated to the Year of the Rabbit. Various hare-inspired artifacts are on display, including ancient bunny slippers with bunny ears. (more…)

Weekend Roundup, January 28th to 30th

Friday: Witness Christopher Plummer's tour de force in Barrymore

Friday, January 28th
Don’t miss Canadian icon Christopher Plummer in Barrymore, which celebrates its opening weekend at the Elgin Theatre. In this acclaimed one-man play, Plummer embodies the role of John Barrymore, one of the 20th century’s greatest Shakespearean actors.

Winterlicious starts today! Approximately 150 restaurants—including local favourites like Bier Markt, Bangkok Garden and the newly renovated Canoe—are participating in this popular prix-fixe dining event. It’s a great and affordable way to try some of the tasty food Toronto has on offer. (more…)

Weekend Roundup, January 7 to 9

Friday: Witness the Duel of Ages at the Next Stage Theatre Festival

The weekend immediately following the revelry of New Year’s is a quiet one for many people. But if you’re still itching to get out, Toronto’s got you covered.

Friday, January 7th
Start your weekend with some drama courtesy of the annual Next Stage Theatre Festival. Tonight’s programming includes a history of personal combat in Duel of Ages and the intriguing whodunit Fairytale Ending.

Treat the family to a visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario. Among its numerous current exhibitions is a collection of four shows united under the title Animal Tales: Beasts, Toys and Fables. These displays feature bright and dynamic images celebrating the magic of visual storytelling, and particularly emphasize the fables of Aesop and the illustrations of Walter Trier.

The Second City has extended performances of its latest hit, Something Wicked Awesome This Way Comes. Act fast to get tickets—you don’t want to miss out on discovering just how awesomely wicked this show really is.

Saturday: Take a spin on the Natrel Rink

Saturday, January 8th
It’s not to early to think about summer—and, particularly, how you’ll spend time on the water. So make your way to the Direct Energy Centre, which hosts the Toronto International Boat Show. Among the expo’s highlights are the world’s largest indoor lake, which features wakeboarding and boat-handling demonstrations.

Step back in time a couple of decades at the Horseshoe Tavern, which celebrates Canadian music of the 1980s as part of the Juno Decades 40th Anniversary Concert Series. Featured artists include Maestro Fresh Wes and Platinum Blonde.

Take a spin around Harbourfront Centre’s Natrel Rink tonight while DJ Medicineman drops a hot mix of global grooves and electro hits. The pulsing music is sure to take the edge off of winter’s chill.

Sunday: See the Ontario Science Centre's mythic beasties for a final time

Sunday, January 9th
Just west of the city, Mississauga’s International Centre hosts the North American International Motorcycle Supershow, featuring more than 500 exhibitors and 1,000 motorcycles. These bikes will excite as you ride on over for seminars, a showbike competition and more.

Whether on foot, by car, or on the back of a beast, be certain to travel to the Ontario Science Centre. Its Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns, and Mermaids exhibition, which explore the mystical world of the mythical creatures, concludes today.

Welcome the Toronto Raptors as they return from the road. Today the National Basketball Association squad—featuring rising stars like Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan—take on the Sacramento Kings.