TheBulletin.ca Journal of Downtown Toronto
The City of Toronto Historic Sites present events that provide enriching entertainment for all ages while connecting visitors to Toronto’s rich history. Visit www.toronto.ca/museum-events for more information.
GIBSON HOUSE MUSEUM 5172 Yonge Street
http://www.toronto.ca/gibsonhouse | gibsonhouse@toronto.ca | 416-395-7432
Pennies & Purses
February 10 to August 31
This exhibit explores currency, general stores and shopping habits in 19th century rural Ontario, providing new context for the lives of the Gibson family and the development of communities like Willowdale. See what people carried in their bags circa 1800 to 2000 and participate in the #whatsinmybag project! FREE (regular admission applies for tours of Gibson House Museum).
Museum Thursday Nights
Every Thursday, 5 to 8 p.m.
Drop in on Thursday nights to learn more about the daily lives of the Gibson family and discover a different 19th-century activity each week, including dyeing, spinning, hearth cooking and more. Join the Community Quilt Group from 6 to 8 p.m. to explore historic and contemporary quilting techniques in a comfortable, social setting. Pay What You Can.
Tea and Tour Sundays
Every Sunday, 1 to 4:30 p.m.
There’s a seat for you at the harvest table in the historic kitchen on Sunday afternoons throughout the year. Relax and have a chat over tea and homemade cookies. Enjoy a tour of the lovely, 1850s farmhouse. Regular admission applies.
Jane’s Walk
Saturday, May 5, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Join Gibson House Museum staff on this FREE walking tour we explore the historic Willowdale neighbourhood. Guided tours through the historic house are available with paid admission.
MACKENZIE HOUSE 82 Bond Street
http://www.toronto.ca/mackenziehouse | machouse@toronto.ca | 416-392-6915
Contact Photography Festival –Stories in the Walls, Stories on the Walls: Time, Space, and Urban Memory
May 1 to July 29
This exhibit builds on archival research, story-telling, and photography to explore the meanings of urban memory through the parallel between human lives and the ebbs and flows of the physical urban scape. Looking at the imprints of past buildings on the walls that remain, the exhibit considers what it means to have memory—as people and as buildings. Regular admission applies.
Jane’s Walk: Mackenzie as Mayor
Saturday, May 5, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Walk begins at Mackenzie House (82 Bond Street) and ends at St. James Park (Adelaide & Church Streets)
As the first Mayor of Toronto in 1834, William Lyon Mackenzie faced many challenges: accusations of bias from a divided council; a catastrophic accident at City Hall; the return of cholera to the city, and perhaps his biggest challenge of all: building a city bureaucracy from scratch. “Mackenzie as Mayor: the walking tour” explores this eventful year and how it changed Toronto. FREE
THE MARKET GALLERY 2nd Floor South St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front Street East
http://www.toronto.ca/marketgallery | marketgallery@toronto.ca | 416-392-7604
Notes in the Night: The History of Toronto Jazz Clubs since 1946
March 3 to June 23
Guest curated by Ralph Coram, this exhibition focuses on Toronto’s many jazz venues using photographs, menus, advertising, memorabilia, record sleeves, posters, correspondence and interviews. The exhibit will feature materials from the collections of important music-scene personalities like Dave Caplan, Jim Galloway, Archie Alleyne and Warwick Publishers. Taped interviews with jazz greats such as Molly Johnson and Don Vickery focus on the experiences of performers in these clubs and the politics of the jazz scene. Featured clubs include long-running venues like the Colonial Tavern, the Town Tavern, Bourbon Street and George’s Spaghetti House. Regular admission applies.
MONTGOMERY’S INN 4709 Dundas Street West
http://www.toronto.ca/montgomerysinn | montinn@toronto.ca | 416-394-8113
Tea Time at the Inn
Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m.
Join us for a spot of tea and a taste of history in the Tea Room of Montgomery’s Inn. Tea Time at the Inn includes a sweet and savory combo plate, with a seasonal feature and unlimited tea service (black and herbal varieties available). Tea served and goods baked by Montgomery’s Inn dedicated volunteers. $7 plus HST. No reservation required, first come first serve.
Montgomery’s Inn Farmers Market
Every Wednesday from, 2 to 6 p.m.
Buy direct from local farmers and food artisans. Organic fruit and vegetables, organic wine, cheese, bread, and prepared foods as well as ethically raised meat, honey and more! Museum admission is free to Market visitors.
Fret Not Ukulele Night
Thursday, May 3, 6 to 9 p.m.
On the first Thursday of every month, join us for a fun evening of music and song as Doctor of Music, Chris Wilson guides us through ukulele instruction with new and old tunes. Perfect for all skill levels. Bring your own ukulele, some spares available but they go fast! First hour (6 to 7 p.m.) is a free chord workshop. 7 to 9 p.m. $15 (tax included); cash only.
Mother’s Day Tea and Tour
Sunday, May 13, 1 to 4 p.m.
Bring Mom to the Inn to celebrate Mother’s Day with afternoon tea. Price includes a complimentary guided tour of the museum. All ages are welcome. First come, first served. $7 plus tax.
