The Ryerson Image Centre. Source – Secondarywaltz (Wikipedia_

The Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival is taking place at numerous venues across Toronto this May, bringing the work of the world’s best photographers to the city.  Now the largest photography festival in the world, this year’s edition of CONTACT promises to be the best one yet!

There are numerous fascinating installations and exhibits at this year’s CONTACT Festival.  Among the more interesting exhibits is Dutch photographer Erik Kessels’ 24 Hours in Photography, which displays over 350,000 photographs (all taken within the same 24 hour period) that Kessels printed out from the website Flickr and then scattered around a room at the Contact Gallery.  For history fans, the exhibit Arthur S. Goss will be of particular interest.  Goss was Toronto’s official photographer from 1911 until 1940, and part of his incredible photographic collection of Toronto streetscapes will be shown at the Ryerson Image Centre.  Foodies will want to check out Martin Parr’s Food installation at Metro Hall, which will feature many photos of the various ethnic dishes that he found at restaurants in Toronto.

The Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival will be running until May 31.  Many of the venues are accessible via CitySightseeing Toronto’s hop on hop off city tour.

Toronto FC fans at BMO Field. Source – Starinthesky (Wikipedia)

While the Toronto Maple Leafs (hockey) and Blue Jays (baseball) tend to get the most attention from sports fans in Toronto, Toronto FC, the city’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team, is increasingly providing some fierce competition!  Inaugurated in 2006, Toronto FC has been playing to sold-out crowds at BMO Field for the past several years and look as though they will only continue to rise in popularity.

Despite only being in existence for 7 years, Toronto FC has already played host to several top MLS players.  The fine play of fan-favourites such as Dwayne De Rosario, Danny Dichio, and Chad Barrett was crucial in helping the team win 4 straight Amway Canadian Championships from 2009 until 2012, which no doubt contributed to the robust following the franchise enjoys today.  This season, Toronto FC’s stars include Welshman Robert Earnshaw, who led the club in goals as of May 2013.  Another key player is Joe Bendik, the American goalkeeper who was acquired via a trade with the Portland Timbers in December 2012.

Toronto FC games at BMO Field are known around the MLS as being some of the rowdiest in the league!  Most games are sellouts, and fans are well-known for their raucous behaviour.  When Danny Dichio scored the team’s very first goal in 2007, for instance, fans responded by throwing their seat cushions onto the field!  Anything can happen at a Toronto FC game!

Attending a Toronto FC game should be on any Toronto visitors’ itinerary!  To obtain tickets, ask your hotel concierge!

Toronto’s The Annex neighbourhood. Source – SimonP (Wikipedia)

After a very rainy and cold April, the sun looks like it’s finally ready to shine here in Toronto!  There is no better way to take advantage of the nicer weather than by participating in Jane’s Walk this weekend!

Timed to commemorate the birthday of the late urban theorist Jane Jacobs, Jane’s Walk,  offers numerous volunteer-led tours of local Toronto neighbourhoods.  Some of the highlights of this year’s event include “Jack’s Walk,” which will include many stories about the life and work of the late Canadian politician Jack Layton.  For those who enjoy the macabre, local students will be leading a walk entitled “Murder!”, which will look at famous murders that have taken place in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood.  Singles will be happy to know that there is also a walk designed specifically with them in mind.  “Singles Walk,” will draw attention to some of the most scenic spots in Toronto to bring a date!  Finally, for German speakers, a special walk conducted entirely in German will feature the various connections within Toronto to German culture, history, and food.  Even if none of the walks mentioned here are of interest, there are many, many others available that are listed here: http://www.janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/toronto/

Jane’s Walk takes place between May 3 and 5 this year, and a large number of walks will be accessible via CitySightseeing Toronto’s hop on hop off city tour.  Why not combine a walk with one of our great city tours?

