Medieval Times Dinner Theatre

The empire is run by a Queen who demands loyalty and requires death defying acts of combat, plus you get to eat with your fingers and you only have to cheer, you don't have to fight because they have knights for that. Enjoy 'epic battles of steel and steed' in Toronto's Exhibition Place at 10 Dufferin Street.

Everyone gets a paper crown

Exciting jousting

A dismounted knight battles one still on horseback

The tournaments and four-course feast lasts two-hours and includes displays of horsemanship by Spanish Horses along with jousting and sword fights. You can usually find discount codes online at Medieval Times website if you search long enough and if you go for one of the VIP packages you could get seated along the edge of the arena looking into the eyes of the knights and get banners to cheer on your team knight.

See more chivalry, fighting and pageantry after the jump.

Fantastic Planet Art Exhibition #distilleryTO

For the paranoid, yes there is someone or something watching over you as you wander the historic Distillery District. I will have to check if people have gone missing from the bricky neighbourhood, do the giant ghostly figures snatch people from above and toss the bones in seldom used alleyways?

This exhibition is almost over - it started the 1st of June and continues to Wednesday, July 31, 2019 - weather permitting. Galaxy, Parer Studio and the district are bringing the art installation to visitors and the description says that the figures are illuminated aliens that are exploring our "Fantastic Planet with a message of Peace, Love and Creativity".

Toronto Importfest 2019

After-market competitions in the massive Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building makes the Saturday, July 27 Canada's Biggest and Baddest car show. Hundreds of modified cars competing in over 100 award categories for big money prizes and trophies while DJs pumped out the jams.

The one day show runs from 11am to 10pm and includes feature attractions, stage performances and some celebrity models.

See more cars after the jump.

190 million dollar yacht Grace in Toronto

The ransom for a king is tied up to HTO Park West along Toronto's waterfront. It is impressive, like it should only be docked at Cannes beside Leo's ship.

The 81m behomouth 6-storied floating palace towers above Lake Ontario. It probably runs on caviar and champagne.

I am pretty sure that it set sail for a three hour tour.

Into the Clouds at Brookfield Place

Art collective FriendsWithYou brought some friendly clouds to Allen Lambert Galleria where they hung from the long hall, promising not to rain on visitors or their parades.

Four inflatable clouds show the collectives' desire to promote positive messages of happiness.

Halton County Radial Railway Museum

Milton is the home away from home for wayward Toronto Transit Commission streetcars. Quite a collection of railed vehicles including TTC subway cars are located on the museum's large property at 13629 Guelph Line. The non-profit Halton County Radial Railway collects, restores and operates electric railway cars and other associated equipment which you can explore and take short trips on.

The railway's website says that your ticket "includes unlimited historic streetcar rides on two kilometers of scenic track, which stops at our famous ice cream shop (approximately a 20 minute ride), access to the grounds, display barns and historic Rockwood Station. No admission is required to our Gift Shop where guests can find unique railway inspired gifts and tasty treats, including a hot dog lunch. Parking is FREE."

A maintenance truck with railway wheels

The scenic two-kilometre train track, owned and operated by the Ontario Electric Railway Association is electrified so that the various trains can make runs up and down the route, leaving from the 'Rockwood' Station and traveling to the ice cream stop at 'Meadowvale' Station. There were three trains that you could ride on the day we visited and one was a really old, open style TTC car built in 1933 along with a 1923 TTC streetcar and finally a radial engine from the London to Port Stanley line.

The East End Cafe located just south of the Meadowvale Station is a cool place to get ice cream and other treat. Cars stop at this location for about ten minutes and you can wander the area, eat your ice cream and wait for the next train, or jump on the returning car.

An adult admission for 2019 is $15.50 plus HST while kids under 3 and seniors over 90 are free - you can also buy a family rate ticket. Trains leave the station beginning at 11am. Here are their posted hours from May till October:

MAY & JUNE
Weekends & Holidays Only: 10am–5pm
JULY & AUGUST
Weekdays: 10am–4:30pm
Weekends & Holidays: 10am–5pm
SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER
Weekends & Holidays Only: 10am–5pm
Events outside of these hours are adjusted annually.
The last ride leaves 30 minutes before closing.

Old No 327 comes out of the forest

Barn 3 and the Sir Adam Beck Centre have an extensive collection of the railed vehicles

Some of the many cars you can explore

See more railcars after the jump.

