These are the in-person events and festivals coming back to Toronto this year

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9:48 am

Toronto events and festivals — @letsgototheex/Instagram

After two years (that felt like 10) of cancelled events and virtual placeholders, it looks like Toronto is finally returning to its action-packed norm.

On Friday, Mayor John Tory and city of Toronto officials announced the imminent return of many in-person events, including world-renowned festivities like Toronto Pride, Caribana, and TIFF. Events like these are a big part of what makes Toronto such a special place to live and visit, and 2022’s lineup of live events and festivals signifies a return to some semblance of normalcy.

So go ahead, Toronto, get your hopes up! These 10 events and festivals will be returning to the city in 2022, along with a whole bunch more.

St. Patrick’s Parade

The St. Patrick’s Parade is Toronto’s largest celebration of Irish-Canadian culture. Although it was one of the first events that was cancelled due to COVID in 2020, it will be the first to make a comeback now that restrictions have been lifted. The 2022 St. Patrick’s Parade will take place on Sunday, March 20, kicking off at the corner of St. George and Bloor at noon. The parade is free to attend.

Doors Open Toronto

Doors Open Toronto is Canada’s largest Doors Open event, offering walking tours of Toronto properties of architectural, historic and cultural significance. The event was halted in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, but it is set to resume on May 28 and 29, 2022. Patrons are welcome to enjoy the event free of charge in person and virtually.

Pride Toronto

After two years of celebrating Pride Month virtually, rainbow flags and floats will be gracing the streets of Toronto once again. Pride 2022 will run from June 1 to June 26, beginning with the Pride Parade and concluding with Festival Weekend from June 24 to 26. Some highlights of Pride 2022 will include the City of Toronto Flag Raising (June 1), Cabana Pool Party with Symone (June 15), and Island Party (June 19), as well as the return of Pride Toronto mainstays: Trans March, Dyke March, Bi+ Pride Programming, Blockorama by Blackness Yes and StreetFair.

Toronto Jazz Festival

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival is one of North America’s premier jazz festivals. The festival was postponed in 2020 due to COVID, and in 2021, it was re-imagined as a weekly concert series broadcasting live from the JAZZ.FM91 studios. This year, music lovers can physically attend what will be the Toronto Jazz Festival’s 35th anniversary from June 24 to July 3. Attendees will have their pick of about 165 free shows, featuring music from all genres, with a focus on local talent.

Luminato Festival Toronto

Luminato is an international arts festival that showcases art forms of all kinds in conventional and unconventional spaces around Toronto. Luminato went fully virtual in 2020, and in 2021, the festival was pushed to October, featuring online and in-person events. Luminato will return to Toronto from June 9 to 19 in 2022, featuring live music and dance and public art installations.

Salsa in Toronto

TD Salsa In Toronto Festival is Canada’s largest salsa festival, celebrating Latin culture through music, dance, art and cuisine. In 2020 and 2021, Salsa In Toronto took place in virtual format, but in-person programming will resume this summer. Salsa in Toronto attendees can enjoy the TD Salsa on St. Clair street festival on July 9 and 10, 2022, and are invited to attend free dance lessons across the GTA in June and July.

Toronto Caribbean Carnival

The Toronto Caribbean Carnival is an annual celebration of Caribbean culture and traditions. The carnival went fully virtual in 2020, but a limited version of the festivities (including music and food, but excluding the hallmark parade), returned in 2021. This year, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival will be celebrating its 55th year and is slated to return, in full-force, to Toronto this summer. The 2022 Toronto Caribbean Carnival will launch on July 7, and the Grand Parade will take place on July 30 at Exhibition Place and LakeShore Boulevard.

Taste of the Danforth

Taste of the Danforth is Canada’s largest street festival and Toronto’s premier celebration of Greek heritage and the city’s burgeoning Greek community. The festival was cancelled the last two summers due to COVID, but is set to return to Danforth Avenue between August 5 and 7, 2022. The festival is free to attend.

Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)

The Canadian National Exhibition, also known as the CNE, The Exhibition, or The Ex, is an end-of-summer attraction known for rides, games and unique fair food. The CNE was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, although coordinators launched a virtual experience, CNE Connected, in 2021. The 2022 CNE will once again take place at the Exhibition Place from August 19 to September 5.

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

The Toronto International Film Festival will be returning to an in-person format this year following virtual programming in 2020 and pared-down programming in 2021. The star-studded event will return to Toronto from September 8 to 18, 2022, showcasing international and Canadian cinema and welcoming both local and international guests. This year will mark the relaunch of celebratory events like the TIFF Opening Night Party and TIFF Tribute Awards Gala, as well as various events geared at networking and press.

Chef Rosa Marinuzzi and her sons crown Toronto’s Roman pizza champion

By

Erin Neilly

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9:16 am

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To celebrate the Ides of March (et tu, Brute?), we had chef Rosa Marinuzzi and her sons, Vito & Tony, of 7 Numbers fame, sample T.O’s best Roman pizza (a square version of the classic, traditionally cut with scissors and sold by weight and made with thinner dough crafted with olive oil).

Winner

Venga Cucina

”That’s really flavourful pizza. The onions are delicious,” say the Marinuzzi family. “The cheese is really good–everything is great, and the dried herbs are a nice touch. It’s very rich because of the toppings, but the crust is light. It all goes really well together, nothing is overpowering.”

vengacucina.ca, $20

Runner-up

Eataly

“That’s good pizza. Really thin crust, it’s flavourful and properly chewy. That tastes like authentic Italian pizza.”

eataly.ca, $7.90/slice

Stock TC

“You can tell the dough is hand rolled. The cheese is really good, and it’s a good-sized slice.”

stocktc.com, $5/slice

Levetto

“The flavours are really different. It’s really unique, a barbecue pizza. We’ve never tasted something like it before.”

levetto.com, $19

Tosto

“The prosciutto is good and the tomatoes are good. You can tell the ingredients are high quality.”

tostoquickfire.ca, $12.5/slice

Ciao Roma

“I’ve never had tuna on pizza before. It tastes really good with the artichoke. The crust is excellent.”

crpizza.com, $24.50/half pizza

A Sailor Moon-themed Japanese maid cafe is coming to Toronto

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Erica Commisso

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2:55 pm

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Angel cafe Japanese maids — Angel Cafe on Instagram.

When Uncle Tetsu‘s Angel Cafe closed, it took the only eatery and experience offering up maid service as seen in Japan out of the Toronto scene.

angel cafe toronto — Angel Cafe on Instagram.

But, the concept has returned, thanks to Scarborough’s Oishiii Sweets. On March 13, the Kennedy Road space will transform into a Sailor Moon-themed experience, combining Japanese maid cafes with traditional British High Tea. And, they mixed in an extremely popular anime show just for an added layer of fun.

“Inspired by Japanese Maid Cafes and English Afternoon Tea, we take pride in providing one-of-a-kind service and offering decadent exclusive themed desserts,” the event page reads. “Indulge in yummy desserts baked with so much love! Enjoy your meal with warm drinks or iced beverages while our maids entertain guests with an hour of personal service, table side entertainment, enchanting spells and games!”

Oishii founder Tiffany Li writes on her website that her baked goods are inspired by Japanese culture, and a celebration including Japanese maids seems like a fun way to honour it and introduce guests to Japanese traditions.

Tickets for the event cost $45, and guests can expect to experience the pop-up in hour long time slots. The price of admission includes a hot meal and tea, as well as another drink, all to enjoy during the entertainment. The event is called Moon Prism Power, and this is the fifth annual iteration of the Japanese maid cafe pop-up, where polaroids and Sailor Moon merch will also be available.

Leading up the event, Oishii is offering patrons Sailor Moon-themed cookies at the bakery on a first come, first serve basis.

Oishii sweets Sailor Moon pop up — Oishii Sweets on Instagram.

