events
Weekend Planner: November 19–20, 2011
In this Weekend Planner: breast cancer awareness inspires a film festival, check out a diverse wealth of worldly music, a Swedish Christmas celebration returns, doggies get into the holiday spirit with Winter Woofstock, build your own photography mobile app, watch an improv comedy competition, kids design a city for mice, a TED conference returns to Ryerson, and the Santa Claus Parade is coming to town.
Winter Woofstock is coming to town this weekend. Ruff said. Photo by Sevenstock Photography.
HEALTH/FILM: It’s a shame that much of the Facebook generation’s exposure to breast cancer awareness will be through annoying “My bra is X-colour” status-update memes. Aiming to rectify that, and to share some actual information on a subject that’s as important as ever, is the fourth annual Breast Fest—the world’s first breast cancer film festival. This year’s festival is opening with the documentary Baring It All, which follows photographer David Jay as he creates his Pulitzer-nominated photo series, “The Scar Project.” Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queen’s Park), Friday to Sunday, festival pass $40.
MUSIC: Prepare yourselves for the First Annual Uma Nota Festival. For those who remember the name, Uma Nota was a bi-monthly event from a few years back that featured Latin, world funk, and Caribbean music, among other genres. Billed as three days of tropical urban expression, this reborn festival is a mixture of live music and DJ performances as well as workshops and film screenings. Featuring Samba Elegua, Boogat, Luanda Jones and many, many more. Friday to Sunday. Click here for locations and ticket prices.
FESTIVAL: We’re close enough to Christmas that we can stop ignoring the street decorations and start getting into the festive spirit, no? Here’s one event that might win you over. The Annual Swedish Christmas Festival is back with another round of folk dancing, traditional Swedish carols, and a variety of Swedish delicacies. Harbourfront Centre, York Quay Centre (235 Queens Quay West), Saturday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–4 p.m., FREE.
CUTENESS OVERLOAD: Attention animal lovers! The following event listing may incite tears/squeals of joy. Get ready for Winter Woofstock, the largest festival for dogs and their owners in North America. Featuring pugs in parkas, Rottweilers as Rudolph, and many activities to bring out the “awww” in all of us, this festival promises to be a howling good time. Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place (100 Princes’ Boulevard), Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., $10.
DESIGN: Ever had that cool idea for an iPhone app but had no idea how to get it off the ground? Pixel Hack Day is inviting developers and designers alike for a weekend of collaboration and competition. This photo-inspired hackathon inspires its participants to build the best visual applications using open web, mobile, and desktop APIs. ING Direct Café (221 Yonge Street), Saturday 10:30 a.m to late and Sunday 3 p.m.–5 p.m., FREE.
COMEDY: It’s Theatresports time! This brand of improvisational comedy that has been making waves around the world uses a competition format to add excitement (see Whose Line is It Anyways?). This weekend’s event, presented by Bad Dog Theatre, features such teams as “Batman,” “St. Pierre Plumbing,” and “Diff’rent Bumps.” The audience gets to decide which of the teams wins the cash showdown, so be sure to check it out. There will be plenty of laughs to go around. Comedy Bar (945 Bloor Street West), Saturday, 7 p.m., $12.
DESIGN FOR KIDS: What if children ran the city? Wait, don’t answer that. What if kids between the ages of two and eight years old ran the city? The Mouse City Summit, which takes inspiration from such classics as Stuart Little and An American Tail, lets Toronto youngsters take a crack at designing an entire city for story-book mice. Torontoist‘s editor-in-chief Hamutal Dotan and Spacing publisher Matthew Blackett will be on hand to give the kids some city-building tips. Members of city hall are welcome to attend and take notes. The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West), Sunday, 9:30 a.m., $10 adults, $5 kids.
TED: If you’ve ever spent hours watching the fascinating TED (technology, entertainment and design) videos online over the years, you’re in for a treat. TEDxRyersonU is back for a second year with 14 speakers. It will centre around the theme “Think Forward,” with a focus on ideas and the evolution of society. As with many of the TED talks, this year’s event will be live-streamed for the whole world to enjoy. Live-stream online here, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m., FREE.
SANTA CLAUS PARADE: It was the exclamation from the North Pole heard all the way to Toronto. “Drive your own damn sled!” That’s right, for the 107th Santa Claus Parade, Mrs. Claus is finally getting her own float, but of course that’s not all there is to look forward to. Besides an appearance from the titular man himself, there’s a new route that will accommodate more bystanders, celebrity clowns, tons of floats, a “Santa Cam,” and more. Starts at Christie Pits (click here for full route), Sunday, 12:30 p.m., FREE.
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].