November 29th-December 24th #localTOmrkt @ Yonge & Dundas, 335 Yonge St. A holiday pop-up market in a vacant lot at the core of Toronto’s downtown shopping district. #localTOmrkt is dedicated to supporting independent, small, and local businesses of Toronto and all the beautiful neighbourhoods they represent.

December 12th-14th City of Craft: Winter 2014 @ The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St. W. 50+ vendors, workshops, and more, including local designer Nathalie-Roze Fischer’s Sweater Drive. (Bring your cozy old sweaters, and she’ll morph them into toques, neck-warmers, and mitts to be donated to local shelters and homeless programs). Special this year: Friday night launch party! $2.

December 13th-14th Annex Flea @ Centre for Social Innovation, 720 Bloor St. W. The Annex Flea brings you not one but TWO days of vintage and handmade vendors, just in time to finish (or start) your holiday shopping! Find everything from original jewellery pieces to vintage tins, natural beauty products to classic LPs. 11-6 pm.

December 13th-14th Holiday Sample Sale @ Cooper Cole Gallery, 1161 Dundas St. W. It’s sample sale time with Arielle de Pinto Designs, CALLA,Jeremy Laing and Rita Liefhebber! Women’s, men’s, and shoes available in a range of sizes. Cash and credit card accepted (no Interac). Open 12-6 pm both days.

WEDNESDAY

9 pm Groove Thing @ Thoroughbred Food & Drink, 304 Richmond St. W.DJ Caff plays all R&B, new jack swing, hip-hop, soul and future R&B feels inside the brand-new bar/resto, Thoroughbred Food & Drink.

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.

10 pm Home Based @ Weldon Park, 569 College St. A night filled with good hip-hop, good people, and good vibes with DJs Sanga Genesis, James Redi, and special guests. Every Wednesday.

10 pm Natural Wednesdays @ Studio Bar, 824 Dundas St. W. Swirve Music and Babylon Warchild present a new hip-hop series by the heads, for the heads. Featuring a fresh roster of up-and-comers and OGs that changed the game + an in-house 12-round battle league, with the winner taking home a $500 cash prize.

11 pm Birkenrock @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. Your one-stop event for everything female alternative, OLD AND NEW, as curated by Daniel McIntyre and David Van Poppel. Featuring all your Women & Songs favourites + some modern jams!

THURSDAY

10 pm Strangelove @ Weldon Park, 569 College St. The return of a Toronto cultural institution. Every Thursday. $5.

10 pm #ThrowbackThursdays @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Every Thursday, come get a taste of tunes from: J-Lo, DMX, Spice Girls, Will Smith, Aqua, Ludacris, Backstreet Boys, Snoop Dogg, S Club 7, Jay-Z, Hanson, Ace of Base, Savage Garden, Britney Spears, Destiny’s Child, and many more. $5.

10 pm DJ Downunda @ Crawford, 718 College St. Trap, rap, RnB, and bangers! Hosted by Miss Olivia and Kermit. $5 bar rail + $4 shots and jello shooters.

10 pm Fat Laces @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJ Big Jimmy Mills, the scratch-monster, spins old school hip-hop.

FRIDAY

10 pm No No Pony @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W.DJs Johnnie Walker and Amy Wood play ’90s and aughts rap and RnB, with Ginuwine’s “Pony” every hour on the hour. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Survival Club @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Psychedelic, house, party, techno, and fantasy
courtesy of Slamdrew Ross, Monsieur Pommes, and Johnny Hockin. Freshest wax ‘n’ files.

10 pm Back 2 Basics @ Studio Bar, 824 Dundas St. W. #B2B old school jam. No bullshit. Just boogie. Free before 11 pm, $10 after.

10 pm Huglife @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. Sean and CL play non-denominational beats for you to canoodle to. R&B, raps, disco, house + sweet anime visuals for your viewing pleasure.

10 pm That Time Of The Month @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. DJs Alex Molotkow and Chandler Levack bring you the most righteous soul, disco, and R&B by the ladies that understand! They love to play: L’il Kim, Aaliyah, Diana Ross, Betty Wright, TLC, Etta James, Salt N’ Pepa, Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Donna Summer, The Crystals, and anyone else with a song in their heart.

10 pm Merry Fuck It @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. The Bangs & Blush girls give you an evening full of your favourite guilty pleasures from the ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s – it’s Christmas to your ears! $5.

10 pm One Night Only @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. Andrew Roti plays new and old raps.

10 pm Canada Thrust @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Hip-hop, house, and party music miscellany from Canada Thrust. $5.

