Harbourfront Centre World Routes - Summer 2006 Events (June 16 to Sept. 4, 2006)

 

 

Harbourfront Centre World Routes
Summer 2006 Events - June 16 to September 4, 2006
Multiple outdoor and indoor venues at
235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Canada
Info: 416-973-4000 or www.harbourfrontcentre.com

Every summer weekend, Harbourfront Centre presents free top Canadian and International artists in music, dance, theatre, film, food, readings, visual arts and family activities at multiple waterfront venues. Audiences experience the rich cultural diversity of each weekend's theme (info below) while enjoying shopping and eating options at the International Marketplace and at The World Café nestled alongside an expanded boardwalk. All festival events are free admission.

Harbourfront Centre features two ticketed concerts this summer (complete details below). On Friday June 30 Brazilian Samba Soul star Seu Jorge performs (coproduced with TD Canada Trust Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival) while on Thursday July 6 Mali African music legend Salif Keita makes a rare Canadian appearance (coproduced with Music Africa).

Harbourfront Centre Focus - The Power Of Place
Geography, history, memory all guide us as we struggle to find a sense of belonging and identity. They can direct us as clearly as a map or a compass. But does your heritage define you or does it make you part of a community? Do you belong to your neighbourhood or does it belong to you? What is your place in the world? Power of Place is part of an ongoing exploration of ideas-based programming at Harbourfront Centre, June through December 2006.

Harbourfront Centre Summer Festivals 2006 include:
(festival events are free admission)

Barbados on the Water (June 16 to June 18)
Canada's largest celebration of Barbados and Barbadian culture celebrates its tenth anniversary! Presented by Harbourfront Centre in partnership with the Barbados Tourism Authority, the Consulate General of Barbados and the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados.

Power of Place: Canada Day (July 1)
Celebrate Canada Day all day and all night with fun, festive and family-friendly events inspired by the theme of Power of Place.

Power of Place (July 2 and July 3)
A place is a physical location, a place is a state of mind. This festival combines both kinds of places to entice all of the senses. International music artists converge onto a festival environment that includes dance, film and family activities.

Bud Light Beats, Breaks & Culture: Toronto Electronic Music Festival
(July 7 to July 9) Presented by NOW magazine
One of North America's top Electronic music and culture festivals plugs into the latest currents of modern musical expression, this year focussing on how World Music is developing into a global electronic phenomena. Canada's largest breakdancing competition and live Grafitti art creation are some of many events enriching the festival environment.

Roots:Remix (July 14 to July 16)
A look at the roots of popular music and culture and how the traditional branches into today's multiple culture mix. International and Canadian dance and music artists combine with a festival themed film series to frame the cultural change as it occurs.

Ritmo y Color: Focus Mexico (July 21 to July 23)
The latest edition of this long running Latin American festival (since 1988) threads the vibrant cultural arts scene of Mexico with Latin artists from abroad and from across Canada performing current and traditional music, dance and much more.

From the Peg! (July 28 to July 30)
The isolation and climate of Winnipeg has created a strange and wonderful cultural community lauded worldwide for its unique artistic perspective. This festival shows some of the best music, theatre, dance, visual and performance art From the Peg!

Island Soul (August 4 to August 7)
Sample some the Caribbean’s finest artistic, cultural and culinary offerings at this long weekend festival. Live Reggae, Soca and Calypso jump up alongside fire dancers, a RastaFest, roti and jerk cooking classes, a film series and much more!

Hot & Spicy Food Festival (August 11 to August 13)
The eighth year of this festival features diverse sultry sounds, celebrity chefs, sizzling delicacies and the Red Hot Market. The third Hot & Spicy Iron Chef Competition has expanded into a Toronto neighbourhood chef cook-off!

Ho-Hai-Yan - Taiwanese Cultural Festival (August 18 to August 20)
Embrace the energy and creativity of current Taiwanese culture with food, dance, music and traditional crafts. Coproduced by the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society (who created and have run a similar Vancouver festival since 1990).

