June 30th-July 1st CITE Opening Weekend @ The Bentway, 250 Fort York Blvd. CITE, the summer-long celebration of skateboard arts and culture, celebrates its opening weekend with DJ sets, a marketplace selling local skateboard merchandise, pop-up film screenings from TUFF, a beer garden, and lots more. Open 10 am to 11 pm both days.
WEDNESDAY
7 pm Open Roof Festival: Thoroughbreds with Moscow Apartment @ Lower Junction, 158 Sterling Rd. Heathers meets American Psycho in Cory Finley’s black comedy Thoroughbreds, screening at Open Roof Festival along with a performance from Canadian indie rock band Moscow Apartment. On-site food and drinks from The Arepa Republic and Amsterdam Brewery. $15 advance tickets available online.
7 pm Music Bingo @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. A FREE weekly event combining the love of music with the traditional bingo format. Each player receives a Music Bingo card which consists of an assortment of songs. Instead of calling out numbers, they play the music! Singing along encouraged.
8 pm Drake Trivia @ The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St. W. Teams of four or less put their random knowledge to the test as hosts Megan Griffith-Greene and Jeromy Lloyd fire off questions ranging from sporting records and celebrity scandals to geographic discoveries and culinary lingo. $2 to participate. Email host@thedrakehotel.ca or show up early to reserve a spot.
9 pm Deep Freeze Wednesdays @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Embrace the chill! Join DJs Tweed and Babe Decibel in the front room for chill mid and downtempo indie tunes. $4.75 drinks.
THURSDAY
8 pm Ladies of Burlesque & Neon Dreams Cinema Club Present: Eyes of Laura Mars @ The Royal Cinema, 608 College St. Ladies of Burlesque and Neon Dreams bring you one of the most underrated horror films of the 1970s! With a screenplay by John Carpenter, The Eyes of Laura Mars is a gritty disco-infused slasher horror that goes toe-to-toe with the best of Argento and Hitchcock. $12 advance tickets available online.
10 pm Step 2 This @ Dundas Video, 831 Dundas St. Diana McNally joins resident Area 85 for the fifth edition of this all-vinyl monthly. She’ll be playing selections from her extensive collection of italo, synthpop, new wave, and disco grooves.
10 pm The Throwback @ The Drake Lounge, 1150 Queen St. W. DJ Gramera and Dennis P of SoulSkank take over the Drake Hotel lounge and fill the air with smooth beats and silky saxophone sounds. End the night in a fun groove as they take you through classic music eras in true throwback Thursday fashion.
10 pm Rewind @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. A DJ night featuring the best in RnB and UK garage!
FRIDAY
7 pm Friday Night Live: Arachnophile @ Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park. Join the ROM as they bring this #FNLROM season to a close with complimentary access to their intriguing new exhibition, Spiders: Fear & Fascination. $17 (plus tax) tickets available online; limited amount available at the door.
8 pm Indie Fridays: DJ Shub, DATU, hey! dw @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 1 Dundas St. E. Yonge-Dundas Square hosts 10 weeks of performances from Canada’s brightest artists! This week, Juno-nominated DJ Shub combines traditional indigenous music with dance beats for a distinctly Canadian sound. Also on the bill is Filipino duo DATU, who will be starting the party with their futuristic refrains, and hey! dw. Until 11 pm.
10 pm Mods vs. Rockers @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. DJs Misty Champion and Terrible Ter go head to head in the ultimate battle – on 45 RPM vinyl ONLY! Who will win this epic fight? With special footage from Tokyo’s “Garage Rockin’ Craze” movie.
10 pm Crates & Crafts @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. Party hits from the 1950s through today with DJ Greybeard, all on vinyl.
10 pm Jamz @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. DJs Slater and Ty mashin’ heavy tunes from the ’90s to the ’00s, including DMX, J-Lo, Britney, Ludacris, Missy, Spice Girls, Mariah, Backstreet Boys, Ashanti, Destiny’s Child, and more. $5 with student ID, $10 without.
10 pm DJ Teenage Werewolf @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. Friday night freak out with DJ Teenage Werewolf! Rock ‘n’ roll, soul, punk, post-punk, and more.
10 pm Lazy Susans @ The Ossington, 63 Ossington Ave. Spinning hip-hop, RnB, soul, rap, trap, and dirty south.
10 pm Boosie Fade @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Jordan Sowunmi and DJ Yung Adult are back in the habit for yet another raucous night of the biggest tunes, new friends meeting old friends, and a mind-boggling amount of ceiling-slapping. Expect to hear artists like: Drake, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Ye, Kids See Ghosts, Migos, and more. $10.
10 pm Donna Leake x Privatepressed @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Donna Leake (Brilliant Corners, London) makes her Canadian debut, with support from Privatepressed. Music for open ears, open minds, open hearts, and zero expectations. $16.90 advance tickets available online.
10 pm Beam Me Up Disco @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. A disco jam that celebrates the underrated and the obscure of funk, jazz, soul, boogie, rare groove, reggae, gospel, proto-house! It’s an evening of tuneful transcendence, supplied by residents Patchouli Brothers and Cyclist. $10.
11 pm Get Good @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Diggy The DJ plays all your favourite bangers. $10.
SATURDAY
10:30 am Pixel & Bristle Design Market @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Toronto’s best designy market returns! Peruse goods from Pixel & Bristle collective designers until 4:30 pm.
5 pm Crush: Queer Indie Pop-Up Market @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. Close out Pride month and push back against the corporate commodification of Pride culture with a homespun celebration of local independent queer and trans makers/do-ers/artists/designers/angels. Art, vintage, zines, clothing, prints, lingerie, accessories, and hugs! Until 10 pm.
