August 7th-15th HorseCapades @ CNE Horse Palace (Exhibition Place), 15 Nova Scotia Ave. Marking the unofficial start to the CNE, HorseCapades is designed to introduce the young and the young at heart to the magical world of horses. Enjoy interactive, educational games and activities, learn about a horse’s nutrition and grooming, and meet a variety of horses. Open 11-2 pm daily.

August 8th-18th SummerWorks Performance Festival @ various locations. Widely recognized as one of the most important platforms for launching new work in Canada, SummerWorks is continuously re-imagining and innovating the possibilities of performance – how it is created, presented, and experienced.

August 9th-10th Romeo + Juliet @ Cinesphere (Ontario Place), 955 Lake Shore Blvd. W. Cinesphere presents a screening of Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 adaptation of the famous William Shakespeare play, starring Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. $13.27 advance tickets available online.

August 9th-10th Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival @ Roundhouse Park, 255 Bremner Blvd. Hosted by Steam Whistle Brewing, Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival was created to provide beer lovers the opportunity to sample Ontario’s finest craft brews and delicious eats from Toronto’s best food trucks, all in a pleasant park setting. Bring down a picnic blanket and stay a while! $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

August 9th-11th Waterfront Night Market @ Ontario Place (West Island), 955 Lakeshore Blvd. W. The Waterfront Night Market celebrates its 10th anniversary! Anchored by the signature Pan-Asian Food Festival and Kre8ions Artisan Night Market, the WNM features an exciting mix of entertainment and feature attractions, including over 120 food and lifestyle vendors + the addition of the Waterfront Beercraft Festival. $20-35 tickets available online.

August 9th-11th Taste of the Danforth @ Greektown, Danforth & Pape Ave. Canada’s largest street festival returns for its 26th year! Attracting over 1.64 million attendees in 2018, ​Taste of the Danforth offers a variety of performances, food, and activities for people of all ages. Runs 6 pm to midnight Friday, 12 pm to midnight Saturday, and 12 pm to 10 pm Sunday.

WEDNESDAY

6:45 pm Heat Wave: Rear Window @ Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave. Heat Wave, a lineup of the greatest summer movies ever made, continues at the Revue with a screening of Alfred Hitcock’s 1954 mystery thriller Rear Window. The film will be introduced by Naben Ruthnum. $12-15 advance tickets available online.

7 pm Open Roof Festival: The Biggest Little Farm @ The Lower Junction, 181 Sterling Rd. Open Roof presents a screening of The Biggest Little Farm, which follows filmmaker and farmer John Chester and his wife, culinary writer Mary, as they trade big city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature + a live musical performance by Sauna. $15.75 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.

THURSDAY

7 pm Documentary Short Film Festival @ Carlton Cinemas, 20 Carlton St. An evening showcasing some of the best of short films from around the world. See the lineup here. Email toronto@documentaryshortfilmfestival.com to reserve seats in advance (tickets are free or pay what you like).

10 pm DJ Donini @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. A mysterious figure in the dance music world, DJ Donini makes her Toronto debut with a night of breaks, hardcore, and jungle.

10 pm DJ Ol’ Nerdy Bastard @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. Music and beer and shots and pinball and pool and fun with DJ Ol’ Nerdy Bastard!

FRIDAY

8 pm Indie Fridays: Naya Ali, DJ Shash’U, Rym @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 1 Dundas St. E. Indie Fridays is back for another season of free outdoor concerts featuring some of the city’s emerging artists. This week, enjoy performances by Montreal MC Naya Ali, Afrofuturist DJ Shash’U, and Francophone hip-hop artist Rymz. Until 11 pm.

8 pm Gatsby Party @ The Funhouse, 101 Lisgar St. Prohibition be damned! Calling all guys and dolls, flappers and fellas: The Funhouse is transforming into a luxurious speakeasy, fitted with tasty cocktails, jazz and electro swing performances, and a special guest DJ to carry you through until the wee hours of the morning. Do away with the talkies for the evening and Charleston your way into the Jazz Age ready to dance the night away in your finest ’20s attire. $28 advance tickets available online.

10 pm Live Britpop Karaoke @ The Baby G, 1608 Dundas St. W. The Mis-Shapes play assorted songs from Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Elastica, Suede, Primal Scream, Ride, Morrissey/The Smiths, Stone Roses, and many, many more. The night functions like a regular karaoke night, only with a live band! Pick a song, write your name down, and submit it. (They have lyrics available, so don’t worry about memorizing the words.) Check out the song list here. $10.

