Spring is in full swing, and this weekend, Toronto is coming alive with events to suit every taste, from an art fair where you're bound to find something affordable to put on your walls, to a fashionable pop-up, to a music awards show featuring Little Dragon. Get your film fix with an Orson Welles showcase at TIFF, or enjoy the work of comic artists at this year's TCAF.
And just in case you forgot (or are still scrambling to find a perfect gift), Mother's Day is this Sunday—here are ten ways to celebrate with mom.
Love Art Fair
When: May 8 – 11
Where: Direct Energy Centre, 100 Princes' Blvd.
Details: Over 40 galleries are going to converge at the Direct Energy Centre for a four day-long exhibit this weekend. Love Art Fair aims to spotlight contemporary, affordable art and is a great way for young artists to band together and find buyers for their work. General admission runs $12, or $10 for the over/under crowd of students and seniors. For a preview of what you can expect, there are several galleries up here to see if anything tickles your fancy. Personally, I'll be staying in the under-$500 section.
Vitaly & Friends Pop-Up Round 3
When: May 8 – 12
Where: 1101 Queen St. W
Details: Vitaly Designs' gold square ring was previously featured on our site, and now they're headlining a weekend-long pop-up. The event will feature a laundry list of up and coming labels from Canada (such as Clocks and Colours), the U.K. (Sinstar), and Super Retro Future from Italy. Cosella will be DJing the event and there'll be a live performance from IllScarlett.
Sirius XM Indies at the Kool Haus
When: May 10, 7pm
Where: KoolHaus, 132 Queens Quay E.
Details: Sirius XM's 14th annual Indie Music Awards are going to rock the Kool Haus Saturday night. It's a topper for Canadian Music Week (check out our in-depth preview here). Voting is now open online, along with a list of nominees that include Arcade Fire, Born Ruffians, Basia Bulat and City and Colour — who are also playing a big gig at the ACC this weekend. There will also be a terrific lineup of performances to spice up the envelope openings and speechmaking. The headliner is Swedish soul group Little Dragon and the bill includes Hollerado, The Hidden Cameras, and more. Tickets are $34.50, and you can purchase them here.
Digifest
When: May 8 – 10
Where: Corus Quay, 25 Dockside Dr.
Details: One of the bigger Canadian digi/tech fests hits the Corus Quay this weekend. The event is all about showcasing what's new, hot and on the front lines of digital innovation, while trying to build bridges within the industry. Fittingly, the theme of this year's event is digital urbanism, and panel topics will include wearable and clean tech, talks by designers and artists like Keiichi Matsuda, and a showcase of student work from George Brown College. The festival pass options aren't cheap but Intel Family Day on Saturday keeps the cost down with some free events.
Toronto Comics Art Festival
When: May 10 and May 11
Where: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St.
Details: If you amble by the Toronto Reference Library this weekend for, say, a late-morning decaf at Balzac's, you'll probably notice the place being taken over by this year's TCAF. That preamble was a long way to go for a decaf/TCAF rhyme, but stay with me — this is always a cool event that highlights the variety (and creativity) of the comic book and graphic novel mediums. The two-day annual vendor fair has been going strong since 2003 (and has been held at the Toronto Reference Library since 2009). Admission is free, and the event runs from 9am to 5pm Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sunday.
Orson Welles: Lost & Found
When: May 9 – 13
Where: TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. W
Details: Before the near-globular waistline, even before Rosebud and Charles Foster Kane, Orson Welles took his Mercury Players around New York with a motion picture camera to create footage for a filmed portion of his production of the play Too Much Johnson. The result was thought to be lost until the silent comedy was found in Italy in 2008. TIFF is hosting the flick's Canadian premiere this weekend. Caroline Yeager will provide a live commentary for the film, and there'll also be live musical accompaniment for the Saturday screening of the film at 4:30 pm. Welles lovers will also want to take in a weekend of selected films including Othello, The Third Man and of course Citizen Kane. Seriously, though, no Touch of Evil or F is for Fake?