The Fox Theatre is a Toronto gem. Operating for almost a century it remains the longest running cinema in the country. Starting this weekend they pay homage to special genre in the history of motion pictures, 3D movies.

Fox Theatre’s 3D FILM FEST features 9 classic 3D films and runs until July 23rd. Unlike Hollywood’s latest offerings these movies will be projected using film prints and not digital technology. Interestingly this allows for a more convincing 3D effect. During the festival there will also be a gallery of polarized prints and trippy aesthetics to get you in the mood for the anaglyph (red-blue) and polarized movies. Looking forward to catching the offerings from Hitchcock to Warhol to Friday the 13th!

3D FILM FEST – Fox Theatre
2236 Queen Street East

Recorded Film Listings: 416-691-7330

The Peoples Paparazzi @ The Drake Hotel
1150 Queen Street West
Thursday May 14
9PM in the Free Lounge

The spirit of the night. A custom shirt made for Nuit Blanche still dripping with irony.

Another year, another Nuit Blanche. Nuit Blanche put art on the map and quite well I might add. From free movies at AGO’s Cinematheque, free admission at the Gardiner Museum or the light show at City Hall there was plenty to see. I have to say that I’m impressed with many of the exhibits this year.

I’ve faired well in the aftermath considering that I traversed nearly all the zones and stayed awake almost the whole spectacle. Whether it was flashing lights, dance, theatre, spoken word or zombies I hope you had a chance to enjoy the show. My fellow Torontonians (about a million strong?!) had an interesting art adventure in the dark. It was great to see so many people on the street, meeting new friends on the TTC and taking in interesting art. Art a niche issue? If you have to ask, you’ll never know…

Rain or shine, nostalgia and good entertainment won me over again. While my dentist is probably cautiously cheering my love for cotton candy there were other treats abound. A wide variety of music from Silverstein to Blood Sweat & Tears front man David Clayton-Thomas had fans of all ages (and tastes) in good spirits. The carnival games are fun to play and watch too. My personal MVP was the dude rocking freestyle rhymes over drum and bass pictured here. You were definitely repping the EX large!

Fun fur fedoras and freestyle rhymes. A serious crowd pleaser at work at The EX.

Well if your life is seriously lacking in oversized stuffed animals you must be in the depths of depression. The Ex doesn’t return until August 2009. No, no…it’s OK to start counting down the days.

Simcoe Day holiday begins tonight with Caribana Festival’s Pan Alive at Lamport Stadium. Listen and dance to steelpan bands as they compete for best band. That’ll be your dancing feet warm up for tomorrow, for tomorrow is the all-day-long Caribana Parade where even police officers smile and chat and maybe even do a move or two — or they did in the years I went. Television news was singularly unhelpful in showing the parade route, and even the Caribana site isn’t very specific. So here it is: It starts at the west end of Exhibition Place, fairly close to the Dufferin street gates, and it ends at Sunnyside at approximately 6:00 pm. The old route down University Avenue was better as it was equidistant for those from both the east and the west, but I guess Lakeshore is bigger and less disruptive to downtown traffic. Oh well. Caribana festivities continue on Sunday on Olympic Island. For all the details, visit the CBC site.

Now if all that dancing has you hot and breathing hard, and you just want some peace for a bit, check out the Chinese Lantern Festival at Ontario Place. It runs nightly from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm; it features acts, food, stuff, and movies; and of course it’s the largest lantern presentation in North America.

Then on Simcoe Day — the holiday Monday — as you’re chilling down, learn why we call it Simcoe Day at Fort York. Watch musketry, men and women drilling in period military costume, and the 1:00 pm parade. Fort York is an under-rated jewel of Toronto history, a haven from modern Toronto — if you can just ignore the Gardiner looming over to the south, which actually once you’re fully into what’s going on isn’t too hard to do.

So there you have it, a full weekend of being entertained and joining in the entertainment. Or you could just turn on the barbie, kick back, and put your feet up. This is the best of Toronto! Happy Simcoe Day!

 

Not everyone had the piece of mind not to hide under trees or lucky enough to be away from some of the metal fences.  At least two people were struck by lightening, one right across from the booth where Silverstein were signing autographs.  Thanks to the Emergency staff on hand as well as the Police and Fire boats dispatched to the island everyone was OK and the event was able to continue.

A few hours later you could hardly image how bad the weather had been moments before.  Barring the drenched pavement and grass of course.  Everyone had to make the most of it.

Classified dusted off the crowd and kicked things off on the main stage once the rain subsided.  Silverstein were awesome and powered through a shortened but intense set.  Hot Water Music were also a treat to see live.  The good weather whether held out into the early evening and RZA and GZA gave the masses a long awaited and stacked set, just fashionably late.

So glad that the sun came back, even if the puddles were far from gone.  Wasn’t keen on mud sliding/diving, just thankful no puddles or muddy sinkholes claimed my footwear.  Tomorrow is another day.  Hoping WETstock ended Saturday and Wakestock continues where it left off…

Matt Bajcar blasting over the flat bank at Wakestock 2008

Wu Tang’s RZA and GZA are among the acts due to play!  Metric, Silverstein, Dillinger Escape Plan and Hot Water Music are also on the bill.  Punk, Alternative, Hardcore and Hip Hop are well represented.  If that isn’t enough there are several afterparties.  Saturday’s Sound Academy is sure to be hectic with a Bud Light Bikini contest and DJ sets by K-OS and Lil Jaz.

Let the games begin…

Wakestock
Action Sports and Music Festival
July 24 – 27
Toronto Island 

Note to would be cyclists on the island. On Sundays there are no bikes allowed on Centre Island Ferry. Bikes are allowed on the Ward’s Island and Hanlan’s Ferry at all times.

Food, drink and even a flashlight would be a good idea to pack too.  A great compliment to the feast of music.

Poor Pilgrim Island Solstice
Toronto Island
Sunday, July 13th
Featuring:Aaron Lumley, Colours…Brothers, Ryan Driver, Stud Bancker, Allison Peacock, Eric Chenaux, Nadj, Laura McCoy,  Yuula Benivolski, Alex Lukashevsky, Maya Postepski Ensemble, All Under Heaven, and the Feuermusik Big Band
Starts at 4pm