Oishii Sweets is located at 2-3376 Kennedy Road in Scarborough.

Get into the St. Patty’s spirit with Toronto’s best Irish meat pies

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Megan Gallant

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1:00 pm

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Fionn Maccool's Guinness Pie — Fionn Maccool's on Instagram.

45 years ago the Rolling Stones played the El Mo and it was wild

By

Ron Johnson

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11:41 am

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It was a cold winter’s day in March, 1977 when the news hit that a band dubbed the Cockroaches would take the El Mocambo stage for back-to-back shows. Opening for the band, a rock band by the name of April Wine. The shows were not announced and few people knew what was really going on. British band the Rolling Stones, already wildly famous, were set to record a live album at Toronto’s iconic El Mocambo.

The historic event is now an essential part of Toronto music lore. And it is one that will be celebrated this weekend as the El Mocambo teams up the TheMuseum’s exhibition The Rolling Stones | Unzipped this weekend, March 4-5 , for a special event featuring music performances from Stones cover band The Blushing Brides, original artwork by guitarist Ronnie Wood and artifacts from The Rolling Stones first 60 years.

In an article for the National Post, the El Mo’s former booker Dave “Blue” Bluestein described the subterfuge leading up to the historic event.

“We had natural cover,” he is quoted as saying in the article, “because if anything got out, we could say, ‘No, look, April Wine is playing. That’s the gig. It says so right here.’ Another band was added to the April Wine shows called ‘The Cockroaches,’ which was The Stones’ alias.”

Imagine if you will, what the passersby on Spadina Avenue might have been thinking when they heard a band that sounded an awful lot like the Rolling Stones were sound checking for the live recording in the afternoon.

Radio station CHUM-FM held a contest leading up to the event that would ensure the hundreds of fans in attendance were true Stones fans.

As local historians will note, it was at the same time, leading up to the shows, that guitarist Keith Richards was arrested in Toronto for cocaine possession. A charge for which he later received a suspended sentence. In addition, it was at one of these shows that Margaret Trudeau was spotted. A scandal emerged.

Both shows at the El Mocambo were recorded and some of the songs later became side three of the album Love You Live.

According to the website Setlist.fm, the setlist for the evening includes: Honky Tonk Woman, All Down the Line, Hand of Fate, Route 66, Fool to Cry, Crazy Mam, Mannish Boy (a Muddy Waters cover), Crackin’ Up (a Bo Diddley cover), Dance Little Sister, Around and Around (a Chuck Berry cover), Tumbling Dice, Happy, Hot Stuff, Star Star, Worried About You, Let’s Spend the Night Together, Worried Life Blues (a Big Maceo cover), It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (but I Like It), Rip This Joint, Little Red Rooster (a Willie Dixon cover), Luxury, Brown Sugar, and Jumpin’ Jack Flash.

The Rolling Stones has a long history with the city of Toronto dating back to their first show in 1965. There were many preview shows held in the city leading up to the band’s world tours including at clubs such as the RPM and the Palais Royale. And, of course, the SARS benefit concert in 2003 in front of an estimated 450,000 people.

The Unzipped exhibition at the Kitchener-Waterloo museum features hundreds of original Stones artifacts and memorabilia, offering the most comprehensive and immersive insight into the band’s nearly sixty-year journey.

T.O. comedian on making Colin Mochrie and Andrew Phung laugh

By

Julia Mastroianni

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11:31 am

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Brandon Ash-Mohammed might be a relative newcomer comedian, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from watching Amazon Prime’s LOL: Last One Laughing Canada. On the show, Ash-Mohammed fits right in alongside comedic veterans like Caroline Rhea, Tom Green and Colin Mochrie.

LOL Canada, which launched in February, is based on a Japanese game show with the premise of getting a group of comedians to engage in crazy antics to make each other laugh. The goal is to simply be the one who can’t be cracked.

“It’s very hard to make comedians laugh. So you have to do crazy stuff,” says Ash-Mohammed. “It’s ridiculous.”

