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The top 10 Toronto social media hits & blunders in 2015

It was a wild and wacky year in Toronto filled with enough memes and 6-related social media antics to keep us satiated for some time to come. Yet, as we roll into 2016, it's high time we reflect back on what kept us entertained - or had us cringing - online this year.

Here are 10 social media hits and blunders from Toronto in 2015.

Bad first date gets live tweeted
Local writer Anne ThĂŠriault documented an awkward first coffee date gone wrong on Twitter. No, she wasn't on it. Rather, the whole devastating exchange unfolded at the table next to hers.

#DeadRaccoonTO
Conrad, the unfortunately deceased raccoon, went viral this past summer after some seemingly benevolent Torontonians erected a memorial around him. After lying on the sidewalk for more than 12 hours, Animal Control finally picked him up. Conrad launched into our public consciousness again in August when Olenka Kleban created a butter sculpture of his likeness at the CNE.

The High Park peacock
Toronto animals are notorious for appearing in rather ridiculous situations (remember the Ikea Monkey?), like the beautiful peacock who escaped from the High Park Zoo. The bird explored Roncesvalles Village for a few days before returning home. You keep doing you, Toronto animals.

Fashion Santa
Paul Mason's Fashion Santa emerged like a bearded mirage at the tail-end of this year. While holed up at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Fashion Santa made headlines around the world and even took a selfie with Justin Bieber.

#ComeTogether
Remember when the hashtag #ComeTogether included an adorable maple leaf emoji? Just think back to the late summer and fall when Toronto was infected with Blue Jays fever. We truly rallied behind our baseball team, both in real life and on social media. Despite our eventual elimination, 2015 marked our best season in 22 years, so we still have lots to be thankful for.

The Toronto Sign
Though it's only been here for a few short months, this new Toronto landmark has already reached iconic status, well at least on Instagram. On any given day, you can find tourists and locals alike posing with this multi-coloured sign. And, when the city considered moving it from Nathan Phillips Square, many jumped on social media to suggest creative new homes for it.

Warehouse backlash for Caitlyn Jenner Instragram
The Warehouse Group, which is behind the Annex's El Furniture Warehouse and the Queen Street Warehouse, made headlines for all the wrong reasons when it posted a transphobic image regarding Caitlyn Jenner to its Instagram feed.

Taxis in the bike lanes at Cactus Club
When the Cactus Club Cafe opened its swanky new restaurant in the Financial District, it naturally offered its customers valet parking. This, however, encroached on the city's designated bike lanes and many cyclists were rather displeased. They vented their frustrations on Reddit and Twitter before the Cactus Club axed its valet service altogether.

Drake's Instagram blunder
Even #6gods aren't immune to social media blunders. Drake posted a delightful cartoon on Instagram, but didn't credit artist Dave Valeza for the image. Eventually Drake (and his team) removed the picture from his feed but not before he got plenty of backlash.

Norm Kelly
Also known as #6Dad, the Ward 40 city councillor emerged as Canada's most valuable Tweeter this year, much to many-a-Torontonian's chagrin. Norm also played a major role in the Drake vs. Meek Mill feud and now has his face on a myriad of Toronto-themed merch. Will Norm drop a mixtape next year? Keep your eyes glued to Twitter to find out.

What did I miss? Add your nominees for social media highs and lows from last year in the comments.

Photo by Josephine in the blogTO Flickr pool.


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