Monday, December 21, 2015

Kensington Market Winter Solstice 2015

The shortest day of the year leads quickly into the longest night as the famous Toronto market celebrates the winter solstice.  Put on by Red Pepper Spectacle Arts, the event is commercial free and a hella-good time, even in the moist evening just days before Christmas.
Bands and people in costume join participants with lanterns at Augusta and Oxford at 6:30pm on Monday,  December 21, 2015. The excitement grows as the 26th annual parade makes its way through the tourist destination and  music calls out to the festive crowd while fire leads the way toward Alexandra Park. 
Hundreds will gather in the park around the baseball diamond as performers fill the area around the installation - constructed only to be put to the torch. This year a pair of hands are raised to the sky. You can find your inner pagan as the rhythmic beats fill the air along with cinders from the fire reaching into the sky. 
danylyne.com brought their illuminated art bike and their manifesto
It's going to be a long night but it will be worth it as we approach the Christmas holidays later this week and stick it to the Burgermeister-Meisterburger.
After this, the days get longer, woot woot, which is nice as we head into the cold, cold heart of winter. 'Unite to ignite the longest, darkest night of the year' with a lantern-lit parade through the historic market. The night featured giant puppets and various community groups and bands - like the Samba Squad, Native Men's Residence, New Model Circus Army, Richard Underhill and the Kensington Horns among many others.

Flame juggling and fire blowing are a big part of the night's entertainment

See more of the celebrations after the jump.

Galloping in on trusty steeds


St Nick takes a break from the grind at the North Pole


Hands in the rain





After the crowds start to head home a small group gathered around the remnants of the paper mache bonfire

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