The top 5 renegade exhibits at Nuit Blanche 2015

A huge part of Nuit Blanche is the magic that happens outside of the festival's exhibitions. For the past few years, Stephanie Avery has been curating Les Rues des Refues (the streets of rejects) to showcase artworks that fall outside of the official program. She's compiled a downloadable guide filled with projects and installations that'll pop-up across the city throughout Saturday's all-night art event.

Here are my top picks for renegade exhibits at Nuit Blanche 2015.

The Nuit Blanche Renegade Parade 2015: March Of Magical Creatures
This year, the annual Renegade Parade looks like it's Harry Potter themed. According to the event description, the Canadian Ministry of Magic has abolished the Statute of Wizarding Secrecy for one night only because it needs help capturing a group of rogue magical creatures. Don a black kigurumi (don't worry, you won't look like a Death Eater) and apparate over to 104 Ossington at sunset.

Take Back the Nuit
The Artists Newsstand took over the vacant kiosk at Chester Station after running a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year. Fittingly, this DIY project is providing an alternative to the Nuit Blanche spectacle with a political dance party featuring DJs and performances from 7 p.m. until midnight.

Open Screen
The White House Studio Project at 277.5 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market usually participates at Nuit Blanche in some capacity. This year, Monika Hauck and Alex Ricci are holding an open-mic (well, screen) style evening, allowing all artists to present their video-based work all night long.

Johnnyland Nuit Blanche Art and Music Festival
If you just want to dance it out on Saturday night, head to the Scadding Court community centre where Johnnyland will be hosting its annual free music and art festival. With 15 bands and artists lined up, the music will run for seven hours, from 6:30 p.m. until 2:30 a.m.

Northern Beaver Gallery
Rebecca Houston's art vending machines/portable galleries are back. Three of them will pop up around the city, allowing anyone with a toonie to purchase a piece of genuine, locally made art.

Which renegade art exhibitions did we miss? Let us know in the comments.