Night of Dread Toronto

Weekend events in Toronto: October 26-28, 2012

Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this October 26-28, 2012.

HALLOWEEN

Burroughes Haunted Mansion
The already hauntingly beautiful Burroughes building transforms into a haunted mansion for the venue's 4th annual Halloween celebration, happening this Saturday night. Always a wild, sweaty dance party, this year's event will feature beats by DJ Rouge & Conor Cutz, DJ Whiteout and DJ Kinnesh with prizes and giveaways for the most outrageous costumes. If this Halloween party doesn't do it for you, there are plenty more happening in the city: check out our Toronto Halloween party guide for other festivities about town this weekend.
The Burroughes (639 Queen Street West), October 27, 2012, 9PM $50

Night of Dread 2012
The 13th annual Night of Dread Halloween parade is set to crawl through the city this Saturday afternoon with death marchers gathering at Dufferin Grove Park at 4PM. Following a westward path across Bloor Street and down to College, attendees are asked to dress in black and white as they participate in the ceremonial activities and parade to banish their fears alongside stilt walkers, puppeteers and musicians. Masks and puppets are available at the park Rink House to immerse attendees in the celebration of the true meaning of Halloween.
Dufferin Grove Park (875 Dufferin Street), October 27, 2012, 4PM PWYC ($10 suggested donation)

For a full roundup of Halloween-themed events this year, please see our Toronto Halloween Party Guide 2012.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Fall Made By Hand Show
Crafters, be crafty with your hands--Saturday marks the return of the Made by Hand Show at the International Centre in Mississauga. Over 150 Canadian artists, crafters and designers will showcase and sell their local handmade goods to shoppers with the admission fee going directly toward Crafting for a Cure, a charity that provides kids with comfort and entertainment during hospital visits. This one-day event will feature thousands of one-of-a-kind items as well as door prizes, swag bags and raffles for craft enthusiasts.
International Centre, Hall 6 (6900 Airport Road), October 27, 2012, 11AM $2

COMEDY

The Panel Show
The comedy quiz show that attempts to stump local comedians on current events, oddball news stories, and useless trivia is back at Comedy Bar this Friday night with the usual suspect ready to play the game. Competing for the novelty-sized million dollar cheque tonight will be comedians Ron Sparks, Jim Robinson, Ned Petrie, Chris Leveille, and David Tichauer, as well as special surprise guests. This is the Halloween edition, which probably means absolutely nothing but just show up and laugh anyway.
Comedy Bar (945 Bloor Street West), October 26, 2012, 8PM $5

For more comedy listings, check out our This Week in Comedy post.

FOOD

Desmond & Beatrice Bakeshop and Cupcakery
Queen East comfort bakery Desmond & Beatrice moves slightly northward this weekend with a pop-up bakeshop and cupcakery at Huntclub Studio. Happening Friday and Saturday night, the multidisciplinary studio will transform into a Riverdale bakeshop until the last cupcake has been eaten. Snack and digest art until your heart is content.
Huntclub Studio (709 College Street), October 26-27, 2012, 8PM Free

Cask Days 2012
Fall is the season for cask-conditioned beer brewing and what better place to appreciate autumn and warm your insides with a brew than at the Brickworks? Now in its 8th annual year, Cask Days 2012, the Cask-Conditioned Craft Beer Festival, takes place on Saturday and Sunday. A brief festival because the process requires that the ale be consumed within a few days of its peak, known as Cask Days, there will be over 100 beers from 50 microbreweries, all of which are seasonal or specialty casks. Seminars about cask conditioning, food from local vendors and food trucks, and art by names like Elicser and Yannick Brousseau will also be on site to keep attendees more than entertained.
Evergreen Brickworks (550 Bayview Avenue), October 27-28, 2012,

For more food listings, check out our This Week in Food post.