Indie Unlimited (August 25 to August 27) Presented by NOW Magazine
The indie DIY (do it yourself) scene has evolved into a worldwide arts culture that is much more than "alternative". This festival celebrates DIY culture through Electronica, Alt-Country, Rock, fringe theatre and a future of music forum.

Ashkenaz: A Festival of New Yiddish Culture (August 31 to September 4)
Merging all the cultures of the Jewish diaspora into a diverse and dynamic festival of new Yiddish culture! Performances include Klezmer and Middle-Eastern inspired music, theatre and comedy. Coproduced by the Ashkenaz Foundation.

More free summer events include:

Summer Music in the Garden - June 22 to September 17
(concerts Thursday's at 7 p.m. and Sunday's at 4 p.m.)
The Toronto Music Garden is a City of Toronto park, located on the waterfront at 475 Queens Quay West, between Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue. The Summer Music in the Garden series regales audiences with classical music from western and non-western traditions, along with new music and dance. Free Toronto Music Garden walking tours occur Wednesday's at 11 a.m. and Thursday's at 5:30 p.m. Self-guided audio tours are also available ($5 rental fee). This programme is presented by Harbourfront Centre in partnership with the City of Toronto's Department of Parks and Recreation.

Harbourfront Centre Visual Arts (open daily, some spaces closed Monday)
A vibrant variety of Canadian and International visual arts and crafts at seven indoor exhibition spaces in York Quay Centre.

Artists Gardens (viewable daily from July 2006)
This programme features more than 20 diverse gardens across the Harbourfront Centre site. Landscape architects, designers, craftspeople, performing artists and visual artists have all created living installations since the gardens began in 1990.

Franco-Fête (June 24)
This celebration brings together Francophones and Francophiles throughout June climaxing in a huge outdoor music and variety concert at the Harbourfront Centre Concert Stage the evening of June 24.

Ticketed events this summer include:

SEU JORGE: Harbourfront Centre and TD Canada Trust Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival present Brazilian Samba Soul singer and guitarist Seu Jorge at the Harbourfront Centre Concert Stage on Friday June 30. Advance tickets are $21.50 ($25 day of concert). Tickets can be purchased at the Harbourfront Centre Box Office by calling 416-973-4000 and online through Ticketmaster.ca The concert takes place at the Harbourfront Centre Concert Stage. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Performances begin at 8 p.m. and end at 11 p.m.

SALIF KEITA: Harbourfront Centre and Music Africa present a rare Canadian appearance by Malian Afro-Pop originator and World fusion music legend Salif Keita. This ticketed Pier Party concert takes place at the Harbourfront Centre Concert Stage on Thursday July 6, 2006. Advance tickets are $26.75 ($30 day of performance). Advance tickets can be purchased through the Harbourfront Centre Box Office by calling 416-973-4000 and online through Ticketmaster.ca Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Performances begin at 8 p.m. and end at 11 p.m.

The Power Plant (June 23 to September 5)
($4 admission/$2 students and seniors)
Canada’s leading non-collecting contemporary art gallery presents a solo exhibition of Annie Pootoogook’s remarkable work, her first in a Canadian public gallery. Pootoogook (an Inuit) was nominated for the prestigious Sobey Art Award.

Tours and Charter Boats (May through October, various prices / call 416-973-4000 for info)
Harbourfront Centre hosts many unique harbour tour and charter boats that provide informative hour-long trips around the Inner Harbour, musical or romantic dinner-dance cruises, corporate receptions and private parties.

Harbourfront Centre Summer Events 2006
June 16 to September 4, 2006
Multiple outdoor and indoor venues at
235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Canada
Info: 416-973-4000 or www.harbourfrontcentre.com

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Media Contacts:
Shane Gerard, 416-973-4655
sgerard@harbourfrontcentre.com

Bill Bobek, 416-973-4428,
wbobek@harbourfrontcentre.com