Light Painting in the Badlands

Fresh Joe wanted to make some art in the Cheltenham Badlands so we prepared our light brushes and with the help of Annie May we moved through the barren hills in the dark of night. The results were pretty cool.

See more light paintings and the Badlands before the light faded away into darkness after the jump.

Clean Toronto Together 2015

Dust clouds raised high above North America's fourth largest city as the annual 20-minute makeover kicked off on Friday, April 17 at City Hall. Celebrity Michael "Pinball" Clemons came down to Nathan Phillips Square to help promote the litter cleanup campaign. Community clean-up days continue over the weekend.

Pinball poses with his wife and some school children at the clean-up

The Toronto Argonauts came out with several Argo cheerleaders and team mascot Jason to help ramp up the excitement and cheer on participants in several of the pre-clean games. 

"Hey Toronto. It's time for some spring cleaning! The city's annual spring clean-up is back! Led by the City of Toronto's Live Green Toronto team, the Clean Toronto Together campaign is a weekend celebration that brings together thousands of Toronto residents, students, businesses, organizations and community groups to remove litter and keep our city clean and green.You can do your part by getting together with friends, family, co-workers and classmates to clean a park, or any other space that needs your help."

New York City back on Bay Street

Toronto's on-location filming continues with movie expenditures exceeding $1 billion dollars spent in the past four years. The domestic and international screen industry shoots film, television, commercials and animation in the city and investments increased 4.3 percent over 2013. The biggest chunk of dollars was spent on filming television series. You can find productions currently underway in Toronto on the city's website.

"The scale and scope of the success in film speaks to the quality of talent and service that this city provides," said Mayor John Tory. "Toronto continues to be a very desirable filming location. This continued growth is also a clear sign that our Film and Entertainment Industries Office at City Hall is having a positive impact on the film industry in Toronto.”

In 2014:
• Domestic and international screen-based production companies invested a record $1.23 billion in on-location filming in Toronto.
• Commercial production investment in 2014 ($195 million) showed a 48 per cent increase from 2013, which is an unprecedented level of growth for the city in this area.
• Investment in major domestic productions reached $652.25 million, exceeding $500 million for the second consecutive year, with an unprecedented 21 per cent increase over 2013. This increase can be attributed to the growth in domestic TV series spending.
• Television series continued to dominate investment in Toronto, with more than two-thirds (79.4 per cent or $757.4 million) of total production investment being for television series.
• The number of location filming shoot days jumped by 19 per cent in 2014 over 2013.

"The expansion and diversification of the industry are positive signs for Toronto’s future as a prime production location," said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic Development Committee. "While television series continue to be our largest investor, the commercial production industry has nearly doubled its investment since 2012."

Their was a large film crew shooting NBC's series Suits legal drama on Bay and Adelaide Streets today. Large quantities of dapper extras and large cameras lined the sidewalks outside the Bay Adelaide Centre.

@TOProSuperShow coming in June 2015

Canada's largest fitness expo brings top Canadian and International athletes competing in championship events in several sports. The 5th annual Toronto Pro SuperShow venue is the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and the John Bassett Theatre during the Saturday - Sunday, June 6-7 weekend. Also featuring a health and fitness expo with seminars and sessions by industry leaders.

The only qualifying Canadian event for the International Federation of Bodybuilders and Fitness (IFBB) Olympia competitions. Pro competitions include Men's bodybuilding, wheelchair bodybuilding and physique as well as Women's bodybuilding, fitness, figure, bikini and physique.

"Over 170 booths with the latest in sports equipment, apparel, supplements and nutrition. The EXPO stage and floor will play host to numerous sporting competitions, special events, guest speakers and industry celebrities. The best competitors from Ontario and Internationally will be competing for dominance in their select sports. This will surely be another crowd pleasing weekend for all - you won't want to miss it. Also, you never know who just may show up unannounced. The 2015 Toronto Pro SuperShow EXPO schedule is as follows: Saturday June 6, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday June 7, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m."

Other events include Inside Fitness Model Searches, Amateur MMA, Sweat RX Crossfit Challenge, Sweat for Kids, Ironman Open Armwrestling Tournament, Strongman Challenge, OWA Toronto Weightlifting Championships, OPA Toronto Powerlifting Championships, Boxing Tournament sanctioned by Boxing Ontario, CASK Kickboxing Tournament, OPA Provincial Bodybuilidng, Fitness, Figure, Bikini and Physique Championships and CPW Professional Wrestling.

See more bodybuilders after the jump.

Toronto Photo Medley

The Big Smoke is full of interesting sights, some of them you see day in and day out, some of them are like items in Costco - you see them for a short time, then they are gone. The geese in the Eaton Centre are always there, the deer only come out for the Christmas Season.

OCAD University is a big, colourful matchbox on giant pencil crayons

Go Leafs Go at the ACC

The AGO reminds me of a lighter than air dirigible

I wished my house looked like this old bank on Yonge Street

Enjoying a cool fountain on University Avenue

An art installation at the Humber River pedestrian bridge

PeTA protests at the city's busiest scramble intersection

Redball from several years ago

Sailboats along the lake front

Fun things to do in #Toronto September & October 2015

Bright and beautiful shines the light of summer in the T Dot and it is time to enjoy all the events and attractions that happen in late fall. Colourful leaves, candy apples and exciting rides also bring the fall fair season throughout Ontario.

