Toronto events on February 20, 2013

CULTURE | Toronto Talks: The Future of Our City
Torontonians love their city, and are also happy to air their 'grievances' in a heartbeat! Tonight's event at Harbourfront Centre is a great one for those who have a strong opinion about the direction this city is taking, or to simply learn more. Edward Keenan, the senior editor at The Grid, is one of the two hosts for this event. Keenan just published a book, Some Great Idea, and it's all about Toronto, and its maturation into a "global" city. Ivor Tossell, author of The Gift of Ford is also a maven on all things Toronto, and will give some perspective on the city and its future as well. Presenters will include Dave Buchbinder, Mike LabbĂŠ, Kristi Herold, and Boris Chan. Tonight's discussion has been labeled as a "participatory event," so it could get interesting!
Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West) 7:30PM $10 (free for members / students / youth)

THEATRE | The 34th Rhubarb Festival
The 34th Annual Rhubarb Festival launches tonight, and will take place over two weeks and see a huge cast of local and visiting artists converge at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre to bring a number of theatrical, musical, and dance performances to life, with a spirit of experimentation and spontaneity playing an important role. Tonight begins with Roynation, a chat with some of the participants contributing to the first week of the festival. This will be followed by a number of short performance pieces, and the evening will conclude with the fest's Kickoff Bash, which will feature a set by TO "queer cock rock" faves Vag Halen, and DJ Vanessa Dunn.
Buddies In Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander Street) 6:30PM (pwyc / Wed to Sun pass $20)

ART | Opening Reception: Jen Mann "Strange Beauties" and Jenal Dolson "Crows After Shiny Bits of Sun"
Neubacher Gallery hosts an opening reception tonight for a "double exhibition" featuring two emerging Toronto visual artists. Jen Mann's show is called Strange Beauties, and explores our notions of beauty while showing the potential for subversion with a surreal edge. Jenal Dolson's style, which leans more towards landscapes and abstraction, complements Mann's well, and her exhibition, entitled, Crows After Shiny Bits of Sun explores form, excess, and mimicry. Strange Beauties and Crows After Shiny Bits of Sun run at Neubacher Shor Contemporary until March 23rd.
Neubacher Shor Contemporary (5 Brock Avenue) 6PM

FILM | Rue Morgue & Unstable Ground present LITTLE TERRORS - Vol. 16 - Frostbitten
Little Terrors continues tonight, with the aptly named Frostbitten - the sixteenth edition of this monthly showcase of short horror films. Both director Rich Robinson's The Graveyard Feeder, and director Michael Rosenbaum's Fade Into You will premiere this evening, but you can also expect shorts from Evan Morgan, Chris Cullari, John Skipp with Andrew Kasch, Lorcan Finnegan, Jeremy Ball, and others. As usual, the screening will be followed by a Q & A with some of the filmmakers. If you are a horror buff and you haven't checked out this monthly event yet, you now know where you should be tonight!
MLT Carlton Cinema (20 Carlton Street) 9PM

ALSO OF NOTE

Hayden @ The Dakota
EX: HELSYNKI w/ ELK, NATURE BOYS & CHAMPION LOVER
Bill Brown's 1-2-3 Slam February 2013 Edition ft. 2012 Nuyorican Slam Team member Witness

MORE EVENTS THIS WEEK

For more Toronto event suggestions, check out these posts:

• This week in food
• This week in fashion
• This week in film
• This week in theatre
• This week in comedy
• This week in music
• Toronto concerts, February 2013

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

Photo of Hayden by Vanessa Heins