10 pm Synthesexer @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. A wet and drippy, catch my eye-y, shake my body, bite my lip-y, sexy synthy dance party! Expect to hear stuff like Tiga, Annie, Chromeo, M.I.A., Holy Ghost!, Robyn, Daft Punk, Little Dragon, Pet Shop Boys, and more. DJs ARP 2600, Digits, Little Kicks, and Shudder will be present to sex you up (music-wise). Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Get By Friday @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJs Mantis and Hajah Bug spin hip-hop, funk, soul, and reggae vibes on two turntables. All jams all night. $5.

10 pm The Takeover @ Crawford, 718 College St. Nixon x Crawford present: World DMC Champion/MTV’s DJ Dopey, Redbull Thre3style/DMC Canada’s DJ Shub, Top of the World’s DJ Acro and DJ Downunda holding it down in the basement! Hip-hop, trap, classics, old school, new school, and everything in between. Expect a TON of prizes and giveaways from Nixon. $5 before 11 pm, more after.

10 pm Puppy Love @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. A laid back, sugar-sweet Fridayevening to woo loves (new and old) by sunset. More a peck-on-the-cheek than a full on makeout. A night for people who aren’t into the club scene but want to shake their booty and make new friends. Also: dance floor, board games/truth or dare/spin the bottle, outdoor patio, tons of sex-positive friends to meet, lots of places to sit and talk! $7.

10 pm No Sleep ‘Til Brooklynn @ Brooklynn, 1186 Queen St. W. Make new friends. No dress code. No bullshit. Mickey “bottle service” available. Music $5with guestlist before 11:30 pm, $10 otherwise.

10 pm Crotch Mirage @ The Embassy, 223 Augusta Ave. Brian Borcherdt and Laura Hermiston play disco, dance, funk, acid, and post-punk.

11 pm The Tits @ Detour Bar, 193 Baldwin St. Warm up with old school hip-hop, trap, and some fun bangers in between. Free before midnight.

11 pm Diggy The DJ @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Diggy The DJ (Down With Webster) plays all your favourite hip-hop bangers. $10.

SATURDAY

12 pm Sweet Jones Bake Shop @ Bodega Thirteen, 1446 Dundas St. W. A Sweet Jones Co. exclusive powered by Common Base. Come through and eat a sweet or cop a lil’ gift for your people! Until 6 pm.

12 pm Pop-Up Market @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St. #ShopLocal at this DIY pop-up market! Vendors include Lacrimis, Minxy’s, Rhona Jean, Paper Turns, The Lumi Hatworks, Forward Thinking Natural Skin Care, Flea Mrkt Cameras, Piotr’s Pickles, X Cheesecakes, and more + complimentary tea. Until 5 pm.

7 pm 12 Beers of Christmas @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W.Don your best ugly sweater and cozy up with a glass of beer (or 12). The Gladstone invited a long list of our favorite naughty and nice craft breweries to pour glasses of good cheer in the form of beer. A $10 cover will be charged at the door, but once you’re inside you’re free to taste all you want. Stick around afterwards for live music with Combo Royale and Shameless Karaoke!

8 pm DJ Skate Night Launch Party @ Harbourfont Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. The Habourfront Centre kicks off their annual skating party series and celebrate 30 years of house music with legendary DJ/producer Jellybean Benitez and local House legend Groove Institute. Until 11 pm.

9 pm Boom Boom Boom Boom @ Junction City Music Hall, 2907 Dundas St. W. The creators of Shindig bring you a brand new dance party! Featuring an amazing night of dirty jump blues, R&B, and rockabilly spun by DJs General Eclectic and Splattermonkey + a live performance by The Fraser Melvin Band! $5 before midnight, $10 after.

10 pm British Hustle @ Sex Laser, 1369 Dundas St. W. A fusion of rhythms and pop hooks, long and repetitive compositions, danceable grooves tangling with signature drum calculations, and lissom keys with sinuous synth flesh – all from good ol’ Blighty and brought to you by plonkers Andycapp and Alex Bullick.

10 pm Beam Me Up Disco @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Beam Me Up is back at the Piston for that monthly dose of diversified disco! Mid-70s to early-80s funk, jazz, soul, boogie, rare groove, reggae, gospel, and proto-house. This month, residents A Digital Needle and Cyclist are joined for an opening set by soulful selector Mista Jiggz. $10.

10 pm Chronologic @ The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. A dance party through the ages! Pop and antipop from since the end of history (i.e. music from 1890 to 2014, played in chronological order). $5.

10 pm Funk Off @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Get down to music of the funk variety! TNT on the tunes. $5.

