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Urban Planner: January 10, 2009
IMPROV: Improv Everywhere and Improv in Toronto invite everyone to take their pants off on the subway, so long as they can keep a straight face about it. The rules for this year’s No Pants Subway Ride mission are pretty specific, so have a look at the Facebook event. It’s too bad the event takes place during one of the coldest stretches we’ve had so far this year; on the other hand, the cold may inspire the most determined partici(no)pants. Queen’s Park, at the statue of Edward VII on horseback, 3 p.m., FREE.
PARTY: The United Nations has declared 2009 the International Year of Astronomy (that’s what these were for). The Ontario Science Centre has tons of free activities today in addition to their regular exhibits. Ontario Science Centre (770 Don Mills Road), 10 a.m.–5 p.m., FREE ($18 admission for main exhibits). Tonight, space out with the Treehouse Group as they turn the Gladstone Ballroom into a planetarium to honour Toronto’s official International Year of Astronomy launch day. Art and science intersect for the evening, with steam-punk sculpture by Russell Zeid, discussions from science journalist Ivan Semeniuk, astronomy-themed medieval music from Sine Nomine, interactive projections, and more. Gladstone Hotel Ballroom (1214 Queen Street West), 8 p.m., $5.
MUSIC: Indie label Out of This Spark celebrates its second anniversary with the label’s entire roster performing at the birthday show. That roster consists of Forest City Lovers, The D’Urbervilles, Jenny Omnichord, and Timber Timbre. Bahai Cassette will be DJing before and between sets. Tranzac (292 Brunswick Avenue), 8 p.m., $8 with non-perishable food donation, $10 without.
MUSIC: The Kindly Ones host RenJam on the second Saturday of every month, an open jam in the broadest sense of the word. Musicians, poets, and spoken word performers are all welcome, and can choose to perform solo, in a collaboration, or to jam with the house band (The Kindly Ones). Night-of sign-up begins at 8 p.m., but there’s an option to book in advance through the jam’s web site. Renaissance Café (1938 Danforth Avenue), 9 p.m., FREE.
FILM: The Toronto Mapuche People’s Solidarity Film Festival runs all day today at The Cat’s Eye, in memory of the murders of Matias Catrileo and Alex Lemun. The festival is a collection of works by mainly indigenous peoples from North and South America. The first film starts at noon, with The Dish With One Spoon, a documentary about the history of the Six Nations’ relationship with the Great Lakes. The Cat’s Eye (150 Charles Street West), 11:30 a.m.–9:45 p.m., $8 per film, $25 for festival pass.
Photo of last year’s New York City No Pants Subway Ride by gillianleigh.