January 15th-19th Next Stage Theatre Festival @ Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst St. Next Stage is curated, boutique festival featuring 2019 Toronto Fringe hits like Tita Jokes and Every Silver Lining along with new productions. $18 single tickets and $67-123 passes available online.

January 16th-19th Come Up To My Room @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. CUTMR returns for its 17th year to pack all four floors of the Gladstone with site-specific, immersive art and design installations over four days! This year’s CUTMR features more than 23 projects throughout the hotel’s galleries and public spaces. Visitors can explore, discover, and engage in conversation with the artists. $12.81 tickets available online.

January 17th-26th DesignTO Festival @ various locations. DesignTO Festival is Canada’s leading (and largest) annual design festival that celebrates design as a multidisciplinary form of creative thinking and making, with over 100 exhibitions and events forming Toronto’s design week.

January 18th-19th Winter Fest @ Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way. The Toronto Blue Jays’ Winter Fest returns for its third straight year, featuring two full days of baseball fun and winter festivities! Activities include Blue Jays current player, alumni, and rookie appearances; live entertainment; historic memorabilia; ballpark tours; and much more. $20 advance tickets available online.

WEDNESDAY

6:30 pm Kusama: Infinity Free Screening @ Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W. Trace the tumultuous and triumphant journey of Yayoi Kusama, the Infinity Mirrors visionary who overcame mental health struggles to become the biggest-selling female artist in the world. Kusama: Infinity – screening for free as part of Bloor Hot Docs Cinema’s Mental Health Film Series – delves into her astonishingly prolific career, the influence of her dazzling polka-dotted visions, which she describes as “art medicine,” and the power of embracing weirdness. Reserve your tickets here.

7 pm Music Bingo: Unicorns & Flamingoes Edition @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Bring a little magic into your life with Music Bingo’s Unicorns & Flamingos Edition. They’ll have prizes including gift cards, goodies from Steam Whistle, and yes, unicorns AND flamingos! RSVP here.

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 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

9 pm Good Enough Live Karaoke @ Jasper Dandy, 725 Queen St. E. They play, YOU sing at Good Enough Live Karaoke! Over 400 songs to choose from accompanied by a live band.

FRIDAY

8 pm Superbutch Jukebox/Superqueer Clothing Swap & Dance Party @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Superbutch and Girl Gang Cabarets take over the Gladstone for a night featuring a giant interactive jukebox (with a live band inside!), a clothing exchange for trans and cis people of all and no genders, and a dance party with Nomad Nala and DJDJ + performances by Manny Dingo and Lianne Tammi Dance Crew. Tickets are $16.93 with clothes to swap or $22.23 without. Some PWYC tickets at the door.

8 pm Les Femmes Fatales The Past @ Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander St. The second chapter in Buddies’ dreamy futuristic series, Les Femmes Fatales The Past explores rock and roll, legacies, how we are all connected, and unruly sexuality. Starring Dolly Berlin, Ivory, Lilla Koi, Sweet Delilah, Sze- Yang Ade-lam, Betsy Swoon, and Suki Tsunami, with guest stars Thrasher and Fatima Noor El Deen Mahmoud. $25 tickets available online.

7 pm DesignTO Festival Launch Party @ 1871 Berkeley Church, 315 Queen St. E. Kick off the 10th DesignTO Festival at their official launch party! Experience a site-specific installation conceptualized by Mexico-based multidisciplinary design studio Anagrama and lighting installation by Salex, enjoy beverages by Ace Hill, and dance to music by DJs Sigourney Beaver and Joe Blow. Tickets are $22.60 in advance or $23 at the door, with all proceeds helping achieve DesignTO’s mission to advance design in Canada.

10 pm 80s Mixtape Dance Party @ Stones Place, 1255 Queen St. W. Party like it’s 1989! All ’80s pop, rock, new wave, and synthpop with DJ Blush. $5.

10 pm Electric Circus @ The Drake Lounge, 1150 Queen St. W. You might remember it as that dance show you always watched, yearning to be a part of; or perhaps you’ll recall the consuming envy you felt seeing your sibling on live-to-air television; or maybe you were still a toddler and don’t even know what this sentence is referring to. Whatever your memories of Electric Circus, DJs illo and Techtwelve will keep you dancing by mixing the best in old and new club music. In true EC fashion, they’ll be live streaming the entire night. $10.

10 pm Saddle Up! @ Owl’s Club, 847 Dovercourt Rd. Stomp your boots to Dolly, Willie, Loretta, Waylon, and the rest of your honky tonk favourites! You’ll hear all the great country hits and the best of the bad ones (no bro country). Live set by Nicolette & The Nobodies at 10:30 pm. $10 (bar is cash only).

10 pm Shadows of Motown @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. DJs Well Said, Slater, and Ty play the biggest and best Motown, doo-wop, and booty shakin’ hits. 

10 pm Stereo Ferment @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. DJ Oreku spins global grooves and afrobeat.

10 pm Whas Good @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Good vibes dance party. Old school to new school hip-hop, R&B, soul, reggae, and dancehall.

10 pm Decade: A 1995-2005 Dance Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Get out your butterfly clips and studded belts, and relive your best life at Decade! Anthems from 1995-2005 all night. $10.

