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10th Annual TD Irie Music Festival
The sounds of the Caribbean will reverberate across the GTA this summer during the
TD IRIE Music Festival which for the past 10 years has been an important event that celebrates the many exciting facets of Caribbean culture, bringing the best of reggae and international music to Toronto.
After the inital celebration July 14 & 15th at the innaugural Irie Fest Mississauga in Celebration Square, the beat goes on with TD IRIE Fest Toronto
with two main stages in the heart of the city offering exciting live performances.
International superstars, Third World, Grammy-nominated, Studio One singer Dawn Penn, the undisputed Queen of Soca, Fay-Ann
Lyons, and charismatic reggae singer/DJ Richie Spice are among the performers appearing live at TD Music Main Stage Nathan Phillips Square from Fri. Aug. 3 tto Mon. Aug. 6.
Toronto's own Shi Wisdom and ANDREENA bring their high energy, intense stylings to the IRIE Soul Showcase
taking place at Yonge Dundas Square on Saturday, Aug. 4 & 5 Presented in association with Urban Music Week the showcase includes some of Canada's most exciting, emerging soul/R&B, artists.
The IRIE Music Awards kicks off the TD IRIE Music Festival on Thursday, August 2nd
at the Phoenix Concert Theatre. The annual celebration of Canada's best reggae and world music artists is one of the festivals hottest tickets and features performances by some of the nominees. The doors open at 8 p.m., the show begins at 9 p.m. and is followed by an after party at 11 p.m. Tickets: $25/Door $35 in advance by
clicking here or for a list of ticket outlets
click here
.
Aug. 3 - Aug. 6
Nathan Phillips Square, Phoenix Concert Theatre & Yonge Dundas Square | Admission: FREE For complete festival information, please click here or call 905 799-1630
Rogers Cup Men's Professional Tennis Tournament
The third oldest tournament after Wimbeldon and the U.S. Open, once again The Rogers Cup Canadian open will present top
flight professional men's tennis as the best players in the world compete for 2.45 million in prize money at the Rexall Centre at York University. Last year's Women's Tournament attracted the highest on week
attendance total worldwide for a one week tennis tournament.
This year it's the Men's turn featuring past champions such as Swiss maestro Roger Federer and Spain's phenom Rafael Nadal, and Candian star Milos
Raonic.
For further information on the tournament and ticket buying online,
please click here
Aug. 4 - Aug. 12
Rexall Tennis Centre, York University (Keele S. of Steeles) | Tickets: 1-877-2-TENNIS or online by clicking here
Boots And Hearts Country Music Festival
Thousands will rock out to the world's top country acts at the first annual Boots and Hearts Music Festival. Taking
place at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, this will be the largest international country music festival ever hosted on Canadian soil. Headlining the festival's stunning list of artists are Tim McGraw, Kid Rock, Carrie
Underwood, and Alabama, and some of the best names in country music will also perform including Paul Brandt, Big and Rich, Lauren Alaina, Jason McCoy, Dallas Smith, High Valley, Canaan Smith, and many more.
Adding to the stellar line-up, it has just been announced that 5 time Grammy award winner Lional Ritchie and Gord Downie and The Sadies will be performing as well.
The newly refurbished Canadian Tire
Motorsport Park offers 750 acres of manicured grass land and rolling hills – the perfect venue to set up camp and enjoy the music stylings from top country artists. During the day people can take a stroll through Boom
Town, let their kids play in the kids zone and petting zoo, sample authentic country fare, shop the local Farmer's Market, purchase handmade local crafts, test their skills on a mechanical bull, and enjoy the Country
Fair & Midway.
For more details including online ticket purchase,
please click here
Aug. 8 - Aug. 12
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville (aprox. 1 hour east of Toronto) | Tickets: please click here
SummerWorks Theatre Festival
As the largest juried theatre festival in Canada featuring predominantly New Canadian plays, SummerWorks programs a
festival that uniquely reflects Toronto and Canada's cultural zeitgeist. Since 1991, SummerWorks has continued to explore and respond to the needs and wants of audiences and the theatre community.
The festival has grown to become of the country's preeminent multi-disciplinary hubs featuring a Music Series, a mentorship program (SummerWorks Leadership Intensive Program –S.L.I.P.); and the
National Series, showcasing works from across Canada. The festival adds new initiatives yearly, including performance-based programs such as the Performance Bar.
The 2012 SummerWorks Festival runs
in venues across Toronto. For a full schedule of performances, please click here
Aug. 9 - Aug. 19
Various Venues across Toronto | Tickets: $15 3 Show Pass $40, 4 Show Pass $85, 10 Show Pass $120 To order tickets or passes, please click here
JAMAICA LAND WE LOVE GALA: Celebrating Jamaica's 50th Year of Independence On Saturday, August 11, celebrate Jamaica's 50 years of
independence at the Jamaica Land We Love GALA – an evening dedicated to the splendour, rhythms, heart and soul that is Jamaica.
