2011 Cabbagetown Festival Highlights

This week, our Newsletter is all about special highlights at the Festival. Next week, we’ll give you a detailed program. Here’s your guide to these events.

The Weather Network has issued a perfect Festival forecast for the weekend – sunny and 23 degrees.

One Night in Cabbagetown

Thursday, September 8. A tasting tour of 14 Cabbagetown restaurants. Buy a ticket (yes – only $10) and go to four different places. If you want more, buy another ticket. These are tastings. If you get hungry or thirsty, you can easily stop to order a bigger dinner and drinks. Get your tickets at participating restaurants or at the BIA office (237 Carlton). For a full list of participating restaurants, times and menus, click here: http://www.cabbagetownfestival.blogspot.com/

Art & Crafts in the Park

Weekend activities start in Riverdale Park (Winchester & Sumach) on Friday from 1 to 6 pm and continue on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm each day. This is a main event for the Festival - these artists are a big draw into the neighbourhood and the park is a beautiful venue for them. Free admission. For more info and photos, visit http://www.cabbagetownartandcrafts.org/

Cabbagetown Short Film & Video Festival

Friday at 7 pm. Now in its 20th year. The Festival screens over 15 short films gathered from talented producers around the world. Admission is $15. Advance ticket sales are available at the BIA Office (237 Carlton). The Box Office opens at the Winchester Theatre (80 Winchester) at 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm. For a list of the films and directions to the theatre, go to http://www.cabbagetownshortfilmandvideofestival.com/

Blair’s Run

Saturday at 8:30 am. A major athletic event and a big fundraiser for the Cabbagetown Youth Centre. Several hundred people with their babies, their spouses and their dogs will sign up to run, walk, ride and crawl the 3 km course through Cabbagetown streets. Free gifts, munchies and souvenirs. $10. Registration starts at 8:30 am and race time is 9:15 am.

The Grand Festival Parade

Saturday at 10 am. An amazing collection of outstanding Cabbagetown groups will march proudly from Wellesley and Parliament south to Gerrard, west to Ontario and back north to Carlton. Once again, dogs and their owners are our featured guests. Souvenirs and goodies will be passed out along the way. Music includes the Sandhill Pipes and Drums, Nunca Antes, the ROTC, the 48th Highlanders military band and Toronto Black Watch Pipes & Drums.

The Doggie Beauty Contest

Saturday at 12:30 pm. Pet Valu (240 Carlton). Bring your pal and join the fun. You might have the biggest nose, or the shortest legs or the curliest hair. These are important categories and there’ll be prizes and treats (!) everywhere.

Cabbagetown Festival on Gerrard Street

Saturday. A brand new Festival event. The short section on Gerrard between Parliament west to Ontario is closed and local people are putting on their best for the day. The parade goes through here around 11:30 am. There’ll be good food, drinks and music on the patio at Underdown Pub (263 Gerrard). Mylk Uncookies (253 Gerrard) will offer great pastries and coffee. Eclectisaurus has plans for a sidewalk sale. Cabbagetown Pet Clinic will have pet supplies, food and good advice for you. The neighbours from the area are organizing a big garage sale and local service agencies will have info booths along the street. Don’t miss it.

Artists at the Cabbagetown Festival

Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm. We invite artists living in Cabbagetown to come to Carlton Street and show their work for the afternoon. Some will offer their work for sale. This part of the Festival is very pleasant – there are several restaurants and patios, Daniel et Daniel have tables out front, Pet Valu runs the annual Doggie Beauty Contest and local stores have sidewalk sales. http://cabbagetowntest.blogspot.com/

Rapunzel – unbraided

Cabbagetown Theatre Company, Friday (at 7:30 pm) Saturday & Sunday (noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm), Necropolis Chapel (Winchester & Sumach). A Comedy for all ages. Each show is 30 minutes. $5 at the door..

September 11 Memorial, Sunday September 11 at noon. Winchester stage (Parliament & Winchester). Two groups of ex-pat Americans have organized a brief ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of September 11. There will be brief remarks, featured guests and an opportunity to observe a moment of silence.

A big line-up of performing talents

Local boy, radio personality, recording artist and blues icon, Danny Marks, returns for another Sunday afternoon concert. Danny loves performing with kids and so we recruited the CYC dancers and the Rose Avenue Public School choir to be there with him. Winchester Stage, Sunday afternoon.
Go Freddie Go return to the House on Parliament (454 Parliament) after a couple of years’ absence. They’re joining an impressive list of entertainers appearing throughout the weekend.

On Saturday, the St James Town Steel Drum Orchestra plays at Prospect St, Trish Kerr & the Divas are at Merryberry, UforChange at Winchester, Michael Brennan at Carlton St, Go Freddie Go at House on Parliament, Cabbagetown Steve & Code Green at Spruce St, DJ Suave at Margaritas and the Irish Guys (Stout Irish Pub, Saturday).

On Sunday, Jim Heineman is at Merryberry, Danny Marks at Winchester and the Outputs at Carlton.
In addition, we’ve lined up a big batch of buskers – face painters, balloon artists, clowns, jugglers, singers and magicians – to perform along the street.
Watch for flash dance mobs, martial arts demos, ping pong and lots more.