Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this June 20-22, 2014.

World Pride
Toronto's World Pride celebrations mark the first World pride in North America, and the fourth ever international Pride festival. Art exhibits and parties are already dotting the city (check out our party guide here), and tonight the rainbow flag will be raised at City Hall, with the ceremony beginning at 7pm. Melissa Ethridge, Deborah Cox, and Steve Grand will perform, adding a little extra pizazz beyond the usual news that Rob Ford refused to show up. Dig up your rainbow booty shorts, dancing shoes, and craziest wig, and start marking your calendars for one big, huge, proud festival. The big parade is next weekend. Check out our World Pride preview here. June 20-29.

MUSIC

NXNE
Those free Yonge and Dundas shows at Toronto's largest music fest run from Thursday to Sunday. From rap to indieTM to Swans, not to mention the host of local bands playing the festival and free events like record swaps and in-stores, there's a ton to hit up. Until June 22.

Construction Unofficial NXNE
Digging this line up: New Zebra Kid, Wild Highways, and Zoo Owl will perform as part of Long Winter's summer series Construction at DDL on Friday. Check out our Breakout Band feature on Wild Highways here. The show is all ages, and you can pay on a sliding scale from $5-10. Find more unofficial NXNE shows here. Friday, June 20, 9pm, Double Double Land (209 Augusta).

159 Manning BBQ 2014 - Part 2
If you missed this SXSW-style house-party/BBQ/concert and its three stages of music last week, don't make the same mistake twice. Today you can see KC Accidental, Xiu Xiu, Beliefs, and more. Remember: it's BYOB, and don't touch the books. Check out our photos from last week's party here. Friday, June 20, until 11pm, 159 Manning.

2014 Jazz Fest
The Toronto Jazz Festival is the next summer music fest in line for Toronto, running June 19th-28th. This year`s star studded line-up is filled with over 350 artists playing at 50 different venues including Nathan Phillips Square, The Rex, Kool Haus, and Roy Thomson Hall. The festival operates under a pay-per-show format with some bars charging cover while larger acts operate through Ticketmaster or their respective venue`s website.

Unaffiliated
This unofficial NXNE show doesn't really want you to call it that, but it does want you to notice it's unaffiliated with the festival even, though it occurs on the final Sunday. Unaffiliated Events (Halloway Jones & Julia Dickens), No Visible Means (Jesse Locke & Tom Avis) and Weird Canada will combine forces to bring Zacht Automaat, Petra Glynt, Man Made Hill and more to Artscape Gibraltar Point on Toronto Island along with food, refreshments and art installations. Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto Island, June 22, 2-11pm, $10.

PPOP, Sonic Boom, & NXNE Presents: Of Sound Mind
From 11am to 8pm on the last day of NXNE, the Festival Hub at Edward Day Gallery will host an all ages/licensed courtyard BBQ with records, labels, art, music and. Bands include Wish, Unfinished Business, Sonic Avenues, Young Mother, Greys, Carl Didur, Wizard Of. Sunday, June 22, 11am-8pm, Edward Day Gallery (952 Queen St West).

See also

• Jamie Kidd, Alberto Jossue, Jad Ad (Friday, Cabal)
• Lauryn Hill (Saturday, Sound Academy)
• Summer Melt (Saturday, Soybomb)
• Tom Robinson @ NXNE/WorldPride (Drake Hotel)
• Zorch - In-store (Saturday, Cabin Fever)
• Dream Wife // Sexy Merlin // Bambara // Zecret Guests (Sunday, The Cavern)
• Inequality's a drag w/ Maylee The Dead Kennedy's (Sunday, Bovine Sex Club)

For more music listings, check out our This Week in Music, June Concerts, Summer Concerts, and Summer Music Festivals posts.

ART

Over the Rainbow: Seduction and Identity
The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art will take a look beyond the campy mainstream portrayal of queer sexuality and identity, delving deeper into a more authentic queer identity, and the influence that identity has had on more "mainstream" culture. Artists include Stephen Andrews, Attila Richard Lukacs, and Public Studio, among others. The opening reception is on Saturday, June 21 with a party in the courtyard, and it runs through until August 17. MOCCA (952 Queen St West).

Fan the Flames: Queer Positions in Photography
This AGO exhibit will examine gender play in both photography and video. Specifically, the show will "question and extend the practice of drag," and will feature the work of both Canadian and international artists. Fan the Flames is now open, and runs until September. AGO (317 Dundas Street West).

