According to Environment Canada, this winter will be the coldest in fifteen years. That news should send us all running for the comforts of indoors, but once again Harbourfront Centre provides the perfect reason to play outside. DJ Skating Nights return for a third year, providing those who brave the cold to skate under the glittering skyline with a soundtrack from local DJs. The five Friday nights of the series will feature five different......

Photo by EIFF. Next week on October 17th, the International Festival of Authors will kick off its 28th year since its inception in 1980 at the Premiere Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay West). Incorporating some of the best contemporary world literature, the festival is comprised of eleven days and nights of readings, interviews, round-table discussions, lectures, and book signings—not to mention special event readings by Scotiabank Giller Prize and Governor General’s Literary Awards finalists.......

Photo by matthewpiers from the Torontoist Flickr pool. One week ago today apparently marked the opening of HtO, Toronto's new "urban beach," on a parcel of land south of Queens Quay West, between Rees Street and Lower Spadina Avenue. We say "apparently" because we'll believe it when we're standing on the sand with our own two feet; the relatively modest (yet nevertheless impressive) project having already been delayed multiple times over several years, we......

For those who have enjoyed a Sunday at Cherry Beach, dancing to chill beats or relaxing in the shade of the grove, the question among your friends all week has simply been, "Skating?" Tonight from 8 - 11 PM, Promise, known to many as simply "David and Irving", will be hosting this week's installation of DJ Skating Nights at the Harbourfront Centre. Skate to an eclectic mix of reggae, disco, house and techno by......

Then you'll love Lake Ontario Park! At least, that would seem to be a reasonable assumption. However, if you're looking for more reassurance (recommended), the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (or, NAMBLA) is hosting a public forum on their plans for "Lake Ontario Park," which is to be "one of Toronto's great new park spaces and a defining destination for the city," running from the Portlands (Cherry St. south of the Distillery District) in the west......

The last 10 days have been a great time to be a film nut, but now Christmas comes early for book nerds as over the next few weeks two of the biggest events of the year take place, starting with next Sunday’s Word on the Street, which will be followed by the start of the International Festival of Authors in mid-October. A few events taking place today. Poet Lorette C. Luzajic launches her first book,......

The Diamond Cherry Reading Series – run by local poets and small-press publishers Devon Gallant and Julie Cameron Gray – kicks-off the week with performances by audio poet Hilary Peach (Poems Only Dogs Can Hear) and singer/songwriter/poet Nik Beat. The series takes place each month at the Zemra Lounge – 778 St. Clair West – and starts at 8pm. It’s free, too, so you have no excuse not to go. On Monday, head down to......

Move over Trevor Coleman your claim on the maritime themed music scene is being challenged by none other than Santa Cruz organizer/DJ/ Tyler Clark Burke. Sure, Coleman, our carrot-topped, bespectacled booker can lay claim to possibly the only bar in Toronto that has faux-portholes (if there are any others do let us know!). Sadly, the Boat remains very landlocked and also happens to be up a set of stairs, not a very nautical location if......

Now that you can't hide your hair underneath a thick wooly touque a new haircut is of the utmost importance. This makes the timing of playwright and actor Darren O'Donnell's latest project very appropriate. Haircuts By Children gives a couple of Parkdale elementary school children some shears and an opportunity to go at the hair of strangers at various salons around Toronto during the month of May. O'Donnell sees HBC as a critique on......

There are several concerts taking place this week to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Tonight at Roy Thomson Hall, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) led by debuting conductor Stefan Sanderling will perform Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 followed by Symphony No. 8 as part of the Shostakovich Remembered Festival. The featured performers for the evening are Alexander Toradze on piano and Andrew McCandless on trumpet. If you......