He might now be laughing — or trying his best not to laugh — along with Canada’s funniest personalities, but he wasn’t always sure he was meant for comedy.

In fact, it wasn’t until he was attending high school that he was really drawn toward the stage and toward comedy. The years he studied at Western Tech, Ash-Mohammed says, were “very crucial” to becoming a comedian.

“If it hadn’t been for some of the teachers,” he says, “I don’t think I would have been here.”

The standup comedian is talking specifically about one Grade 10 teacher who really saw his potential and had the “foresight” to encourage the school to nurture his talent. When his mandatory English class conflicted with the elective drama class, the English and leadership teacher, Anisha Khan, pushed for Ash-Mohammed to be eligible for her advanced English course. This allowed him to take the drama class simultaneously.

This push not only helped Ash-Mohammed to land roles in the school’s productions and to win the drama award, but further allowed him to improve on his writing skills, which he says he continues to use when writing his standup.

Now, Ash-Mohammed, who describes his style as “whimsical but with a social conscience,” is changing the face of comedy. When he felt “not one hundred per cent included” in the comedy shows he was performing in, Ash-Mohammed created one that consisted of all queer BIPOC performers, called The Ethnic Rainbow.

“I realized that there wasn’t really a space for someone like me or people like me,” Ash-Mohammed explains. “I thought that comedy in Toronto would be reflective of Toronto. Back in those days, it really wasn’t like that. It was very much ‘good old boy’ comedy. And there wasn’t that much diversity.”

But Ash-Mohammed recognizes progress in recent years as The Ethnic Rainbow celebrates its fourth anniversary.

“I was the one that had to go through this kind of jungle of uncharted territory for someone like me and kind of blaze a path for others. And that was really hard. I don’t think that that would have been possible before.”

Now, through his role on LOL Canada, Ash-Mohammed is representing the intersectional identities he wasn’t able to look up to during his formative years of performing. With the last two episodes of LOL out today, you can tune in to find out who was crowned the comedy winner of Canada.

A big top tent rising on the shores of Lake Ontario could mean just one thing

By

Ron Johnson

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10:45 am

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cirque du soleil tent — Cirque du Soleil tent rising at Ontario Place

The Toronto waterfront has a new big top tent on the shores of Lake Ontario in advance of the opening of a new Cirque du Soleil show set to run from April 14 until at least July 17.

The raising of the 65-foot-tall big top tent took place over six days finishing on March 4 in preparation for the show at Ontario Place and taking a team of almost 100 people.

“Our iconic Big Top taking its place in the Toronto skyline is a special moment,” says Mike Newquist, of Cirque du Soleil. “It’s the first to be raised in Canada since the relaunch of our shows and we’re excited to say ‘take your seats.’”

Working to get the tent up took a team of 100 people

KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities, the company’s 35th production, is the first Cirque du Soleil show to launch since the pandemic hit back in 2020. Response to the show has been positive and the show has already been extended beyond its original engagement.

Cirque du Soleil describes KURIOS as taking place in “an alternate yet familiar past, KURIOS steps inside the mechanical lab of an inventor convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world – a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams await. Once the inventor succeeds to unlock the door to this world of wonders, time comes to a complete stop and an uplifted cast of otherworldly characters invades his curio cabinet, bringing his makeshift creations to life one by one. As the visible becomes invisible and perspectives transform, KURIOS bursts into a celebration of the power of the imagination.”

Scene from Kurios (photo: Martin Girard, shootstudio.ca)

KURIOS is unique in the Cirque du Soleil canon of shows in presenting a welcoming act on top of the big top before the show starts. According to show information, when weather permits, three artists climb up the big top and greet the guests from above while playing music and acting.

Cirque du Soleil began in 1984 as a group of 20 street performers in Montreal and has been a regular and beloved visitor to Toronto for years, setting up the big top with intimate theatre setting in a variety of locations including most recently the port lands.

Check out cirquedusoleil.com/kurios for show information.