Jennifer Rose Sciarrino - Patterned Recognition
Jennifer Rose Sciarrino's sculptures aim to bring 3D digital aesthetics to life. A sterile arrangement of tables will stretch through the gallery holding "plaster sculptures shaped through a CNC process emerge from underneath printed fabric." The plaster surfaces will take on various patterns and textures, mimicking the results of 3D modeling - but you can almost touch it (don't touch the art, please & thanks). Fans of digital art and 3D printing will definitely want to check this out. Opening reception is Saturday, June 21, 2-5pm. Daniel Faria Gallery (188 St Helens Ave), June 21 - July 19.

See also

• Outreach 2014 - Connect (opens Friday, Gallery 44)
• Opening reception: Proof 21 (opens Friday, Gallery 44)
• Taking [a] part (opens Friday, Mercer Union)
• Marlon Griffith (opens Saturday, The Drake)
• Dragonseed - Troy Brooks solo exhibition (Saturday, Pentimento)

For more art listings, check out our Top 10 Must-See Art Shows This Summer post.

PARTY

Yes Yes Y'all June presents "0 to 100" the World Pride Warmup ft Neky the Kid
You know how this works - you're safe in the hands of one of Toronto's best queer parties, YYY. They're gearing up for Pride with Toronto's Neky the Kid and hip hop/dancehall/r&b all night. Friday, June 20, 10pm, $6 before midnight, CODA (794 Bathurst St).

Amsterdam 416 Block Party
This block party/NXNE weekend party in Kensington Market is $10 to enter - but how could we not spill the dirty on free beer? The block party is on a "secret patio" around the back of 25 Kensington, with music via "Branko Scekic DJ Brank-Oh" (okay) and Chef Brook Kavanagh's Ceviche Cones on the roof. All you can drink beer if you've got 10 bones, just saying. Saturday, June 21, 6-11pm, 25 Kensington Ave, $10.

Olivia Chow's World Pride Party
More than a little transparent considering her Mayoral bid, but that's politics for you. Not free / a thing: Rob Ford's World Pride Party. Yep, that's definitely not a thing. Saturday, June 21, 9pm, Woody's (467 Church Street), free.

Nuit Rose
We tend to think of Pride as a 'round the clock party (and our party guide proves that) - this Saturday, a late-night queer art crawl in the vein of Nuit Blanche) will take over Church-Wellesley Village and West Queen West. Nuit Rose features visual art, performances and installations including a Grindr-powered portrait exhibit Tryst Pic, massive portraits of fixtures of New York's queer nightlife by John Simone, and manicures from an artist dressed up as a watermelon. After it's all over, the Gladstone will be hosting an afterparty that's set to rage on until 4am. A bus will shuttle revellers from the 519 Community Centre to the Gladstone Hotel. Start making your schedule over at the Nuit Rose website. Saturday, June 21.

Sweetness Pride Beach Party
One thing Pride needs is more excuses to be topless. Sweetness Pride Beach Party is all about having fun in the sun, with a sandy beach bar, lots of food, and a solid DJ lineup pumping the beats. Sugar Beach, June 22, 12pm, free.

Summer Daze
Skip the sponsor-ific NXNE for Summer Daze, one of Toronto's chillest outdoor electronic day-parties (well, day and evening). Check out our Summer Daze review here to feel it out. Dyed Soundorom, Alvaro, Curtis Russo, Jamie Kidd, Joonya T, Kobo, and Night Vision B2B Rafwat & Chorniy are on the line up. Plus food, drink and art installs... sigh. Summertime. Sunday, June 22, 2-11pm, The Burroughes (639 Queen Street West), $15.

See also

• Total Freedom (Saturday, Bambi's)

For more dance and party listings, check out our Top Dance Parties in Toronto in June and World Pride parties in Toronto by day of the week posts.

FOOD

Central Canadian Barista Competition
The new Propeller Roastery will host this bloodbath - I mean espresso bath - between Central Canada's best baristas. The winners will go to Nationals... and then conquer the world. I can't even foam properly. It's free to attend and there will be "swags." Friday, June 20, Propeller Roastery (50 Wade Ave).

Perth Sterling Summer BBQ
Celebrate the solstice with free food from Castlepoint Numa & RioTinto. Rub your eyes and read that again, yup! Free BBQ in honour of the Perth Sterling revitalization project. Saturday, June 21, 11:30am, 181 Sterling Road, free.

