Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this Oct 3-5, 2014.

Nuit Blanche
All night art festival Nuit Blanche 2014 arrives in Toronto this Saturday for its 8th year. Most of us have made up our minds about the twinkling 7pm to 7am multi-zone party by now, and the chatter about whether it's art or simply entertainment has given way to tips about which bars have 4AM last call, restaurants will be open late, and who's tweeting the best finds and overheards (we'll try our best). Official exhibits are downtown, while indie projects stretch across the city along Queen West to the Gladstone and from TIFF to Wychwood Barns. Check out our massive guide to this year's festival here.

FOOD

Smoke's Poutinerie 5th Annual World Poutine Eating Championship
Explaining what poutine is to people who haven't heard of the dish is often an exercise in futility. "Why would someone eat that?" the confused foreigner (or wait, it's you who is the foreigner) asks, brow furrowed. Their face says what their words do not: "couldn't you die from eating that?" May we never find out, no matter how many poutine-centric risks we take. Like this one. Saturday, Oct 4, 10am-5pm, Yonge Dundas Square (1 Dundas St East).

See also

• The Pancakes & Booze Art Show (Friday, Adelaide Hall)
• Market 707 All Night Food Fest (Saturday)

DANCE

Hercules and Love Affair
The NYC deep house project returns to Toronto, this time bringing a live lineup that includes ex-vocalist Nomi Ruiz, who is returning to the stage with the group for a small run of shows. See them in a small intimate club like Wrongbar should be an intense experience. Dynamo Azari (of now-defunct house group Azari & III) opens up the night, alongside Phil V. Saturday, October 4, Wrongbar, 8pm. BB

See also

• breakandenter: Mark E, The Black Madonna (Saturday, Toika)

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

PARTY

Safe Space
The Drake might very well be hosting Nuit Blanche's best party. Find animated gifs, video art, a performance by Ghost Hole's Vanessa Bee Rieger, live bands including Petra Glynt, Pale Eyes, Doomsquard, and ZONES, a selfie station (okay, enough of these already), and much more at the Hotel and Underground, plus more programming at Drake Lab and Drake One Fifty. Bonus: the Gladstone Hotel will also host its expected NB total takeover. Saturday, Oct 4, 7pm.

See also

• Noey Blanche (Friday, Cinecycle)
• Bellwoods Blockparty x Nuite Blanche (Saturday)
• Nautiluss + Basic Soul Unit (Saturday, Bambi's)

MUSIC

Perfume Genius
Do you need a hug? So will everyone exiting this show on Saturday. They will step out onto College and be greeted, instead, by the run-off chaos of all night art party Nuit Blanche. I can't think of anything more worrisome. Hug a Perfume Genius fan today, they'll need it later. Saturday, October 4, Mod Club.

See also

• Beach House (Friday, Lee's Palace)
• Feast in the East (Friday, Jam Factory)
• The Misfits (Friday & Saturday, Rockpile)
• Bruce Peninsula (Friday, Polish Combatant's Hall)
• Johnnyland's Nuit Blanche (Saturday, Scadding Court Community)
• Screech Karaoke :: Nancy Bocock (Saturday, Steady)
• The Luke Austin Band (Saturday, Horseshoe)
• Police Des Moeurs (Saturday, Double Double Land)

For more music listings, check out our October Concerts post.

FILM

CINSSU presents: Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It"
CINSSU is back with their free Friday film series, because isn't this town just amazing. This week you can catch Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It, a comedy-drama that tells the story of a woman and her three lovers, which Lee says was his hardest film to finance. Friday, Oct 3, 7pm, Muzzo Family Alumni Hall 100 (121 St. Joseph Street).

THEATRE

The Best of Edinburgh Festival
While Toronto has one of the most vibrant Fringe Festival scenes in all of North America, Edinburgh really holds the Fringe Festival crown, as the largest in size with acts from around the globe. Mirvish has mined the best of the sold-out fare and brought them across the pond to play in repertory. In The Boy with Tape on His Face, Sam Wills explores communicative possibilities with a piece of duct tape across his mouth. Julie Madly Deeply is a straight-up love letter to the incomparable Julie Andrews. Panasonic Theatre, October 2-19, $25-$79. KB

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

BOOKS

Toronto Queer Zine Fair
A pay-what-you-can zine fest with a dance party to follow, the TQZF aims to "make space for traditionally marginalized voices in the larger zine, do it yourself and self-publishing communities." Stop by on Saturday between 11am-7pm, or just shake your stuff at the dance party at 9pm. United SteelWorkers Hall (25 Cecil Street).

COMMUNITY

David Suzuki Foundation Homegrown Park Crawl
This family friendly music and activity fest at Christie Pitts will feature David Suzuki himself, like a pied piper of environmental responsibility, leading our children into the dawn of a new tomorrow. Or acceptance of the inevitable darkness that will fall once we and our offspring turn the planet into an Apple products trash heap. The darkness of infinite space! Sunday, Oct 5, 2-5pm, Christie Pits Park (750 Bloor St West).

FASHION

Parkdale Flea
Need a Halloween costume? If you want to be a flapper, a lumberjack, or a craft beer snob, the Parkdale Flea is the place to do your shopping early this Sunday. October 5, 10am-5pm, Goodfellas Gallery (1266 Queen St. West)

PARANORMAL

GTA Psychic Fair
Dear cynics, I love the psychic fair. While I can't actually afford the $60 most of the tarot and palm readers want, there's something special to be found walking through the crystal healers, spirit communicators, gem stone sellers, Irish numerologists, and assorted mediums. Go for the wonder of the unknown subculture that is North America's psychic community (psychics tour just like bands do!), stay for the live talks. You won't regret it. Oct 3-5, International Centre.

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

Contributions by Ben Boles, Kieth Bennie