May 1st-31st Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival @ various locations. The largest photography event in the world is back! CONTACT is an annual event in May featuring over 1,500 Canadian and international artists and photographers exhibiting at more than 175 venues throughout the GTA. Check out the CONTACT website for a full list of exhibitions and installations.

WEDNESDAY

7 pm Poetry In Voice Finals @ Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St. W. The top nine finalists compete for $25,000 in awards and school stipends. Join us them an evening of contemporary and classic poetry, in English and French, hosted by Johanne Blais of CBC’s “C’est la vie.” $10 advance tickets available online.

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 11 pm.

10 pm Sha Na Na @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. DJ Brittney (one half of the Bangs & Blush duo) plays jukebox hits and makeout songs all night long.

10 pm Bowie Bar Wednesdays @ Andy Poolhall, 489 College St. DJs Avery, Doc Benway, and guests play music by David Bowie and Bowie-esque tunes. Drink specials until midnight.

10 pm Common People @ The Midpoint, 1180 Queen St. W. DJ Tigermilk plays a mix of post-punk, alternative, Brit-pop, seminal to current indie rock, and whatever else. $4 mixed drinks before 11 pm, $4 tequila, $5 Jameson, $5 pints of PBR, and $7 mug + shot.

10 pm I’m With the Band @ The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. Every Wednesday, different musicians DJ in the front room. This Wednesday, Gaven Dianda of Thee Gnostics/The Flashing Lights/The Saffron Sect/Hollow Earth plays some really nice Wednesday night jams while you drink fine liquors and (if you’re early enough) eat fantastic tacos.

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

7 pm “Tava Pop Art – Pop Up Art Gallery” Opening Reception @ 431 Roncesvalles Ave. Featuring the work of Montreal-based artist Antoine Tavaglione in his first Toronto exhibit. Antoine’s unique style draws inspiration from vintage cartoons, politics, social issues, emerging fashion, and fads. Until midnight. Exhibition runs until June 27th.

7 pm “Junk Food & Silver Linings” Opening Reception @ #Hashtag Gallery, 801 Dundas St. W. “This show, made up of two separate shows, brings to light works carefully planned out over the past few years by the gallery directors. ‘Junk Food’ by Johnny Hollick focuses on the idea of disposable art.

Often referential and irreverent, these pop art works are fun, meant to be shared, and bring joy into the life of the viewer. ‘Silver Linings’ by Graeme Luey takes a look at the deeper meaning behind artwork. Where does interpretation of artwork come from? Is it needed? Does everything have, or even need to have a meaning behind it? Does a piece with no meaning end up having a meaning in spite of itself?”

Until 11:30 pm. Exhibitin runs until May 29th.

7 pm “Laissez les FEMMES Peindre – ‘Let the WOMEN Paint’” @ The Brockton Collective, 442-A Dufferin St. A celebration of the many talented female artists living and working in Toronto! “The group of 26 artists each received a letter from the alphabet to function as their muse sharing the theme of women as their inspiration. The shared theme reflects who these artists are as women and how they think women should be painted, expressed and seen by the audience.” Until 11 pm. After party to follow ($5).

9 pm Rattle & Roll Foosball Tournament @ 2nd Floor, 261 King St. W. Everyone from beginners to pros are welcome to challenge one another to a match on one of four tables! With host Addominal and music by DJ Plus. $5.

9:30 pm Soul Machine @ Czehoski, 678 Queen St W. DJ Caff plays funk and soul while you drink and dance.

10 pm Weird Silence: A Canadian Dance Party @ Sex Laser, 1369 Dundas St. W. Weird Canada and Silent Shout have joined forces for a monthly DJ night! Join DJs Jesse Locke and Andrew Pulsifer as they spin the best in Canadian sounds. Drink specials and all hits all night!

10 pm Heart & Strokes @ Souz Dal, 612 College St. Indie rock socializing! Come for the Heart, stay for the Strokes.

10 pm Stop Crying / Pimps ‘N Pumps @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, the Bass6 crew plays all the bangers you want to hear! Downstairs, DJs BRAINS4BRKFST, George Thoms, and Plan B drop

hip-hop and trap jams all over each other. With special guests The Outerspacerz. $5 before 10:30 pm, more after.