Scotiabank Theatre, where many documentaries will be screened during Hot Docs. Source – GTD Aquitaine (Wikipedia)

The Toronto International Film Festival isn’t the only prominent cinematic event in Toronto.  Even though it doesn’t necessarily attract the same level of A-list stars, the Hot Docs Festival is equally entertaining as its more famous counterpart, and is often more affordable and accessible!

The Hot Docs Festival is the largest documentary-only film festival in North America, and screens films at a number of wonderful venues across Toronto.  Some of this year’s highlights include Downloaded, a film that focuses on the enormous impact of Napster and other file-sharing websites on the music industry.  Another sure-to-be popular documentary is Anita, which profiles the lawyer and academic Anita Hill, who became infamous as a result of sexual harassment allegations she levelled at American Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991.  Which Way to the Front Line From Here? looks at the life of Tim Hetherington, one of the world’s foremost war photographers, who was tragically killed by flying shrapnel in Libya in 2011.

There is no shortage of fantastic films to see at the 2013 edition of the Hot Docs Festival!  Many of the venues are located close to stops on CitySightseeing Toronto’s hop on hop off city tour.  The festival runs from April 25 until May 5.  For more information, visit: www.hotdocs.ca.

Dinosaurs at the Royal Ontario Museum. Source – LupusCanidae (Wikipedia)

The 2006 movie Night at the Museum inspired many to wonder what it would be like to stay overnight among all of the historical artifacts inside a world-class museum.  With the Royal Ontario Museum’s (ROM) special Sleepovers program, you can now try to recreate Ben Stiller’s experience for yourself!

Held on Friday nights at various times throughout the year, ROM Sleepovers are a great way to spend an evening in Toronto with a young family.  There are plenty of crafts and activities planned for children throughout the evening, as well as a film screening (which may or may not be Night at the Museum!)  As the clock approaches midnight, attendees are provided with a delicious late night snack, and can partake in a super-fun karaoke PJ party!  In the morning, a continental breakfast is provided, and attendees gain exclusive access to the ROM’s fantastic gift shop.  The odyssey ends at 10:00 AM, when the ROM reopens to the general public, and the kids will no doubt have stories that are just as good as Ben Stiller’s!

More information can be found about the ROM Sleepovers program at this address: http://www.rom.on.ca/en/activities-programs/kids-events/rom-sleepovers.  To get to the ROM, take CitySightseeing Toronto’s hop on hop off city tour to stop # 10.

A Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester, England. Source – Seth Whales (Wikipedia)

Until recently, Lego aficionados in Toronto had to travel as far as Chicago or New York to take in the thrill that is a Legoland Discovery Centre.  With the opening of Legoland Discovery Centre Toronto at Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre, however, a Lego-lovers paradise is now just a short bus ride away!

The Legoland Discovery Centre has numerous attractions and exhibits that are entertaining for both young and old.  The Lego Factory highlights the processes involved in producing the infamous colourful bricks, and gives visitors the opportunity to make their own!  An exhibit called Miniland has recreated a large city in Lego form, which includes many famous Toronto landmarks!  The Earthquake Tables allow visitors to try and construct the strongest Lego building they can on a table that moves and shakes, and then watch to see if it withstands the power of an earthquake!  For those with very young children, the Legoland Discovery Centre has a special Duplo Village, which has plenty of larger and softer bricks that are specifically designed for those aged 1-5.  The Legoland Discovery Centre also caters to those looking for a great location to host a birthday party, with packages that include use of private Lego rooms, as well as food and beverages.

The Legoland Discovery Centre is one of Toronto’s best new attractions!  The best way to get to the Legoland Discovery Centre and Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre is by taking the Vaughan Mills Shopping Shuttle, which has two departures daily from Union Station (stop # 15 on CitySightseeing Toronto’s hop on hop off city tour).

