Results tagged “ladyfest”

FAMILY: If you’re spending some quality time with the kids this long weekend, head down to Harbourfront Centre for HarbourKIDS: Respect. This three-day festival is geared towards children ages five to twelve and will feature activities themed around the idea of respect. The roster for this weekend’s festival includes musical entertainment by ex-Moxy Früvous member Mike Ford and the Canadian indie band Rock Plaza Central who recently collaborated with a Grade 3 class at a Toronto Island school, along with theatrical performances by Morro and Jasp (who will not be addressing issues related to puberty), arts and crafts, and interactive workshops. Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West), Saturday, Sunday, and Monday 11 a.m.–5 p.m., FREE.

MUSIC: This morning, come to the Tranzac to celebrate the release of the highly-anticipated first album from Laura Barrett, Victory Garden. At 11:30 a.m., a healthy brunch made by Laura Barrett and Ajay Mehra will be served. At 1:30 p.m., music! There will be a set by Ghost Bees, a solo performance from Woodhands singer Dan Werb, and—of course—a performance by Barrett herself. The party will be framed nicely with animations and artwork brought to you by Tin Can Forest, Isaac King, and Chris DeCastro. Tranzac (292 Brunswick Avenue), 11:30 a.m., $10 ($17, with brunch).

WORDS: “This Is Not A Reading Series For Tots,” a new monthly literary program for children that we told you about a few weeks ago, is launching today at the Gladstone Hotel. Kids aged two to eight will get to meet the authors of childrens’ books and participate in art activities, sing-a-longs, and puppet shows. Speaking today is Matt Hammill, who will be giving a PowerPoint presentation about his new book, Sir Reginald’s Logbook. Kids will then get to do some art projects with author/artist Irene Luxbacher, who will guide the kids through some of the lessons in her Starting Art Series for children. Hosting the event is playwright/novelist Claudia Dey. Gladstone Hotel Ballroom (1214 Queen Street West), 8:30 a.m., FREE.

FESTIVAL: Ladyfest kicks off their highly anticipated music series tonight, as the week-long festival continues. Tonight, come out to the Boat for performances from electronic soul group Lal, alternative crooner Emma McKenna, and experimental pop band Miau Miau. Also starting today is "Ooh-La-La," the female-identifying art exhibit at Beaver Hall Gallery (rescheduled from Sunday), which will run until September 27. The Boat (158 Augusta Avenue), 9 p.m., $5–$10.

WORDS: We all have a couple of things lying around, maybe hidden in a box somewhere, that carry serious emotional ties: borrowed sweaters, mix tapes, love letters, and the like. Most of those items come with a great background story, so tonight the Victory Café is presenting "Awkward Show and Tell: Things My Ex Gave Me," an open mic night dedicated to presenting relationship baggage in front of a group of people so speakers can feel cathartic, or whatever. Audience members are encouraged to bring old photos, shitty gifts, and anything else left behind from a past relationship, and share tales of regret. Come out, tell your story, have a few drinks, and embrace the awkward. Victory Café (581 Markham Street), 8:30 p.m., FREE.

FOOD: After their wildly successful inaugural event, Picnic at the Brick Works is back for a second year. For four hours, celebrity chefs are paired with local food producers to create unique culinary creations using sustainable, Ontario-grown foods. The goal of the event is to promote economically-friendly food, for the sake of a sustainable-food future as energy costs continue to skyrocket. This year's celebrity chefs include Jamie Kennedy, Keith Froggett, and Owen Steinberg. Rain or shine! Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Avenue), 12 p.m., $110.

FESTIVAL: HobbyStar's annual Fan Expo returns today. The largest of its kind in Canada, the event has grown exponentially since its inception in 1995. The Comic Book Expo, Science Fiction Expo, CNAnime Expo, Gaming Expo, and Rue Morgue Festival of Fear are all happening at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the next three days. There are some pretty hilarious and fun things happening, like a masquerade ball where the best World of Warcraft–themed costume wins a Sony VAIO laptop. This year's celebrity guests include Sean Astin, Henry Winkler, and Buzz Aldrin (among many others). Tickets purchased will be good for all expos, but not necessarily for all special events; for example, director Wes Craven is a featured guest of the Festival of Fear, but if you want a picture with him, you'll have to pay $200. Some people will do anything to get a cool Facebook profile picture. Metro Toronto Convention Centre (255 Front Street), 4–9 p.m., $25–$69.