FRIDAY

7 pm Friday Night Live! @ The ROM, 100 Queen’s Park. In partnership with the Toronto International Jewelry Festival. Performances by Wildlife, the U of T house jazz band, and Sammy + DJs M-ROCK, Mix Choplin, and Michael Imperial. Exhibitions: see the Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace on special loan from the Smithsonian Institution, walk on the ROM’s very own moon rock, and view an image montage of Toronto International Jewellery Festival precious gems and artisan jewellery! Activities: meet Toronto International Jewellery Festival jewellers and see their work on live models, chat with ROM curator Ian Nicklin and see how to tell meteorites from regular rocks, learn how people in ancient cultures creatively used gems and minerals for everyday tasks, people’s fascination with their birthstone is unearthed, and create your own exhibit! Drink and food tickets available onsite starting at $6. $12 advance tickets available online (entry is guaranteed only if you book tickets online and arrive before 9 pm).

10 pm Summer Trouble @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. Winter was long and cold and lonely. Summer can save you. Celebrate sun, sex, beaches, babes, bicycles, pool hops, patio drinks, park hangs, palance, short shorts, tank tops, rooftops, islands, late nights, and full moon naked everything! Summer songs all night courtesy of DJ Brad Casey.

10 pm MurderBoner!27 @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. DJ ItsMattLangille plays rap music all night long.

10 pm This Broken Mixtape’s Long Weekend Edition, Pt. 1 @ Unlovable, 1415-B Dundas St. W. An all-night dance party that celebrates the best in indie rock, new wave, electro-pop, hip hop, R&B, and mashups! What you can expect to hear: LCD Soundsystem, New Order, The Strokes, The Stone Roses, Pulp, Oasis, The Smiths, The Cure, The White Stripes, Animal Collective, Handsome Furs, Joy Division, M83, Grimes, Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest, The Kinks, Hall & Oates, OutKast, The Libertines, Of Montreal, Tame Impala, Aaliyah, The Pixies, Biggie, Vampire Weekend, Phoenix, etc.

10 pm Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A pulsating dance party rocking the retro sounds of the 1990s! All your favourite dance, pop, hip-hop, R&B, and so on and so on and so on. $5.

10 pm The Anthems / Death Trap @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, DJ Blaster and special guests play classic club anthems! Hip-hop, old school, and reggae. Downstairs, DJ Kin plays dub step, trap, and hip-hop all night long! $5 before 11:30 pm, more after.

10 pm Guilty Pleasures @ Holy Oak, 1241 Bloor St. W. Much Music Video Dance Party meets basement dark-rave! With DJs Micehal and Eytan spinning all your favourite 80’s/90’s/2000’s/now hiphop, electro, dancehall, new wave, pop, R&B, and disco.

10 pm Shadows of Motown @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Shadows of Motown is a dance party that plays the biggest and best Motown, doo wop, booty shakin’ hits! With DJs Slater, Well Said, and Ty. $5.

10 pm Rebel Hop @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Hip-hop, soul, funk, and reggae with DJs Gramera and Linx + Dennis P on the sax! Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm The Big Sound XI @ The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W. Toronto’s finest celebration of the golden era of soul and Motown returns to The Great Hall to throw down their next foot stompin’, heart pumpin’, sweet lovin’ soul party! BIG renditions of the BIG classics guaranteed to make you shout and shake! And as always, you can dance the night away to the originals before and after the set. $12 before 11 pm, $15 after.

10 pm Yes Yes Y’all @ The Annex WreckRoom, 794 Bathurst St. Toronto’s biggest, baddest, freak nastiest queer hip-hop/RnB/dancehall jam! Featuring special guest Timberlee (Jamaica) + the YYY crew opening and closing the dance party. $6.

10 pm For Music Lovers @The Emmet Ray, 924 College St. The Pie & Mash DJs play alternative tunes from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, and on.

10 pm Pretty Pony: Criscotheque Theme Song & Remix Launch Party @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. The launch of the “Pretty Pony Remix Package” – the official Criscotheque theme song by Toronto electrocockrock legends ProCon! Beats by DJs Andrew Awesome and Basha Is Electricwith Betti Forde and Dislexia guesting on the 1s and 2s. Live [erformance by Toronto’s new booty bangin’ duo #entertainment.

10 pm This Year Last Year @ Camp 4, 1173 Dundas St. W. DJs Justin Perreault and Calvin Castellino play all your favourite nu wave, chill wave, indie pop, and pop tunes all night long!

10 pm Brass Tacks @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. A night of hip-hop with Diggy The DJ of Down With Webster. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

11 pm Lay These Knight @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. DJs Patrick McGuire and Famous Players play the best R&B anthems from the 90’s to the 00’s to the 10’s that will forever make you dance/grind/twerk. $10.

