PARTY | The Funeral: Whippersnapper's Farewell Party
From the beginning, even the Whippersnapper Gallery's name denoted that it was an underdog. The little-gallery-that-could has occupied the second-storey space at College and Grace for five years now, fighting off the crowd at the douchey Strangelove club downstairs to become one of the city's most artist-friendly showrooms and an impressive live venue to boot. Faced with rising rent costs, the gallery dies a little death tonight, and is throwing a party to mark the end of its run at its current location. But don't mourn too hard, founder Luke Correia-Damude promises the gallery will live on in some form. Stay tuned.
Whippersnapper Gallery, 587a College Street, Free, 8 pm

BOOKS AND LIT | Carl Hiaasen in Conversation with Linwood Barclay
Novelist Carl Hiaasen has made a career lampooning the bizarre underbelly of his home state of Florida. Environmental activists, corrupt politicians, and hapless tourists have all come under his cynical gaze in past books, but in his latest comedic thriller Star Island he turns his scathing wit on American celebrity culture. The novel follows paparazzo Bang Abbot as he attempts to catch Lohan-esque Cherry Pye in compromising situations, revealing along the way the seedy reality of life in the Sunshine State. Hiaasen discusses the book with humorist Linwood Barclay tonight.
Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library, Free, 7 pm

GALLERY | Flat-Land
James Cameron's blue-skinned monsters may have propelled us into the world of 3-D, but this exhibition at Gallery 1313 contends that there's something worth investigating in the second dimension. Flat-Land is based on the concept that all art exists in two planes: as a work in and of itself, and as it is interpreted in the human psyche. The show runs til August 1, and features photography, paintings, digital imagery, and prints from Sam Rodin, Robert Canali, Noel Rodo-Vankeulen, and Tiffany Huta.
Gallery 1313, 1313 Queen Street West, Free, Opening reception tonight 6 pm - 9 pm, gallery hours Wednesday to Sunday 1 pm - 6 pm

FOOD AND DRINK | Craft Beer Festival and Summer BBQ
The great thing about beer festivals is that they allow you to look very sophisticated while getting totally smashed. The Hart House Craft Beer Festival offers up the tantalizing trifecta of beer, BBQ and bands, with local breweries like Big Rock and Steamwhistle providing the liquid stimulation and Hart House chef Marco Tucci spending the evening grilling pulled pork, ribs, and jerk tofu. Local rockers Everything All the Time provide the soundtrack.
Hart House, 1 King's College Circle, adult $35, student $25, 7 pm

GALLERY | Art Spin
If there's two things we love in this city, it's bicycling and art. Combine your passions and take a ride with Art Spin, a bike-led tour of galleries and artist studios in the Queen West neighbourhood. Arrive early and get a free tune-up from the helpful folks at Bike Pirates, who's motto is "A better bike is possible." The monthly event is free, so grab a friend and get peddling.
Meet at Trinity Bellwoods Park Queen and Strachan Gate, Free, 6:30 pm

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Photo: "Conversations" by bensonkua, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.