The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is taking place from November 7 - 17 at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place located at 100 Princes’ Blvd. It is the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and international equestrian competition in the world. From its humble beginnings on November 22, 1922 it has grown exponentially and this year over 326,000 visitors are expected to attend.

Bring the whole family and take in the rodeo, SuperDogs, horse shows, education programs, wine competition, apple competition, an unbelievable 8-horse Roman riding event, and more. One of the highlights of the fair is Christmas at the Royal which will take place on Sunday, November 16th. Christmas will be abound with everything that you would expect including a visit from Santa Claus. Eat, drink, and be merry with traditional holiday dishes and some Christmas cheer.

There is plenty of activity to keep the wee ones busy and happy. The Ag-tivity Centre has been created for children between the ages of 4 and 11 to amuse themselves with colouring, painting, and play. On Sunday, November 16th there will be gingerbread decorating, special prizes, and other special Christmas activities.

Buy your tickets online or in person.

Leave the car at home and take the TTC or GO Transit. If you are traveling by TTC take either the 511 Bathurst Streetcar from Bathurst Station or the 509 Harbourfront Streetcar from Union Station. If you are taking GO Transit, get off at Exhibition Station.

For more information contact the specific department of your interest directly.

I was leafing through the circulars that arrive every week when I came across an item that really caught my attention. The Wal-Mart flyer had a section of Halloween costumes, which in itself is not unusual at this time of year. However these Halloween costumes were for dogs! I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck and I am aware that pet accessories are all the rage. I’ve seen all manner of clothing, shoes, boots, designer collars and leashes, even Victorian brass bed replicas with duvets, but Halloween costumes! Have we gone completely mad?

Wal-Mart is selling 3 styles - Tinkerbell, Peter Pan, or Jack Sparrow - in sizes from XS - XL for $14.93. Have a look for yourself.

Wal-Mart is a clever retailer and clearly knows what they are doing. They report that in 2007 their sales of Halloween costumes for dogs were 10 times higher than a year earlier. I checked the pet stores and low and behold they are all selling dog Halloween costumes. PetSmart has a Dog Halloween shop and a Cat Halloween shop.

I’d love to see someone get a Halloween costume on a cat.

There are thousands of sites online and offline dedicated to the sale of pet Halloween costumes. There is even a pet costume outlet called Muttropolis and a store just outside New York City that caters to an uber-upscale market. E&E Hallstrom Haute Couture sells high-end Halloween costumes for dogs ranging in price from $200 US to $240 US. Clearly there are lots of people around with way too much money and not much to do.

It all boggles my mind! When did dogs and cats stop being beloved pets and become dress-up dolls instead? Why would anyone want to put a Halloween costume on their pet? It can serve no purpose but to irritate your dog or cat. If you are planning to dress up your pet this Halloween, please tell me why.

It’s time to leave the remote controls at home and come out to celebrate books! Toronto will be transformed into a Mecca for booklovers on Sunday, September 28th as The Word on the Street returns to Queen’s Park from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Come rain or shine. This fantastic event is absolutely FREE!

The Word on the Street is totally family friendly. There is even a special area created just for the young ones called KidStreet where there will be programs designed for book lovers under the age of 12 and where all merchandise is geared for children and/or their parents. There is a fully stocked “Parent and Tot” tent for those of you attending with wee ones. The site is wheelchair accessible and we encourage everyone to attend. You can even bring your pets as long as you keep them on a leash. There is so much going on for everyone. Please consult the site map to ensure that you don’t miss out on a single thing.

Last year over 200,000 people came out for this fabulous event celebrating literacy. The Word on the Street is Canada’s largest book and magazine festival. Browse the book, magazine, and literacy exhibitor booths. Discover your new favourite author. Attend readings. Many authors will be on hand to meet, greet, and personally sign your books.

Please leave the car at home and take the TTC. Queen’s Park is located just south of the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) at Bloor Street West and Avenue Road/Queen’s Park Crescent. Take the subway to the Museum Station on the University section of the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line. The 506 Carlton West streetcar passes immediately south of Queen’s Park. Check the TTC website for other routes.

Photo courtesy Flickr

Don’t start writing in that we are promoting anything pornographic. This is a nice family-friendly blog and the Virgin Festival is a music festival sponsored by Virgin Mobile. Saturday, September 6th and Sunday, September 7th the park will open at 1:00 PM and the gates will close at 11:00 PM. The line-up is just outstanding!

One day passes are $87 and two day passes are $157. One dollar of each ticket goes to Virgin’s Charity. Children under the age of 4 are permitted to enter free of charge as long as they are accompanied by a ticketed adult. Buy your tickets online at www.ticketmaster.ca or www.futureshop.ca, by phone 416–870-8000, or in person at TicketMaster locations and at the following Future Shop locations:
• Yonge & Eglinton
• Yonge & Dundas
• Keele & St. Clair

Food vendors will be onsite offering vegan, vegetarian, and non-vegetarian options. There is a dedicated viewing area for people with special needs.

It’s easy to get to the Toronto Island Park. If you are driving, take Lakeshore Boulevard to Bay Street and go south on Bay to Queens Quay. The ferry docks are right beside the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. There are plenty of parking lots in the area and they are all too expensive. Take the TTC instead. Take the subway or GO to Union Station. From there you can take a short walk over to the ferry dock or take the 509 Harbourfront streetcar to the ferry docks. Take the Centre Island Ferry. The ferry fees are included in your festival ticket. Have fun!

