November 29th-December 15th Toronto Christmas Market @ The Distillery District, 55 Mill St. Inspired by the Old World and influenced by the New, this free annual event captures all of the tradition, heritage and charm of a European Christmas Market, while showcasing hundreds of unique and local handcrafted products.
November 30th-December 1st Mondo Bazaar @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. This two-day event brings you double the crafty fun, with over 60 booths of unique handmade and fair trade gifts! Runs until 5 pm both days.
WEDNESDAY
8 pm Punk Rock Bingo @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. Drink specials, prizes, sporadic performances, and bingo! Hosted by Daddy-O with a performance by Toronto’s punk rock drag queen Jenna Syde. $2 to play with proceeds from bingo card sales going to various organizations in the city. Stick around after bingo for tunes you shouldn’t be listening to, courtesy of DJ Triple-X.
9 pm Fear Street @ Sex Laser, 1369 Dundas St W. Horror/sci-fi movie scores/songs from soundtracks, or spooky/cool stuff every Wednesday. Maybe you’ll talk about movies. Maybe you’ll dance with some zombies. Maybe you’ll fall into the Hell Mouth. $3 PBR before 11pm.
10 pm Liquid Karaoke @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Colin Bergh, James McDonough, Nadia Belerique, and Jeff Hayward are your hosts. $4 Jameson and $5.50 pints before midnight.
THURSDAY
6 pm The VICE Guide to Newcastle: Toronto Launch Party @ Lavish & Squalor, 253 Queen St. W. A party to celebrate VICE’s brand new web series, The VICE Guide to Newcastle (as in Newcastle Brown Ale). Stop by for some complimentary beverages, snacks and a viewing of episodes one and two. Famous Players are DJing. Until 9 pm.
7 pm iYellow Holiday Wine Jam @ The Burroughes Building, 639 Queen St. W. Celebrate in style and kick off the season right at the 2nd annual iYellow Holiday Wine Jam! Taste 30+ wines from around the world, holiday eats from Sliced Gourmet and Pigout Catering, and beats by DJ Sam Fleming. Wine Jam until 10:30 pm, afterparty (cash bash) to follow. $60 tickets available online.
10 pm Stop Crying @ Crawford, 718 College St. The Bass6 crew plays all the bangers you want to hear! $5.
10 pm Work It Out @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. Soul music, booze, and good company to keep that heart plenty warm. With DJs Mantis, Kaewonder, and Famous Lee.
FRIDAY
7 pm ROM Friday Night Live: Light It Up @ Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park. Sights: artist Jackie Levitt, spoken word poets/musicians, galleries open 7-9:30 pm. Sounds: Tia Brazda, UofT Music Jazz Program, house DJs (curated by ElectriCITY Events), SoundBwoy, JREX the Decks. Flavours: City Gourmet, Pimenton, Curbside Bliss, Gourmet Gringos, La Rivolta, Little Tomato, The Saucy Pierogi, HotBunzz, Tita Flips. $12 advance tickets available online.
8 pm Steam Whistle Unsigned #27 @ Steam Whistle Brewery, 255 Bremner Ave. Performances by Rituals, The oOohh Baby Gimme Mores, and Fresh Snow. $5 at the door, with all proceeds from ticket sales going back to the community through the Artists Health Alliance.
9:30 pm Bad Bitches Through Time @ Baltic Avenue, 875 Bloor St. W. Bad Bitches Through Time was started as a DJ night. Then they were like “what if we could have a live band?” For one night only, a cast of local talented women perform songs from the baddest bitches through time. Expect performances of Jett, Benatar, Morisette, Nicks, Oh, Sinatra, Smith, Haines, Love, and more by Frances Rose of The Rathburns, Sarah Budden of Another City, Vanessa Vakharia of Goodnight, Sunrise, LeeAnne Rorabeck, and Megan Oquias.
9:30 pm Mighty Real Ball @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. Mighty Real DJs and Father Nuance present the Mighty Real Ball featuring DJ Produzentin. Virgin Runway: Bust your hymen and stomp it out supermodel style on the runway. Best Dressed: Be Mighty! They’re looking for the hottest outfit of the night. Bonus points for disco inspiration. Hairography – $100: Whip it. Flip it. Flick it. Dip it. Flaunt it. Work your hair for the crowd. Face – $100: Who has the most classic, the most beautiful, the most perfectly proportioned face? Present your visage to the judges. Sex Siren – $100: Seduction is the name of the game. Bring your version of sexy. Performance – $100: Disco will forever and always be classic, so bring your performance in a style that is classically you.
10 pm Dad Rock Party @ Scout’s Honour, 1576 Dundas St. W. Dad hits brought to you by: CCR, Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Captain Beefheart, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Journey, Stevie Nicks, Hank Williams Jr., AC/DC, Allman Brothers, Iron Maiden, Kenny Loggins, Billy Joel, The Boss, Steppenwolf, Motorhead, Hall & Oates, and more! Kick up your dusty pair of off-white Sketchers, tuck away your mahogany hash pipe, and come hang with the Dads. With DJ/MP3J/YOUTUBEJs Ahmed El-Hindy and Lillie Ze. Dad Code in effect: No Freebird / all other requests welcome. Limited capacity.
10 pm Jamz! @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. An anything goes, no bullshit, non-genre, dance ’til you drop, all your friends in one room, party hard, make the floor wet with sweat, shit show! With DJs Slater and Ty. $5.
10 pm Cruising @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Dwayne Minard and Brian Duval present a night of ’70s disco and rock (think San Fran, 1978). With DJ Moulton Lava + a special performance by Fay Slift. $5.
