Toronto NightLife

Toronto NightLife information

Music

Classical The classical music scene in Toronto is extremely healthy, with a full seasonal schedule of opera and orchestral performances. The city's premier classical ensemble is the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, which plays in the Roy Thomson Hall (Simcoe Street). You can check schedules and booking by calling in person at the box office on the corner of King and Simcoe streets, or by phoning the ticketline on Tel: +1 (1)416-598-3375. Contemporary Toronto is amazing for its live music in intimate environments. On any given evening it is easy to find a world class band playing at a bar downtown. Check the week's entertainment listings to see where musicians are performing. Toronto constantly has up-and-coming talents trying to be discovered here. The biggest artists that visit the city play the Air Canada Centre. Stars that have wowed the 20,000 crowd recently are as varied as Enrique Iglesias, Paul McCartney and LA rapper Snoop Doggy Dog. Check with the ticket office for upcoming events. Tel: +1 (1)416-870-8000. The Skydome also holds concerts from time to time and has welcomed stars such as Aerosmith, KISS and Bette Midler in the past. Contact details are below.

Theatre

Toronto is among the world's premier locations for popular theatre and you'll find pretty much anything you could desire in its environs. The theatre district along King St West offers a repertoire of musicals, dramatic works, popular concerts, comedy and music. There are a couple of venues that show Broadway style musicals such as The Lion King and Mama Mia! The two premier theatres of this ilk are: Princess of Wales Theatre 300 King St West Tel: +1 (1)416-872-1212. This spectacular 2000-seater venue was inaugurated in 1993 with a performance of Miss Saigon. Since then the venue has played host to a number of long-running lavish musicals such as The Lion King. Royal Alexandra Theatre 260 King St West Tel: +1 (1)416-872-1212 Under the same management as the Princess of Wales the Alexandra is the epitome of old world theatre style. The auditorium was originally built in 1907 and the fixtures and fittings reflect the grandiose opulence typical of theatres of its era. Plush velvet and brass are the backdrop for a sumptuous theatre experience. The schedule tends to be long-running musicals imported from New York or London. These are the two premier venues in the city but there are plenty of theatres, which change their programmes more regularly and offer a more eclectic range of theatre that runs the whole gamut of drama and music genres. The most notable include the Canon (Tel: +1 (1)416-872-1212) and the adventurous Factory Theatre (Tel: +1 (1)416-504-9971).

Casino

With America's strict gambling laws in force just a few hundred yards away across the falls it's no surprise that there's a casino in Niagara. The usual mixture of games of chance is available as well as hundreds of slot machines and mainstream entertainment and restaurants. Casino Niagara 5705 Falls Ave Niagara Falls Tel: +1 (1)905-374-3598 or toll free Tel: 1-888-946-3255

Cinema

Cinemas downtown include the impressive Paramount (corner of Richmond St West and John St) or the Varsity (at Bay St and Bloor St West in the Manulife Centre). Check the Toronto Star newspaper or Now and Eye magazines for movie listings and show times.

Sports

Canada means Ice Hockey (or just "hockey" round here) and the Toronto Mapleleafs are one of the famous teams in the sport. The "Leafs" play at the impressive 20,000 seater Air Canada Centre in the heart of the city on Bay St. The regular season runs from Oct-Apr each year, with the play-offs taking place until June. Tickets for games are available from the ticket office at the stadium. Tel: +1 (1)416-870-8000. The city basketball team, the Toronto Raptors, play in the NBA and share the same venue as the Mapleleafs in season. Call the ticket office to check availability (details as above) or call directly on Tel: +1 (1)416-872-5000. The regular basketball season runs from Oct-Apr, although play-offs can extend the season by a couple of months. The other spectator sport in the city is baseball. The Toronto Bluejays play at the fabulous Skydome. The competitive baseball season runs from Apr-Sep. You can obtain tickets for Bluejays game by phoning Tel: +1 (1)416-341-1234, or call in at the Skydome ticket office. Even if you can't attend a game you can take a tour around this amazing thirty storeys high arena, the site of the first fully retractable stadium roof. Cost: CAD12.50 per person. Tel: +1 (1)416-341-2770. For personal activities, Toronto offers many parks and a great path along the lakeshore for biking, jogging and in-line skating.

