A Lot About Nothing

You definitely won’t be bored (or broke) this weekend if you live in the GTA. Harbourfront Centre is playing host to yet another wonderful, free weekend event: Global Hip Hop: The 4 Elements.

Hip Hop is a style, a sound, a state of mind. Following its steady path, we’ll go deep into its roots in popular culture on to how these roots have extended world wide, encompassing everything from electronic music, tablas, djembes, rock, soul, funk and R&B.

Highlights include the Montreal based collective Nomadic Massive, a special 25th anniversary screening of Charlie Ahearn’s film Wild Style (about Hip Hop music, style, art and culture stemming from South Bronx, New York), Cuban poetess and rapper Telmary, and Toronto’s first ever FreeStyle urban dance and DJ competition. Check out the schedule of great events at harbourfrontcentre.com.

Tonight marks day two of a 3-day comedy extravaganza in Toronto. The well-known, Montreal-based Just For Laughs Festival is making it’s mark for the first time ever in this city, while celebrating it’s 25th anniversary.

So prepare yourself for some comedic talent, artists, theatre and variety troupes from around the world, descending in and around Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square. One of the highlights of the event for me is Canadian comedian Russell Peters performing a free show at the Square tonight at 7pm (let’s hope the rain holds off).

The festival ends this Saturday, so make sure you reach at least one performance! Check out the official website for a schedule of events.

Being the food-lover that I am, I made sure I made an appearance at the Taste of Lawrence Festival this weekend. Just celebrating it’s 4th year, the festival featured fun and entertainment for the whole family: carnival rides, stage performances, artisans, activities, and most importantly, food from around the multicultural neighborhood .

The corner of Warden and Lawrence was filled with people of all ages, but probably the most spoken about exhibit was the assembly and distribution of the 200-foot long, 3-foot wide and 18-inch deep salad that was being served to everyone in attendance. Slated to feed about 15, 000 people and made from mostly locally-grown produce, the World’s Largest Multicultural Salad was divided into seven sections–each representing a different ethic group in Scarborough. I choose to try some of the Mediterranean salad which included some yummy, dried red peppers and croûtons. I couldn’t help but take some extra salad dressing samples home.

The giant salad was a kick-off to the new Scarborough Taste:

Scarborough Taste was created to showcase some of Toronto’s most diverse and exciting places to eat, restaurants that reflect Scarborough’s international and multicultural heritage.
Over the next 21 days, Scarborough Taste brings you an opportunity to sample this diverse cuisine at discount prices. Try one or try them all. Travel the world without leaving Toronto. If you have a sense of adventure, you won’t be disappointed.

Visit dine.to for more information on participating restaurants.

Tomorrow this great nation of Canada turns the ripe old age of 140. Still don’t have plans for tomorrow’s 20-degree weather? Well, here’s a list of some places to go:

CHIN International Picnic
This annual event continues all weekend until July 2nd. Sunday will have some great festivities including a veal-eating contest (too bad I’m on a diet), Mr. Chin Binkini event (maybe I should make my way down there….), and a karaoke contest. The evening ends with the Festival of Fire.
Exhibition Place Grounds

Rock The Park
Downsview Park plays host to this event, featuring 54-40, Faber Drive and more. There’ll also be a petting zoo, video games, face-painting and rock-climbing.
Keele St. & Sheppard Ave. West

Art in the Park
Free family activites such as kite-making and designing in Grange Park from 12 noon to 4pm.
317 Dundas St. West

Multicultural Canada Day Festival
Yonge and Dundas Square is the location of this free event that will showcase many ethnically diverse dance groups and attendees will enjoy visual and performing arts, crafts, and especially cultural food.
Yonge/Dundas Square

You can catch some great firework displays at:
Ashbridges Bay Park -9:45pm
Canada’s Wonderland - 10pm
Ontario Place (Festival of Fire). - 10:30pm