Toronto Hit List: Shadows of Motown 8 Year Anniversary Party, Bangers & Mash, OSSFEST, Rock Sucker & more!

July 20th-22nd Toronto Designers Market @ Yonge Eglinton Centre (southeast corner), 2300 Yonge St. Toronto Designers Market teams up with RioCan’s Yonge Eglinton Centre to host a pop-up in support of Rethink Breast Cancer. Nearly 20 current and past TDM vendors will join food trucks in the large open space, with 10% of proceeds from all sales donated to Rethink Breast Cancer. Runs 11-7 pm each day.

 

July 22nd-23rd BIG on Bloor Festival @ Bloor St. W. between Dufferin & Lansdowne. BIG on Bloor returns for its 10th year with an expanded program. BIG Murals will colour the Bloor Street skyline with large commissioned murals, while BIG X showcases innovative sculptures, performances, and live painting installations by over 20 artists at offsite locations. Runs 1-9 pm Saturday and noon-6 pm Sunday.

 

 

6:15 pm 2 for 1 Sip & Sail Cruise @ Mariposa Cruises (Pier 6), 207 Queens Quay W. Beginning July 19th, Mariposa Cruises is offering two tickets for the price of one to this two-hour cruise through the Toronto harbour and Toronto Island waterways at sunset. The evening will feature a DJ spinning soul and lounge; full bar serving a variety of wine, beer, and specialty cocktails; appetizers for purchase; and picturesque views. $24 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 and the winning table gets an $80 Drake gift card (plus bragging rights)! Click here to reserve with OpenTable, or show up early to ensure a spot for your team.

 

 

12 pm Fortnight Summer Pop-Up @ The Workroom, 1340 Queen St. W. Beautiful things for the skin. Shop previous Fortnight lingerie collections at 50-70% off, one day only! Cash only. Until 7 pm.

 

5 pm Summer Vintage Crawl Toronto @ various locations. The best vintage stores in the city stay open late so you can hop from shop to shop and check out fabulous fashion finds, with some stores offering up live DJs, treats, and deals in a party-like atmosphere. FUN! Visit the Vintage Crawl website for a full list and map of participating stores. Until 11 pm.

 

5 pm Vintage Boozaar Night Market @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Prepare to feel the vintage vibrations as Vintage Boozaar Night Market partners with Summer Vintage Crawl Toronto for a night like no other! Enjoy refreshments from the Gladstone’s new cocktail menu and peruse through heaps of vintage/retro/repro clothing, accessories, antiques, and vinyl and jive with some of the coolest collectors in the city. Until 11 pm.

 

7 pm Movies on the Common Presents: Invictus @ Corktown Common, 155 Bayview Ave. Toronto Outdoor Picture Show’s newest series, Movies on the Common, concludes with Clint Eastwood’s Invictus, based on the true story of Nelson Mandela’s involvement in the South African national rugby team’s world championship win in 1995. Film starts at sundown (9:15 pm); eats and treats from 7 pm onwards, featuring Mr. Pierogi Inc., The Pop Stand, and fresh popcorn from the festival canteen. BYOBlanket and chairs. Free.

 

7 pm “Garden” Opening Reception @ Gallery 555, 555 Bloor St. W. The opening reception of Vancouver-based artist Rebecca Chaperon’s first solo show in Toronto, “Garden,” a selection of surreal paintings of unusual landscapes. Until 9 pm. Exhibition runs through September 6th.

 

10 pm Throwback Thursdays @ Prettyugly Bar, 1237 Queen St. W. A weekly party series where Good Kids dim the lights low and turn the bass up on some of your favourite jams to move your hips to spanning multiple musical genres and decades.

 

10 pm Get Lo @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Bangs & Blush bring you the ULTIMATE ’90s til now dance party, GET LO! They’ll be playing all the shit you wanna hear from the ’90s to today.

 

10 pm Soul, Funk & What? @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Soul and funk that will have you dancing the night away, all spun on 45s. Maximum party time!

 

10 pm Dirty Talk @ Unlovable, 1415-B Dundas St. W. Music for dancing with pleasure models. Music to transport you to the far reaches of Orion, to watch the C-beams glitter in the dark. Music for robots, runners, and replicants. DJs Pammm and Diana McNally (Automaticamore) play Italo, cosmic disco, ’80s Euro synthpop, Montreal sound, and weird dad jams.