Canadian National Exhibition CNE Fri to Mon, Aug 21-Sept 7.
Toronto Fan Expo Comicon Thurs to Sun, Sept 3-6.

Canadian International Air Show (CIAS) Sat to Mon, Sept 5-7.
Festival of Praise Parade Sat, Sept 12.

Toronto International Film Festival Thurs to Sun, Sept 10-20. Something about films and stars.
Toronto Oktoberfest Fri to Sat, Sept 18-19.
Toronto Beer Week Fri to Sat, Sept 18-26.
Canada's Walk of Fame Festival Thurs to Sun, Sept (dates to be determined).
Just for Laughs Festival JFL42 Thurs to Sat, Sept 24-Oct 3.
Windfest Sat, Sept (date to be determined).
I Love Culture Fri to Sun, Sept 25-27.
Woofstock Sat to Sun, Sept 26-27 in Woodbine Park. North America's largest festival for dogs.

Nuit Blanche Sat, Oct 3 (6:51 pm to sunrise). The all night art thing with plenty of videos and light shows.
Haunted Walk of Old Toronto Oct - Nov.

Toronto Everything to do with Sex Show Fri to Sun, Oct 23-25.

Zombie Walk CANCELLED Sat, Oct 24. Take your brains and run for your life. UPDATE:
"Deadlings, It is with great sadness that we must announce that the 2015 Toronto Zombie Walk is cancelled. We want to thank you all for making this event the special event that it has grown to be. And we are sorry to say that we have failed to secure any of our grants or sponsorships for this year, so we must bow out."
Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV and Powersports Show Fri to Sun, Oct 23-25.
Art Toronto Fri to Mon, Oct 23-26.
Night of Dread Sat, Oct TBD.
Zoomer Show Sat to Sun, Oct 24-25. 

Escape or Die!

Dean Gunnarson cheated death once again as he broke free of his straitjacket, heavily laden with chains and locks, while hanging upside down from the flaming jaws of death.

As the large crowd in Yonge-Dundas Square surrounded the World famous escapologist he strapped on his jacket and with the help of an assistant the chains were tightly wrapped around the jacket and secured with locks. Then he was placed under the metal jaws that were like a giant, robot crocodile mouth, pried open and set like a mouse trap and lit on fire.

Film crews were recording the death defying adventure for a new series on OLN. "Dean Gunnarson is hailed as the world’s most daring escape artist, entertaining audiences around the world with remarkable death-defying stunts. Escape or Die! is a thrilling half-hour series that takes viewers into Dean’s crazy, unique life as he and his team prepare for nail-biting escapes that threaten his life. Each episode will focus on a REAL new stunt that he will perform in exotic and unusual locations around the globe. Attempting escapes more daring than his idol Houdini, viewers will watch and ask themselves: Has Dean gone too far this time? Can he pull off the escape?"

See more of the excitement after the jump.

Spring makes me think of festivals

Cold winter given over to cleaning rains that wash away the winter and bring thoughts of refreshing outdoor patios and festive neighbourhood events. Sun and warm weather will see people flocking out of winter hibernation and to some of the best festivals in Toronto which include the Toronto Pride Week, Honda Indy Toronto, Taste of Little Italy, CHIN Picnic, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Luminato, Nuit Blanche, Taste of the Danforth, Chinatown Festival and Buskerfest.

The CHIN Bikini Contest

The Outdoor Art Exhibition in Nathan Phillips Square

Kensington Market's Winter Solstice

Caribbean Carnival costumes

Rounding the Princes' Gates during the Honda Indy

Toronto Pillow Fight 2015 - battle of the square

The army of sleeping beauties woke up, grabbed their soft, fluffy pillows and set upon themselves in a melee of epic proportions. The battle was fought around the world on International Pillow Fight Day Saturday, April 4, 2015 and in our fair city the field of honour was Nathan Phillips Square in the shadows of City Hall.

Organized by Newmindspace the Toronto event promises that "Pillows fly and teddies soar as you converge for a giant urban pillow fight! Swing and whack as you evade pillow-wielding assailants. Bring a soft pillow and wait for the signal. Pillow fight!"

Rules: Please follow these guidelines to ensure a safe and fun pillow fight for everybody!
+ Soft, feather-free pillows only!
+ Swing lightly, many people will be swinging at once.
+ Do not swing at people without pillows or with cameras.
+ Remove glasses beforehand!
+ Deposit pillows in donation boxes or take them with you.
+ Pajamas welcome.

Starting at 3 pm the combatants must have had a lot of free Red Rain energy drinks because they kept going and going for over an hour. In single combat, occasionally in pairs and rarely in small groups, the people kept the momentum of the fight going as hundreds of photographers circled the group as pillows flailed and sometimes were flung high in the air.

Posted by Joe Hamilton and James Hamilton. See more of the pillow fight after the break.

Toronto Graffiti Alley in the Spring

Warmish weather beckons and Queen Street West answered the call, time for a look at the alleys running adjacent to the bad boy of streets. Urban redevelopment has added some new buildings and taken away some of the graffiti walls and new graffiti has covered over older stuff - ahhh, the downtown circle of life.

Some of the murals are spectacular and you can see why Rick Mercr keeps coming back for his rants. In fact a number of times that I have returned to the famous back alleys there have been people filming rants of their own.

See more of the alley art after the jump.