Saturday, August 31, 2024

Toronto Buskerfest 2024


It's a Buskerfest weekend at Woodbine Beach! "Fearless meets Funny" from August 30 to September 2, 2024. Entrance is free with a voluntary donation to Epilepsy Toronto.


More from the Buskerfest website, "It’s spontaneous, it’s outrageous; it’s fun, funny, and fabulous – there is something for everyone at the Toronto International BuskerFest for Epilepsy. Be prepared to witness something spectacular around every corner from circus artistry, to daredevils, feats of the impossible, and so much more at Ontario’s largest gathering of buskers from around the world."

Toronto Dragon Festival 2024


They managed to wrangle a rather large, golden Dragon and he looks peaceful for now, which is lucky for Toronto. The big guy is at City Hall's Nathan Phillips Square for the weekend Toronto Dragon Festival August 30 to September 1, 2024.

You can enjoy the annual cultural festival, which first started in 2018, and features live performances, food and beverages, a kids zone, art, martial arts, calligraphy, literature, and beautiful costumes all from the rich history and life in China.





https://dragonfestival.ca

Canadian International Air Show 2024

Toronto has been prepping for the end of summer Canadian National Exhibition and the associated Air Show beginning on Thursday when some of the aircraft were touching down at Pearson Airport. Friday was the practice and the big show in the sky starts Saturday, August 31 and continues until Monday, Sept 2, 2024 (daily from noon till 3:40pm).
This year the Canadian International Air Show, held in Toronto along the shoreline of  Lake Ontario as part of the CNE, hits a 75 year anniversary, just slightly under the 100 year anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The easiest way to see the show is stick to the Lake Shore, including the CIAS special event area in Marilyn Bell Park (tickets required) or along the parks lining the lake. Another great place to watch is from the Toronto Islands, specifically along the Hanlan Beach area (please note the whole beach is now clothing optional, so be prepared). Take a water taxi if the ferry boats are full.
RAF Red Arrows
Here is a list of the aircraft taking part in the show, note some planes are only making an appearance on specific days so check their schedule on the website. You can also find a link to the live audio of the air show commentary on the website (also here at this link: https://cias.org/2024-cias-commentary/ ).
CF18 Demo
USAF F22 Raptor

Aerial performers for 2024
Canadian Forces Snowbirds
Royal Air Force Red Arrows
P-51 Mustang Heritage Flight
U.S.A.F F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team
CF-18 Demonstration Team
Douglas C-47 Dakota (Aug. 31 only)
Avro Lancaster Mk. X with the B-25 Mitchell Mk III (Sept. 1 & 2 only)
Kyle Fowler & The Long EZ
Trevor Rafferty Pitts 12
Redline Airshow’s Van’s RV-8
CL-415 Waterbomber
RCAF Chinook helicopter
Harvard MK II
The Waterbomber takes a shot
Canadian Forces Snowbirds

Monday, August 26, 2024

Toronto's Sneaky Dee's

Finally stopped by the bar with the crazy graffiti signs called Sneaky Dee's at the corner of College and Bathurst streets. It is definitely not a glitzy Tex-Mex restaurant. Described as an unassuming bar that is also a concert venue with live music and DJs.
I just went for a couple of pints and the price of drinks was low and I had two draft amber beers for just a little over $10 dollars, sitting in the sun on the patio and watching the world go by. Apparently the site was to be demolished as part of a redevelopment but the plans are on hold now. This is one of the few old, iconic bars that helped shape entertainment in the city. Hopefully the food, beverages and music will flow for a while longer.

The eclectic establishment is full of wonky graffiti that continues downstairs and into the bathrooms.

They don't take reservations or debit cards so plan accordingly.

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Toronto Mabuhay Philippines Festival 2024

Nathan Phillips Square is hosting the 2024 Mabuhay Philippines Festival from August 24 to 25 to celebrate Filipino culture and 75 years of Canadian Philippine friendship. You can find vendors and booths with food along with fashion and arts as well as entertainment on the main stage.

Battle at the Square Basketball tournament

The weekend festival will have beautiful Philippine dancing, music and fashion as Canadian diversity is celebrated during this, the 26th annual event brought to you by the Philippine Independence Day Council.

Saturday, August 24, 2024

Yorkville Murals

The ritzy neighborhood of Yorkville was taken over by art for the August 24 to 25, 2024 weekend. Beautiful weather is back in the Six so why not enjoy something outdoors in Toronto. YVM, or Yorkville Murals promises no empty spaces as the event takes place along Yorkville Avenue between Bellair Street and Hazelton Avenue.
@jmhcet Deep underground in the dark lower Bay St #ttc #subwaystation for end-to-end #artinstallation as part of #YorkvilleMurals. #YorkvilleMurals2024 ♬ original sound - jmhcet
Also very cool is the art installation down deep in the mostly unused, post apocalyptic lower Bay ttc subway station. Believe it or not this is the first time I have been deep in the bowels of this particular station, often used in movies, because it is usually too busy during nuit blanche and other events.
@jmhcet #yorkvilleMurals art installation on top of the parking structure. #relax #artinstallation 2024. #yorkvillemurals2024 #inflatable ♬ original sound - jmhcet

When you look up at a certain parking structure you can see a purple inflatable spelling out RELAX. It is on the fourth floor and I think they are having an after party up there as well. Plus there is an additional installation of orange arches up there.


