Toronto’s birthday celebrations among the fun for first weekend of March

By Patricia D'Cunha and Samantha Knight

March has arrived and while the weather may be unpredictable this month, one thing is constant: there is no shortage of fun taking place every weekend. There is so much to do, you may need to take a power nap.


Happy Birthday, Toronto
A four-day party will be held at Nathan Phillips Square to celebrate Toronto’s 184th birthday on Tuesday. The party starts on Saturday and continues until the big day. The extravaganza includes skating parties, food trucks, a market in the square, interactive activities and a photo contest, to name a few. Toronto was incorporated on March 6, 1834, and William Lyon Mackenzie was elected the city’s first mayor. The year 1834 was also an important year for Canada, as slavery was abolished in British North America that summer.

Toronto-run spring and summer fun
Get ready! Registration starts this weekend for spring/summer programs and summer camps at Toronto Parks and Recreation. Registration for Etobicoke York is on Saturday, Scarborough on Sunday, North York on Tuesday and Toronto and East York on Wednesday — it starts at 7 a.m. on each date. The city says registering online is the best way to sign up for programs, but residents can also register by phone. Before registering, you will need family and client numbers. If you don’t have those, call customer service at 416-338-4386.
Click here to get more information about the registration process.

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors
The highly anticipated Infinity Mirrors exhibition is making its debut at the AGO this weekend. The exhibition features the works of Yayoi Kusama. Guests can immerse themselves in six kaleidoscopic environments where they will be endlessly reflected within fantastic landscapes. Kusama’s drawings, her early Infinity Net paintings and sculpture objects will also be on display. Infinity Mirrors starts Saturday and will be on display until May 27.

 

Toronto Storytelling Festival
The second-oldest arts festival returns to the city this Friday. The Toronto Storytelling Festival features local, Canadian and international storytellers. Indigenous storytellers are also a big part of this year’s event, with Yukon Indigenous comedy duo Susie and Charlie, bringing their hilarious take on elder wisdom. Some of the city’s top storytellers will be featured in venues including the Bata Shoe Museum, Artscape Wychwood Barns and the Toronto Reference Library. The festival runs from Friday to Sunday, and then March 19-25.

Toronto Irish Film Festival
The best in Irish cinema will be showcased at this weekend’s Toronto Irish Film Festival. The festival opens on Friday with A Date for Mad Mary, a drama-comedy about love and redemption. It won best film at the 2017 Irish Film and Television Academy and Awards. Some of the other films being screened are Maze, which is based on the 1983 prison breakout of 38 IRA prisoners from the infamous prison in Northern Ireland and the documentary In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America, narrated by Liam Neeson, which is about Derry politician John Hume who worked to create peace in Northern Ireland.

Video credit: YouTube/TOIrishFilmFest

Rogers Hometown Hockey heads to Markham
Each weekend during the hockey season, the *Rogers hometown tour travels to a different city in Canada. Starting Friday and into the weekend, it will be in Markham. Fans can check out the Hockey Hall of Fame exhibit and the Toronto Maple Leafs fan zone, take part in various activities including a friends and family skate, and watch the Maple Leafs take on the Washington Capitals at a view party on Saturday. There will also be special appearances by NHL alumni. On Sunday, a live broadcast will be hosted by Ron MacLean and Tara Slone, ahead of the game between the Winnipeg Jets take and the Carolina Hurricanes.

 

Winter Brewfest
Sample more than 150 beers crafted from brewers across Ontario and Quebec this weekend at the third annual Winter Brewfest. The festival is being held at Enercare Centre’s Heritage Court on Friday and Saturday. While sampling the craft beers, guests can enjoy gourmet food from the city’s best food trucks.

Toronto International Bicycle Show
Bicycle enthusiasts will be flocking to the Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place this weekend for the Toronto International Bicycle Show. The event kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday. It features over 175 exhibitors, a retail marketplace, and bicycle frame building. Highlights include the 2,000-foot test track for every type of bike, a new X-JAM course and a bike polo competition.

*Rogers is the parent company of this station and website.

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