The Santa Claus Parade, a Simon and Garfunkel tribute show and seven other things to do this week
The festive, frigid Santa Claus Parade
1Toronto makes a big fuss about the celebrities who come to town during TIFF, but the world’s biggest star always waits until November to visit. Yes, Santa Claus is back for his 113th parade this Sunday, joined by 25 floats, 22 bands, 100 clowns and 1,500 volunteers. The route runs from from Christie Pits Park to St. Lawrence Market. Sunday, November 19. Free. Downtown.
A quaint holiday market
2In other holiday-related happenings, the Distillery District becomes a proverbial winter wonderland once again this week. The Toronto Christmas Market features carolling, European street food, a life-sized gingerbread house, a ferris wheel and a carousel, plus all the usual Distillery fun—stores, restaurants, breweries, galleries—for a month-long celebration of all things festive. Thursday, November 16 to December 23. Weekdays free, weekends $6. Distillery District.
A new spin on the symphony
3At Haus Musik, orchestral performers from Tafelmusik play with DJs, dancers, spoken-word performers, digital projections and other interactive media for a show that melds classical and contemporary music. This month’s event, Crossing/Traversée, features works by French composers François Couperin, Marin Marais and Jean-Philippe Rameau, layered with music by electronic artist Andycapp. Thursday, November 16. $25. The Great Hall.
An uncanny Simon and Garfunkel tribute
4The bad news: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel will probably never tour again. But the next best thing arrives in Toronto this month. The Simon and Garfunkel Story combines theatre and live music to track the folk duo’s rise: meeting as kids in Queens, releasing five studio albums, splitting up and, in the final scenes, reuniting for their legendary Central Park concert. New Yorkers Taylor Bloom and Ryan M. Hunt assume the title roles with uncanny precision and trademark harmonies. Friday, November 17. $29.50–$79.50. Massey Hall.
A choral Christmas tree unveiling
5The holiday season officially kicks off with the Eaton Centre’s glitzy tree-lighting ceremony. On Thursday evening, the mall will unveil Canada’s largest Christmas tree (for the record, that’s 30 metres) with a seasonal sing-along, led by Toronto choral collective Choir! Choir! Choir! Thursday, November 16. Free. CF Toronto Eaton Centre.
DanceWorks’s amazing anniversary edition
6Toronto’s longest-running contemporary dance series celebrates 40 years with a lineup of world premieres and past hits. There are new works by choreographer-dancers Esmeralda Enrique, Joanna de Souza, Denise Fujiwara and others, plus reinterpretations of classics like The Night Journey and Cheap Sunglasses. Thursday, November 16 to Saturday, November 18. $36–$42. Harbourfront Centre.
A leafy, lifelike art show
7Zachari Logan’s drawings are intricate, subtly funny and just a little eerie. His hyper-realistic images show men absorbed in—and into—their environments: they have beards made of flora, placid faces covered in butterflies, hands emerging from logs and socked feet emerging from living, breathing lawns. By contrasting nature’s splendour and pungent sexuality with masculine human subjects, Logan wittily subverts the traditional artistic stereotype of nature as inherently feminine. Friday, November 17 to Saturday, December 23. Paul Petro Contemporary Art.
An ode to two Americana icons
8A roster of Canadian musical theatre stars pay tribute to Zimmy and The King in Uncovered: Dylan and Springsteen. Their imaginative renditions focus on the core meaning of the lyrics and filter the tunes through a range of styles and genres, proving that even “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Born to Run” can sound new again. Tuesday, November 14 to Thursday, November 16. $35–$100. Koerner Hall.
Toronto’s best Asian indie art
9The Asian Zine Fair is a new forum for Toronto-based Asian artists, featuring the work of more than 30 artists and collectives, including 1% Talent and Gloam Collective. On top of plenty of art and zines, there will be live music, stand-up and tarot readings. Sunday, November 19. Free. Tranzac.
Never Miss Another Great Event
 with a seasonal sing-along, led by Toronto choral collective Choir! Choir! Choir! Thursday, November 16. Free. CF Toronto Eaton Centre.
DanceWorks's amazing anniversary edition
6Toronto’s longest-running contemporary dance series celebrates 40 years with a lineup of world premieres and past hits. There are new works by choreographer-dancers Esmeralda Enrique, Joanna de Souza, Denise Fujiwara and others, plus reinterpretations of classics like The Night Journey and Cheap Sunglasses. Thursday, November 16 to Saturday, November 18. $36–$42. Harbourfront Centre.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZCMo5wFtFf/?taken-by=zachari_logan
A leafy, lifelike art show
7Zachari Logan’s drawings are intricate, subtly funny and just a little eerie. His hyper-realistic images show men absorbed in—and into—their environments: they have beards made of flora, placid faces covered in butterflies, hands emerging from logs and socked feet emerging from living, breathing lawns. By contrasting nature’s splendour and pungent sexuality with masculine human subjects, Logan wittily subverts the traditional artistic stereotype of nature as inherently feminine. Friday, November 17 to Saturday, December 23. Paul Petro Contemporary Art.
An ode to two Americana icons
8A roster of Canadian musical theatre stars pay tribute to Zimmy and The King in Uncovered: Dylan and Springsteen. Their imaginative renditions focus on the core meaning of the lyrics and filter the tunes through a range of styles and genres, proving that even “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Born to Run” can sound new again. Tuesday, November 14 to Thursday, November 16. $35–$100. Koerner Hall.
Toronto's best Asian indie art
9The Asian Zine Fair is a new forum for Toronto-based Asian artists, featuring the work of more than 30 artists and collectives, including 1% Talent and Gloam Collective. On top of plenty of art and zines, there will be live music, stand-up and tarot readings. Sunday, November 19. Free. Tranzac.
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