We’re more than halfway there, Toronto.
Chanukah gets spinning in only a few days, two weeks from now it’ll be Christmas, and just one day after that, we get a glorious Boxing-Day-Kwanzaa-Bonanza.
No doubt you’re already busy closing out the quarter, getting in your charity contribution, and replacing half of your breathing with excessive calorie ingestion. But around this time of year, everyone’s always got room for more.
So make space, Toronto; your weekend starts now …
THURSDAY
Toronto’s biggest party in support of the Daily Bread Food Bank is back; HoHoHoTO is being held at The Mod Club with regular tickets running $45. And when there’s that many hos, you knows it’s gonna be a good party.
Hit up everyone’s favorite west side street for Holiday Shopping Night on Ossington. A bunch of vendors will be staying open until 10pm, offering discounts to keep you thrifty and holiday treats to keep you warm.
For the 20th year, the CBC Toronto Staff Association is hosting the CBC Employees’ Charity Craft Sale in the CBC Building Atrium at 250 Front Street West. Over 65 local vendors will be selling their original goods and proceeds from table rentals are going to the Ontario Association of Food Banks. Don’t worry; not all the CBC employees will be there…
Right outside the Royal Alexandra Theater will be the Mervish Christmas Market, where Forests Ontario will be selling beautiful sustainably sourced Christmas trees and wreaths, in support of forest restoration and mild irony. The market will be running until Saturday
This is a big night for music…
Accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, The Barenaked Ladies are playing their biggest hits and holiday classics at Roy Thompson Hall. Hellooooooo City!
Anyone smell bacon? ‘Cause Tokyo Police Club are playing at the Danforth Music Hall.
The Trews are playing at Massey Hall this eve and one of the game’s best rappers, Common, will be performing at the Kool Haus. We don’t have to tell you that that concert will be one hot place to Be.
And are you ready for a throwback? Are you sure?? Oooookay. Donny and Marie kicked off their Christmas in Toronto peformance this week at the Princess of Whales Theatre, so try to catch them before they scoot back to Vegas. The show runs until the 21st.
FRIDAY
We know you haven’t had enough markets. Today, it’s the Roncesvalles Village Christmas Market where shops like Kind Exchange, New Age Nutrition and Stasis Preserves Deli & Pantry are staying open late and offering great discounts. Talk about putting Santa out of business…
If you want to hear what a billionaire obsessed with outer space thinks about narcotics (and why wouldn’t you?), maybe you should check it Let’s Talk About Drugs: A Conversation with Sir Richard Branson taking place at 2pm in Jackman Hall at the AGO.
We know It’s All Been Done, but they’re so good, it’s worth it; the Barenaked Ladies are doing a second show at Roy Thompson Hall and Tokyo Police Club are playing a second show at the Danforth Music Hall.
If you’re into the “school” of jazz, as with every second Friday of every month, it’s Friday Night Jazz at the Ripley’s Aquarium from 7-11.
One of Canada’s favourite storytellers, Stuart McLean, is bring The Vinyl Cafe to Toronto live and performing three nights at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. With 1.5 million listeners a week, you might want to grab those tickets quickly.
El Caballito is hosting an après ski-themed “Bad Santa Party” in their outside space from 9pm to 2am tonight and tomorrow. We cannot confirm nor deny this, but we have to assume they’ll be serving Brrrrrrritos.
Raptors are taking on the Pacers at the ACC and should be able to pull out a W to maintain their leading pace.
SATURDAY
Let’s be honest. You were never excited about Christmas. You were excited about today’s TORONTO SANTA SPEEDO RUN! Don’t worry; you’re going to be running in a Speedo, not a bunch of curvy mall Santas. The run is through Yorkville and ends with a celebration at Hemmingway’s. Everyone is expected to raise $250 and all proceeds go to Sick Kids Hospital.
If you’re still in need of a tree, between 10am and 4pm today and tomorrow, El Caballito (161 Pearl Street) is teaming up with EZ Tree to offer a great selection of Ontario-grown Fraser Firs and the much-needed luxury of home delivery. Go for the trees, stay for the après ski party.
It’s an original six match-up tonight at the ACC as the Leafs host the Detroit Red Wings.
But if six doesn’t cut it for you, The Gladstone is hosting The 12 Beers of Christmas at which you’ll find plenty of beer tastings, tasty snacks and a festive (read: ugly) sweater competition.
No doubt your wallet is starting to fade but your wardrobe needs are going nowhere. You might just need the holiday sample sale at the Cooper Cole Gallery, showcasing designers Arielle de Pinto Designs, CALLA, Jeremy Laing and Rita Liefhebber. The sale runs from 12-6 today and tomorrow.
Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, presented by The National Ballet of Canada, is leaping into production tonight at The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. An event that really embodies the holidays: great music and pants that are way too tight.
Or if you’re into something that’s supposed to be funny, Second City is kicking off a new festive musical comedy called The Naughty Listers for a limited production stretch. Speaking of funny…
Wanna see a Pomeranian play the piano? A Bichon ride a bike? Ya, we thought you would. Ultimutts Stunt Dog Show is going down at PawsWay (245 Queen’s Quay West) as part of the Winterfest on Toronto’s Waterfront.
Also part of the Waterfront Winterfest, kicking off tonight is the always-fun DJ Skate Night. It’s free to the public and as the 30th Anniversary of house music, legendary DJ/Producer Jellybean Benitez will be spinning the skate.
Now you might be naughty, but you don’t want to be a liar… so don’t you even Pretend like you don’t want to see Tinashe perform at Tattoo tonight.
SUNDAY
Nope. There are more markets. The Stop Holiday Farmers’ Market at Steamwhistle Brewery is today from 11am to 3pm, brought to you by The Stop Community Food Centre. You can wander the pop-ups with an “adult pop” in hand in an effort to stock your cupboards with some of the province’s best meats, cheeses, preserves and baked goods.
For some kosher camaraderie, you can take the whole crew to the Chanukah Family Fun Fair at the Miles Nadal JCC.
Or if you’re into worshipping more secular heroes, today Toronto ComiCon is having Canada’s largest one-day comic event: the Festivus Holiday Sale at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Kids under 12 get in free with an adult and they’ll have everything from toys and memorabilia, t-shirts and posters, to artwork and autograph sessions.
Speaking of pseudo-superheroes, Ashanti – yes the Ashanti – is performing at The Guvernment.
And then she will definitely not be attending The Canadian Wedding Industry Awards Gala happening at the Ritz-Carleton. But if you have any kind of business involvement in the Canadian wedding industry, you might want to grab a ticket.
And finally, Leafs are playing host again this weekend, but this time to the Los Angeles Kings. Don’t let the royal lineage intimidate you; these are two very evenly matched teams, so the white and blue might have a shot tonight…but ideally, they’ll have more than one.
Well, that’s it, that’s all.
Four days and more than 25 ways to spend them.
Just remember: if you want to impress Santa, you can’t just be nice…you gotta be notable.
Happy Holidays,
The Weekender
#NOTABLE
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Top photo courtesy El Caballito