by Sara Mahmood
It’s finally starting to snow, just in time for December. This weekend, there’s lot of shopping to do and events to enjoy with the family or on your own.
Looking to get some unique gifts for your friends and family? Check out one of the many markets and craft sales running this weekend. In the Distillery District, Toronto Christmas Market is back again. The streets will be filled with a Ferris wheel, beer gardens, workshops, and lots of great shopping. If you want to support local artists and designers, head over to the Handmade Holiday Craft Show. You can find various handmade goods, including toys, jewelry, clothing, and more. There’s also the Holiday Art Market, being held at the Artscape Wychwood Barns. With over 25 exhibitors, you’re sure to find the perfect handmade gift for someone special. The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto is also holding its own fair: the Christmas Craft Sale and Flea Market. You can purchase authentic Aboriginal arts and craft items and foods, like Native-style tacos.
Since it’s December, lots of Christmas-themed workshops are taking place across the city. For the next three weekends, Spadina Museum is hosting Swell Sundays: Christmas in the Golden Age of Radio. Visitors can recreate a radio show from the 1930s in the morning and learn some flapper dance moves in the afternoon. At Casa Loma, the popular Elves in the Workshopis back for the 8th year. Hosted by party planner Marnie Lippa from Parties Made Simple, this activity lets kids make mini-gingerbread houses to take home. If the kids aren’t satisfied with just gingerbread houses, they can bake holiday treats at one of the Victorian Baking Workshops taking place at Scarborough Museum this weekend. Participants also receive a booklet filled with all the recipes they’ve learned. If the adults want to do some baking on their own, Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum is holding a Cast Iron Chef Historic Cooking Workshop on Saturday, where they can bake various treats from the 19th century.
On stage, the New Groundswell Festival kicks off this weekend. Three productions written by female playwrights will be featured, as well as panels, forums, and readings. The festival runs until December 10. Over at the Fleck Dance Theatre, Soulful Messiah celebrates its seventh year on stage. The contemporary dance interpretation of Handel’s The Messiah runs for this weekend only.
If you’re not afraid of a little snow, there’s plenty going on outside this weekend. The Cavalcade of Lights: Neighbourhoods celebration started earlier in the week and will run until the end of the year. Various neighbourhoods across Toronto are lighting up, but the main attraction is at Nathan Phillips Square. Over in the west side of the city, the Etobicoke-Lakeshore Santa Claus Parade takes place Saturday morning. The 21st parade promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Finally, on Sunday, Yonge-Dundas Square celebrates the Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life Christmas Festival. Enjoy arts and crafts, freebies, and hot chocolate while encouraging kids to be drug-free.
The year’s almost over, so make sure you end it with a bang by going out and discovering Toronto every weekend.
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