Urban Planner: June 10, 2009

Urban Planner is Torontoist's daily guide to what's on in Toronto, published every morning. If you have an event you'd like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you've got any—to events@torontoist.com.

Photo by Jösé from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.

WORDS: Crime-novel writers, a former magician’s assistant, and members of Toronto's diverse writing community make up some of the small collective commissioned to compose short pieces for "Gothic Toronto: Writing the City Macabre," part of Luminato’s Edgar Allen Poe nod. Cherie Dimaline, Nalo Hopkinson, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Andrew Pyper, Tasleem Thawar, and Michelle Wan will each read their gothic tale contributions at the event, hosted by Rue Morgue’s Liisa Ladouceur. The collected works will be available at the reading as a very limited-run Victorian chapbook, created specially for this Luminato and Diaspora Dialogues collaboration. Music Gallery (197 John Street), 7:30 p.m., FREE.

ADULT FUN: Harbourfront has opened its circus camp to adults this year, and the first night of session two starts today. Juggling, trapeze, and high-wire walking are all on the curriculum. Circus camp can be attended as a single class or for a full six-week session. Harbourfront also wants potential campers to know that it’s a great way to get fit—but isn’t that what pole-dancing is for? Coronation Park circus tents (100 Garrison Road), 6:30–8:30 p.m., $42 per class or $210 per session.

POLITICS: For a city as proud of its diversity as Toronto, it is surprising that many representatives of our diverse population have no say in how the city is run. Mayor David Miller is hosting a municipal voting rights forum that seeks to address the question of whether or not non-citizen permanent residents should have the right to vote in municipal elections. International forum panellists include the Netherlands Consulate’s Astrid de Vries, NYU Wagner School of Public Service’s Diana Salas, and Maytree Foundation’s Alan Broadbent. Toronto councillor Janet Davis moderates the panel and follow-up public discussion. Toronto City Hall council chamber (100 Queen Street West), 7–9 p.m., FREE.

MUSIC: Richie Havens must be about 107 by now (ok, he’s 68), having appeared as one of the more senior Woodstock performers where some may remember his impassioned cover of “Motherless Child,” and more. Since he's well-known in the folk world, it’s surprising that his deeply-felt music has never jumped genres to the ears of other listeners. He’s well worth seeing, given the chance. And guess what? Hugh’s Room (2261 Dundas Street West), 8:30 p.m., $55.

ART: A group of mad scientists (we confess this descriptive is blatantly untrue, but sounds more fun) and art geeks (likewise) have collaborated at an unlikely juncture and concocted the Subtle Technologies Festival, now in its twelfth year. The five-day forum begins today (until June 14), and includes such a density of event particles (workshops, symposiums, performances, Second Life parties, etc) that our best advice is for readers to have a good look at the festival’s website. The theme this year is “Networks,” so expect a great deal of activities to happen online, even if participants are in the same room. Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Avenue), 9 a.m.–8 p.m., $95 single day, $265 full festival (students $75 full festival).