Photo: "Sunset 999" by ~EvidencE~, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12, and SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2009... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

Saturday, September 12

BIKE RIDE | Suburban Critical Mass
Every month, cycling activists take to the streets to ride en masse through the downtown core, with the goal of proving by sheer force of numbers that bicycles and the people who ride them deserve more attention from motorists and city officials. In light of recent events highlighting the tension between cyclists and drivers in this city, this weekend's Critical Mass ride is shaping up to be one of its biggest ever. There will likely be heightened emotions all around, and some remembrances of courier Darcy Allan Sheppard.
Yonge and Eglinton, Free, 3 pm

COMMUNITY | Toronto Zombie Walk: Special Director's Cut Edition
The Zombie Walk has become a perennial favourite for Toronto's horror afficionados. Thousands of undead will take to the streets again this weekend, with the added treat that director of 1968's The Night of the Living Dead George A. Romero will be there in the, um, flesh. He'll be addressing the crowd at the walk's end-point in Dundas Square, followed by an outdoor screening of Romero's classic.
Alexandra Park, Bathurst and Dundas, Free, 3 pm

COMMUNITY | Ethiopian New Year Celebration
One of Toronto's most charming but overlooked neighbourhoods is Little Ethiopia, which occupies a small strip of Bloor St. between Christie and Dovercourt. Filled with Ethiopian restaurants, bars, and bookshops, it's a vibrant community on the edge of the heavily trafficked Annex and Ossington neighbourhoods. Saturday it celebrates the advent of the New Year (or Enkutatash in the Amharic language) with a giant fair in Christie Pits park, including delicious Ethiopian dishes, a fashion show, dance performances and skits and poetry.
Christie Pits Park, Free, 10 am - 11 pm

FASHION | Old Soul Vintage Sale
Thirty vintage vendors from all over the city come together Saturday for a massive sale of the finest in found fashion treasures. Vintage 69, Stella Luna, and Take Your Clothes off are among the sellers, so there should be plenty of unique threads to choose from. There's also a bit of a party going on, with bingo at 6 pm, spaghetti at 8 pm (wtf?), and a licensed bar after 6 pm.
Canadian Corps Headquarters, 201 Niagara, Free, Noon to 11 pm

FUNDRAISER| No Pants No Problem
Many Saturday nights are spent in bars trying to get a member of the opposite (or same) sex to take their pants off in your presence. This AIDS fundraiser saves you the trouble of awkward small talk, offered drinks, and next morning jitters because everyone at Sneaky Dee's Saturday night will already be in their underwear. The squeamish can pay an extra $5 to keep their pants on, which hopefully some people will be doing as all proceeds go to a good cause in the AIDS Walk for Life. No need to walk to the bar in your skivvies either, there's a pant check at the door.
Sneaky Dee's, 431 College St., $5 w/out pants, $10 w/ pants, 10 pm

FILM FESTIVAL | Free TIFF Events at Yonge and Dundas Square
For the next seven days the Toronto International Film Festival is throwing free events in Yonge-Dundas Square, including movie screenings and concerts. Today kicks off with a showing of the classic Jamaican film The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff, and later in the evening there will be a reading by author and poet Sapphire and then a screening of the Night of the Living Dead.
Yonge and Dundas Square, Free, 12 pm - 9 pm

Sunday, September 13

BOOKS AND LIT | Nick Hornby at Harbourfront
Celebrated author and favourite of nerds with record collections everywhere, Nick Hornby comes to Harbourfront Sunday for a public interview with the Globe and Mail's Carl Wilson. The man behind High Fidelity, Fever Pitch, and About a Boy is in town promoting his new book Juliet, Naked, in which he revisits High Fidelity's musicology geekdom with a story about a hapless record-lover obsessed with a legendary musician.
Emwave Theatre, 231 Queen's Quay W., $8, 1 pm

SPORTS | ToRD Does TIFF!
The Toronto Roller Derby teams up with TIFF to present this real live roller derby bout in Dundas Square. The event is a promotion for the Drew Barrymore directed movie rollerskate movie Whip It! starring Ellen Page, so there's some strong rumours that the indie it girls will be there in person. Val Capone from the Windy City Rollergirls and Axels of Evil from LA's Derby Dolls will be emceeing. Get ready for some hard-hitting retro roller skating action.
Yonge and Dundas Square, Free, 5 pm - 8 pm

COMMUNITY| Butterfly Migration Festival
Each year beautiful Monarch butterflies congregate at sites around North America before embarking on an incredible long-distance migration to northwestern Mexico. Thankfully, one of those places is Tommy Thompson Park in East Toronto. Sunday's festival includes guided walks through the park to observe the butterflies, live Monarch butterfly tagging demonstrations, and a talk on how to grow the type of garden that attracts Monarchs.
Tommy Thompson Park, Free, 10 am - 3 pm

FUNDRAISER | Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life
Toronto raises money for a great cause this weekend with the AIDS Walk for Life. It's the usual walk-a-thon, with strollers being sponsored for the distance they walk, but there's also plenty of great entertainment including a beer garden and a performance from Divine Brown. It's a very good excuse to feel good about drinking beer on a Sunday afternoon, so come cheer on the walkers with a pint in your hand.

Continuing events:

FILM FESTIVAL | Toronto International Film Festival
There's plenty to do in the next week at TIFF, with several bars including the Drake and the Social open til 4 am all week, and local concert venues and galleries throwing unofficial TIFF shows of their own to cash in on the fact that the city's nightlife will be kicked into overdrive. Oh and there are movies too. Most of the hot tickets are already bought up, there are still some great tickets for some interesting films available, including the new Matt Damon pic The Informant.
Various locations, times and prices

FOOD FESTIVAL | The 25th Annual Vegetarian Food Fair
Harbourfront's Vegetarian Food Fair is considered the largest of its kind in North America. Run by the Toronto Vegetarian Association, the fair provides an opportunity to discover new foods and ideas from vegetarian innovators. With over 100 exhibitors on display and plenty of free samples on offer, you're sure to find something delicious, nutritious, and ethical. Perfect for long-time vegetarians, or for meat-eaters looking to add some variety to their meal routines. Runs all weekend.
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queen Quay W., Free, Noon to 9 pm Saturday, Noon to 7 pm Sunday

FESTIVAL | Junction Arts Festival
A separate city until 1909, the Junction is the only neighbourhood of Toronto that continued to enforce prohibition throughout the 20th Century, and the sale of alcohol was banned there as late as 2000. That doesn't mean the people who live there are no fun though, and from now until Sunday the neighbourhood will be celebrating its distinct community with music, art, and plenty of food. Highlights include a concert by Jason Collette, 30 street performance groups, a juried art exhibition, and a performance by local world music group Mr. Something Something tonight.
Junction District, Free, 12 pm - 12 am .

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