10 pm Ignition / Crawford House Party @ Crawford, 718 College St.Upstairs, DJs Caff and The Dirty Frenchman play bumpin’ ‘n’ grindin’ R&B, hip-hop, dancehall, new jack swing, and slow jamz (plus more than enough R. Kelly classics). Downstairs, MC JFlex hosts your favourite house party! Hip-hop, trap, and R&B all night + cheap pints. $5 before 11 pm, more after.

10 pm Business Woman’s Special @ Round, 152-A Augusta Ave. Come celebrate under the mistletoe in Kensington! DJs Phil V, Diego Armand, and Nino Brown will be bringing it home for the holidays. A special Winter Talent Show performance will also be happening. Santa might be there. Or at least someone who looks like Santa. $6.

10 pm Tramp @ The Steady, 1051 Bloor St. W. ‘Tis the season for GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS! Featuring GOOD, GOOD, GOOD music from Fawn B.C. And Linguist. $5 Hogtown pints, $5 PBRs, and $4 Tropical Titty Twister shots.

10 pm Secret Models @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. One big room, full of bad bitches! DJs Secret Models play hits straight from your high school semi-formal.

10 pm TR-909 @ The Well, 121 Ossington Ave. An evening dedicated to electronic hip-hop featuring the finest DJs and Producers playing what you won’t hear anywhere else. Tired of that same old everyday noise? Crave an evening of Da-P, Singularis, Sango, Sunclef, or Kaelin Ellis but can’t find the perfect mix of dope venue, creative people, good vibes, and futuristic beats? Take a step into the next dimension.

10 pm Pacific High @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. DJs Colin Bergh and Bruce Trail play dymaxion house music all night long.

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

10 pm Bush Beat @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. Where ladies meet! With DJs Pony and Shoegayz. $4.50 bar rail before 11:30 pm.

10 pm The BRTHDAY PRTY @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Who doesn’t love a birthday party?! Music provided by Styles of Tigers and RVM. Cupcake hour provided by Baken Toronto. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Bump N’ Hustle @ The Rivoli (upstairs), 334 Queen St. W. Soul, funk, house, disco, reggae, latin, hip-hop, and boogie tunes with resident DJs Paul E Lopes and Mike Tull. Hosted by Carlos (Hot Stepper). For $5 early bird guestlist (before 11 pm), emailhotstep@sympatico.ca;
$10 otherwise.

10 pm Freaki-Holelix @ The Holy Oak, 1241 Bloor St. W. Imagine yourself working it on the floor at the Oak to smooth groove woven tapestries of R&B, funk, soul, disco, dancehall, electro, hip-hop, house, pop, new wave, and more from the terrible trifecta of Hurt Jug (Taylor Pills), Nick Persons (Jackson Darby) and DJ Choozey.

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

11 pm Stuck On Stupid @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. DJs Fase and Dougie Boom throw a no-holds-barred, anything-goes, sky’s-the-limit, all-out dance-a-thon! Expect hits and not-so-hits, jams old and new. $10.

SUNDAY

12 pm Holiday Arts Market @ Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St.Featuring goods from local artists, food and drink, live music, and more. Free entry! Until 6 pm.

1 pm Farewell Borrel @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Borrel serves up its traditional Dutch comfort/soul food one last time at The Ossington. Not to worry, though, they will continue to Dutch things up in 2015 and will be popping up at different places in the city! 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.

7:30 pm Seinfeld Trivia Night @ KITCH, 229 Geary Ave. 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. This is the Famous ORIGINAL Ray’s of monthly Seinfeld trivia, not some knock-off with their own case at the end of the aisle. Come for the trivia, stay for the episode and the JuJy Fruits! Maybe you’ll win a contest.

9 pm I’m With the Band @ The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. Musicians spin their favourite records every Sunday. This week: Milk Lines. $4 tall cans of Steam Whistle.

9:30 pm Karaoke Sundays @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Karaoke, every Sunday night! Hosted by Cajo.

9:30 pm Judy & Igby’s Christmas Camp: A Christmas Cabaret @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. You better not pout those drawn on lips, you better not cry and spoil your make-up, you better not scream and shout and let it all out cos the House of Filth and friends are coming to town! Featuring the delectably deranged delights of Allysin Chaynes, Aviva Mirage, Belle Jumelles, Champagna Enemea, Dolly Berlin, El Toro, Fay Slift, Igby Lizzard, Judy Virago, ManChyna, Lindholm, Sasha van Bonbon, And Scarlett BoBo + an audience costume contest. $10.

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