The CNE opens this weekend in Toronto, so get ready for 18 days of rides, entertainment, and the food, the bad-for-you-cant-stop-eating kind of food! We are in the are nearing the end of the summer and rounding up this years tasty treats and events! There will definitely be an abundance of food at the festival this weekend and great festivals contributing to that include the Bacon Fest, RibFest, Hot and Spicy Food Festival, and the Toronto Brunch Market.
Torontonians are encouraged to take to the streets Sunday for Open Streets T.O. – parts of Bloor and Yonge Streets will be closed to traffic and open to pedestrians and cyclists. Events and activities along the route have been planned for the day. Here is a list of fun events and happenings for this weekend:
Friday August 15, 2014:
- Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) August 15 to September 1st: : One of North America’s largest annual fairs offers 18 days of amusement park rides, parades, live entertainment, food and more. This year, airplane enthusiasts will be happy to hear about the Canadian International Air show which drops jaws every year! The pilots perform dare-devil loop-de-loops and synchronized maneuvers on the last weekend of the summer. Alongside the rides, games and food, the CNE boast loads of concerts, performances and special events.
- Art Walk North August 15 to 16, 2014: At the Mel Lastman Square The Art Walk North is a free two-day art event that showcases painting from established and emerging artists. One of the biggest outdoor fine art exhibitions in Toronto, Art Walk North is in its first year and is the second art show presented by Artists Network. The free event offers visitors the opportunity to discover local talent in the visual arts scene. It features various mediums such as, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking and others.
- RibFest at the CNE August 15 to September 1st, 2014: At Bandshell Park RibFest is a series of competition for the best rib recipe, with amateur cooks and seasoned pros alike put their secret sauces where their mouths are for one shot a glory. Visitors at the CNE are presented with eats from a variety of barbecue traditions from the sugar-friendly disciples of Kansas City who aren’t stingy with their molasses to the no-nonsense Memphians who prepare meat as simply as possible to let its natural flavors shine through. Whether smoked, grilled, boiled or broiled, every rack represents a
unique culinary philosophy vying to be this year’s champion. - Hot & Spicy Festival August 15-21, 2014: At the Harbour Front Centre you can enjoy the zestier things in life for the Hot & Spicy Food Festival. The Fest explores diverse hot food experiences, with cuisine from around the world. International and local chefs, farmers and artists reflect on how they fit into the global scene. Here are some examples of the many events that await you at the festival :
- International Iron Chef Competition – August 16 & 17: Hosted by Kevin Brauch, the competition is judged by Elizabeth Baird, Donna Dooher, and Tawfik Shehata. It features a battle between two chefs, to see who can “reign supreme,” at the Hot & Spicy Festival.
- Spice Route: Scavenger Hunt – August 16: Guests create their own spice route as they trace the history of ten different peppers from around the world.
- Joe Driscoll & Seko Kouyate – August 16: Hear the music of Joe Driscoll and Seko Kouyate as they perform the only way they can communicate with one another: through music. They fuse together traditional music, with hip hop and folk.
August 16, 2014:
- Gay Day at Canada’s Wonderland August 16, 2015: PFLAG Canada hosts a special event at Canada’s Wonderland for LGBT families. This family-friendly event promises live entertainment, an all-you-can-eat picnic buffet and the full range of Wonderland’s varied attractions, all while promoting inclusivity and acceptance. Tickets for this event can be purchased online or outside the park entrance, and season pass holders can purchase admission to the buffet separately.
- Sail-In Cinema August 14-16, 2014: Sugar Beach transforms into an outdoor movie theatre after dark during Sail-In Cinema. Whether you watch from a boat in the harbour or stick to dry land, the two-sided screen floating in the water makes this free movie event truly unique. The schedule:
- August 14: Jaws
- August 15: Jurassic Park
- August 16: E.T.
August 17, 2014:
- York-Eglinton International Street Festival August 16-17, 2014: Eglinton Avenue West is closed off for the York-Eglinton International Street Festival, a family celebration of Toronto’s diversity. The festival showcases top entertainment and cuisine from the Caribbean, Italian, Portuguese, and Latin communities and many other ethnic cultures. Among the activities at this year’s York-Eglinton International Street Festival are live music performances, dance lessons, food and drink vendors and a carnival with rides and an exotic petting zoo. The fest also boasts the largest street dance floor in Toronto, along with lots of attractions for both children and adults.
- Open Streets TO August 17 to August 31,2014: Open Streets TO is an event that encourages people to participate in physical activity and healthy recreation. Taking place two days, participants can bike, walk, run, or jog through the predetermined routes in the city. Along the way there are activity hubs set up, which host pop-up, interactive programing led by local community groups, business and organizations. Participants are encouraged to slow down and appreciate the parks, squares and street space of Toronto.
- YogaPalooza August 16 to 17, 2014: Yogapalooza is a festival that integrates musical performances, meditation exercises, health food and yoga classes to promote self-confidence across cultural divisions. Sit in on an authentic drum circle, where rhythm and untethered playing lead to inner calm, or try chanting during Kirtan, an Indian call-and-response tradition that uses repetition to clear the mind and ground the body.
Hotel Victoria 