This new sushi spot promises rolls with unique personalities

By

Erica Commisso

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9:05 am

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One of Montreal’s most popular sushi joints is coming to Toronto. Like Boustan, Sushi Sama opened several eateries in Quebec and in the Ottawa area before finally taking the Toronto plunge.

Henry Liu is at the helm of the North York outpost, relocating from Montreal to Toronto to oversee the expansion. A big part of that is ensuring that Toronto’s location gets the same high-quality sushi that Montrealers came to love. “Currently everything stays the same as the Montreal locations, Liu says. “You can expect countless rolls, and each one has a personality of its own with thoughtful flavours.”

Sushi Sama’s menu includes maki and futomaki (larger rolls) in flavours like Exotic Veggie (comprised of Japanese market vegetables) and the Cali L.A., made with crab sticks, avocado, lettuce and light mayonnaise.

Chef’s specialties include the Tiger Eyes, which is built with a smoked salmon exterior and an interior with a fried Tilapia tempura, masago, avocado, lettuce and carrot, that is then served with spicy mayo and sesame sauce. The Erotica, another specialty, is made of salmon tartare, tobiko, oshinko, spicy mayonnaise and teriyaki sauce. All of that is then served on a fried shrimp roll.

Sushi Sama also serves poke bowls to round out a menu full of options that are unique to the restaurant. Options also include rolls made out of soya paper and rice leaf, and even maki rolls crafted with tartare. Appetizers, desserts and plates that see the chef select a combination of rolls round out the menu.

As for expansion, it’s already on Liu’s mind. “Definitely, there will be more locations in the GTA,” he says, though there is no direct timeline or plan yet. For now, Sushi Sama fans and sushi lovers can head to 1763 Avenue Road to sample some of the restaurant’s unique, personality-filled rolls.

Five books that matter to actor Mouna Traoré star of TV series The Porter

By

lindsaylow

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3:49 pm

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Mouna-Traoré-2---photo-taken-by-Marko-Mijailovic — Mouna Traoré by Marko Mijailovic

The Porter is a new eight-episode fictional drama now streaming on CBC-TV. The show is inspired by real events and will celebrate the lives, stories, and achievements of the Black train porters and their families in the early 1920s who played an essential role in forming the many Black communities across Canada — including across the GTA. It airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBC-TV and is available on CBC Gem. Mouna Traoré is one of the local stars on the show. The Toronto native plays the character Marlene Massey.

Here are five great books that matter to her and what Traoré has to say about each.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Unfortunately, I saw the film before I knew the book even existed, and although they are very different, (I love both), I still wish I had read the novel first. It reads like a puzzle, and I think the deeper story is something that needs to be felt. The novel slowly builds momentum as the reader progresses through the six nested stories that span six lifetimes over many centuries. It blends genres and utilizes different writing styles to create a work of fiction that is brilliant and wholly unique. For me, the novel carries underlying messages about purpose, karma, and the evolution of the soul that I resonate with deeply. I think each person takes something different away after reading because of Mitchell’s subtle writing style, making it the kind of book you want to read again as soon as you finish.

Lilith’s Brood (Xenogenesis Trilogy) by Octavia E. Butler

This was my first foray into the world of Octavia E. Butler, and I was immediately taken by her unique style and perspective. This collection of books follows Lilith Iyapo as she awakes in a spacecraft after being asleep for centuries. The ship is controlled by alien life forms who are seeking to save humanity from extinction after an atomic war destroys most of the earth. I found Lilith’s journey to be utterly fascinating and disturbing, and it forced me to examine my own beliefs about society, family, humanity, as well what it means to be truly human.

Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende

I loved this novel as soon as I picked it up. It is an epic work of historical fiction that follows the life of an enslaved woman and French colonists on the island of Saint-Domingue prior to and during the Haitian Revolution. I love how well researched this novel is. In university, I majored in Caribbean studies and took a course on this specific time period in Haiti, and it was heartening to read a work of fiction that didn’t simplify or reduce the characters or their world.

Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan

I was in a toxic relationship with a guy and he suggested I read this. I’m sure at the time it was a way for him to justify his bad behaviour, but I found the book to be very enlightening when it comes to understanding monogamy, sex and relationships. It debunks a lot of conventional beliefs and offers verifiable research, information and theories about the history and current state of human sexual behaviour. It really supported me in forming my own understanding of sex and relationships, and many of the subjects are great conversation starters!

Red Rising (series) by Pierce Brown

I have been a huge sci-fi fantasy fan since I was a kid, and the Red Rising series has got to be one of my favourite sagas of all time. Brown is a master at world-building, and this series completely sucks you into a dystopian future where humans have colonized and socially stratified the entire solar system using a colour-coded caste system. Brown is a genius, not only at developing complex characters and storylines, but also riveting plot twists that leave you on the edge of your seat. No other books have caused me to scream out loud at an airport or weep in my bed for hours.

The best things to do in Toronto this weekend

By

Julia Mastroianni

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2:36 pm

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weekend-events-apres-ski — Après Ski at @theporchto

For anyone looking for something to do in the city over the weekend, there are plenty of options to choose from. Whether you want to catch an Oscar-nominated documentary short, see some superheroes in IMAX or get moving at a dance party or two, you won’t have to look far to find something fun to see or do. Here are seven of the best weekend events in Toronto.

See The Princess Bride in concert

Friday and Saturday will see the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform Mark Knopfler’s score of the cinematic classic live to picture in what is sure to be a memorable experience for fans of the movie. The performance is happening at Roy Thomson Hall at 7:30 p.m. both nights and run time is two hours, including intermission.

Head to a dance party and magic show

If you’re looking for something fun to do on Sunday, you might want to check out the dance party and magic show happening at TacoTaco in Kensington Market. Music will be supplied by DJ Coroncho, while magician Kensington Ken will have plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Tickets are $10 and if you buy them online in advance, your ticket also gets you a free drink.

Check out Après Ski

Spring might be inching ever closer but you can still enjoy some winter-focused fun courtesy of Après Ski, happening Saturday and Sunday at The Porch Toronto and Rock ‘n’ Horse Saloon. You can expect a variety of games, retro music videos, a live performance (performer TBD), and some comforting classics to snack on including chicken fingers, chili, poutine and beaver tails. The fun starts at noon and runs until late.

Enjoy brunch and a drag show

✨QUEENS✨ On March 5th, we’re excited to have @jadashada back in the ciderhouse for another Drag Brunch ? ?

— Brickworks Ciderhouse (@BrickWorksCider) March 3, 2022

Calling all cider and brunch fans. On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Brickworks Ciderhouse will be hosting their very own drag brunch featuring Drag Queen Jada Shada Hudson as host. While you tuck into brunch and enjoy a cider or two, a live DJ and two Drag Queens will be performing throughout the restaurant. The event is free to attend but you’ll need to reserve a table.

Catch an IMAX screening of Spiderman: No Way Home

Whether you’ve already seen the Marvel hit and want to watch it again in IMAX or you’re going in fresh, you can enjoy all the superhero action at Cinesphere this weekend. Screenings are happening Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Dance the night away

Put on your dancing shoes and prepare to move and groove to a bunch of “guilty pleasure” songs at Sneaky Dee’s on Saturday. The iconic bar and music venue will be hosting Guilty Pleasures Dance Party starting at 10:30 p.m. where you can move and groove to all the songs you know the words to but only listen to away from (potentially) judging ears.

Watch some Oscar-nominated shorts

Starting this Friday (and running through March 10), you can catch some Oscar-nominated documentary shorts at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. The Academy Awards air on March 27, so now is the perfect time to take in a few of the nominated films that span a wide range of topical subjects sure to make you think.

In the Loblaw and Frito-Lay standoff, a local snack company wins

By

Erica Commisso

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1:12 pm

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nealbrothers — @grecocollective/Instagram

Loblaw Companies Ltd. and Frito-Lay are feuding, and a local company is reaping the benefits.