Honda Indy Toronto 2019 photo gallery

A photo recap of the Honda Indy Toronto race in Exhibition Place featuring the NTT IndyCar Series

Victory Circle

Champagne dance

NTT IndyCar race at the Honda Indy Toronto 2019

Day 3 brings better weather to Exhibition Place and the final day of racing at the 33rd annual Honda Indy Toronto brings plenty of on track excitement, culminating with the 85 lap NTT IndyCar race. The cars will be placed on the starting grid at 2:50pm, driver introductions will take place at 2:57pm, then the green flag goes at 3:42pm on Sunday, July 14, 2019. The cars will have a warm up period just after lunch. Simon Pagenaud, pictured at top, waves to the crowd while standing on his #22 car in the pits after winning the P1 pole position on Saturday. See more of my coverage of the 2019 race on my post here.

Plenty of military in uniform attending, the even get their own grandstands

The Firestone Fast Six were Simon Pagenaud #22 with a time of 58.4293s and a speed of 110.041 mph followed by Scott Dixon #9, Felix Rosenqvist #10, Alexander Rossi #27, Josef Newgarden #2 and at number six is Ed Jones of the number #20 car. James Hincliffe qualified 14th and the last place qualifier was Tony Kanaan of the #14 car.

Team T & J entertain early morning fans at the Winners' Circle 

GT3 cars travel down as they head into the rolling start. The track is already under caution as two cars crash in Turn 3

Video of the trucks jumping during Race 2 on Sunday

Until the afternoon IndyCar race we still have more Indy Lights, USF2000, Indy Pro 2000, GT3 and then at 2pm we have the final Stadium Super Truck race, which is even more special because half of it got cancelled due to Saturday's severe weather delays.

SpongeBob Squarepants at the pre-race ceremonies 

With the race approaching fans head to their seats

The 22 IndyCar drivers taking part will be driving on a IR-18 (or DW12 in honour of the late Dan Wheldon) Dallara chassis, Firestone tires and either a Chevy or Honda engine with Honda being the most prevalent. Fuel for these magnificent beasts is Speedway E85 which is 85% ethanol and 15% racing gasoline.

Tires are by Firestone and in the race teams must use one Primary set and an nes alternate set.

And the race is on!

If you are here with a general admission ticket you should check out the Pinty's Pub and Grill in Turn 1 or the Miller Lite deck at the far end of Thunder Alley, both have their own bars and great views. Inside the Enercare Centre CAA members have a private lounge and I heard they have free water plus it is a place to cool off.

To see drivers and cars up close get a pit pass or paddock ticket or stand outside the Enercare entrance between the Turn 10 grandstand and the trackside suite. Most Indy drivers will be weaving through obstacles on scooters wearing their racesuits.

Andretti Autosports, Carlin and Team Penske have 4 drivers each on their teams. Motorsports powerhouse Team Penske drivers Josef Newgarden (current series leader), Simon Pagenaud and Will Power are always ready to take the checkered flag but don't forget about other drivers like Ryan Hunter-Reay, Scott Dixon the 2018 winner, Sebastien Bourdais, Alexander Rossi and our hometown fave James Hincliffe. Will Power and Scott Dixon both won the Toronto race three times.

Honda Indy has announced that Canadian driver Robert Wickens will drive a hand controlled Arrow car during pre-race ceremonies as well as give the command for drivers to start their engines.

HIT says "For Wickens, it will be a grand welcome home as he continues his recovery and rehabilitation from injuries sustained in a racing accident last August. A personal highlight of his racing career was finishing third last year in Toronto during his rookie IndyCar season for Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports."

And right before the drivers strap in a flyover will take place with fighter jets (CF-18 Hornets) from the 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron from Canadian Forces Base Bagotville.

Simon Pagenaud is leading but is fighting fiercely with Scott Dixon to keep the lead. Only a dozen more laps remain at 5pm and there are still some contenders capable of taking the checkered flag. Takoma Sato of the #30 car had to pit as his car was on fire. He made it out and the fire was quickly extinguished.

P1 winner, Honda Indy 2019 winner Simon Pagenaud steps out of his car as a confetti cannon blasts off

Left to right: Scott Dixon, Simon Pagenaud and Alexander Rossi on the podium

And a caution came out at the end of the race and they finished 1st Simon Pagenaud, 2nd Scott Dixon and 3rd Alexander Rossi.

See more photos after the jump.