Comedy

Montreal has a more established reputation on the comedy circuit than its Canadian city rival but Toronto's comedy scene is still pretty lively. There are several venues and long-running shows that are well worth seeking out if you fancy some laughs in the city. Second City This is where many comedians, including Dan Ackroyd and John Candy, got their start and where the old comedy show, SCTV, originated. Enjoy great productions and improvisational comedy. 56 Blue Jays Way. Tel: +1 (1)416-343-0011 Yuk Yuk's This is stand up comedy at its best. Ticket prices depend on the evening and the show so call ahead for information and reservations. Dinner and show packages are also available. 2335 Yonge St. Tel: +1 (1)416-967-6425 for info and reservations.

Nightclubs

Toronto's nightlife is ever-growing and a range of clubs cater to ravers and pop fans. Like anywhere, weekends are the best times to make a night of it but you'll be surprised at how much is going on in the week. Fluid 217 Richmond St West Tel: +1 (1)416-593-6116 Fluid's two dance floors each offer a mix of dance, hip-hop, R&B, house and industrial sounds. The clientele tends to be upscale and good looking, and it's great place to go to dance yourself dizzy. Hotel Boutique Bar Inc 77 Peter St Tel: +1 (1)416-345-8585 An achingly cool combination of clean lines, plenty of empty space and incogruous plush red seating makes "Hotel" one of the hottest trendy bars in town. From early evening the bar exudes sophistication as the place for the well-heeled to take cocktails and light refreshment, as the night progresses it turns into a proper club, with DJs spinning the latest sounds. There's a strict door policy, so dress to impress. Tonic 117 Peter St Tel: +1 (1)416-204-9200 Ask to find out the theme and cover charge of the night. Wednesdays see the place packed with ravers, while Thursdays offer cheap, CAD2 cover and bargain drink prices. Weekends have dress codes and chaotic line-ups. For the upscale clubbers, check out the VIP lounge, complete with leather sofas. El Convento Rico 750 College St Tel: +1 (1)416-588-7800 A hot Latin nightclub located on the west side of Little Italy. Enjoy free salsa dance lessons or drop in on a Friday night and check out the drag queens.

Special Events

February The annual Psychic, Mystic and Seers Fair provides an opportunity for visitors to learn more about the occult predictive arts and to meet practitioners for readings. This is one event where it might be appropriate to be nostalgic about the future. Starts second Friday of every Feb. May The International Children's Festival of the Arts is held every year in late May attracting outstanding talent from all over the world. The participants are massively diverse and include trampoline champions, jazz quartets, Scottish dancers and even chess prodigies. June Late June sees the arrival of the International Dragon Boat Festival with over 200 teams competing in the waters around the Toronto Islands. A highly significant annual event for the Chinese community, the actual racing is complemented by traditional cultural performances and, of course, a great selection of food. Toronto Pride begins around the same time and has grown into Canada's biggest celebration of gay and lesbian culture. The week-long program of events culiminates in the Dyke March and Pride Parade, which draws hundreds of thousands of participators. July The Beaches International Jazz Festival enjoys great support and the perfect location on the shores of Lake Ontario. The weekend performances are enhanced with a street festival along the entire length of Queen St. East. August Fort York, built as the city's prime defensive structure in the 18th century, will be thoroughly breached during the annual Festival of Beer when visitors flock to sample the 250 individual brews on offer. Over 70 breweries are represented - hence unparalled opportunities for networking and freebies. September The Toronto International Film Festival is enjoying a growing reputation and is now one of the top film festivals in the world. High profile premieres and a large industry presence are features of an event that now requires its own festival village to accommodate participants. November A Toronto institution for more than 75 years, The Santa Claus Parade is composed of wonderfully decorated floats, an army of enthusiastic kids, and a troupe of clowns who, interestingly, are in fact executives who have donated large sums of money for the priviledge of donning the requisite bulbous red nose and oversized floppy shoes. A unique and endearing event. Tel: +1 (1)416-203-2500 for more information. December First Night Toronto is the official New Year's Eve party held down at the Harbourfront Centre. The event is characterised by noise, exuberance and colour yet is suitable for the whole family.