Photo: "Untitled" by Carl W. Heindl, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for SATURDAY AUGUST 29 and SUNDAY AUGUST 30, 2009... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

Saturday, August 29

MUSIC | Friends in Bellwoods II
Dozens of bands come together Saturday for an all-day marathon show to celebrate the release of Friends in Bellwoods II, the second compilation disc featuring bands from the artistic community centred around Trintiy Bellewoods Park. The past few years have been memorable for Toronto music, thanks in large part to a loose-knit collective of bands that includes Ohbijou, Timber Timbre, Bruce Peninsula, and the Acorn. Proceeds go to the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Avenue, $10

AWARD SHOW | Golden Tap Awards
As a society we spend a lot of time giving awards honouring movies, music, and sports achievements, but what about the stuff that really matters? Like beer! Saturday night nine coveted Golden Tap statuettes will be handed out to Ontario's best beers, bars, and breweries in a celebration of all things sudsy. Great food and of course plenty to drink.
Beer Bistro, 18 King St. E., Free, 4 pm

FASHION | The Last Night Market of the Summer
For the past twenty years Rolly's Garage has been a successful auto shop, but last year Robin Lacambra, Rolly's own daughter, had the bright idea of turning it into an art space. Since then it's been a forum for some great local art and music. Tonight the garage hosts its last night market of the summer, with unique clothing, jewelry, and baked goods on offer.
Rolly's Garage, 124 Ossington Ave., Free, 7 pm

MUSIC | Virgin Festival
The 2009 edition of the Virgin Festival offers a mix of the old and new, with 80s rock gods the Pixies mingling with this year's indie darlings Grizzly Bear. Throw in Nine Inch Nails, the Pet Shop Boys, and Our Lady Peace and you've got a bill that is a bit inconsistent, but probably has something for everyone. Tickets still available.
Molson Amphitheatre, 909 Lakeshore Blvd. W., $39.50 and up, 1 pm - 10:30 pm Saturday and Sunday

PARTY | Torture Garden Toronto
Torture's been getting a bad rap lately, and so rarely do people's recognize its lighter side. Toronto's leading fetish night Subspace is bringing international touring party Torture Garden to the Opera House tonight for a spectacle of neo-burlesque, body art, and x-rated visuals. Legendary hook suspension performer Allen Falkner has been coaxed out of retirement for the event, and other performers include Empress Stah and Samar.
Opera House, 735 Queen St. E., $55, 9:30 pm

PARTY | Purplelectricity
In 2004 Prince bought a home in the exclusive Bridle Path neighbourhood of Toronto, so in theory it's possible that he might show up at one of the Drake's Purplelectricity parties, but we wouldn't count on it. The recurring video dance party is at it again tonight, expect "hi-NRG" Prince tunes and of course plenty of purple outfits.
Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W., $5, 11 pm

SALE | SwapSity Swap Meet
In the wake of this summer's garbage strike, the debate on how best to dispose of Toronto's waste will rage on for some time. But one thing's for sure, one of the best ways to get rid of trash is now and always has been to have a garage sale. Books, clothes, electronics, records, crafts, and plenty more will all be on sale at SwapSity and for an entry price of $2 it's definitely worth a look. Grab a reusable bag and turn one man's trash into your own personal treasure.
Walmer Road Baptist Church, 188 Lowther Ave., $2, 1:30pm - 5:30 pm

Sunday August 30, 2009

COMMUNITY | PS Kensington
There are three more Pedestrian Sundays left this year, but this is the last one of the summer. Organizers are making it count with the theme of Air! The Kensington Community Air Show. It's not exactly the Snow Birds, but we're guessing there will be home made kites? Paper airplanes? Something exciting no doubt. Come explore the pedestrian-friendly streets of the market while the weather's still nice (hopefully).
Kensington Market, Free, 1 pm - 7 pm

ARTS AND CRAFTS | August Toronto Craft Alert in the Park
DIY design site Toronto Craft Alert is a community hub for all things artsy and crafty in this city. Sunday they're inviting like-minded makers to the park to spread their blankets and share their wares. This isn't a sale, but a chance for creative people to get together and discuss their latest projects and exchange ideas. Rain is forecast for Sunday so the backup location is Tequila Bookworm at 512 Queen St. W.
Trinity Bellwoods Park (south end), Free, 2 pm - 5 pm

FOOD | Men Can Cook
Local celebrities take part in this BBQ cook-off to raise money for the Alexandra Park Community Centre. Master T, CityTV's Dwight Drummond, City Councillor Adam Vaughn and several others will grill some burgers and vie for the Best Barbeque Sauce award and the title of Golden Apron. There will also be a marketplace and entertainment from some local musicians including the SoulSteel Orchestra.
Alexandra Park, Bathurst and Dundas, Free, 1 pm - 8 pm

ARTS AND CRAFTS | Portobello East Fashion and Art Market
Inspired by the long-standing fashion and art markets in London and Paris, Portobello East is a showcase for an eclectic array of local designers and artisans with an upscale flavour. Over sixty artists will have their goods on display, and hopefully this market will survive its first year and become a Toronto fixture.
Fermenting Cellar, Distillery District, 55 Mills Street, $5, 12 pm - 6 pm

COMEDY | Monkey Toast: End of Summer Toast!
The idea behind Monkey Toast is a good one: comedian David Shore interviews a person of interest, and in between segments an improv troupe does some comedy based on the interview. It usually works too, and Monkey Toast has been nominated for 98 Canadian Comedy Awards over the years. This edition features film critic and all around interesting person Richard Crouse and OCD expert Dr. Eilenna Denisoff.
Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., Pay What You Think, 7:30 pm

Continuing Events:

Notable ongoing events this weekend include:

EXHIBITION | Canadian National Exhibition
Going to the CNE is always bittersweet. Sure it's fun, but it's a painful reminder that summer is almost over. But walking through the midway at Canada's largest fair is something of a rite of passage for all Torontonians, and as always this year's exhibition has a wide variety of entertainment including a casino, a working farm, and rides for the kiddies. Look out for Bill Clinton's talk on Saturday.
Exhibition Grounds, 210 Princes' Blvd., $1.75 today, $11 and up til Sept 7

ART | Sunnyside Beach Art Show
One of the summer's biggest art shows is happening this weekend along the Lakeshore. The picturesque Sunnyside Pavilion will be filled with the work of new and emerging painters, sculptors, photographers and clothing designers. This is a juried show and there is guaranteed to be some high quality work available for purchase, but if you're just looking to enjoy the art the $50 ticket price also gets you hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and dancing under the stars. Runs til Sunday.

CONVENTION | Fan Expo 2009
Stormtroopers, zombies, Vulcans and even Dragonballers (hope that's not as dirty as it sounds) are descending on Toronto this weekend for the 15th Fan Expo Canada. This year's Expo has a long list of stars from sci-fi including Spock himself Leonard Nimoy, Billy Dee Williams (a.k.a Lando Calrissian), Linda Hamilton, Tony Curtis, and for some reason the guy who played the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld. Grab your wookie costume and come on down. Runs til Sunday.
Metro Convention Centre, 255 Front St. W., $25 and up, 4pm - 9pm

For full listings, head on over to our events calendar
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