Dufferin Archives - Bloor News Blog Toronto

BIG on Bloor Festival 2013

We welcomed 70,000 people last year with visitors saying, “The BIG on Bloor Festival was an exceptional experience with so much to see, do and really be engaged with.” This year we are in full swing to surprise and delight you again with event to enjoy and participate in. July 20/ 21, 2013 car-free Bloor St., Toronto, Dufferin to Lansdowne, celebrates arts, culture, community & small business with a unique community and city-building festival featuring hundreds of events, activities and exhibitions including: Bloordale Market: more than 200 arts, crafts, vendors and information tables! BIG on Bloor 2013 leading events: Celebrate Here: Music, performance and dance! Culture Works: Institutions, collectives, artists creative events… see, touch, learn, participate! Savour Bloor: In the stores, restaurants, patios and the Bloodale Food Court! Big Awards: Community appreciation! Play Fair: Games for children and adults and the Bloordale Market! The BIG On Bloor Festival an initiative of the Bloordale BIA, BIG: Bloor Improvement Group and the Bloordale community.

Bloorcourt Arts and Crafts Street Fair will be cancelled for this year

Bloorcourt Arts and Crafts Street Fair will be cancelled for this year The Bloorcourt BIA will be undergoing street level construction on Bloor Street West from Montrose Avenue to Dufferin Street, commencing June/July 2013 where: *the sidewalks will be re-poured in areas that are damaged *the roadway will be entirely re-surfaced *the above ground planters & trees will be removed and re-planted underground where possible. 2013

Walk Bloordale – Enjoy the Light, Art – Food Event

Walk Bloordale – Enjoy the Light,
Art – Food Event

LAF is a light, art, food event with artists, store and restaurant owners collaborating to turn Bloor Street from Lansdowne to Dufferin, into a late-fall walking destination on cold, dark November 21, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Everyone is invited. Over 20 restaurants are opening their kitchens, many with taster menus at marginal cost. There couldn’t be a better time to restaurant hop and try everything.

Retail stores are also transforming their shop windows with light and art projects. Artist Orest Tataryn is making a light sculpture for the corner of Bloor St. and St Clarens Ave. Artist Dyan Marie is having a nightlight creation party at 1211 Bloor. Galleries are staying open. Cafes are providing music. For a complete list of activities see www.bloordale-bia.com.

LAF is an initiative of the Bloordale BIA and artist Dyan Marie. Spiro Koumoudouros the BIA chair says, “This is a wonderful opportunity for families to walk out, explore and support local business while making new discoveries”. Musician and LAF co-ordinator Dougal Bichan says, “After producing the BIG on Bloor festival this summer, it is very important to continue sharing the attractions of this interesting neighbourhood. “

LAF is a DMP / Bloordale BIA initiative, a Cavalcade of Light, City of Toronto BIA Participant and a Transcultural Exchange proposal for The Art Of Collaboration

2011 BIG On Bloor Fest. July 23/24, Dufferin – Landowne

Big on Bloor July 23-24 2011

BIG On Bloor Fest. July 23/24, Dufferin – Landowne

Bloordale, from Dufferin to Lansdowne celebrates business, community, arts and culture with a unique community and city-building festival featuring hundreds of events, activities and exhibitions. Three stages will fill with performers, musicians, singers, dancers, theatre, and karate. More than 300 participants feature table exhibitions that line the street and present their projects, products, consumer goods, information or events. Community awards are presented to honour exceptional citizens and there are interactive games

craft tables and attractions for families and children. BAAF: Bloor Alternative Art Fair brings art institutions, collectives, galleries and artists to our street. Crafts, story-telling, face painting, green and social information, dog shows and much more will take place. Strolling buskers and parades weave through the crowds. Our famously diverse restaurants – East African, South Asian, Somali, Vietnamese, Caribbean, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese, Mexican, Italian and Canadian host food, music and dance, some with outdoor extended licensed patios. The Responding Festival culminates its month-long activities of art, architecture, poetry and performance at the Kent school-grounds.

The Responding Festival

Kent School playground directly edges Bloor Street but is separated by a 12 foot high chain-link barrier fence. This summer we open the playground area of the school and offer it as a Bloor Street public space. We will transform the empty space into a public art environment, a collision of art and architecture, performance, poetry, landscape, discussions and playgrounds made by artists and architects, cultural collectives and community participants. The intention is to make a non-stop swirl of activity, a site for evolving experimental forms and new ways of creating in a shared place that responds to the city, the community, each other and being here now.

You can download the Big on Bloor guide here!