Toronto
The “alternative design event” is held at the historic Gladstone Hotel on trendy Queen Street West bordering the Parkdale neighborhood. A curated group of artists, architects, and designers are each given a room in the hotel to decorate as they please. The rooms—filled with balloons or wire sculptures or neon signs—then become exhibit spaces for the public to enjoy with live music and a drink in hand. Next: January 2016
Calgary
For five days every June about 250 bands, artists, and comedians take over 30 Calgary venues for the pleasure of some 33,000 culture vultures. Launched in 2007 with a quirky, nonsensical name, the festival’s thoughtful, eclectic programming and independent spirit turn the city into an art lover’s paradise. The guest curator for 2015 was the band Godspeed You Black Emperor, which won Canada’s esteemed Polaris Music Prize in 2013. Next: Summer 2016
Squamish
Launched in 2010, the four-day alt-rock fest in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains grew to more than 105,000 attendees by 2014. This year’s lineup featured Drake, Kaskade, and Alabama Shakes, with Mumford & Sons as the closing act. Presented by Virgin Mobile, the festival uses R.F.I.D. technology for faster service and offered almost 150 “glamping” sites at $1,300 per night for those who didn’t want to drive an hour back to Vancouver. Next: August 2016
Toronto
As the first international Taste festival in North America, the event marked its second year in 2015 with more than 60 artisan food producers and premium brands gathered at historic Fort York. Foodies engaged with the city’s most acclaimed chefs and sipped, sampled, and shopped from recognizable producers and up-and-coming purveyors of jams, cheeses, wines, and beers. American Express and the Food Network were featured sponsors. Next: July 2016
Toronto
Following the lead of Milan, Paris, and London, Toronto inaugurated a dedicated men’s fashion week in 2014. Designed to increase the profile and image of menswear, the event, known as TOM, drew 600 editors, buyers, and other fashion industry folk to each of its 20 shows in the spring of 2015. Featured designers included Toronto’s Christopher Bates, Montreal’s Pedram Karimi, and Sons of Odin. Off the runways, fashionable men and women attended parties sponsored by Audi and GQ. Next: February 22-26, 2016
Toronto
Some 400 eco-minded guests helped raise $500,000 at the fourth annual dinner and art auction gala at the CBC building in Toronto. Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq and Tragically Hip lead singer Gord Downie were the musical highlights, and an auction featuring the photos of Edward Burtynsky and Vivian Maier wowed the art crowd. RBC was the presenting sponsor, and the Cement Association of Canada and Lafarge were platinum sponsors. Next: April 2016
