Photo: "Nowhere else I'd rather be " by jentse, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2010... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

FUNDRAISER | HaiHaitTO
Social networking sites can do a lot of important things, like letting you know what John Mayer is thinking at this very second or showing you pictures of that hilarious thing your friend's sister's cat did last night. But as the response to the Haiti disaster has shown, they can also help mobilize fundraising efforts in times of crisis. The organizers of tonight's HaiHaitTO fundraiser have never met face to face and yet have managed to use social networking sites to put together a benefit that will hopefully have a real impact in the ravaged country. Speakers from the Canadian Red Cross, Pierspective Entraide Humanitaire, and the Toronto Haiti Action Committee will be on hand to give us the latest news from the ground in Haiti, followed by a special performance of Haitian folk dancing. All proceeds go to the Canadian Red Cross.
The Courthouse, 57 Adelaide St. East, $30 - $40, 7 pm

PARTY | Midwinter Night's Dream
The swanky Roof Salon at the Park Hyatt will be transformed into a literary carnival for the next two nights as Diaspora Dialogues presents Midwinter Night's Dream, part of the WinterCity festival. Inspired by the famous masked carnivals of Venice, Midwinter Night's Dream will feature performances from musicians, poets and storytellers. Ask the masked poet to write you your own personal poem or have a fortune teller reveal your destiny through literary quotes while enjoying a drink or listening to readings from the Scribes. Thursday's party is hosted by journalist and burlesque artist Sasha Van Bon Bon and will feature the sounds of world music ensembleAutorickshaw. Tickets available by calling 416 944-1101 x 277 or by emailing Diaspora Dialogues
Roof Salon at the Park Hyatt Hotel, 4 Avenue Rd., $20 for one night, $35 for both, 7 pm early show, 9 pm late show

FILM | Reel Paddling Film Festival
Author Pierre Burton once quipped that a Canadian is someone who knows how to make love in a canoe. While most of us have never had that particular pleasure, it is true that paddling has been a part of Canadian life for thousands of years. The Reel Paddling Film Festival gives HPB enthusiasts a solid four hour line-up of short films on kayaks, canoes, rowboats, galleys and punts, following intrepid paddlers on cross-country trips and ocean voyages. Highlights include Finding Farley, which documents Karsten Heuer and Leanne Allison's 5000 km trip to follow in the footsteps of Farley Mowat with their 2-year old son in tow, and Facing East, in which kayakers travel down China's Yangtze River for the final time before the massive Three Gorges dam project converts the ancient river into resevoirs.
Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W., $12 advance, $15 door, 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm with half hour intermission

DANCE | Oum (mother)
Purportedly the only performing arts company of its kind in Canada, the Arabesque Dance Company performs the ritual arts of the Middle East using a live orchestra and singers accompanying 18 dancers. Arabesque's new show celebrates Oum Kalthoum, the Egyptian singer and actress known to many as the mother of Arabic music. Forty years after her death Kalthoum still towers over the Middle Eastern music scene, with her hour-long songs a staple of the region's radiowaves. Kalthoum refused to be recorded in studio, demanding that her art be experience live. Arabesque hopes to capture that same spontaneous and vital energy with this ambitious performance. Runs til Sunday.
Fleck Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, 207 Queen's Quay W., $25 - $35, Thursday - Sunday 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees 2 pm

MUSIC | Aids Wolf at the Garrison
Montreal noise-rock band Aids Wolf are not for the faint of heart. Pounding out spastic, chaotic non-songs at potentially unsafe volume levels, their music is the kind of thing most people can listen to for about thirty seconds but noise rock fans think is just like, the coolest thing ever. They'll be joined by Brooklyn psych duo Mouthus, one of the only bands in the 21st century to refuse to have a web presence, and Toronto's Actual Water which features members of Brides and the Creeping Nobodies.
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W., $10 advance, $12 door, 9 pm

GALLERY | Metamorphasis - Sectr as Christian Toth
Growing up in Halifax and New York City, Sectr has been involved in graffiti since 1995. Since then he's taken his tagging skills on tour around the world to Europe, China, South America and the Carribean. He's also co-founded urban art website Lounge 37 and developed his own clothing line. Until the end of the month the Snowball Gallery will be presenting his street art and a video installation of his recent South American tour.
The Snowball Gallery, 1690 Queen St. W., Reception tonight 6 pm - 9 pm, Gallery hours Thursday and Friday 1 pm - 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 12 pm - 6 pm

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