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., this star-studded celebration will be taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (South Building), 255 Front St W.
Featuring perofmrances from; Jay Douglas
with the All-Stars Orchestra, Mutabaruka, Kreesha Turner, Derrick Harriott, Leroy Gibbons, Steele, Nana McLean, Ammoye and more!
Hosted by CBC
Television's Dwight Drummond and Anne-Marie Mediwake, the evening features presentations and top entertainment toasting Jamaica and honouring great Canadian-Jamaican achievements.
The spectacular, four-part evening includes The '62 Reception, Dinner in Hope Gardens, Jamaica Jubilee and The After Party.
Sat. Aug. 11 @ 5:30 p.m. Metro Convention Centre,
South Building | Tickets: $175, $350, $500 – Show only $75 Tickets are on sale now. To purchase tickets online, please click here or click here for more information.
2012 ScotiaBank BuskerFest The 2012 Scotiabank BuskerFest will dazzle Toronto's St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood once again
as buskers from all over the world take over the streets from Thursday, August 23 to Sunday, August 26. Prepare to be amazed by some of the most unique pogo-sticking, hula-hooping, fire-breathing, pillow juggling,
body-contorting, whip-cracking, cyr-wheel spinning, sword swallowing, flaming-rope jumping performers in the world. Named for the fifth time as one of Ontario's top 100 festivals and events by Festivals and Events
Ontario, Scotiabank BuskerFest promises four days and nights of spectacular entertainment in support of Epilepsy Toronto.
Last year's Scotiabank BuskerFest attracted over 1 million spectators and this year
promises to be even bigger, with over 100 of the best street performers from Australia, Austria, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States participating.
Making their first-ever appearance at the Scotiabank BuskerFest are the following NEW ACTS:
From USA: Cirque Mechanics,
the innovative Las Vegas-based theatrical circus company, reveal their new one-of-a-kind performance machine, the Gantry Bike, at this year's festival. The 18' high portable pedal-driven Gantry Bike is a freestanding, self-contained circus on wheels. Festival attendees will enjoy thrilling ground-based acts - like juggling, contortion and hand balancing - performed high on a suspended platform, in addition to dynamic aerial acts, all as the Gantry Bike is driven through and over the audience, providing them with that exciting "front row" feeling!
From Japan: Funny Bones, a unique combination of amazing giant puppetry, circus skills, magic, voice percussion and break dancing with an up-tempo style. This dynamic ad-libbing duo bring a vibrant
slapstick and creative toy box flair of excitement to engage every audience.
From the U.S.: Chicago Ultimate Tumblers made a big splash on the TV program "America's Got Talent"
and with 12 performers, they are the largest circle show to ever perform at the festival. C.U.T is a non-for-profit organization created to empower youth, teaching its members to soar (literally) through the air!
From Australia: Mario - Queen of the Circus
has wowed audiences all over the world with his unique mix of complex juggling tricks and universal sex appeal that can only find release in the arena-rocking anthems of his favourite super-group, Queen.
From Canada: Infinite Fantasy Circus Family.were semi-finalists in this year's "Canada's Got Talent." This unique Russian-Canadian circus family from Ontario perform unforgettable
acts of Contortion, Hula Hoop, Rolla-Bolla, Unicycling, Nanaika and Fire-Eating!
Returning Scotiabank BuskerFest favourites include: Three-time Metro People's Choice Award Winner - Australia's
Alakazam - with his freaky body contortions and cheeky comedy (he's not called The Human Knot for nothing); the Aussie/English duo who took home the Metro People's Choice Award in 2009, Dream State Circus,
incorporate high skill Acrobalance and juggling; Mexico's Pancho Libre,
a charismatic and fantastic performer, with a show full of circus and martial arts, fire and humour, including a Mexican hula hoop that becomes a high-flying human flag; and Toronto's own Fireguy
who presents his new show 'Fire Power'; - along with many more great acts!
Admission to Scotiabank BuskerFest is by voluntary donation to Epilepsy Toronto, a non-profit organization dedicated to
helping more than 40,000 Torontonians with epilepsy, and their families, through counselling, employment support, advocacy and education. Buskers retain proceeds from "the hat" passed after their performances
except for two special group benefit shows where proceeds go to Epilepsy Toronto: the 7th Annual Fire Show showcases the 'hottest' fire performers at the fest (Fri, Aug 24 at 9:30pm - rain date Aug 25),
and the Grande Finale (Aug 26 at 6:30pm) where the winner of this year's Metro's People's Choice Award will be announced.
Aug. 23 - Aug. 26
The St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood (closed to cars during the festival) | Admission: A voluntary donation to Epilepsy Toronto _________________________________________ |
