Events in Toronto – February 17 – 20, 2017

1. Wavelength Music Festival

 This year’s festival marks a 17-year tradition of innovation: future-forward and fresh, bringing new, exciting sounds to the city, and #WL17 is no exception. Local heroes. Icons and upstarts. The unsigned and the ready-to-break-big – Wavelength’s winter festival programming looks to capture the most exciting sounds in the Canadian independent music underground in a “live, curated mixtape” with a uniquely handmade vibe. Details

2. Winterfolk XV Blues & Roots Festival

Winterfolk is an all-ages, mid-winter, weatherproof event, where you’ll find the best of urban, blues, rock, jazz, country, folk and roots music, emulating a multi-stage rural summer festival. More than 150 artists will be performing at four venues and five stages over the three-day weekend. Details

3. Tove Lo: Lady Wood Tour

Tove Lo vividly recalls her first heartbreak. His name was Erik, and he was breathtaking. “I fell in love with him right away,” she says. But as we’ve come to learn from her songs such as “Habits (Stay High),” romance is complicated. Erik liked her friend instead; Tove was gutted. “I cried after that forever,” she says, laughing. Did she mention she was just eight years old? To this day, the highs and lows of love’s labor’s lost continue to be the Stockholm native’s area of expertise. Details

4.  B’ Free Concert and Trouble

The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble’s B’ Free Concert and Trouble: Kahil El’Zabar has been leading his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble in various configurations for over 40 years and they are still in forward motion! This year, his “EHE, Let It Be Free” 2017 tour includes long time member, Corey Wilkes, on trumpet and Alex Harding on baritone sax. Details

5. Disney-Pixar Ratatouille in Concert

One of Disney and Pixar’s most enchanting animated fables tells the hilarious story of a rodent’s quest to become a top Parisian chef. Hearing Michael Giacchino’s sprightly score performed live by the TSO boosts the film’s charm to a new level. Details

6. Colin James

Critically acclaimed, JUNO Award winning singer-songwriter Colin James has announced cross Canada tour dates in support of his new album Blue Highways (released via True North Records).
Blue Highways pays tribute to some of the singer/ guitarist’s long time blues idols including Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Freddie King, Jr. Wells & Buddy Guy, Peter Green, Robert Johnson and William Bell to name a few. Details

7. TSYO Winter Concert

The TSYO explores Shakespearean romance and tragedy this winter as Earl Lee conducts the Youth Orchestra’s outstanding musicians through two musical settings of Romeo and Juliet by Russian composers Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky. Kathy Hao – a 2015/16 TSYO Concerto Competition winner – brings an uplifting dimension to the program, with her performance of Romantic composer Reinecke’s Flute Concerto.Details

2. TYS180

Kicking off Toronto Youth Shorts’ 9th season is TYS180, a showcase of 30 short films and videos that are 3 minutes (180 seconds) or less. All work, which includes animation, comedy, and contemporary video art, is made by local filmmakers and video artists aged 30 and under. The presentation will include food and refreshments along with an opportunity to hang out with the artists. Details

3. Rhubarb Festival

Canada’s longest-running new works festival returns for a 38th year. Rhubarb transforms Buddies into a hotbed of experimentation, with artists exploring new possibilities in theatre, dance, music, and performance art. Rhubarb is the place to see the most adventurous ideas in performance and to catch your favourite artists venturing into uncharted territory. Details

4. Toronto Black Film Festival

Toronto Black Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating the very best in cinematic work dealing with the varied experiences of black people from diverse communities. Toronto Black Film Festival opens with Emmy award winning director, Stanley Nelson’s film, Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story Of Historically Black Colleges And Universities. Details

5. TIFF Next Wave Film Festival

The TIFF Next Wave Film Festival, programmed for youth aged 14–18, brings the best in film from around the globe, along with an exciting slate of special guests, interactive workshops and a 24-Hour Film Challenge for young filmmakers! Details

1. Toronto Rock

2. Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Provincial and territorial teams from across the country along with the defending champion (Team Canada) will compete to be crowned the Canadian women’s curling champions and represent Canada at the World Championship. Details

3. Toronto Raptors

4. Toronto Marlies

5. Toronto Maple Leafs

6. Mississauga Steelheads

1. Beauty and the Beast Exhibit

 On Family Day weekend, Walt Disney Studios Canada invites fans of the tale as old as time to be our guest at Casa Loma for a very special look at the exquisite costumes from Disney’s upcoming film, “Beauty and the Beast.” Guests to the Castle will have the exclusive opportunity to see nine costumes from the film, as well as participate in themed activities and view special performances over the course of the weekend.   Details

2. The Motorcycle Show

The Toronto Motorcycle Show is the biggest manufacturers show in Ontario, with a wide-ranging and exciting line-up of exhibitors that celebrates the motorcycle lifestyle. Details

3. Toronto Light Festival

The Toronto Light Festival, the City’s first-ever light art festival, is coming to the Distillery Historic District! Visitors will be taken on a new visual journey and cerebral adventure, designed to entertain and inspire. The Festival will transform the picturesque historic neighbourhood into one of the largest open-air galleries in North America, lighting up the long winter nights with distinctive works from local and international light artists. Details

4. Auto Show 2017 – “O Canada”

The Canadian International AutoShow is the BIGGEST and BEST AutoShow in Canada. With over 300,000 visitors each year in a 650,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, this is the largest consumer show in the country. The industry looks to the AutoShow as a leader in lifestyle, technology and all things automotive, and has a media program that reaches more Canadians than all other auto shows in the country combined. Details

5. The Spring Fishing & Boat Show

Find hundreds of exhibitors displaying endless products devoted to fishing, boating, camping, hunting and the great outdoors, all under one roof! Come out and see what all the fuss is about!  Details

6. GTA Home & Reno Show

Visit the GTA Home & Reno Show for innovative products and great advice from real pros including Damon Bennett. Looking to scratch a few things off your to-do list, update the kitchen perhaps? Not to worry, all the advice and inspiration you need are waiting for you at the show. Details

7. Leslieville Flea : Winter Market

We are a curated market selling vintage, salvaged, up – cycled goods, furniture, antiques, collectibles and work from select artisans. With 50+ vendors and all kinds of unique and interesting wares strolling The Leslieville Flea is a great way to spend a chilly Sunday! Details

8. Winter Stations

 Winter Stations is now in its third-year, bringing temporary public art installations to The Beaches, exhibited to celebrate Toronto’s winter waterfront landscape. The winners of the Winter Stations International Design Competition in 2017 will have their designs displayed for all to enjoy this Winter. Details