Find some sweet deals (and Santa Claus) on the streets of Elora during Starlight Shopping, when the quaint, quiet town congregates to pick out Christmas gifts, share some hot wintry beverages and, presumably, appreciate their beautiful surroundings. Various locations, elora.info.
The National Ballet of Canada’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s most popular love story blends the subtle urgency of Sergei Prokofiev’s score with the fresh, folksy energy of Alexei Ratmansky’s rapid, Russian choreography. From $37. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W., national.ballet.ca.
In its first solo exhibition, the Aga Khan Museum presents a series of full-size canvas works by Iranian photographer, poet and filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, who spent two decades documenting weird and weathered doors in Iran, Italy, France and Morocco. Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Dr., agakhanmuseum.org.
Star spouses Paul Gross and Martha Burns turn their offstage chemistry into onstage scandal in this play about a popular politician who’s discovered at the bedside of an ailing sex worker. $24–$53. Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley St., canadianstage.com.
This new snack counter in Kensington Market serves a near-perfect version of Berlin’s unofficial late-night nosh, the döner. Thick slices of spit-roasted veal and lamb are tossed with tomato, iceberg lettuce and red cabbage, then doused with a spicy, garlicky yogurt sauce and served on grilled flatbread. Read our review here. 256 Augusta Ave., ottosdoner.com.
Claire Boucher graduated from underground gigs to world tours with her breakthrough album, Visions. Up next: Art Angels, a diverse collection of punky synthpop tunes that includes the danceable, dubstep-tinged “Go.” $32.75–$40.50. Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave., ticketmaster.com.
An international troupe of 18 championship skaters lace up for an ice ballet based on the classic Brothers Grimm tale set to Tchaikovsky’s romantic 1890 score. Expect stilt skating, pyrotechnics and gravity-defying leaps. $55–$95. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E., sonycentre.ca.
The St. John’s outfit Hey Rosetta! headlines with their complex yet cathartic sing-alongs, while Kelowna hippie-rockers Yukon Blonde blaze through their album On Blonde, a repertoire of synth-shaped rock ’n’ roll. $39.50–$49.50. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St., roythomson.com.
This massive and majestic green space is home to the largest number of public yurts in Ontario’s parks. Each of its 16 heated shelters has space for six people, so grab some friends and lounge the weekend away. MacGreger Point Provincial Park, 1593 Bruce Rd. 33, ontarioparks.com.
This epicurean extravaganza features 140,000 square feet of artisanal cheeses, craft beers and luxury spirits, plus complimentary cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs like Mark McEwan. $25–$85. Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 222 Bremner Blvd., foodandwineexpo.ca.
The National Ballet’s new principal dancers Naoya Ebe, Elena Lobsanova and Jurgita Dronina juggle the lead roles in this triumphant take on Shakespeare’s romance about royalty, rage and redemption, in which a king seeks forgiveness after falsely accusing his wife of adultery. From $37. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W., national.ballet.ca.
Long before lampooning hipster culture on Portlandia, Brownstein was a riot grrrl stalwart as the guitarist of the critically acclaimed (and recently reunited) trio Sleater-Kinney. Here, she discusses her new memoir, Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl. Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St., torontopubliclibrary.com.
Front man Matthew Caws and his band mates have consistently created poetry out of everyday observations. They set their lyrics to a simple selection of guitar-driven alternative music that’s influenced legions of pop-punk and emo rockers since. $22.50. Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., horseshoetavern.com.
This 19-year-old event stands out as a beacon of excellence in alternative cinema—it digs deep into the catalogue of works created by Asian filmmakers at home and abroad, offering much more than what typically trickles down to North American audiences. $10–$20. Various locations, reelasian.com.
The Freddie Mercury of CanRock has released 11 full-length albums that wander between arena-appropriate glam-rock bangers (remember “We Will Still Need a Song”?) and sentimental piano ballads. $40.75. Phoenix Concert Theatre, 410 Sherbourne St., ticketmaster.com.
