This is the last weekend in July.
We shouldn’t have to tell you what to do.
So we won’t. We’ll just write down more than 30 of the best ways you can spend the next four days in Toronto and quietly leave them here.
The rest is up to you.
Thursday
Pay what you can lunchtime yoga will definitely make you feel better than dropping $10 on a burger you probably don’t even want.
We’ve been telling you for weeks, and now it’s here. Taste of Toronto is the foodie festival to end all foodie festivals. Seriously, there’s no food after this. None.
If the World Cup ignited your soccer fire, AC Milan vs. Olympiacos FC should help you keep that fire burning.
Sometimes six minutes is all you need. Don’t believe us? Check out the 2014 DMC Toronto DJ Battle Canada if you want to be proven wrong.
Ever head to the vintage section at the LCBO? Wish you did? This could be $75 worth spending.
It’s never too late to go to prom. Not even in July.
The 7th annual Toronto Burlesque Festival kicks off its four-day run. This is probably either right up your alley or it simply terrifies you.
It takes a lot to be considered an icon. How about winning a few Grammys and being in the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame? Yeah, we thought that might do it. James Taylor takes the stage (and possibly our hearts) at the Amphitheatre tonight.
Friday
The 5th annual T&T Waterfront Night Market will treat you to an outdoor culinary market featuring Asian-themed street meat. This is what it looked like last year.
There will be over 300 brands onsite all weekend long at the Toronto Festival of Beer. As if that wasn’t enough to get your attention, K-OS, The Trews, and Matthew Good will all perform to create the perfect soundtrack for your enthusiastic imbibing.
This is the promo video for something you want to go to. It’s going to be a British Scene on the Plaza.
Avenge Sevenfold, Korn, Cannibal Corpse, Body Count featuring Ice T, Suicide Silence – you catching a theme here? It’s not called the Mayhem Festival for nothing.
A Mani & Martini by CUCCIO might just be worth the trip to Markham. Might.
The tagline is ‘mai tai one on’ – which is obviously amazing. But The Tiki Sea’s tropical pop-up bar nature ensures that the Polynesian party is just getting started.
Jurassic Park is 21 years old – the perfect age to see it again at Movie Night in Liberty Village.
Saturday
Brunch with Bennyfits at O&B is still your Saturday go to. Not only are there $3 Caesars and mimosas, but O&B will also be donating $1 from every eggs Benny order to the Fife House. If the drinks don’t make you feel good, the charity sure will.
It turns out that not only are The Ultimate Championships a real thing, they’re happening in our city and Toronto’s team is in the semi-finals. Should they beat New York today, they’ll take on the winner of San Jose v. Madison in the finals tomorrow.
If Fast and the Furious is your kind of flick (R.I.P. Brian O’Conner), then you’re definitely going to want to be here.
Women know how to get places. Fast. And the two-day 2014 North American Women’s Parkour Jam will prove it.
Castles in the Sky is the kind of event that will likely be amazing if you’re a part of it and probably drive you insane if you’re not.
Despite what you may think, Parkdale is not too cool to have a festival. In fact, the Lab Cab Festival looks like two days of talent worth going full-hipster for.
1 million is a lot – of anything. So it’s going to take a decent turnout to get Big Forehands for Sick Kids to reach its goal of hitting that number of tennis forehands in an eight-hour stretch. Seems worth the effort, though, considering it’ll raise 10k for Sick Kids.
More than 600 painters have participated in 27 Canadian cities to get to this point: the final paint-off. 20 extremely talented artists will create original pieces of artwork in front of a live audience whose vote will determine the 2014 Art Battle National Championship. It’s the biggest live painting competition in history. NBD.
In some unhappy news, Bruno Mars will be left to perform without Pharrell Williams, who couldn’t come to Canada due to personal reasons. Turns out Toronto didn’t get too lucky on this one.
Somehow, it’s been nearly a decade since Dave Chappelle released Block Party. Which means it’s definitely about time Bloor Cinemas had a showing that included a live DJ and some beer drinking. Long live Chappelle… wherever he is.
The talented young band Amos the Transparent manages to capture the energy of Arcade Fire’s early days with a songwriting style that can be compared to Hey Rosetta. If that sounds like a combo you’d like to hear, you can catch them at Tattoo.
Sunday
Ditch your car and head to Kensington Market. Seriously, ditch your car.
The MEC Toronto Summer Classic Run (5k or 10k) should be a great way to test your mid-summer Sunday mettle.
The Annex Flea is the most honest spot in the city to pick up your favourite vintage and homemade goods. Click the link and you’ll get it.
The moment you’ve all been waiting for, the 2014 International Kam Cha Hong Kong Milk Tea Competition, has arrived.
Trinity Bellwoods Park is playing host to a vintage bicycle show. In other words, it’s Sunday in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
Did you always want a pony growing up? Well, you and us both, brother. Luckily the CNE is hosting HorseCapades. It’s sounds like it’s as close to a cat Cafe as you’re going to get for horses. Warning, though: expect children currently wishing they had a pony to show up in droves.
Hitchcock in the park? Yes, please.
If you grew up in Canada, you know this song. In fact, MuchMusic made sure you did. So it’s no surprise that you should be excited to listen to it live at the Festival of Beer. Matty takes the stage at 6:15pm.
And lastly, if you came of age in the 90s you know that a Nine Inch Nails AND Soundgarden show is basically your childhood wet dream. How could the younger you ever forgive the current you for not going to whisper along with all the words to Hurt?
Well, that’s it, that’s all.
Four days and 35 ways to spend them.
Just remember – FOMO isn’t real if you’re there.
Stay Notable,
The Weekender
#NOTABLE
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Top photo courtesy Taste of Toronto