It’s an art-lovers dream this weekend at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre as the Toronto Art Expo returns.  Over 200 artists from all over the world will be in attendance at the Expo, with many fantastic pieces of art available for viewing and purchase.  One featured artist is Estefania Valls Urquijo of Guatemala, who specializes in ceramic sculptures.  Another highlight of the show will be the “A Touch of Glass… and Stone, Metal, and Wood: Sculpture North” exhibit, which will showcase some truly awe-inspiring glassworks and sculptures.  Finally, the spectacular opening night gala is definitely not to be missed.  The famous Whirling Dervishes of Turkey will be performing at the gala, along with artists Moshe and Mike Hammer, a father and son duo who will both play music and paint in unison!

The Toronto Art Expo is a must-see for any serious art aficionado!  More information can be found at http://www.torontoartexpo.com/index.html.  To get to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, take CitySightseeing Toronto’s hop on hop off city tour to stop # 14 or # 16.  The Expo runs from April 11-14, 2013.

Direct Energy Centre – site of 2-13 Green Living Show. Source – Raysonho (Wikipedia)

Perfectly timed to coincide with upcoming Earth Day celebrations, the Green Living Show 2013  is back again at Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre!  It is the largest consumer show dedicated to environmentally-friendly products and services in North America, and attracts thousands of attendees each year.

This year’s show will feature the products and expertise of over 450 companies, as well as many prominent guest speakers and events.  The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Evan Solomon will moderate a discussion on Friday, April 12 regarding how capitalism can be used to help promote environmentally-sustainable policies and products.  Another notable speaker is Rob Stewart, director of the acclaimed documentary Sharkwater, who will be discussing his new film Revolution, which focuses on strategies to save crucial but vulnerable ecosystems.  For those bringing children to the Green Living Show, a special Kids Zone is planned to help keep them occupied with fun and educational environmentally-focused programming.  Finally, the always-popular Ontario Culinary Adventure Pavilion will feature some of the finest local foods, beers, and wines from across the province, with plenty of opportunities for sampling!

The 2013 Green Living Show will take place from April 12 – 14.  More information can be found here: http://www.greenlivingonline.com/torontoshow/index.html.  To get to the 2013 Green Living Show, take CitySightseeing Toronto’s hop on hop off city tour to stop #17 and then take the TTC’s 509 bus to Exhibition Place.

Toronto Blue Jays star Jose Bautista. Source – Interestica (Wikipedia).

Baseball is back in Toronto!  The Toronto Blue Jays played their home opener against the Cleveland Indians this week at the Rogers Centre (which they sadly lost by a score of 4-1).  There is no need to worry if you missed it, there will be another 80 or so more home games between now and September!

Anticipation for this season has been much higher than in the past for the Blue Jays, largely because of the many off-season moves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos has made to try and better the team.  Anthopoulos made a massive blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins in November 2012 that brought All-Stars such as Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and Jose Reyes to the team.  Yet another trade in December 2012 brought last year’s National League Cy Young Award winner (for best pitcher) RA Dickey to the Blue Jays from the New York Mets.  These new players, combined with returning favourites such as Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and Brett Lawrie (the team’s sole Canadian!) should make the Blue Jays a force to reckon with in Major League Baseball this season!

The Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays, is easily accessible via CitySightseeing Toronto’s hop on hop off city tour at stops # 14 and # 16.  Ask your hotel concierge for Blue Jays tickets!

Easter weekend is upon us in Toronto yet again, and there are plenty of events throughout the city that are worth checking out!  At High Park’s historic Colborne Lodge, guests can learn about the fascinating Easter traditions of 19^th Century Torontonians!  The Toronto Zoo is getting into the spirit of Easter as well, as several volunteer stations will be set up to highlight some of the amazing eggs that are found in the animal world (no word on how many of them have chocolate inside!)  Finally, the annual Toronto Beaches Lions Club Easter Parade will take place in Toronto’s lovely Beaches neighbourhood, starting at 2:00 PM at the intersection of Queen Street East and Munro Park Avenue.  Be sure to get your parade-viewing spot early, as the event routinely attracts about 50,000 people each year!