Events in Toronto – November 13 – 15, 2015

1. Barenaked Ladies

The tour includes special guest Alan Doyle, former lead singer of Great Big Sea.

2. Mahler Symphony 4

Attractive selections from operas composed during the first decade of the twentieth century—two moving arias sung by moonstruck heroines and a kaleidoscopic dance—set the scene for Mahler’s gentlest symphony from 1900, with its heavenly finale featuring a soprano solo.

3. Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto 2

Rob Kapilow and soloist Alexander Seredenko take you inside the lush, romantic world of Rachmaninoff’s most popular work for piano and orchestra from 1901. Rob will tell you the amazing can’t-believe-it’s-true story of how a hypnotist was involved in its creation, and he’ll conduct excerpts from the concerto to prepare you to hear it complete, with new ears, in the second half of the concert.  

4. Donovan Woods

Donovan Woods’ work is guided by a mantra that only sounds simple: Good songs win.Woods has amassed a catalogue of rousing and acclaimed music of his own while working with some of the top songwriters in North America to craft cuts for performers including Tim McGraw, Alan Doyle, Billy Currington and more.

5. Steve Hill

Steve Hill has created some serious buzz with his sweep at the Maple Blues Awards in 2015 winning “Entertainer Of The Year”, “Electric Act Of The Year”, “Guitarist Of The Year” and “Recording Of The Year” in addition to the prestigious Juno Award for “Blues Album Of The Year”.

6. The Ottawa Bach Choir

The Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) presents its opening subscription concerts in this season of magnificent choral works: J.S. Bach: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232. This concert features the full setting of one of Bach’s last and greatest compositions, completed in 1749, but only first performed in its entirety in 1859. Today it is considered one of the greatest pieces of choral music ever written. The choir is joined by the Baroque orchestra, Ensemble Caprice, Matthias Maute, artistic director; and world-class soloists, including Daniel Taylor, Agnes Zsigovics, Jacques-Olivier Chartier, Geoffrey Sirett, Daniel Lichti, and more.Details

7. Liv, Love and Lyrics

Join us for an incredible evening of music, love and lyrics featuring singer-songwriter Tyler Shaw. 3 very talented winners of a vocal competition will open the show.

8. Sara Tavares & Carminho

Two women of Portuguese roots bring us an evening of new-generation traditional music. In the footsteps of Cesária Évora, Cape Verdean singer-songwriter Sara Tavares “trades in understatement. Following the path of Amália Rodrigues, Carminho is one of the most talented and innovative fado singers of her generation, performing traditional and contemporary fado, as well as jazz, Brazilian pop, and Portuguese folk music.

9. Esprit Orchestra presents PLAY

Rea’s Zephyr, a gentle wind relieving us from storm and stress, takes listeners to sublime destinations. Adès’ one-movement symphony, with its astonishing, subtly-layered orchestral sonorities, draws inspiration from the word Tevot which means bars of music in Hebrew and also, in the Bible, is the ark of Noah and the cradle in which the baby Moses is carried on the river. Norman, today’s fastest- rising American composer, in his kaleidoscopic 45-minute, three-movement work (Levels 1,2 & 3), encompasses various meanings of play – some light-hearted, some sinister with musical ideas ricocheting off one another furiously.

10. Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra

Shalom Bard conducts a highly varied full-length programme that includes Brahms’s soaring First Symphony. Hear Toronto’s finest young musicians in an acoustically superb venue, widely recognized as one of Canada’s best recital halls.

2.THE JUICE CUP: 6IX vs Everybody

The World Cup of Comedy • Team Toronto vs Team America. This year’s battle features some of Toronto’s top talent facing off  against comedians from all over America. Familiar faces from online and  on stage, movies and television! Sold out every single year, you dont  want to miss it! Details

3. Darcy Oake

Canadian master illusionist and sleight of hand artist Darcy Oake, makes his highly anticipated return to Canada with his acclaimed Edge of Reality tour. Darcy Oake, like his contemporaries David Blaine and Criss Angel, brings a fresh approach to a mysterious and ancient craft. With the Edge of Reality tour, Oake delivers an exhilarating, logic-bending, and contemporary adaptation of an art form that has puzzled and entertained for centuries.

4. Syria Film Festival

The festival will include a series of short, feature films, and documentaries about Syria and its people.

5. Rendezvous With Madness Film Festival

The Festival investigates the facts and mythologies surrounding mental illness and addiction as presented by both Canadian and international filmmakers, as well as by visual and media-based artists. RWM presents powerful, entertaining and compelling images of mental health from around the world.

6. Reel Asian Film Festival

The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival^® is a unique showcase of contemporary Asian cinema and work from the Asian diaspora. Works include films and videos by East, South and Southeast Asian artist in Canada, the U.S., Asia and all over the world. As Canada’s largest Asian film festival, Reel Asian^® provides a public forum for Asian media artists and their work, and fuels the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada.

