Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this May 23-25, 2014.

Anime North
All forms of Japanese culture are heralded at Toronto's fan-run anime convention, Anime North. Over the weekend of May 23-25 at the Toronto Congress Centre, anime gets animated- there's a Lolita Fashion Tea Party, workshops, skit contests, a Saturday Night masquerade, a big Anime Doll event, videogames, even an anime garage sale (Nominoichi) where you can buy all your favourite characters and have your anime questions answered. May 23 - 25, Toronto Congress Centre (650 Dixon Road).

CITY

15th Annual Doors Open Toronto
For all the lineups and repeat buildings, Doors Open Toronto can still be a pretty remarkable experience if you plan it properly. First timers will be drawn to buildings like the R.C. Harris Filtration Plant, Osgoode Hall and Redpath Sugar, but it's typically the new buildings in a given year that balance the intrigue of gaining access to a private space and the boredom of suffering through a long queue. The lineup has yet to be released for 2014, but there always seems to be at least five or six new additions each year that are legitimately exciting. Check out our preview here for what to see. May 24 10am - 5pm.

FILM

Inside Out LGBT Film Festival
Pride month is on the horizon, which can only mean two things: Rob Ford is in cottage country (or is he?) and the Inside Out festival is nearly upon us. The 10-day festival is one of the largest of its kind, and routinely features a broad mix of artful indies, social issues pictures, and glorious camp, all dealing with LGBT issues, all in good fun and taste. Their line-up has yet to be announced, but stay tuned for our spotlight on what is sure to be another epic gateway into the first summer month. May 22 - Jun 1.

See also

• Death Weekend (Friday, Trash Palace)
• LIFT Spring 2014 Garage Sale (Saturday, LIFT)
• Spoony Toons: Saturday Morning Cartoons From the 80s & 90s - On a Sunday (Sunday, Cinecycle)

ART

May the Fords be With You
Time for another Rob Ford themed art show? Okay, maybe the timing is a bit off since Ford is AWOL from City Hall, but since Rob doesn't use the internet I doubt he'd find out about this group show anyway. Street artists and more will display their visions of "Ford Nation in the Star Wars Universe" because if you haven't heard, it's crazy town out there. Saturday, May 24, 6pm, Atomic Toybot (978 Queen St. East).

Istvan Kantor's PROGRESS REPORT
Local weirdo Istvan Kantor is hosting an open studio, of sorts. Visit his storage space "STASH" to see "useless art objects" and work Kantor's tinkered with since 1977. Kantor says he's moving his stash to NYC, so gawk his hoard while you can. I doubt this is the last we'll see of the man himself, though. Saturday, May 24, 2-6pm, STASH (276 Crawford Street).

Kensington Market Art Fair & Pedestrian Sunday
Pedestrian Sunday kicks off this weekend in Kensington Market, and it's set to get even more eclectic and colourful this summer: the Kensington Market BIA and Pedestrian Sundays are partnering up to throw an outdoor art fair series on the last Sunday of each month from May till October. Sunday, May 25, 77 Nassau Street.

See also

• Greater Good Gala (Friday, The Burroughes Building)
• rev.er.ie meets Toons On Tap meets Dr. Sketchy's (Friday, Round)
• Gordon Lebredt: Not To Be Reproduced (Friday, G Gallery)
• The Bazaar of the Bizarre: AFTERMATH (Saturday, Round)
• Lynn Goldsmith (Saturday, Analogue)

For more art listings, check out our Top 10 Must-See Art Shows This Spring post.

FOOD

Gardener's Seed-Up & Art Jam
If you hurry you can catch Gardener's Seed-Up & Art Jam today at the new green shipping container greenhouse. It's a potluck, there will be music, and you can get creative: everyone's making signs for Saturday's Monsanto protest. Friday May 23, 4-7pm, #FreeFood4All Community Garden, Scadding Court Community Centre (707 Dundas Street West).

Tallboys Craft Beer Garden (Saturday, Trinity Bellwoods)
This weekend you can legally drink in the park. Go to the hockey rink in the north east corner of the park, or just shrug and drink wherever your hungover wreck of a body lands like you normally do. Check the full list of brews here. Saturday, May 24, 1-7pm, Trinity Bellwoods Park (790 Queen Street West).

See also

• Toronto's GlutenFreedom Week (May 25-31)
• Junction Farmer's Market (Saturday, Junction Train Platform)

For more food events, check out our Toronto Food Events, Spring Food Events, and Spring Beer Events post.

MUSIC

Jessy Lanza
Hamilton's best setter-of-moods, it won't be long before tickets to Jessy Lanza are no longer $12.50. Catch up with her in our Breakout Band feature from last year. Friday, May 23, The Garrisson (1197 Dundas West), $12.50.

