Weekend events in Toronto abound, whether you plan to cram a Hot Docs flick into every available slot of time, dance the night away, drink and be merry, engage with civic politics and punk, or all of the above.

Here are my picks for the top events happening in Toronto April 24-26, 2015.

Toronto's Festival of Beer Spring Session (April 24-25, Sherbourne Common)
A two-day spring teaser for Toronto's Festival of Beer, the "Spring Session" this year will bring 20+ brewers to Sherbourne Common. $30 gets you in the door with five drink tokens and the opportunity to see Lowell on Friday and JJ and the Pillars on Saturday--plus you get a mug! BJ

FILM

Hot Docs (April 23 - May 3)
North America's largest documentary film festival is back, and as always there are way too many films to chose from, especially since many of these docs are otherwise hard to find. From the political to the eclectic, find this year's program online here, and see our preview of must-sees here.

Studio Ghibli Double Bill (April 25, Smiling Buddha)
Your dreams are coming true: watch : Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke for free on College Street. There's an all-you-can-eat lunch at 4pm ($13, but AYCE), or $3 popcorn for those sticking to the budget. Get there early or you may miss the animated adventures - according to Facebook, almost 5,000 people plan to cram into the tiny bar.

LIVE MUSIC

Princess Century (April 24, The Garrison)
Drummer / producer / DJ Maya Postepski isn't only a present and past member of some of Toronto's most well known acts including Austra. She performs solo as strange and wonderful electronic artist Princess Century. Also on the bill are A Dream, A Coast and NYSSA.

DIANETICS IV (April 24, Unit 2, 163 Sterling Rd)
If you're looking for a strong dose of something different, definitely don't miss this edition of Dianetics' noise, dance, VHS, and drone featuring Fog Spirits and much more.

Blimp Rock "Sophomore Slump" Album Release Party (April 25, Dakota Tavern)
Patience is low for bands that sounds like Pavement, but Blimp Rock's PR campaign for listenable Sophomore Slump actually made me laugh. The band are selling office supplies to fund a music fest on a blimp over Lake Ontario complete with "nautical food vendors." Yeah. The quirky release show will include a power point presentation.

PUNK (& ETC) POLITICS

Music City Town Hall Meeting (April 25, The Garrison)
If you're at all embedded in the city's music scene, you've likely been curious all this "Music City" and Austin alliance stuff. April's public Music City Town Hall Meeting will let you not only hear more, but help shape the fledgling initiative. City officials including music sector development officer Mike Tanner will be in attendance.

FASHION & DESIGN

FAT (April 21-25, Daniels Spectrum)
Toronto Arts & Fashion Week is the studded-leather jacket wearing French bulldog to Toronto Fashion Week's coiffed poodle. FAT's catwalks and photos ops aim to walk the cutting edge of fashion and art.

DANCE PARTY

Victor Calderone (April 24, Coda)
NYC house legend Victor Calderone was once best known for remixing people like Madonna and Sting, but in more recent years has reinvented his sound, and now favours darker techno flavours. Expect him to pound Coda's sound system hard for this extended set. 10 pm, $25. BB

Format: B (April 24, Ryze)
German DJ/production duo Format: B specialize in sleek, crisp tech-house and techno, and are as well known for their own productions as for the great records they put out on their label Formatik. 10 pm, $15. BB

AlienInFlux 20th Anniversary (April 25, Loft404 B Lounge)
Not many party promoters can say they've been throwing events for two decades, so Justin "AlienInFlux" Martins must be doing something right for his 20th anniversary party to sell out already. Of course, it helps having DJs like Gene Farris, Terrence Parker, Liquid Stranger, and Box Of Kittens on the bill too. 8 pm, $40. BB

DANCE

Eifman St. Petersburg Ballet Presents: Anna Karenina (April 23-25, Sony Centre)
St. Petersburg's Eifman Ballet is in town with a contemporary take on Tolstoy's classic Anna Karenina. If you're not gripping tickets yet, I'd advise moving (/pirouetting?) quickly.

PARTY

Campfires & Cocktails: Mad for Plaid (April 24, The Bourroughes Building)
If your idea of dressing up is putting on a Canadian tuxedo, Campfires and Cocktails might be your kind of formal. The plaid party is raising money to send youth from Toronto's priority neighborhoods to summer camp. You'll get the full-camp site experience with haute-camp cuisine, classic cocktails, Canadian craft brews, and an unmatched rooftop view of Toronto from The Bourroughes Building. SSZ

COMEDY

Kids in the Hall (April 23-26, Danforth Music Hall)
Kids in the Hall will begin their newest tour with not one, not two, not three, but four live gigs in Toronto. New and classic sketches will be performed by Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson.

For more events this weekend click on over to our Events section. Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit it for free using this form.

Contributions by Shazia Khan, Ben Boles, Liora Ipsum, Ben Johnson, Sima Sahar, Zerehi.

Photo by Jesse Milns