7. The FireWorks Festival

The FireWorks Festival offers new full-length plays developed at Alumnae, associated workshops, panel discussions and other events, offering a rare opportunity to explore behind-the-scenes issues and aspects of the productions.

1. Hockey Helps the Homeless

Hockey Helps the Homeless Annual 2015 Men’s and Women’s Markham/Stouffville Tournament. Details

2. Toronto Raptors

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

4.  Mississauga Steelheads

5. Runs & walks

1. Remembrance Day

2. Christmas Tree Lightups & Santa Claus Parades – GTA

For details and parade routes, see Christmas Lightups & Santa Claus Parades in GTA

1. Holiday Magic

Bloor-Yorkville BIA switches on the festive season with Holiday Magic with the Annual Lighting Ceremony, and a special performance by Canada’s Queen of R&B/Soul, Jully Black.

2. Illuminate

This unforgettable show combines euphoria-inducing music and breathtaking aerial displays in a performance that’s as exhilarating as it is addictive. Hi-Tech, LED lights and other cool effects.

3. Toronto Santa Claus Parade

4. Bowmanville Santa Claus Parade

5. Milton Santa Claus Parade

6. Heritage Parade of Lights

Join a parade of vintage farm tractors and machinery decorated with festive lights. Parade visitors have the opportunity to be shuttled around the park on beautifully lit wagons and are able to admire the lights show on several of the parks heritage buildings.

7. Keswick Santa Claus Parade

8. East Gwillimbury Santa Claus Parade 

3. The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

4. 12 Trees of Christmas

This year, Canada’s leading designers and artists will be invited to re-imagine Christmas trees both aesthetically and conceptually for a bold, new direction for the Gardiner Museum’s 27th annual 12 Trees exhibition. With The Joy of Creativity as their theme, the trees on display will play with scale and encompass diverse mediums to highlight creativity’s audacious nature. 

5. Art in The Beach

The Beach Guild of Fine Art is celebrating its 21st annual Show and Sale.  This show will feature paintings by over 40 of the Guild artists, and is a great opportunity to view and purchase art by some of the most well-known Beach Artists. In addition to the large art show, there will also be the popular gift boutique. The boutique features smaller original works of art (nothing over $150), plus artist’s prints and cards, at reasonable prices, perfect for your holiday gift shopping. As always, we will be having a lucky draw.Details

6. An Evening with…”Sir John A. Macdonald”

Join us as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Canada’s first Prime Minister. Sir John A. Macdonald and his wife, Lady Agnes will host an evening of discussion accompanied by a five course Victorian dinner. Details

7. Deewa, The Festival of Lights

Join us to celebrate Diwali this year at Deewa, the Festival of Lights.  LIVE in Concert: Arjun currently the most viewed U.K. R&B artist on YouTube with over 100 million views. Witness elegant designs and sarees by top-brand name Satya Paul Canada at our fashion show and take home free goodies! Details

8. Christmas Markets

Christmas Markets & Holiday Craft Fairs in Toronto & GTA

1. Holiday Artisan Marketplace: Unique Christmas shopping for all! Something for Everyone! Art, Pottery, Jewelry, stained glass, fabric art, weaving, knitting, wood working, gourmet treats and hand-made soap…and much, much more

2. German Canadian Christmas Fair: Join us to start the Christmas season with over 50 exhibitors on display and delicious food provide by JC’S Restaurant.

3. Bloor West Village Arts and Crafts Show: Annual Christmas craft show.

4. St. Leonard’s Anglican Church Fall Bazaar: There will be a fantastic bake sale that sells out every year; a silent auction; 50/50 draw; and the part we all love the vendors – there will be the treasures table alongside two rooms filled with unique vendors.

9. 3rd Annual Jewish Book Festival

For two weeks in November the community is invited to share in a curated collection of books like no other. From Katja Goldman, known as the unofficial challah teacher of the Upper West Side, to the highly respected news correspondent Martin Fletcher who spent many years as the NBC News Bureau Chief in Tel Aviv, there is a book for everyone on your Chanukah gift list. Details

10. Toronto Tours & Walks

Explore Toronto through speciality guided tours & Scavenger Hunts!
1. Tasty Tours: Tasty Tours offers a variety of Sweets Tours along Toronto’s eclectic multicultural neighbourhoods.

2. Murder at the ROM: A murder mystery scavenger hunt! A curator has been murdered and you must follow the clues through the museum collections to solve whodunit.

3. The Mummy’s Curse : A murder mystery scavenger hunt! Did the mummy’s curse strike the museum? Solve the clues to uncover the truth.