THEATRE

Endgame
Samuel Beckett meets Soulpepper this Friday with the opening of his famous absurdist work about a blind man and a servant, Endgame. The story of one man who is unable to stand while the other cannot sit, this one-act play speaks to the cyclical nature of life and the loneliness that happens between beginnings and endings. The play runs until it reaches its own endgame on November 17th. Checkmate.
Soulpepper Theatre Company (55 Mill Street, Building 49), October 26-November 17, 2012, 7:30PM $51

Summerfolk
A swanky turn-of-the-century garden party with inebriated guests, suicide attempts and scandal is the setting for Maxim Gorky's Summerfolk. Opening this weekend at Ryerson Theatre, this Soviet drama is believed to be based on the life of Anton Chekhov, whom Gorky was influenced by, and surrounds the general unhappiness surrounding Bourgeois society. The cast consists of the graduating class of Ryerson's four- year BFA Acting program under the direction of seven time Dora Award winner Dean Gilmour and runs until November 2nd.
Ryerson Theatre (43 Gerrard Street East), October 26-November 2, 2012, 8PM $18 general $14 student

For more theatre listings, check out our This Week in Theatre post.

FILM

Renegade Film School with Irvine Welsh
What happened next in Trainspotting? Irvine Welsh is in town to explain himself. Releasing the 2011 sequel to the 1996 hit about the Edinburgh drug scene, Welsh will be present at a Saturday night screening of Ecstasy at the Projection Booth East for a Q&A session about the film, which stars Adam Sinclair and Kristin Kreuk. The post-screening discussion will include a complete dissection of one key scene in the film between Welsh and the film's producer and director Rob Heydon. Spend a Saturday afternoon in film school, as renegades do.
Projection Booth East (1035 Gerrard Street East), October 27, 2012, 12PM $15 advance, $20 door

For more film listings, check out our This Week in Film and This Week in Rep Cinema posts.

Garrison Creek Bat Company

ART

Fall Classic
Dave Murray and Co. from the Garrison Creek Bat Company are hosting their second art show tonight at SMASH!. Featuring the work of over 25 local artists, the group exhibition is sure to bring out a crowd. Come check out some of the company's handmade bats and a whole lot of reasonably priced art.
SMASH!, 2880 Dundas St. W, October 26, 2012, 7PM

A Motel for Words & Ideas
Alexander Froese uses printmaking and mid-twentieth century aesthetics to reimagine retro advertisements in his new exhibit at Open Studio, A Motel for Words & Ideas. With fleeting nostalgia, Froese uses familiar commercial imagery to create messages about pain and joy that are accessible and yet anonymous. The artist will speak at 6PM with an opening reception party happening at 7PM.
Open Studio (401 Richmond Street West, Suite 104), October 26, 2012, 6PM Free

MUSIC

Do Right! 10YRS with Gilles Peterson
Do Right record label knows its jazz, funk and soul so in honour of their 10 year anniversary, BBC Radio 6 broadcaster, DJ and producer comes to The Great Hall to host one of the greatest music-focused parties of the weekend. The man who knows music best will only be hosting the event, introducing acts like Movement Collective, The Slakadeliqs and Maylee Todd. Advance tickets are available at Play De Record, Soundscapes, Rotate This and Cosmos Records with more available at the door on Friday night.
The Great Hall (1087 Queen Street West), October 26, 2012, 8PM $26.62

Bif Naked
Bif Naked makes a comeback this Friday night with an acoustic set in the Drake basement performance venue, playing her old hits and new music from her upcoming yet-to-be-titled acoustic album. Playing music that exists in that special space somewhere between punk and pop, Bif's intimate performance will be interesting to see because of it's genre-bending style. Ticket prices go up at the door so purchase through Guestlist prior to the early show.
Drake Underground (1150 Queen Street West), October 26, 2012, 8PM $30 advance, $35 at the door

For more music listings, check out our Hot Ticket and October Concerts posts.

FASHION

YYZ Living Magazine // INTERMIX // Fashion Week Closing Party
YYZ Living Magazine closes out Toronto Fashion Week on Friday with a party that will feature a fashion show by INTERMIX and beats by DJ Bambi providing music all night at Maison Mercer. With plenty of beauties for your eye candy needs, this will be the show for local designers and recognizable industry faces to attend so RSVP and show up early because the venue is expected to hit capacity. Doors open at 10PM and the show starts at 11PM.
Maison Mercer (15 Mercer Street), October 26, 2012, 10PM RSVP required

For more fashion listings, check out our This Week in Fashion post.

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.

Photos by Jim Dawson Photography and the Garrsion Creek Bat Company


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