10 pm Gnarly @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. A wave of hip-hop, dancehall, and soca vibes with Straight Cash Homie DJs.

10 pm Sunset Culture Club @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. All vinyl rare party jams and audio explorations with DJ Morgan Yew.

10 pm Gold Chain @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJs Aoki and Snack will have you dancing all night long to the best hip-hop of today and yesterday. You don’t wanna miss this display of supreme DJing – it’s the gold standard.

10 pm DJ Cheff @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. Tasty, tasty rock ‘n’ roll goodness all night long with DJ Cheff.

10 pm Freaky Friday @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Get freaky with DJs B BAD and M4RS! Funk, disco, hip-hop, dancehall, reggae, trap, throwbacks, top 40, mashups, RnB, Motown, and more. Free before 11 pm.

10 pm Get Lucky @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. All the top 40, pop, and hip-hop you can handle. Raise the bar and your cups to a wild Friday night! $10.

10 pm Summer Isle Presents: Deflector / Axine M / E-Saggila @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. NYC-based and Summer Isle affiliates make their Toronto debut at Bambi’s. Featuring Deflector (DJ), Axine M (live), E-Saggila (live), and more TBA. $10.

10 pm Wax Candy Disco Party @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. DJ Efsharp and Cyclist serve up platters of the sweetest soulful, refreshing, and uplifting disco in one of the best sounding rooms in the city. $10.

10 pm Beam Me Up Disco @ The Drake Lounge, 1150 Queen St. W. Beam Me Up is 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. $10.

10 pm Madonna vs. Lady Gaga Dance Party @ Glad Day Bookshop, 499 Church St. Who is the ultimate Queer Icon: Pop Diva Madonna or Mother Monster Lady Gaga? Dance the night away to the singers’ most iconic hits curated by DJs Maggy and Craig Dominic, and enjoy performances by drag queens Baby Bel Bel and Molly Kewl. $5 before 11:30 pm, $10 after.

11 pm Lo-Ki Legend @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A night focused on highlighting an artist who the community considers to be legend, but on a different level. With DJ Mensa. $10.

SATURDAY

11 am Parkdale Flea @ Northern Contemporary Gallery, 1605 Queen St. W. Parkdale Flea Market aims to bring together some of the best and most unique products that Toronto has to offer. Shop from a selection of vintage pieces, clothing, skincare, crafts, accessories, confections, and more. Free entry and four-legged friends welcome! Until 6 pm.

11 am Kensington Flea @ 214 Augusta Ave. Kensington Flea features a diversity of independent artisans and vendors from across the city and beyond! Wares on offer include handmade crafts, jewelry, and other artisanal goods. Until 6 pm. Runs every Saturday through September 7th.

2 pm Electric Island @ Woodbine Park, 1661 Queen St. E. Electric Island fully-licensed concert and picnic series returns to Woodbine Park with a lineup of world class talent! On the Main Stage: Knee Deep (Yorkshire, England), Dusky (London, England), Guti (Argentina), Lee Foss (Chicago > Los Angeles), and Andy Cue (Toronto). On the Moog Audio Stage: George Fitzgerald (London, England), DJ Seinfeld (Sweden > Spain), Nitin (Toronto), Jackie Spade (Toronto, and Sean Roman (Toronto). Until 11 pm. $63.54 advance tickets available online.

7 pm Toronto Island Cabaret @ Ward’s Island Clubhouse, 20 Withrow St. A night of drag and burlesque acts on the Toronto Island, featuring the hottest and campiest performers you’ve ever seen! There will be a cash bar with beer and wine for $5 + a raffle. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

8 pm BBC Night Market @ 15 Saskatchewan Rd. Spend your Saturday evenings on 40,000 square feet of stunning outdoor patio space with a full 360-degree view of Toronto’s skyline. The BBC Night Market will bring together a rotating list of top food vendors from across Toronto and the GTA along with a rotating list of food trucks from Food Truck’n Friday. Guests can grab a spot at one of the many tables throughout the space or pre-book a poolside private cabana to enjoy starry nights with friends.

8 pm Decades Dance Party @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. The dance party to end all dance parties! Here’s how it works: every hour is a new decade of music from the ’70s until today. Every hour is a new DJ. The top of every hour is a confetti-fuelled countdown into the next decade. (It’s kind of like 5 New Year’s Eve parties in one. Except it’s not New Year’s Eve.)