10 pm DJ Granny Pantys @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. A night of rock, alt, post-punk, psych, and oddities with Granny Pantys.

10 pm Emo Night @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. Revisit your teen angst! Spinning your favourite emo anthems all night every Friday at Sneaky Dee’s. $5 early bird tickets available online.

10 pm Wax Candy Disco @ 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.

10:30 pm Beam Me Up Disco @ The Baby G, Dundas St. W. The Patchouli Brothers play a disco mix of gospel, funk, soul, boogie, rare groove, house, and jazz sounds surrounded by smiling faces.

11 pm Co-Werk @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A party concept inspired by collaboration. No openers; no headliners; no set times – just a rotating crew of DJs keeping the vibes fresh and the energy high all night with a mix of hip-hop, house, reggae, club, and classics. $10.

SATURDAY

8 pm DJ Skate Nights: Fawn Big Canoe @ The Natrel Rink (Harbourfront Centre), 235 Queens Quay W. Sharpen your skates and skills as Toronto’s number one outdoor winter party returns with another stellar lineup of DJs that will bring the heat to your Saturday nights. This week, DJ Fawn Big Canoe brings the skills to keep your toes tapping all the way around the Natrel Rink. Skate and helmet rentals available. Until 11 pm. 

10 pm Love Design Party @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Love Design Party is the official celebration for Come Up To My Room and the DesignTO Festival. Explore all four floors of the Gladstone, then drink and dance the night away in the Ballroom! DJs Babygirl and Regina Gently will throw down while you celebrate all that is art and design. Admission to the party is free while capacity allows. 

10 pm Houndstooth Hop @ Houndstooth, 818 College St. All vinyl 45 RPM action from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s at the new Houndstooth bar! DJ Derek B spins rock ‘n’ roll, early RnB, and soul.

10 pm Togetherness @ The Little Jerry, 418 College St. DJs Katry, Dr J, and Roland celebrate friendships, new and old, brought together through a love of music on Jerry’s warm hi-fi. Soul steppers, deep fried funk, roller skate boogie, disco gems, and proto house.

10 pm Sound Directions @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. Rare grooves with special guest DJ Alister Johnson and Sound Directions residents Lepi Boro and Johnny Lopez. 

10 pm Hey Ya: 2000s Dance Party @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. Shake it like a Polaroid picture at Sneaky Dee’s for their Outkast-inspired dance party. They’ll be playing all the Outkast hits you love and other hot tracks from the 2000s. $5 early bird tickets available online.

10 pm Remote Control: An ’80s Video Party @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. Join VJ Mobotron and immerse yourself in the ultimate ’80s video experience! Playing all of the pop, new wave, hair metal, rap, and R&B hits of the time. Mixing it up with classic ’80s commercials.

10 pm It’s All Good @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Join resident VJs General Eclectic and Mike Luke as they take you on a journey through the 1990s, from Biggie to Bjork, Nirvana to No Doubt, Destiny’s Child to Daft Punk, TLC to ATCQ, Eminem to En Vogue, Mariah Carey to Massive Attack, Portishead to Pavement, Spice Girls to Stereolab, and much more! $10.

10 pm Worst Behavior @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Saturdays are for getting loose and being on your Worst Behavior! Bangs & Blush roll out rap and hip-hop from now and then. $10.

10 pm Get It Together @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Kensington Market’s open format dance party welcoming all genres, all styles, and all people. Selections by Mikey McFly.

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 rock, soul, funk, pop, and disco from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.

10 pm Lost Plot @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. Ben Dare plays eclectic electronic to get lost to.

10 pm I Think I’m Making A Comeback Dance Party @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. DJ Shirley Tempo playing the most danceable Motown, pop, soul, disco, psych, and rock.

10:30 pm Back In The Day @ Revival, 783 College St. A tribute to ’90s and ’00s old school hip-hop, R&B, dance, house, reggae, and pop with DJs Wristpect and R2. Email info@themarqueemedia.com for bottle service inquiries and guest list.

11 pm Hey Girl Hey @ The Baby G, 1608 Dundas St. W. Queer dance party featuring DJ Orange Pekoe playing the best hip-hop & RnBby female/non-binary artists + the breathtaking 12:30-ish floorshow starring Beardoncé. $10.

11 pm Fancy Footwork @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Fancy Footwork kicks off the new year with a special guest DJ Moon Boots alongside residents Kill Them With Colour and Mista Jiggz. You’ll hear the best in indie dance, nu-disco, future funk, and more all night long! $10. RSVP here for line bypass before midnight.

SUNDAY

11 am GH Marketplace: Love Design Shop @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. The Gladstone Hotel and curator Ange-line Tetrault (Founder, Nanange) present Love Design Shop, a curated marketplace to be held as part of Come Up To My Room. This one-day-only shopping event will feature a group of designers and makers whose work blur the line between function, style, and wellness. Until 6 pm.

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. On stage: Fatima Noor El Deen Mahmoud, Ruby Slickeur (Vancouver), Shane Sable (Vancouver), Sparkle Plenty (Vancouver), Rainbowglitz (Vancouver), and host Emcee Unicorn. Free entry; tipping encouraged.

10 pm Love Shack @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. DJ DangerCat playing all the best rock and roll, indie, surf, garage, and new wave hits all night!

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