4 pm Sunnyside 20: Episode 004 @ Sunnyside Pavilion & Cafe, 1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W. Sunnyside is back for its 20th season of summer music events under the sun, moon, and stars! This edition features Toronto’s Chus + Ceballos alongside Joee Cons and Stange City & Tele. $35 (plus HST) tickets available online.
10 pm On Earth Presents: Dizzytime @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. On Earth hosts a night of dizzy, hissing techno, and squelching bass lines. Music by Kehdo, Efemmera, and Ceremonies, with special performance by Jaclyn Kendall.
10 pm Juicebox @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. DJs Tweed and Babe Decibel + special guest DJ Juice spinning the indie, retro, and Britpop you need! You will hear: The Strokes, David Bowie, Pulp, The Stooges, LCD Soundsystem, Bloc Party, The Human League, Joy Division, Holy Ghost, Glass Candy, and lots more! $10.
10 pm Worst Behavior @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. This Saturday, be on your worst behavior. Bangs & Blush play past and present bangers all night long from Drake, The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., Nelly, TLC, Missy Elliott, and more! $5 with student ID, $10 without.
10 pm Nightcall @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Hip-hop all night long with DJs DB and Beat Sampras.
10 pm Saturday Night Jukebox Party @ Stones Place, 1255 Queen St. W. DJ Blush brings you this super-fun/high-energy party where you’ll shimmy, shake, and sweat the night away to all your favourite jukebox hits and classics! ’50s/60s/70s rock ‘n’ roll, soul, Motown, pop, disco, and funk.
10 pm Take A Chance @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. DJ JD spins all-vinyl Euro disco and the sweetest tunes to make you feel good.
10 pm Panic @ Remix, 1305 Dundas St. W. The ultimate retro party with DJ Lazarus spinning the kind of retro that changed your life. ’80s, ’90s, new wave, post-punk, classic alternatives, synth pioneers, Britpop, shoegaze, madchester, new romantic, classic industrial, ska, and more. This month’s spotlight is Depeche Mode. $5 before 11 pm, $10 after.
10 pm Good Times @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. Soul, funk, rock ‘n’ roll, pop, and guilty pleasures with DJ Misty. Let the good times roll!
10 pm Sorry: Justin Bieber Dance Party @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. Celebrate Canada Day weekend with a night of Justin Bieber tunes and other jams. $5 advance tickets available online.
11 pm Itzsoweezee @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A feel-good house party atmosphere! DJs Tom Wrecks, DeMiggs, and ΛV play music to make you dance, smile, and holler. For line bypass before midnight, submit names here (right side of the page). $10.
SUNDAY
2 pm Electric Island Season @ Hanlan’s Point Stadium, Toronto Island. Electric Island fully-licensed concert and picnic series returns with world class talent for Canada Day! On the Main Stage: The Martinez Brotherrs, Jack Master, Anna, Billy Kenny, Jade, and Simon Jain. On the Moog Stage: Robert Babicz, Jeremy Stott, Brian Johnson, and Andy Cue. $54.99 (plus HST) tickets available online.
4 pm Faerie Grove @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. A day-drinking throwback to disco and unrestrained queerness, with DJ Michael K and guests on the decks. Be fierce. Be glorious. Wear as little as you like. Party goes ’til sunset.
5 pm Canada Day @ Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St. A free celebration of live music, fireworks, arts, food, and fun for the entire family! Artists include blues/R&B diva Shakura S’Aida, socially conscious Pan-Latinx hip-hop from Los Poetas, dancehall party vibes from DJ Nino Brown (Yes Yes Y’all), and more. Fireworks wrap up the show at 10:30 pm.
6 pm Christie Pits Film Festival Canada Day Celebration @ Christie Pits Park, Bloor St. W. CPFF celebrates Toronto through film and live music this Canada Day weekend. Featuring screenings of local writer-director Sarah Goodman’s Porch Stories + short films Whatever Happened to Jackie Shane? and Bickford Park. Live music at 7:30 pm; films at sundown (9:20 pm); eats and treats from 6 pm onwards, featuring Young Animal, ice pops from Sweet Ride, Empress Coffee, AND popcorn at the festival canteen. BYOBlanket. Free/PWYC ($10 suggested).
7 pm Mariposa Cruises’ Canada Day Cocktail Cruise @ Pier 6, 207 Queens Quay W. Enjoy a three-hour Canadiana get-eh-way on the Showboat as it sails through Toronto’s picturesque waterways, harbour, islands, and iconic skyline. Featuring a delicious Canadian-inspired menu from new executive chef Andrew Capone; interactive photo booth; costume contest (wear your best red and white), a selection of beer, wine, and specialty cocktails; and DJ spinning the best of Canadian artists from golden hour to sunset! $72.95 (plus HSC and HST) tickets available online.
7 pm Brass Facts Trivia @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Test your knowledge and win prizes! Hosted by Famous Kirk Hero. Until 10 pm.
8 pm Dancing in the Park: On Stage with Jazzamboka & Fumu Jahmez Dance @ Aga Khan Park, 77 Wynford Dr. Aga Khan Museum kicks off its second annual Dancing in the Park series with a FREE outdoor concert featuring Montreal-based group Jazzamboka and dancer Fumu Jahmez. With the museum’s extended hours until 9 pm, guests are also invited to explore the galleries (with admission by contribution).
10 pm Love Shack @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. DJ DangerCat spinning all your favorite rock ‘n’ roll, indie, garage, surf, and new wave hits all night!
~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com