All Toronto's Parties
All Toronto's Parties is back - and super-groups are hot this time. On Saturday there will be daytime performances throughout Kensington Market (including in a hair salon and a kickboxing ring). The nighttime show is at The Comfort Zone (480 Spadina). See Isla Craig, Ketamines members, Darlene Shrugg (Slim Twig / US Girls / Tropics / Ice Cream), DJ Glit Clit (Lido Pimietna), Tough Guy Mountain, and way more. Confused? Read all about All Toronto's Parties here. Saturday, May 24, various locations in Kensington Market (day) + Comfort Zone (night).

See also

• Screech Karaoke w/ Igby Lizard (Friday, The Steady)
• SlowPitch live in store (Sunday, Sonic Boom)
• Toronto Mid-Town Record Show (Sunday, Greenwood College School)

For more music listings, check out our This Week in Music, May Concerts, Spring Concerts, The Top Metal, Punk and Hardcore shows in Toronto this Summer, and Spring Music Festivals posts.

THEATRE

East End Performance Crawl
In the spirit of Doors Open, the east end is giving you a peek at their thriving theatre scene. Mike Daisey's play Dreaming of Rob Ford is headlining at Big Picture Cinema, and over a dozen theatres are participating - including Jilly's. Check out the map and more details here. May 21 - June 1.

The Road to Mecca
David Storch directs South African playwright Athol Fugard's humanist tale about the struggle of personal fortitude in the face of an intolerant society. The Road to Mecca profiles a character who, in critique of her conservative village, transforms her home into a unique and personal work of art. Best known for his 1982 play "Master Harold"...and the Boys and ensuing conflicts with the national government due to the nature of his writings, Fugard has become one of the country's most celebrated literary figures. Soulpepper - Young Centre, Until May 28, $23-$74.

See also

• Paleoncology (Saturday, Videofag)

For more events on stage, check out our The top theatre productions in Toronto May 2014 post.

PARTY

11th Toronto Timeraiser
You can support the arts and have a good time! When is supporting the arts not a good time? This isn't just about the arts, though, it's actually about giving a helping hand in general. Food trucks, DJs, MC's and a screening mean this isn't your ordinary fundraiser in any regard: plus Power Plant is going hard this weekend to raise funds and accrue volunteer hours for nonprofits. Over 30 nonprofit agencies will be represented, and you can use your volunteer hours promised to bid on over thirty artworks by emerging Toronto artists. Saturday, May 24, 7pm, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery (231 Queens Quay West).

See also

• Evening Standard w/ SAN SODA (Friday, Bambi's)
• TWENTIETH.DANCE.PARTY (Friday, Double Double Land)
• ylmc: a summer fling dance party (Saturday, Smiling Buddha)

For more dance listings, check out our Top Dance Parties in Toronto in May post.

PETS

Woofstock
North America's largest outdoor festival for dogs is part doggie socializing extravaganza, part expo for fancy pooch accessories, and part meet and great for pet lovers. Think designer dogs, handbag sized animals in costume, free swag, and pugs, pugs, pugs. It's also a great chance for the city's dog rescues to get exposure and link up with people looking to foster or adopt dogs in need. Saturday, May 24 - Sunday, May 25, Woodbine Park.

COMEDY

Comedy Uncovered: Live! Headlined by Trixx!
Trixx (Just For Laughs, Comedy Network), Eddie Della Siepe (Comedy NOW), improv duo Daniel Bierne & Becky Johnson (Canadian Comedy Award winners, Dad Drives, Space Riders) and Bryan Hatt (Comedy Network) are all devoting their Saturday to making you smile. It's heartwarming when you think about it. Saturday, May 24, Comedy Bar (945 Bloor Street West), $12.

FASHION

Fashion Trucks
Fashion trucks are gaining momentum! This Friday (May 23) from 11:30 am until 8 pm, and Saturday (May 24) from 10 am until 6 pm, MALA Go-tique will be parked at the corner of Queen and Soho to hawk current-season womenswear by the likes of Free People, J Brand and more. Plus, Ceramic Glaze will be on hand with nail polish giveaways, shoppers can receive style advice from a Pinterest influencer, and all are welcome to be "tattooed" by an on-site henna artist.

See also

• Yard Sale for the Cure (Saturday, Trinity Bellwoods Park)

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

BED-INS

Trinity Bellwoods Bed-In
This was submitted to our event hub and it's too odd not to plug. Inspired by John and Yoko, you can ask what's so funny about peace love and understanding 1960's style in Trinity Bellwoods Park with the option to bring PJ's, pillows, blankets, a four-poster bed, seeds to plant, food to share, and of course, l-o-v-e love. There will be some music and a bunch of hippy programming, so find this or avoid this depending on which decade you got on Buzzfeed. Sunday, May 25, 11am-6pm, Trinity Bellwoods Park (790 Queen Street West).

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

Film writing by Blake Williams, contributions by Keith Bennie, Bianca Venerayan