10 pm Shindig! @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Down and dirty slow blues and R&B that will put you in the mood for those long winter nights ahead. Resident DJs General Eclectic, Parkdale Funk, and Splattermonkey provide the vintage Soul and R&B soundtrack on 7″ 45 RPM vinyl records. Free before 10:30 pm, $5 after.
10 pm Get Buck @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. What would Buckwheat do? Come find out! DJs Nino Brown (Yes Yes Y’all) plays hip-hop, RnB, bangers, winders, and grinders. $5.
10 pm Aural Sex @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. An evening filled with shows, kickass tunes, booze, making out, seven minutes in heaven, human pylons, planking, assauts, a salt, Rob Ford’s crack dealer, and a guy who’s paid Brooke Candy not to attend. With superstar Glam host Allysin Chaynes and DJ Leo Thwic.
10 pm Blaster Bday Clique / Island Vibes Xmas Party @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, DJ Blaster celebrates his birthday with an all-star DJ lineup of Wlfpk, Soca Monarchs, Conductor, Shadow, Jeff Jam, Midz, and the birthday boy himself. Downstairs, Karl and Ian throw their Island Vibes Xmas Party alongside Dyland Murray, Isax, and DJ Skillmore. $5 before 10:30 pm, more after.
11 pm Party Machine @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen Street West. 3 X Stylus Award Winner and Big Ticket resident, DJ Law, cuts up a special all-video set while On Vacay celebrate the release of their latest mixtape. Thrizzo, Family Business DJs (F-Bomb and Ry-Fi), and DJ Caff throw down the biggest dancefloor smashers! Hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, bounce, club, rap, trap, twerk. $10.
SATURDAY
11 am Makers Market @ Crawford, 718 College St. The first annual Makers Market will showcase 20 + unique local artisans from around Toronto. There will be raffle prizes, food, and holiday cocktails for sale. Until 6 pm.
10 pm All My Friends @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. DJs Mizz Brown and Paul G play party music! NYC undergound disco, hip-hop, rock, R&B, everything. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.
10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll Presents: Beatlemania @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. After over a year of monthly Beatlemania parties at The Piston, Bangs & Blash are bringing the party back home to where it all began! It’s a high-energy, non-stop dance party to all your favourite Beatles songs with loads of ’50’s and ’60s rock ‘n’ roll and soul in between. $5.
10 pm Da Da Da: A Psychedelic Dance Party @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. An all-night free love psychedelic midnight ball! DJs Brad Casey and Wilderness Creature play psychedelic music from The Beach Boys to Beach House, The Kinks to Caribou, The Byrds to Black Moth Super Rainbow, etc. $5.
10 pm In Touch @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJs Michelle Williams and Andrea Winkler play 111% hits! Hip-hop, R&B, and dancey classic rock anthems.
10 pm Panic @ Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St. W. The ultimate retro party with DJ Lazarus spinning the kind of retro that changed your life. ’80s, ’90s, new wave, classic alternatives, ska, Brit-pop, dance, shoegaze, post-punk, and more. This month’s spotlight is Duran Duran. $5 before 11 pm, $10 after.
10 pm Ice Cold Dranks @ Crawford, 718 College St. Family Business presents an evening of rap bangers, old school classics, and a whole lotta twerk music. Wear comfortable shoes because DJs FBomb and Ry-Fi are gonna make you dance all night long! $5 before 11 pm, $10 after.
10 pm VOX @ Baltic Avenue, 875 Bloor St. W. Featuring a performance by Toronto band Fighter/Lover at 11 pm followed by the best in indie and electropop. $5.
10 pm Joints @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St. Hip-hop from all eras, R&B, funk, soul, boogie, disco, and whatever else these cats wind up playing in the back of the Emmet Ray! DJ Mantis fills in for resident DJ Serious this month alongside DJ Numeric.
10 pm Close To Home @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. With locals Natural Animal, Kings of the North, Wolf Saga, and Varun. $5 before 11:30 pm. For guestlist, email guestlist@wrongbar.com.
10 pm Fast Times @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. ’80s night with DJs Tweed and Sarah Le Bon! Pop, rock, new wave, punk, funk, electronic, soul, R&B, and everything else ’80s. Free before 10:30 pm, $5 after.
11 pm Shake A Tail @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. ’60s pop, rock, soul, funk, garage, ska, ANYTHING! Always humid. $5.
11 pm Itzsoweezee @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A feel-good house party atmosphere! DJs Soundbwoy, Tom Wrecks, DeMiggs, and ΛV play music to make you dance, smile, and holler. For $5 reduced guestlist and line bypass, email guestlist@itzsoweezee.com (closes at midnight). $10.
SUNDAY
11 am Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair @ Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. Showcasing the best in artisanal foods, the Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair offers you the opportunity to make surprising new discoveries from more than 40 specially selected food and beverage makers. Chat with local bakers, charcuterie butchers, and craft brewers about their fare and sample to your heart’s content! $35 tickets available online (includes complimentary sampling galore, $10 in coupons to purchase your favourite discoveries, an eco-friendly cotton shopping bag with a bamboo plate and fork).
11 am Retro Market @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. A fun new market featuring vintage and vintage-inspired treasures. Vendors will be offering books, vinyl, clocks, radios, cameras, kitchenware, art and photography, home decor, stationary, handmade crafts, pottery, and many more fun items from the 20th Century. Groove to a happenin’ soundtrack and enjoy a retro refreshment from the bar while you browse and shop! Until 5 pm.
~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com