Toronto is doing arts and culture justice this weekend with the kickoff of NXNE, Luminato Festival, and MMVAS. We’ve picked out five ways to please your senses that’ll have your ears ringing and eyes gleaming by Father’s day:
HEAR tunes, jokes, film:
NXNE has taken the city by storm. It was impossible to choose one act, so you’ll have to go to them all. Weekend hilights include the festival’s headliner The National playing tonight to jump start the festival’s first weekend:
Where: Dundas Square, 1 Dundas Street East
When: Friday, 9 PM
How Much: Free!
SMELL barbecue meats on the beach:
Beer lovers, rejoice. The annual beerfest takes place this weekend, featuring live blues and reggae, a BBQ rib grilling competition. The festival is a great way to whet your appetite before the kickoff of Ontario Craft Beer Week this Sunday, a week where all eyes (and mouths) are on our local craft breweries.
Where: Woodbine Park
When: Friday, Saturday, Sunday
How Much: The event is free and VIP tickets are $25. This year’s official charity is a great cause: Camp Bucko.
TASTE the culinary collaborations of cooks and kids:
The kids’ table offers chairs to foodies of all ages at this tasting event, as part of the Luminato Festival. Local chefs have been working with grade 4-6 classes for weeks to teach them cooking skills and they’ll be showcasing their recipes this weekend.
Where: The Distillery District
When: Saturday 12-7, Sunday 12-7
How Much: Free to attend, $5 for a treat.
SEE Psy, existing outside of YouTube:
Avril Lavigne, Demi Lovato, Philip Philips, Mariana’s Trench, and more will be performing, rain or shine. If you don’t have a wristband, you can still get a glimpse of Psy’s Gangham-style hosting the MMVAs this weekend from the streets on Queen.
Where: Much Music Studios, 289 Queen Street West
When: Sunday, 9E/6P
How Much: Wristbands, street-watching, live-streaming are free!
TOUCH the handcrafted Victorian dolls created by Viktor & Rolf:
The Viktor & Rolf Dolls Exhibition:
Kidding, these dolls are way too nice to be played with. Designers Viktor & Rolf present their exhibition with a giant dollhouse and a unique catwalk platform created especially for the ROM. It was originally staged at the Barbican Art Gallery in London, England. Dolls are sporting tiny, scaled down versions of their actual designs for the men’s and women’s collections.
Where: Royal Ontario Museum, Thorsell Spirit House
When: Sunday – June 30, 10 AM – 5:30 PM
How Much: So very free.
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Farrah Khaled is an intern at the Toronto Standard. Follow her on twitter at @farkhaly.
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