Weekend events in Toronto: February 21-23, 2014
Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this Feb 21-23, 2014.
The League of Lady Wrestlers presents The Hogtown Throwdown
The League of Lady Wrestlers, a "collaborative effort aimed at subverting gender stereotypes and queering the concept of competitive sports while entertaining the masses," have just a couple days left in their Indiegogo campaign - help 'em out! You can preview the throwdown line up here, then head to the The Polish Combatant's Hall on Saturday to see it all play out along with a performance by the always enchanting New Fries. It's PWYC at the door, but arrive early. Saturday, February 22, 7:30pm, The Polish Combatant's Hall (206 Beverley St).
GAMING
Fancy Videogame Party
Tonight at the AGO, as part of the ongoing Vector fest (check out the links below for more), you can hit up the indie games at the "very best multi-player, party, and physical videogames from around the world for one night only... part arcade, part club night, part art gallery." Plus, fancy is in the title. Weston Family Learning Centre, AGO (317 Dundas St W), Friday, February 21, 8pm.
See also
ART
The Artist Project
The Artist Project (TAP) challenges the typical art fair format until February 23 at the Better Living Centre. Here, you'll find the artists themselves in the booths - over 250 curated contemporary artists from Canada and around the world. This means you get to meet and hopefully buy work directly from the people behind it. Not all of the art is great (let's be honest, there's a lot of crap out there), but the concept is great. There are also various special events and programming taking place. Check out our preview of the exhibition here. Feb 20 - 23, Better Living Centre.
Simulators II
This upcoming group show at Angell is going to be a good one, and may just make you a fan of digital art if you haven't been won over thus far. The nine artists in the exhibit include Rafael Ochoa (who we named a top artist to watch in 2014)'s digital paintings. Ochoa is a young Toronto artist who, using multiple digital-imaging software programs for each piece, messes around with classical imagery, bridging antique still lives and epic paintings in gilded frames with The Sims universe. Expect many more explorations along these lines in the show, which opens Friday night at 6pm. February 21 - March 22, Angell Gallery (12 Ossington Avenue).
For more art listings, check out our Top 10 Must-See Art Shows This Winter post.
FOOD
Men's Gold Medal Hockey Pancake Breakfast at CBC
Hit up the CBC for Olympic hockey and a free pancake breakfast - which will only last as long as quantities last, so that 7am start time is serious business. CBC Broadcasting Centre (250 Front St. West), Sunday Feb 23, 7am.
For more food events, check out our Toronto Food Events post.
MUSIC
Somewhere There Creative Music Festival
Somewhere There is taking over the Tranzac from February 21 - 23. 60 performers and composers from Toronto will perform including The Kyle Brenders Quartet, Alaniaris, Thom Gill, Eucalyptus, Cluttertones, Fleshtone Aura & Mandelbrot, and Mark Segger Sextet - plus there will be a film screening (Start Making Noise Now), a speakers' series, and workshops. Best of all, there's a late night Doom Tickler performance. Swoon. All in all, should get pretty weird! Check out the event for more details. February 21, 22, and 23, Tranzac Club (292 Brunswick Ave).
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Indie rock icon Stephen Malkmus, the frontman of 90s legends Pavement, brings his band The Jicks to crowd surf their way around Lee's Palace. They're fresh off the release of their sixth record, Wig Out at Jagbags, through Matador. Disappears will open up the night. Saturday, February 22, Lee's Palace (529 Bloor St W), 9pm, $26.50.
Big Knife Little Knife, Bleeding Rainbow, Hunters, Jigsaw Youth
The event page reads: no bros / no jerks / no cops. So double check that you make the cut before you decide to include yourself in this party. The bands are from all over the place, Montreal, Philly, NYC, Toronto, and there's nothing quite like making bands feel at home than a tightly packed little show with lots of beer. Also by excluding bros, jerks and cops. Bikini Kill songs will be played, and that's all the incentive you need. Saturday, February 22, Unit 2, 163 Sterling Rd, 8pm, $8.
See also
- ESG-HF w/ Gay, Coach Longlegs, New Fries
- Hip-Hop Karaoke
- PPOP at the Magpie
- Returning Current
- Eucalyptus at HIRUT the finale
- Sunday Afternoon Social '3' by Box of Kittens
For more music listings, check out our This Week in Music and February Concerts posts.
FILM
Festival of New Spanish Cinema
The Festival of New Spanish Cinema (FoNSC) is now six years old, but this is the traveling show's first stop in Toronto. The self-described leading showcase in North America for "the best in contemporary Spanish film" brings Toronto five premieres, including "the latest, most exciting films and allowing you to discover and share your love of Spanish cinema." More of a month-long series than a festival, FoNSC will screen a film every Wednesday evening at The Royal until the end of March. February 26 - March 26; The Royal)
Feminist Porn Awards Fundraiser
Bring $5-$15 to Cold Tea on Saturday to help CUE POC out. There will be raffle prizes, vulva pins, porn screenings, and DJ Chantelle Eff and DJ Sissy Fuss will keep things hoppin. Cold Tea (60 Kensington Ave), Saturday, February 22, 9pm.
See also
- Music from Hell at Trash Palace
- Silent Film Fest
- ONYX Cinema Night
- Maylee Todd and Beekeepers Society's Hieroglyphics Video Release party
For more film events, check out our This week in film post.
THEATRE
The Rhubarb Festival
On now, The Rhubarb Festival turns 35 this year, a milestone anniversary for the progressive and interdisciplinary theatre event. It happens in the shadow of government funding cuts, in the amount of $20,000-$25000, which arrived without any sort of explanation as to why the festival no longer qualifies for the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage programme. Buddies has soldiered on, curating a sprawling collection of performances under the direction of Laura Nanni that activate a variety of different spaces throughout the city. Read our preview of the year's highlights here. Now until Sunday, February 23, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander St), free - $20.
For more events on stage, check out our The top theatre productions in Toronto February 2014 post.
PARTY
Yes Yes Y'all Anniversary
YYY is turning 5! OMG. Congratulations y'all. If you don't know, it gets so hot at these things that after one song you'll wonder why you spent so long on your hair in the first place. The crew spins RnB, dancehall, and hip-hop all night, and during special events they bring in incredible performers like Shi Wisdom, Bon Jay and Zebra Katz, but tonight features the lovely Princess Nokia AKA Wavy Spice performing living, plus DJs TNT and JJ Rock. CODA (794 Bathurst St), Friday February 21, 10pm.
See also
SPORTS
Icycle 2014
It wouldn't be a February events post without some way for you to get frost bite doing whacky things in the cold. This time around: bikes on ice at Dufferin Grove Park. Why is the guy in the photo naked? Nevermind. Saturday February 22, 7pm. Dufferin Grove Park (Dufferin Street at Sylvan).
See also
FASHION
February Clothing Swap Party
From noon until 4 pm on Sunday, Swap Don't Shop is hosting a poppin' clothing swap party. The event's not only an overhaul for your closet - it's also a sustainable and socially conscious way to give and take back from the community. Entrance is just $5, so lug up to 30 pieces of gently used clothing to Arts Market and walk away with a brand new set of gear for spring. Sunday, February 23, noon-4pm, Arts Market (846 College St).
See also
For more fashion listings, check out our This Week in Fashion post.
COLLECTORS
Toronto Postcard Show
Calling all Toronto history buffs and nostalgics! If our history posts have you salivating for something you can hold in your hands, make the trek to the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre on Sunday for Canada's largest vintage postcard show. There will be 40 tables dealing postcards from Toronto and all over the world. Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (6 Garamond Court, Don Mills), Sunday, February 23, 10am-5pm, $7.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
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