Inside Toronto Life’s lavish 50th anniversary party at Casa Loma

On October 20, Toronto Life celebrated its 50th anniversary and special November issue with a lavish event. The exclusive, invite-only gala was held at Casa Loma and showcased the best in red-carpet style to celebrate 50 years of telling Toronto’s stories.

The celebration brought out luminaries such as Douglas Knight, Michael de Pencier, John Macfarlane, Devon Soltendiek, Glen Baxter, Michelle Dube, Andrea Bain, Shawn Hewson, Ruth Promislow, and Tony and Lina Gagliano.

The stylish crowd indulged in an exclusive menu from Liberty Entertainment Group. Guests sipped on wine from Robert Mondavi Winery and Stratus Vineyards, bespoke cocktails featuring Roberto Cavalli Vodka, and beer provided by Amsterdam Brewing Co.

Highlights of the evening included the stunning Mizrahi Developments champagne room, featuring Veuve Clicquot and a sparkling champagne tower. Guests loved the Tequila Tromba bar, where they could taste the special Toronto 50 Cocktail. The Glenfiddich custom bar, which featured tour guides who outlined the history of the Glenfiddich, was also a huge hit in the library. The digitally projected fireworks in the main hallway were incredible.

Mayor John Tory’s glowing remarks were a special moment, and were followed by speeches from Toronto Life publisher Ken Hunt, Toronto Life editor Sarah Fulford and Douglas Knight, president of St. Joseph Communications Media Group.

The evening continued with a special performance by Canadian singer-songwriter Basia Bulat. Guests danced the rest of the night away during a set by DJX.

Casa Loma was elegantly decked out with past Toronto Life covers, which brought back many memories. Guests flocked to a specially made 50th-anniversary green wall from Jackie O, which was the largest social media hit of the night.

Portland Variety and Le Gourmand provided incredible desserts to sweeten the evening, while the star of the night was the custom 50th-anniversary seven-tier cake from Le Dolci Toronto.

The evening ended with a lovely treat from Lindt Canada and gift cards from Manulife Centre.

Check out #TL50 on Twitter and Instagram, and see all the photos from the event, taken by George Pimentel Photography, below: