September 18th-22nd Toronto Palestine Film Festival @ TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. W. Now in its 12th year, the Toronto Palestine Film Festival is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization dedicated to bringing Palestinian cinema, music, cuisine, and art to GTA audiences.
September 19th-23rd Bi Arts Festival @ various locations. Bi Arts Fest is the world’s largest festival celebrating and exploring the bisexual and pansexual experience, featuring over 20 events and showcasing the work of over a 100 artists, activists, and artisans.
September 20th-22nd Venus Fest @ The Opera House, 735 Queen St. E. A music festival and show series celebrating feminism in the arts! Featuring performances The Vaselines, The Weather Station, Tei Shi, HanHan, Charlotte Cardin, and more + live visuals by Chanteclair and blackpowerbarbie, DJ sets, an installation by Camille Jodoin-Eng, tarot readings by Qveen of Swords Tarot, and conferences co-presented with Women In Music Canada! $67.09 wristbands and $31.12 single night tickets available online. $30 single night tickets available at the door.
September 21st-22nd The Word On The Street @ Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. The Word On The Street has championed literacy and excellent Canadian writing since 1989, delighting audiences of all ages with author readings and featured programming alongside Canada’s largest open-air book fair.
September 21st-22nd Queen West Art Crawl @ Trinity Bellwoods Park, 790 Queen St. W. A two-day outdoor art exhibition featuring 200+ of Canada’s most innovative established and emerging artists, with mediums ranging from sculpture to visual art to jewelry. There will also be a beer garden hosted by Steam Whistle; live music, dance, DJs, and bands by Arts&Crafts; and food trucks. Runs 11-6 pm both days.
WEDNESDAY
6 pm “Among All These Tundras” Opening Reception @ Onsite Gallery, 199 Richmond St. W. An exhibition featuring contemporary art by Indigenous artists from around the circumpolar world. Their works invite viewers to contemplate relationships between textual and embodied Indigenous knowledges, innovation and sustainability, humour and resilience, and our collective responsibility to northern life and land. Until 9 pm. Exhibition runs through December 7th.
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 the 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
10 pm Wipe Out @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. Punk, rock, surf, soul, and surprises with DJ Luke Harley.
FRIDAY
8 pm Fall 2019 Opening Party @ Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, 231 Queens Quay W. Celebrate the launch of the Power Plant’s Fall 2019 exhibition season! Be amongst the first to experience exhibitions by Hajra Waheed, Vincent Meessen, Naeem Mohaiemen, and Rashid Johnson. Cash bar available all evening and food by Toben Food By Design. No cover. Until 11 pm.
9 pm Decades Dance Party (In Reverse) @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. The dance party to end all dance parties! Here’s how it works: every hour is a new decade of music from the 2010s winding all the way back to the 1970s. Every hour is a new DJ. The top of every hour is a confetti-fuelled countdown into the next decade. (It’s kind of like 5 New Year’s Eve parties in one. Except it’s not New Year’s Eve.)
10 pm The Big Sound @ The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W. Celebrate the glory days of classic soul, Motown, and the Motown sound with Toronto’s biggest Motown and classic soul revue! Featuring 30 musicians banging out the greatest soul hits of all time as faithfully as they can + DJ Wes Allen dishing up the biggest dance floor bangers. $16.74 in advance, $20 at the door.
10 pm Stereo Ferment @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. DJ Oreku spins global grooves and afrobeat.
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! All the hits you know, love, and will never forget from ’95-05. $10.
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 Eighties Mixtape Dance Party @ Stones Place, 1255 Queen St. W. Eighties Mixtape Dance Party is back with special guest DJ DangerCat! All ’80s all night. $5.
10 pm DJ Granny Pantys @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. Come get freaky as DJ Granny Pantys plays rock, psych, post-punk, and oddities.
10 pm Wax Candy Disco Party @ 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.
SATURDAY
9 am Autumn Makers’ Market @ Withrow Park, 725 Logan Ave. Shop from a selection of artisan and handmade goods from local crafters, artists, and makers – most incorporating upcycled, eco-friendly, and sustainable materials. This event is held alongside the Withrow Park Farmers’ Market, where you’ll find local produce and foodie delights! Until 1 pm.
10 am Community Harvest Festival @ St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front St. E. The Community Harvest Festival opens up Market Street to the public for an all-day street festival to share the flavours, sights, and smells of fall at St. Lawrence Market! Enjoy a variety of unique food dishes from St. Lawrence Market merchants as well as live performances and activities. Until 5 pm.
4 pm The New Feast @ The New Farm, 9783 Sideroad 6 & 7 Nottawasaga, Creemore. An educational dinner that will highlight the potential of regenerative farming to combat climate change, The New Feast is a collaborative effort between farmers and producers, activists, environmentalists, and some of Toronto’s top chefs. The evening will also feature a tour of The New Farm, a talk by Finian Makepeace, and dessert will be served around a campfire. Until 9 pm. A shuttle bus will be available from Richmond Station. $175 tickets available online.
9 pm We Want the Funk @ The Baby G, 1608 Dundas St. W. Toronto is about to get a very groovy party from some of the funkiest DJs across the nation! Sets by DJ Static (Vancouver), Professor Groove (Montreal), Ruby Jane (Montreal), Jason Palma (Toronto), General Eclectic (Toronto), and Iced Misto (Toronto). $12 in advance; $15 at the door before 11 pm, $20 after.
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 DangerCat plays pop, rock, and soul from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. $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 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, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., Nelly, TLC, Missy Elliott, and more! $10.
10 pm I Think I’m Making A Comeback Dance Party @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. DJ Shirley Tempo playing the most danceable psych, soul, classic pop, and guilty pleasures.
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.
10:30 pm Lavender @ Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander St. A party for lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer women, non-binary folks, and trans people – everyone welcome! DJ Zehra spinning us the best SOCA, dance hall, ’90s R&B, and reggaeton. $10 or PWYC.
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 Killa Kels, R2, and J-Class. Email info@themarqueemedia.com for bottle service inquiries and guest list.
10:30 pm Divas Only: Starring Taylor Swift @ Glad Day Bookshop, 499 Church St. Glad Day and Juicy Moon Productions are bringing divas from across the decades under one roof with all the glamour, high notes, and wind machines you can handle. Special spotlight on Taylor Swift. DJs Johnny B Goode and Maggy on the decks. $5 before 11:30 pm, $10 after.
11 pm Fancy Footwork @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Residents Kill Them With Colour, Mike Don’t, and Mista Jiggz play the best in indie dance, nu disco, future funk, and more! Expect to hear music from artists such as Flight Facilities, Tuxedo, Chromeo, Kaytranada, Daft Punk, Disclosure, Moon Boots, and many others. $10. RSVP here for line bypass before midnight.
SUNDAY
9 am Sunnyside Sunday Market @ Great Lakes Brewery, 30 Queen Elizabeth Blvd. A new farmers market is coming to Etobicoke this summer! Each Sunday through September 29th, enjoy the sunshine and brews while you shop local Ontario farmer stands and crafty booths. Until 2 pm.
10 am The Trinity Bellwoods Flea @ The Great Hall (lower level), 1087 Queen St. W. The Trinity Bellwoods Flea returns with a top-notch selection of local vendors, artisans, and delicious eats under one roof. Four-legged friends welcome! Until 5 pm.
11 am Sterling Road Block Party @ Sterling Road. The ultimate neighbourhood Sunday Funday with eats and drinks from the Drake Commissary, craft beer from Henderson Brewing, a market featuring goods from local artisans and vendors, DJs, live bands, and more! Until 5 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: Dancing in September @ 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. This week, Sinful Sundays will transport you back to the grooving, glam, soulful, and sexy ’70s. Dress in your favourite ’70s-inspired outfit and come “Shake Your Groove Thing” with Betsy Swoon, Cat Zaddy, Flare, Rubie Magnitude, and host emcee Unicorn. Free entry; tipping encouraged.
~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com