Open Farm - Fresh City's Season Launch Event
This farmer's market is going all out: there will be bees! Check out the bees, go on a scavenger hunt, and see some live music. Craft beer will be on hand, meaning this can get even better. Sunday, June 22, 1-5pm, Downsview Park (70 Canuck Avenue).

See also

• Summer Wanderlust, 'Lemonfest' (Saturday, Leslieville)

For more food events, check out our Toronto Food Events, Summer Food Events, and Summer Beer Events post.

FILM

Grease! Free live movie night in The Esplanade
Free outdoor movie season is upon us. Get ready for sing-a-longs and, possibly, dance-a-longs at this screening of Grease, aka that decisive movie that solidified your highschool identity as "drama kid" or "not drama kid." Saturday, June 21, 8pm, David Crombie Park (131 The Esplanade), free.

Film Screening -- Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call: New Orleans
I didn't think a Bad Lieutenant remake was a good idea, but I was wrong. So were you. Watch out for lizards - and Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage). Sunday, June 22, 8:45pm, Bar Radio (615 College St.).

See also

• Inside Out Under the Stars: Free Outdoor Screenings: Paris is Burning (Friday, David Pecaut Square)
• Navajo Star Wars (Saturday, TIFF)

THEATRE

The God that Comes / Tarragon Theatre / June 3-29 / $40
After a one-night only performance at Summerworks 2012, Hawksley Workman and Christian Barry are back with the second iteration of their performance piece, The God That Comes. Combining the "revelry of a rock concert with the intimacy of theatrical storytelling," Workman's performance was a festival standout so expectations for a full run are high. In the spirit of Dionysian excess, Workman delivers a bombastic take on The Bacchae, about the punishment of the soldier king of Thebes and his mother.

Liza Uncorked: The Pirate
I kinda wish I was Sally Bowles in Cabaret, and hey - so do you. Jennifer Wells will be doing her best Liza Minnelli, and maybe if you ask nice she'll give you some tips afterward. The Drake will also screen Vincente Minnelli's The Pirate starring Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. Delic. Sunday, June 22, 9pm, Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street West), free.

For more events on stage, check out our The top theatre productions in Toronto June 2014 post.

BOOKS

Broken Pencil x NXNE Mini Zine Fair
Spend your Sunday afternoon checking out Broken Pencil/NXNE's second annual mini zine/small press fair featuring Shameless magazine, Toronto Zine Library, Little Brother Magazine, Worn, Static Zine and much more. Sunday, June 22, 2-6pm, 25 Gould Street.

See also

• Fantasy Art Now (Art Metropole)

COMEDY

Laugh Sabbath Film Fest
For one night only (one night only!) and joined with NXNE, Laugh Sabbath Film Fest is back for its second year. Comedy shorts will be screenings and three films will walk away winners. Yeah, yeah, I know. Sunday, June 22, 3:30pm, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema (506 Bloor St. West).

FESTIVAL

No.9 Eco-Art-Fest @ Todmorden Mills
For the next three months until September 21, 2014, you can learn about sustainability in both practical and artistic ways and spend some time in the Lower Don ravine. The fest starts Saturday, June 21 at 11am and runs until 8pm. Todmorden Mills (67 Pottery Road).

The Junction Summer Solstice Festival
Oh, are there ever going to be some find looking dogs here. The Junction Design Crawl will coincide with performances, music, art installations and workshops, film screenings, and a ferris wheel. Plus, great dog watching. #dogTO. Saturday, June 21, noon onward, The Junction.

See also

• Indigenous Arts Festival (June 20-22, Fort York)
• Redpath Waterfront Festival (Saturday, Harbourfront Centre)
• Leslieville Tree Festival (Saturday, Leslie Grove Park)

SPORTS

Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival
The Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival is splashing in Lake Ontario this weekend. 180 to 200 teams will compete in the 26th year of the competition. June 21, 8am-5pm, Centre Island, Toronto Islands.

Queer Axe Folk: World Pride Edition
Throw your axe for Pride! Throw it however you want, because throwing straight is boring. Friday, June 20, 8pm, BATL (213 Sterling Rd) North side of the building, $40.

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

Contributions by Sarah Ratchford, Natalia Manzocco, Julia Stead, Jacob Thompson

Photos: Yes Yes Y'all party on Facebook, Hawksley Workman in The God That Comes,