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…)
Our national pride soars on Canada Day (photo by Will Spaetzle)
We’re all-Canadian for this edition of the roundup, as Canada’s 144th birthday is celebrated throughout the city (and nation-wide). On Friday, July 1, check out these fun-for-the-whole-family events and activities.
> Get up early and head north to Downsview Park for a special Canada Day breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. If you’re lucky enough to have tickets, you’ll be certain to return in the afternoon for a much-anticipated concert by the Tragically Hip, with special guests Broken Social Scene, Buck 65 and others.
> Harbourfront Centre is always busy on summer weekends, and this one is no exception, with Canada Day festivities—everything from a strawberry “culinary marathon” to a performance by Esthero—happening all day long.
> A favourite long weekend event, the annual Toronto Ribfest takes over Centennial Park. Live music and kid-friendly attractions keep the whole family entertained, but the real draw, of course, are the meaty barbecue offerings from some of North America’s best “ribbers.”
> Head to Yonge-Dundas Square for something a little different—the downtown venue hosts the fifth annual Multicultural Canada Day Celebration, presented by the Community Folk Art Council of Toronto. Starting at noon, this spirited party features music, dancing and more from a variety of cultures. Be sure to be hanging around at 7 p.m., when the special Bollywood dance party kicks off.
> And, of course, Canada Day wouldn’t be complete without a colourful fireworks display. The city’s biggest show takes place over Lake Ontario’s shore at Ontario Place, where free grounds admission makes finding an ideal viewing spot even easier this year. There are also crowd-pleasing fireworks displays occurring to the east (at Ashbridges Bay), the west (at Centennial Park), the north (at Mel Lastman Square) and even further north (at Canada’s Wonderland).
If you have any energy remaining, the rest of the weekend provides ample opportunity for entertainment, too!
> The TD Toronto Jazz Festival continues through to the end of the weekend, with headline performances by the likes of The Roots (on Friday night), Bootsy Collins (Saturday) and vocal powerhouse Nikki Yanofsky (Sunday)
> A distinctive culinary event comes to the Distillery Historic District on Saturday—Food Truck Eats gathers mobile fare purveyors from Toronto and elsewhere in southern Ontario, all offering samples of street fare such as tacos, poutine, smoked meat and more.
> One of Toronto’s biggest parties, the world-famous Pride Parade, marches down Church Street on Sunday afternoon, in a vibrant celebration of diversity and acceptance.
Toronto’s fun doesn’t stop just because the temperature drops outdoors! There are plenty of new exhibits, shows and performances which will guarantee a good time for everyone this weekend!
Friday: Be wowed by iD (photo by Valérie Remise/Theatre T & Cie)
Friday, October 8th
Catch the entertaining, adults-only puppet show, Billy Twinkle: Requiem for a Golden Boy at the Factory Theatre! When puppeteer Billy Twinkle gets fired from his job on a cruise ship, he must perform his life story as a puppet show to rediscover his love for the craft. It’s a must-see performance that has been garnering rave reviews!
Cirque Éloize has created another masterpiece! Now showing at the Sony Centre For the Performing Arts, iD is filled with jaw-dropping acts that combine theatre, dance, music, and circus arts. With lots of energy and risky stunts, this innovative show brings plenty of visual effects to make for an unforgettable evening.
Trick or treat! Although Halloween is a few weeks away, visitors to Canada’s Wonderland should prepare to scream as this famous amusement park is once again transformed into the largest haunted attraction in the country. The annual Halloween Haunt offers tons of spooky attractions like haunted mazes and the Psycho Circus. Plus, experience all your favourite rides in complete darkness!
Saturday: Hear classics performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Saturday, October 9th
Enjoy a night of legendary music as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performs George Gershwin’s legendary Rhapsody in Blue. This all-American concert will also feature Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Leonard Bernstein’s overture to Candide. Head to Roy Thomson Hall for this powerful performance!
Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida has returned to the Canadian Opera Company stage! This tragic opera tells the forbidden love story between an Ethiopian slave girl and an Egyptian king in a time of war. It’s a stirring show, on now at the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts.
The Fryderyk Chopin and Romantic Piano exhibit opens today at the Royal Ontario Museum. Showcasing numerous instruments, costumes and original scores from the Romantic Era, the show celebrates the bicentennial of this amazing composer’s birth.
Sunday: See mythical beasts at the Ontario Science Centre
Sunday, October 10th
Are you fan of all things fantasy? Head to the Ontario Science Centre to see their newest exhibit Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids. On display is an unbelievable range of sculptures, fossils, creatures and characters that have played a large role in popular myths and fables. You (literally) can’t miss the 40-metre long Chinese dragon that stretches along this exhibit!
The Arts at the Heart market takes over the busy Yonge-Dundas Square this weekend as hundreds of vendors display their handmade wares for sale. Find unique and colourful apparel, fashionable jewelery, belts, accessories and so much more.
It’s your last chance to check out Cirque du Soleil’s Banana Shpeel! This unique production brings together incredible circus acts, colourful costumes, vibrant dance routines, and a hilarious story. The final performance is tonight at the Canon Theatre.
The Behemoth roller coaster
OPENS MAY 2 For nearly 30 years, the unofficial start of summer has been marked with the annual reopening of Canada’s Wonderland. This season, the theme park introduces Planet Snoopy, a reinvention of the 20-acre kids’ park featuring three new rides and a cartoon character-filled ice show. When the weather warms, visitors can stay cool at Splash Works—a huge water park with the country’s largest wave pool—or brave rapids with the family on the White Water Canyon ride. Thrill seekers are invited to rediscover speedy standards like The Vortex, Flight Deck and the massive Behemoth (pictured) roller coasters. And if all the excitement leaves you famished, international food vendors plus park staples like funnel cakes, ice cream and cotton candy are available for refueling. Adults $40.99, seniors and youth $31.99; call 905-832-8131 for more information.
Photo by Linda Luong.
This Sunday, May 3, is opening day at Canada’s Wonderland, an amusement park 40 minutes north of downtown. Rides aplenty are here, from heart-pounding roller coasters that take you as high as the sky, fling you from side to side, turn you upside down and every which way—names like Drop Tower, Psyclone and SkyRider are a testament to the intensity of these rides—to the more serene offerings like the antique carousel and bumper cars. For the really brave of heart, hop on the Behemoth, the country’s biggest, fastest and tallest roller coaster that takes you up 230 feet before careening back down a 75-degree angle at 125km/hour.
Little ones aren’t excluded from the fun and thrills, albeit pint-size ones. Friends like Dora the Explorer an Sponge Bob Square Pants roam around the park for picture ops, while Nickelodeon Central, Kidzville and Hanna-Barbera Land are filled with colourful helicopters, cars and boats to take kids up, up—but not too up—and away.
And at the end of the day, treat yourself to a toasty warm funnel cake topped with milky white vanilla ice cream and sweet strawberries with drizzling strawberry sauce—it’s one of my favourite ways to end a day of heart-pumping adventures.
So, grab a friend—or several—and head to Wonderland.
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Stay, Dine, Do