SATURDAY

11 am Mountain Equipment Co-op Bikefest @ Trinity Bellwoods Park. A free, all-ages community event to celebrate bikes and cycling in support of the GTA’s cycling community. Seminars, clinics, and bike demos will be staged throughout the event. Until 5 pm.

10 pm Higher Heights @ west end loft location TBA. A party for the disco children! With DJs Andycapp (Bang The Party) and our friend Pooyan (Over&Over). Late night menu designed by Paul Revered, Cuisinier. Photography by Anielika Sykes. (Listen to the mix and boogie down.) Until 6 am.

10 pm White Girl @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Rap bangers from all night with DJs Patrick McGuire, Josh McIntyre, and ItsMattLangille. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Trilled @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. DJs Blaark and Daark play trap, rap, and bass music. This means stuff like A$AP Rocky, Drake, Flosstradamus, Girl Unit, Grimes, Iggy Izalea, Mykki Blanco, Major Lazer, Purity Ring, Ryan Hemsworth, Soulja Boy, T.I., etc. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.

10 pm It’s A Rap @ Augusta House, 152-A Augusta Ave. DJs The Dirty Frenchman (Walmer Convenience) and DJ Caff (Air Horns, Ignition) blaze rap bangers all night long!

10 pm Get It Together: Summer In The City Edition @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. An open format dance party with a mission to create the stickiest, sweatiest, lose-yourself-in-the-music kind of night. There’s been a serious trend at this party as of late where girls are climbing walls, guys are busting grooves, and people are (literally) getting busy on the dance floor. $5.

10 pm Kitsune Maison Club Night @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. Presented by Kitsune Maison with DJs Fred Falke (France), Lifelike (France), and Natural Animal (Toronto). $15 advance tickets available at Rotate This, Soundscapes, and online. For guestlist, email guestlist@wrongbar.com.

10 pm Sugar Hill / Still Fly @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, DJ Grouch plays 80’s and 90’s rap, R&B, new jack swing, and more. Downstairs, DJ D-Wiz spins hip-hop, reggae, R&B, and top 40. $5 before 11:30 pm, more after.

10 pm All Souled Out @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJs Big Jimmy Mills and Sylvermayne play hip-hop, funk, soul, R&B, make-you-wanna-boogie dance party music.

10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Spend the night together with the Bangs & Blush ladies! 60’s pop, soul and rock ‘n’ roll to drink, dance and get messy to. $5.

10 pm Cold Crushin’ @ The Yukon, 1592 Queen St. W. DJ Biz.E.Dee plays hip-hop and R&B!

11 pm Bitch Craft @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Special long weekend edition! DJs Blonde & Redhead play LOUD RAP MUSIC. $10.

11 pm Shake A Tail @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. A night of dancing to 60’s pop, rock, soul, funk,garage, ska, ANYTHING! Always humid. $5.

SUNDAY

10:30 am 101 Markets @ 3030, 3030 Dundas St. W. 101 Markets is bringing their unique blend vintage and artisanal goods to the Junction! With the aim of providing an experience beyond the typical pop-up shop, these markets bring together vendors of varied backgrounds and products, including an array of vintage finds from independent and popular dealers, contemporary Canadian designers, and a selection of artisanal jewelry and goods. Until 5 pm.

7:30 pm “These pretzels are making me thirsty”: Seinfeld Trivia: @ GO Lounge, 1718 Queen St. W. Think you know Seinfeld? Well it’s not a lie if you believe it, and if you can prove you’re the master of your domain, then it’s next stop Pottersville. Toronto’s first ever monthly Seinfeld Trivia night. *No anti-dentites allowed.

8:30 pm May 2-4 Kegger: Dazed and Confused @ Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W. An epic evening of cold beer, hot tunes, and a screening of Richard Linklater’s classic coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused. Show up in your biggest bellbottoms or your most outrageous KISS makeup and play arcade classics on the big screen. Tickets are $20 ($17 for Bloor Hot Docs Cinema members) and admission includes screening and two drinks. Doors at 8:30 pm, screening at 9:30 pm.

10 pm This Broken Mixtape’s Long Weekend Edition, Pt. 2 @ Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave. A fun long weekend dance party in the neighbourhood! With DJs Justin Lee (creator of the book Our Liner Notes and singer/guitarist/bassist from bands Shaker, Seedy Ease, and Medallions) and Daniel Brooks.

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