 

 

10 pm Shadows of Motown 8 Year Anniversary Party @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. It’s been eight whole years since DJs Slater, Well Said, and Ty fired up this booty shaker! All Motown, stax, Tamla, soul, funk, groove, and disco all night. $5.

 

10 pm Bangers & Mash @ The Rec Room, 255 Bremner Blvd. An open format dance party with no limits and no boundaries. Diggy the DJ spins party anthems old and new.

 

10 pm HBD2: Sophomore Turns Two @ Lucky Shrike, 850 Dundas St. W. Online fashion and lifestyle brand Sophomore turns the big 0-2 this month and they’re throwing a birthday bash to celebrate! Featuring cocktails, music by DJ Steph Rotz, and some sweet surprises. Bring your besties and your best looks – after all, ain’t no party like an S-Club party.

 

10 pm Yes Yes Y’all @ Nest, 423 College St. After two blazing Pride parties, Toronto’s baddest queer hip-hop/dancehall/sweat-your-face-off party is back. DJ Lissa Monet joins the YYY crew this month. $6 before 11:30 pm, $10 after.

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 with student ID, $10 without.

 

10 pm Wyze Gyal 1 Year Anniversary Party @ Wayla Bar, 996 Queen St. E. Wyze Gyal celebrates their one year anniversary! House, hip-hop, dancehall, Jersey club, soca, afrobeat, and more with DJs OKAYBASHE, K, FRSHPRSPTIV, Angie La-La, and special guests. $5.

 

10 pm DJ Blush’s ’80s Mix Tape Dance Party @ Stone’s Place, 1255 Queen St. W. taking DJ Blush you on a trip back to the ’80s in a musical DeLorean of awesomeness! $5.

 

10 pm Beam Me Up Disco @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. 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 (f.k.a. A Digital Needle) and Cyclist. $10.

 

10 pm Bad News @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. Thee Blitzkrieg Slop a.k.a. garage, soul, ’60s trash, and rock ‘n’ roll. With DJs Neil and Derek.

 

10 pm Carlton Ranks @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. The ultimate smooth party groove. Hip-hop, dancehall, soul, RnB, reggae – everything you need.

 

10 pm Jordan GCZ & Basic Soul Unit @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Interstellar dance floor sounds all night with Jordan GCZ (Off Minor, Juju & Jordash) and Basic Soul Unit (Lab.our, Dolly). $10.

 

 

11 am The Leslieville Flea @ The Distillery District, 55 Mill St. A curated market selling the very best of vintage, upcycled, and handcrafted items. Until 6 pm.

 

12 pm Philistine’s 2nd Annual Alley Sale @ Philistine, 928 Queen St. W. Rain or shine, Philistine will be serving up their lowest prices of the year on: Baggu, BB Dakota, Brixton, Deus Ex Machina, Frost River, Levi’s, Minimum, MinkPink, Motel, Penfield, Poler Stuff, Stormy Kromer, Timex, vintage clothing, West Third Brand, Woolrich, and much more. There will be plenty $20 and under! Cash, debit, and credit accepted. Until 5 pm.

 

1 pm OSSFEST @ Ossington between Queen St. W. & Dundas. An admission-free, all-day affair of eating, craft cocktail sipping, shopping, dancing, and live music on the Ossington strip. Highlights include an interactive basketball court and water tent from Reigning Champ; silkscreen workshop at Crywolf; Academy of Lions hosting an outdoor gym with fitness competitions; Tiger of Sweden’s extended patio with free drinks and snacks, and temporary tattoo applications; and two live music stages with performances every hour on the hour. Until 11 pm.

 

2 pm Canadian Artists Being HERE: Panel @ Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Dr. To mark the opening of the Aga Khan Museum’s HERE: Locating Contemporary Canadian Artists, curator Swapnaa Tamhane and artists included in HERE share insights into the work featured in the show and the ideas presented by the exhibition. In an exploration of the complex meanings of “here,” Tamhane will lead a panel discussion on contemporary states of identity in relation to being a Canadian, a global citizen, and a global artist. $20 advance tickets ($12 for students and seniors) available online and include admission to the galleries.

