Weekend Planner: February 12–13, 2011

By Ryan West

Urban Planner is Torontoist’s guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every weekday morning, and in a weekend edition Friday afternoons. If you have an event you’d like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you’ve got any—to [email protected].

It’s a precarious battle of rubber versus ice at Icycle 2011. Photo courtesy of Martin Reis.

This weekend in Toronto: a risque craft fair, cyclists face off on ice, some Valentine’s Day burlesque, a graffiti flashmob with love, a showcase of local indie short films, a kickoff for gardening season, and Diaspora Dialogues’ tribute to Black History Month.

CRAFTS: The good people at Come As You Are would like to remind all you lovers that Valentine’s Day can be a lot more creative than flowers and chocolates. The fifth annual Erotic Arts and Crafts Fair will be offering up fun and sexy gift ideas from some of Toronto’s most innovative minds. Be on the lookout for the sultry illustrations of Wendy Ding, the unconventional stitchery of Valkryor Designs, fetish propaganda art from Ben Stirling, and the risque crochet work of Sex on a Stitch. Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West), Saturday 12–8 p.m., FREE.
CYCLE: Local cyclists are out to prove that a little cold weather isn’t going to keep them off their wheels with Icycle 2011, otherwise known as the annual Ice Bike Races. Several daring cyclists will race around Dufferin Rink on studded wheels—plus one hilarious sans-studs “Rubber Class” race at the end of the evening. The event will be followed by a fundraising party at Bike Pirates (1292 Bloor Street West). All proceeds will go to Peter McKenzie, a cyclist who was hit on the Bloor Viaduct just before Christmas. Dufferin Grove Park, Saturday 6 p.m., FREE ($5 to sit in the rinkside players’ box).
BURLESQUE: Skin Tight Outta Sight and Boylesque are two of Toronto’s top burlesque troupes, and they’re inviting you to celebrate Valentine’s Day with lederhosen lads and Bavarian babes at Be Mein Valentine. Each show will be hosted by Terra Hazelton and Sexy Mark Brown, with live music by rockabilly hero Alistair Christl and the Cosmotones. For a scintillating glimpse of what’s in store, check out the show trailer—sexy Hitler included! Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West), Saturday 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., Sunday 8 p.m., $20–$45.
GRAFFITI: Newmindspace will be covering a stretch of Queen Street West in scribbled pink hearts at their semi-annual Queen of Hearts event, moved this year from its usual super-sneaky time at 4 a.m. to the more convenient 8 p.m. Artists are asked to come armed with water, plaster of Paris mix, red paint, and other such supplies, though extras will be available for those without easy access to art supplies. The event is weather-dependent, and will be canceled if the sidewalks are too wet for effective graffiti. Queen Street West and John Street, Saturday 8 p.m., FREE.
FILM: This Saturday, the Underground Cinema hosts the second installation of Cinema and Sound, showcasing short films and music videos from local independent filmmakers. Headlining the event is Jinx, a new kind of silent film in which the protagonist is jinxed and must go through an entire day without speaking. In an effort to shake up the humdrum moviegoing experience, the evening will include alcohol, and live music from Nick Doubleyou and Labor Day. Toronto Underground Cinema (186 Spadina Avenue), Saturday 9 p.m., $8.
GARDEN: Last week the groundhog foretold an early spring, which means it’s time to start thinking about gardening. This Sunday the Toronto Community Garden Network gets the ball rolling on the sprouting season with Seedy Sunday 2011, which invites local greenthumbs to buy and exchange heirloom seed, on top of other workshops and activities. Hart House (7 Hart House Circle), Sunday 12:30 p.m., PWYC.
WORDS: To celebrate Black History Month, Diaspora Dialogues are hosting their first event of 2011, The Beat Goes On. Part of TD’s Then & Now series, the event will showcase new works from playwrights Donna-Michelle St. Bernard and Andrew Moodie, as well as spoken word artist Mahlikah Awe:ri. Afterwards the artists will sit down with the CBC’s Garvia Bailey for a moderated discussion about their work. Music Gallery (197 John Street), Sunday 2:30 p.m., FREE.

CORRECTION: February 12, 11:56 AM We originally stated that Biking Toronto was putting on the Ice Bike Races. Though they are fans of the event, they are not its official organizers.