Jane’s Walk: Stories of Thomas Montgomery’s Farm along Mimico Creek
Saturday, May 5, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Sunday, May 6, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Mimico Creek passes through the land where Thomas Montgomery operated his inn and farm. When he acquired this property in 1830, the creek’s water and watershed were pristine, yet less than two centuries later, their condition is rated as “poor.” Much of the creek is now hidden from view by industrial parks, subdivisions, and cement channelization, but on this walk, we will explore one of its most accessible and tranquil areas. Stories of the area’s flora, fauna, ecology, indigenous peoples and local history may surprise you as they reveal the changes that have taken place over the past 200 years. Please note this walk includes rugged terrain.
SCARBOROUGH MUSEUM 1007 Brimley Road
http://www.toronto.ca/scarboroughmuseum | shm@toronto.ca | 416-338-8807
May Weekends
Every Saturday and Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m.
Tea brings people together, and Scarborough Museum wants to share this tradition with you! Come in and try savoury scones baked over the open fire, with a cup tea. For Mother’s Day let mom have a break with these delicious treats, while kids make a Mother’s Day card and try their hand at a paper tea cup craft. It’s high time for tea time all May long at Scarborough Museum! Pay What You Can.
Canadian Taste Buds: May 26 & 27
The monthly Canadian Taste Buds recipe for May is a decadent cheesecake. Baked fresh in our wood burning stove this smooth and creamy treat is a slice of pure spring happiness!
Land / Water / Sky
April 1 to August 30
Members of the Scarborough Museum Youth Collective present photographic works that reflect their connection to the land, water and sky. Youth created their pieces in art workshops led by Wyandot Artist/Mentor~ FaithKeeper Catherine Tammaro. Pay What You Can.
SPADINA MUSEUM 285 Spadina Road
http://www.toronto.ca/spadina | spadina@toronto.ca | 416-392-6910
Yoga at Spadina
Sunday, May 6, 2 to 3 p.m.
This class will be led by certified yoga instructor Diane Grundy, who has been practicing yoga and studying yoga philosophy for over 5 years. Diane is a Yoga Alliance Certified (200 hours) instructor, who will be leading the class through a gentle/ beginner level of hatha yoga. Although the class will be at the beginner level, all levels are welcome. It is suggested that participants please bring a mat, towel, and water, and that they arrive at least 10 minutes before the class begins.
Classes are limited to 12 participants, and pre-registration is required, by calling Spadina Museum, at 416-392-6910. Admission for the class is pay-what-you-wish, and monies will be donated to the museum.
TODMORDEN MILLS HERITAGE SITE 67 Pottery Road
http://www.toronto.ca/todmordenmills | todmorden@toronto.ca | 416-396-2819
Jane’s Walk: Bridging the Don: 100 Years of the Prince Edward Viaduct
Saturday, May 5, 9:15 to 10:45 p.m. (approximate length)
Opened in 1918, the Prince Edward (Bloor) Viaduct is such an iconic part of the cityscape that it is hard to imagine Toronto without it. But bridging this gap between east and west was a massive challenge – and not just in the technical sense. Join us for a guided walk and learn about the controversy over what was once called a ‘bridge to nowhere’, as well as the viaduct’s impact on the neighbourhoods on either side of the Don Valley. FREE.
Meeting Place: Southeast corner of Bloor & Sherbourne (outside Sherbourne station)
End Location: Chester subway station.
Jane’s Walk: Walking the Don: Past, Present and Future
Saturday, May 5, 1 to 3 p.m.
In the 1790s, the Don valley was wild and unspoiled. Over the next two centuries, the river was harnessed, channeled, polluted, moved, and ignored. Join us for a walk through the Lower Don trail system from Riverdale Park to Pottery Road and see how humans have impacted the valley – and how it is being reclaimed as a vital green space at the heart of the city. Join Todmorden Mills and Evergreen’s Don River Valley Park Team on a journey through the Don Valley. FREE.
Meeting Place: St. Matthews Clubhouse, 450 Broadview Ave (south end of Riverdale Park East)
End Location: Pottery Road trail junction (between Broadview and Bayview).
Jane’s Walk: Exploring Broadview: Todmorden to Riverdale
Sunday, May 6, 1 to 3 p.m.
Broadview Avenue – once a “mere wagon track, winding among the trees and underwood” – connects a number of diverse neighbourhoods and fascinating slices of Toronto’s history. From the river’s earliest mills to one of the city’s newest landmarks, join us as we explore two centuries of change east of the Don. FREE.
Meeting Place: Southwest corner of Broadview Avenue and Pottery Road
End Location: Riverdale Library, Broadview Avenue and Gerrard Street East.
Outdoor Guided Walk: Mother’s Day Wildflowers
Sunday, May 13, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Join us for a guided walk in our nature preserve and celebrate the return of the spring wildflowers and wildlife! Refreshments will be served after the walk. Tickets available online: https://todmordenmills.streamintickets.com
Don Valley Art Club Annual Awards Show and Sale
May 2 to 13
Celebrating 70 years of Art Making! 150+ affordable paintings of all sizes and styles. Indulge in a visually pleasing experience and expand your horizons by viewing and adding some original art to your life.
Meet the artists at the Opening Reception May 2, 7-9 pm
Community Art Day Sunday, May 6, Noon-5 pm Art demos, live models, plein air painting! FREE.
— Ilena Aldini-Messina