 

7 pm Junction Night Market @ The Junction Farmers Market, 2960 Dundas St. W. Enjoy some of the best local food and drink that The Junction has to offer at the annual Junction Night Market! Featuring prepared food vendors from the weekly farmers’ market, local restaurants, breweries, and cideries. Entry is free and food and drink tickets are $5 each, with all the proceeds going to help members of the community gain access to fresh and healthy food through programs such as the Junction Farmers Market Food Voucher Program, in partnership with The Four Villages Community Health Centre. Until 11 pm.

 

10 pm Rock Sucker @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. DJ Starboy takes you through 60 years of rock ‘n’ roll – garage rock, psych rock, glam rock, classic rock, punk rock. $5 rail drinks and shots + free pool and pinball.

 

10 pm Fast Times @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. All ’80s, all night! From underground new wave, punk, and alternative to the biggest pop, funk, rock, and dance hits – DJs Tweed, Blush, and Babe Decibel will be playing the finest in retro from the best decade ever. $10.

 

10 pm Greasy Fruit: Club Kidz @ The Baby G, 1608 Dundas St. W. Monthly west end queer AF sweaty, sweaty dance party! This month, Greasy Fruit takes you all the way back to the good ol’ days of raving. Classic house, club kutz, and heavy beats provided by DJs SissyFuss, Andrew Awesome, and Fawn Big Canoe. 4 AM LAST CALL. $5 before 10:30 pm, $10 after.

 

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 2018, played in chronological order). $5 before 11 pm, $10 after.

 

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, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., Nelly, TLC, Missy Elliott, and more! $5 with student ID, $10 without.

 

10 pm F’unreal @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Tunes from every decade to get you faded! With DJs Ty, Well Said, Andy, Lowell, and Kek. $5.

 

10 pm Over & Over @ location TBA. You are cordially invited to get lost in the music and go out and find yourself a friend. With DJs Ali Black, Pooyan Pooyan, Roberto, Myth Paradise, and Trax Committee (Ludovic, Moon Mist, and Farshad). BYOB, with a variety of adult beverages and refreshments to quench your thirst also available for purchase. (To gain entry into this discotheque, click “going” on the Facebook invite and your name will be added to the entry list.)

 

10 pm Britannia: Britpop & Madchester Video Dance Party @ Remix Lounge, 1305 Dundas St. W. Join the common people for a special night of Britpop and Madchester video favourites with DJ Lazarus. See videos from Oasis, The Verve, Suede, Pulp, Blur, Supergrass, The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Radiohead, and more. $10 before 11 pm, $15 after.

 

10 pm Sixteen Candles: ’80s Dance Party @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. “Donger’s here for five fours, and he’s got somebody. I live here my whole life, and I’m like a disease.” It’s time to dance to the ’80s! Playing all the jams you can handle. $5 early bird tickets available online.

 

10 pm Tiki Disco Saturdays @ Miss Thing’s, 1279 Queen St. W. Post-dinner Saturday night party in the Coconut Room, with special guest DJs to make you MOVE! No cover before midnight.

 

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

 

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.

 

 

10 am Gladstone Summer Flea @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Find your summer must-haves at this market featuring local artisans, collectors, and designers. Until 4 pm.

 

11 am Draughts & Crafts @ Left Field Brewery, 36 Wagstaff Dr. A marketplace of hand-crafted goods from local vendors and artists. Admission is free! Until 7 pm.

 

3 pm Artlet: The Bold Edition @ Lululemon Athletica, 318 Queen St. W. Experience creative bliss, adventure, and the best (hangover-free) weekend release there is. You game? This month’s theme is about living out loud and being BOLD, in who you are and everywhere in your gosh darn beautiful life. Kick off the afternoon with yoga in The Attic, led by a local instructor, then move downstairs to get your painting on in The Hustle. $15 early bird and $20 advance tickets available online.

6 pm Christie Pits Film Festival Presents: Best In Show @ Christie Pits Park, Bloor St. W. A screening of Christopher Guest’s 2000 mockumentary comedy Best In Show. Film starts at sundown (9:15 pm); eats and treats from 6 pm onwards, featuring Kungfu Dawg, Young Animal, Chill Pops, and popcorn from the festival canteen. BYOBlanket. Free/PWYC donations gratefully accepted.

 

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

 

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