By Hamutal Dotan

Photo by wvs from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.

Summer festival season is about to begin in earnest, and kicking things off is that multi-disciplinary, multi-location, multi-day extravaganza known as Luminato. With everything from nine-hour theatrical epics to a giant red ball popping up where you may least expect it, Luminato is again sure to draw its share of fans and also its share of haters. (It’s whimsical fun! It’s heartlessly corporate! Stuff is free! Stuff is overpriced! Pick a point of view, and you’re bound to find someone who shares it.) Ever your intrepid cultural emissaries, we’ll be on the lookout for the wacky, the wonderful, and the just plain trying-too-hard.
Until we hit the streets, some words about the opening weekend. The smart money is about no money at all: Luminato can be counted on to throw a good free bash or two, and Yonge-Dundas Square is playing host to several. If classic rock is your thing, then Randy Bachman will be taking the stage Friday night for a complimentary opening night show. We’re more excited about Saturday’s dance party—the first of several being held over the next week—which will provide a bit more scope for getting into the fray ourselves. A repeat of last year’s winsome Light On Your Feet will have the fearless and the shameless flaunting their moves at dusk. Whether you’re on stage samba-ing your heart out or silently mocking from the sidelines, take it as your cue: it is officially time to embrace summer’s performance (art) season.