Loblaw is Canada’s largest grocer is engaged in a price-related dispute with global chip company Frito-Lay, who are responsible for Lays, Doritos, Miss Vickie’s and Tostitos, among others. Frito-Lay is under the Pepsi umbrella, and the Canadian branch of Pepsi stopped shipping their Frito-Lay products to Loblaw after the grocer refused to accept price increases a few weeks ago.

Without their usual roster of chips and snacks, Loblaw was forced to look for a solution. Enter Neal Brothers Foods, the Richmond Hill-based snack company. Loblaw placed an abnormally large order with the local company–one so big that they could only fulfill about 40% right away. They are still working to fulfill the rest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaF1MPWhxR0/

“A few weeks ago we started getting calls from our biggest retailer potentially looking for massive quantities of snacks (massive for us Neal Brothers Foods). A week later mayhem ensued and we were getting real, not potential, orders and they were abnormally big for us,” partner Peter Neal wrote on LinkedIn. “Last Friday night, while on a short vacation in Quebec, I got an urgent note from a great partner at Fortinos pleading for extra stock on top of already huge orders. By Tuesday, after the long wknd, my team was in emergency mode – all hands on deck! I honestly didn’t think we’d be able to accomplish and fulfill these orders.”

neal-brothers-chips — Neal Brothers on Instagram.

Neal Brothers called in another Vaughan business, Burnac Produce Ltd, to help get the process in motion. Normally found in the organic aisle, Neal Brothers products are now in the main chip section, and have seen their orders increase by 50% compared to February 2021. It was a huge boost for Neal Brothers, who noted that this was what they needed in a time when the food industry is suffering. For once, in a dispute between the big retailers, the local company comes out on top.

The Soul of Ukraine immersive exhibition coming to Toronto

By

Ron Johnson

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11:53 am

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exhibit of ukraine artist shevchenko — Producer Valeriy Kostyuk with Ukraine President Zelensky in 2021

With the backdrop of an awful and cruel war, Lighthouse Immersive (Immersive Van Gogh), has arranged for Immersive Schevchenko: Soul of Ukraine to be available for viewing beginning March 15 in Toronto, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Boston, with all proceeds from ticket sales going directly to Canadian Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations working in Ukraine.

“Like millions around the world, I feel shocked and helpless in the face of what Ukraine is experiencing right now, and I happen to have a particular lens on this with a core member of my team being from and with family in Ukraine,” says Corey Rosse, producer at Lighthouse Immersive. “I am grateful to have the opportunity to bring this show here and to be able to help in any way I can.”

Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko (March 9, 1814 – March 10, 1861) is largely considered a cultural trailblazer of the independent Ukrainian nation.

Leading up to the exhibition, a press release describes workers at the National Museum of Taras Shevchenkocrate crating up valuable pieces of artwork in the same containers used to shield them from invading Nazi forces in 1941 to hide the valuable national artwork from the invading Russian military forces.

Last year, Ukrainian-born Lighthouse Immersive Associate Producer Valeriy Kostyuk, worked with a Ukraine-based team to develop the immersive exhibit of Shvenchenko’s work to display in Odesa as part of the 30th-anniversary celebration of Ukrainian independence. Lighthouse Immersive is working with the Ukrainian producers in Kyiv and Odesa to bring the exhibit to North America.

“As a born and bred Ukrainian, I always wanted to find a way to use my experiences producing in North America to promote Ukrainian artists,” Kostyuk says. “Ukrainian culture is as beautiful and moving and important as the culture of any other country in the world, and Shevchenko is, in many ways, a father of the independent Ukrainian nation. I have been moved and inspired beyond words by the endurance and resilience of the Ukrainian people at this moment and I am deeply thankful to the incredible team in Ukraine who partnered with me on this project, as well as to the producers at Lighthouse Immersive for standing with me in this moment.”

For tickets and more information about Immersive Svenchenko: Soul of the Ukraine visit lighthouseimmersive.com.