10 pm Let’s Dance: David Bowie Dance Party @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. Ground control to Sneaky Dee’s: A David Bowie party is landing like a modern daydream and you’re invited! They’ll be playing The Thin White Duke’s very best, plus other space oddities from the ’70s, ’80s, and beyond. $5 advance tickets available online.

10 pm Open Season @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. ’90s/00s hip-hop, trap, Motown, ’80s, girl pop, dance, and party jams with DJs Brank Oh! and Tyler.

10 pm Knockout! @ Disgraceland, 965 Bloor St. W. Boss reggae and rare soul on original 45s.

10 pm Bump in the Night @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. Rock, soul, classic pop, and rarities with DJ Precious Brett and special guest No Fear. Come shake your rump!

10 pm Saturday Night Jukebox Dance Party @ Stones Place, 1255 Queen St. W. Sweat it out to the sweet sounds of the golden age of rock ‘n’ roll and soul music! DJ Blush plays pop, rock, and soul from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. $10.

10 pm Bar Phlie @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. Rapper/producer/DJ More Or Les plays tunes with a hip-hop slant to move you, whether it’s just a head-nod or a full-on shake-a-thon. Expect to hear stuff like A Tribe Called Quest, Dibia$e, J Dilla, Bonobo, TLC, Art of Noise, Roisin Murphy, The Internet, MF DOOM, Bob James, Strange U, and CZARFACE.

10 pm Lucky Bitches @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. West side’s longest running glam-positive, dance party, blowout spectacular! Party jams and freedom.

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! $10.

11 pm Racks & Bands @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Jay Jolliffe and guests come with crates chock full of forward-thinking hip-hop, RnB, and dancehall. Get sweaty on the dance floor while they take you on a ride through genres, tempos, and eras. $10.

SUNDAY

9 am Sunnyside Sunday Market @ Great Lakes Brewery, 30 Queen Elizabeth Blvd. A new farmers market is coming to Etobicoke this summer! Each Sunday, enjoy the sunshine and brews while you shop local Ontario farmer stands and crafty booths. Until 2 pm.

10 am Ontario Vintage Market @ Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave. Shop from a selection of vintage design, art, and antiques. Until 3 pm.

11 am Toronto Artisan Market @ Trinity Bellwoods Park, Queen St. W. Celebrate summer with a curated group of local makers selling original art, handmade jewelry, fashion and accessories, organic skincare, home decor, ceramics, wellness products, baked goods, and more. Until 5 pm.

12 pm Sunday Social @ The Bentway, 250 Fort York Blvd. Join The Bentway every Sunday afternoon this summer and listen to the city’s hottest musical acts on the Exclaim! Stage while enjoying cold drinks on a covered patio. This week’s performers are Adria Kain (4 pm and Bonjay (5 pm). Until 9 pm.

6 pm Christie Pits Film Festival: Grey Gardens @ Christie Pits Park, 750 Bloor St. W. Toronto Outdoor Picture Show continues its “Dynamic Duos” series at Christie Pits Film Festival with Grey Gardens, which takes us inside the squalid life of Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (Big Edie) and Edith Bouvier Beale (Little Edie), a mother-daughter pair of high society drop-outs living in their overgrown Hamptons estate and caught in a perpetual feedback-loop of heyday nostalgia and “should’ve, would’ve, could’ves.” It will screen with Canadian filmmaker Norman McLaren’s 1952 Oscar-winning stop-motion short Neighbours and local filmmaker Roney’s darkly comedic thriller Glitter’s Wild Women. Films at sundown (8:45 pm); eats and treats from 6 pm onwards by El Trompo and popcorn at the festival canteen. BYOBlanket. Free/PWYC ($10 suggested).

7 pm Brass Facts Trivia @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Test your knowledge and win prizes! Hosted by Famous Kirk Hero. Until 10 pm.

10 pm Sinful Sundays Burlesque @ Cherry Cola’s, 200 Bathurst St. Come be entertained at this weekly “temple of tease,” where you’ll find a fresh lineup of burlesque entertainers, drag, and variety acts. Free entry; tipping encouraged.

10 pm Space Rock Sundays @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. DJ Granny Pantys plays the best stoner rock and space rock sounds.

~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com