From YVM's website "Toronto’s most captivating art and muralism festival returns August 24-25th with a second iteration of the theme No Empty Spaces. Celebrating its sixth year of the festival, Yorkville Murals will transform the street into a cultural extravaganza, where visitors will be entertained with every step. Yorkville Murals will deliver participatory entertainment and play. Through captivating murals, inflatables, art installations, live painting, art talks, music, dance battles, pop-up shops and an evening block party, culture lovers will want to come back daily to experience the fun."

Thursday, August 22, 2024

CIAS Toronto Air Show coming Labour Day weekend 2024

The Canadian National Exhibition has opened, so that means that Toronto's 75th annual Canadian International Air Show will be coming soon to the skies of the city on the lake across from Exhibition Place. In just over a week the high flying 2024 show will take place Saturday, August 31 to Labour Day Monday, September 2, appearing daily from noon till 3:40pm. And don't forget about Friday's practice session.
The F22 Raptor taking part in a previous CIAS

This year's show will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and there will be two jet demonstration teams taking part in 2024 - the venerable Canadian Forces Snowbirds along with the Royal Air Force Acrobatic team the Red Arrows.

2024 CIAS performers

Canadian Forces Snowbirds
Royal Air Force Red Arrows
P-51 Mustang Heritage Flight
U.S.A.F F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team
CF-18 Demonstration Team
Douglas C-47 Dakota (Aug. 31 only)
Avro Lancaster Mk. X with the B-25 Mitchell Mk III (Sept. 1 & 2 only)
Kyle Fowler & The Long EZ
Trevor Rafferty Pitts 12
Redline Airshow’s Van’s RV-8
CL-415 Waterbomber

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat

Three polar bears are currently in the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat in Northern Ontario - Ganuk, Henry and Inukshuk. These bears are in the facility that cares for polar bears that require human assistance and the site includes a small lake that they swim and play in, although it is hard to see them as they are farther away.

They wander several different areas in the 24 acre facility including a pool area with windows into a viewing area where you can watch the staff throw watermelons into the water and have the bears jump into the pool to grab them. There is also an adjacent area with a window into the grassed area and you can avoid the double row of fences for better photos.


See more of the polar bear after the jump.

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Road Trip Giant Loonie in Echo Bay

A giant loonie stands in Echo Bay, a small town between Lake Huron and Lake Superior near the Canada US border. The Canadian currency that took over the dollar bill some time ago was designed by artist and resident of the township Robert Carmichael and to honour Robert they constructed and dedicated the monument in 1992.

The small town is part of the geographic North Shore of Lake Superior and helps to bridge the Near North of Ontario to Northern Ontario.

It is a fine example of adding giant or unusual attractions to bring in tourists passing through the area and we gladly made the little detour to see the monument. It was similar to the Twoonie monument in Cambellford located between Toronto and Ottawa. See more photos after the jump.

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Road Trip Northern Ontario

The journey home back to the GTA started at Thunder Bay, pretty close to the north-western limit of Lake Superior. Highways 11 and 17 (the Trans-Canada Highway are joined here) and you can find the Terry Fox Lookout and monument overlooking Thunder Bay and the highway just to the east of the city. Terry's famous planned run across Canada began on the east coast and unfortunately ended on the Trans-Canada just a short way from where they placed the monument.


A picture of Terry during the Marathon of Hope along with a route map of his journey

We decided to take the more norther route of Highway 11, also identified as part of the Trans-Canada Highway which runs in a circular path from Nipigon to North Bay and down into Barrie where it joins Highway 400 towards Toronto. People often ask why you would take this route because they consider it to be lonelier and less scenic as well as having fewer gas stations along the route. However it is spectacular north of Nipigon before it settles down into the more level Boreal Forest, winding around lakes and larger hills. Just fill up your gas when you get a chance, even if you are filling the tank when it is only half way down.

The attractions we wanted to see made it a priority that we take this route home, including Beardmore with the giant snowman, Hearst with its Moose versus Wolf statue, the flying saucer in Moonbeam, Cochranes polar bears and Earl the Big Bison of Steel in Earlton.
Beardmore's Snowman is the World's largest at 35 feet high. In summer he holds a fishing rod, in winter it is a curling broom all the while wearing a black top hat, sunglasses and a smile.

Staying overnight in Hearst, Ontario we hope for more of the aurora but the overcast skies would not allow a view if they made an appearance. A unusual metal dome was north of us and I asked a local what it was and found out it was a long unused wood burning dome from an old sawmill location. Wood products and mining have long been one of the main products of the north and even today you can see large sites with wood operations or mines, especially gold mines with their huge tailing piles.

See more of the north route after the jump.

Doors Open

Scarborough Bluffs

Pride

Redball

Beaches

Graffiti

Lake Ontario

Nathan Phillips Square

Transportation