As Canadians, we are often so busy following the lives and antics of American celebrities that we sadly ignore our own. Now is your opportunity to change all that. Saturday, September 6th is the time that we will celebrate our own when Canada’s Walk of Fame honours 8 new Canadian celebrities. To date 107 fabulous Canadians have been inducted.

The 2008 inductees are:
• Bryan Adams – recording artist
• Frances Bay - actor
• James Cameron – director and producer
• Michael J. Fox – actor and activist
• k.d. lang – recording artist
• The Kids in the Hall – comedy troupe
• Steve Nash – NBA star
• Daria Werbowy – supermodel

Although Brian Adams (1998) and Michael J. Fox (2000) have previously been inducted, they were unable to attend the ceremonies.

The red carpet event begins at 5:00 PM. Stake out your spot outside the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts located at 145 Queen Street West (Queen Street and University Avenue) and watch the celebrities arrive.

Canada’s Walk of Fame began in 1998 to honour Canadians who have made their mark in music, sport, film, sports, and performing, literary or visual arts. In order to be an inductee there are certain criteria that must be met.
• Inductee must have been born in Canada or have spent their formative or creative years in Canada.
• Inductee must have a minimum of 10 years experience in their field.
• Inductee must have had national or international impact on Canada’s Heritage.

This is the 10th Anniversary of Canada’s Walk of Fame and the first ever inaugural Inductee Ball will take place at the Sheraton Centre’s Grand Ballroom.

Have a walk along King Street and look at all of the stars. Here is a map of the inductees and where you can find them.
http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/starmap

Image Courtesy Flickr

If you haven’t had the opportunity to take in this fantastic event yet, don’t delay! The Chinese Lantern Festival takes place nightly from 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM until September 1st at Ontario Place. From September 2nd – October 12th, the Festival will be held on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM and on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM.

This is your opportunity to participate in a unique experience. The Chinese Lantern Festival features 32 massive displays created by the magical hands of the craftsmen of Zigong, China. Each display is an event all on its own from dinosaurs to seascapes and from the Tower of Pisa to the Taj Mahal. You can globe trot and time travel all in one magical evening. There is plenty to engage and delight the whole family including traditional Chinese tea ceremonies, martial arts demonstrations, acrobats, and Chinese dance ensembles.

Tickets are $20 for children aged 4 – 12, $25 for people aged 13 – 64, $20 for seniors aged 65 and over, and there are family passes available for $95. They are available on site at the Ontario Place Gates, at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto located near Sheppard Avenue and Markham Road, or you can buy your tickets online and avoids the queues.

Ontario Place is located at 955 Lakeshore Boulevard West, south of Exhibition Place, between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue. It is easily accessible by car, TTC and GO Transit. Follow the link below for TTC and driving directions. http://www.chineselanternfestival.ca/english/getting_here.html

Image courtesy Flickr

It’s almost time to stake out a seat on your favourite “star gazing patio”. All of the stars will be out from September 4th – September 13th for the Toronto International Film Festival. Yorkville will be THE place to be. Prime hunting ground for autograph hounds or star gazers will be the Four Seasons Hotel, the Windsor Arms Hotel, the Hazelton Hotel, and the Park Hyatt Hotel. Toronto becomes so celebrity obsessed during the festival that at times it is even difficult to walk on the street in front of these hotels, let alone get into the bar for a drink. Some of the favourite restaurant hangouts for the stars have been Sassafraz on Bellaire Street, Joso’s on Davenport and Avenue Roads, Bistro 990 on Bay Street, and Hemingway’s on Cumberland Street where Russell Crowe got into one of his more famous altercations. American actors flock to La Casa del Habano, a Mecca for Cuban cigar lovers, on Yorkville Avenue.

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is of such importance that it is the festival of choice for many world premieres.
• Charles Martin Smith’s action-comedy “Stone of Destiny.”
• Rian Johnson’s “The Brothers Bloom,” starring Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo
• Stephen Elliot’s U.S.-British co-production “Easy Virtue,” starring Colin Firth, Jessica Biel and Kristin Scott Thomas
• Michael Winterbottom’s “Genova,” starring Colin Firth and Hope Davis
• Richard Linklater’s “Me and Orson Welles”
• Francois Dupeyron’s “Aide-toi et le ciel t’aidera”
• Rithy Panh’s “Un Barrage center le pacifique.”

For a complete list of films, follow the link below.
http://www.tiff08.ca/boxofficeinfo/default.aspx
The TIFF box office is located in the Manulife Centre at 55 Bloor Street West. For ticket information follow the link below. http://www.tiff08.ca/boxofficeinfo/default.aspx

Have you seen any famous people during TIFF? Where are your favourite people watching locations?

Buskerfest is one of Toronto’s best loved family-friendly festivals. From August 21st to August 24th over 500,000 people are expected to attend. The festivities take place around the St. Lawrence Market on Front Street between Church and Jarvis Streets, including Market Lane, Market Square, and Berczy Park. You don’t have to buy any tickets to attend. The entire festival is FREE. However, donations to Epilepsy Toronto are encouraged and most welcome.
Come out to Buskerfest on:
• Thursday, August 21st from Noon - 10:00 PM.
• Friday, August 22nd from Noon - 11:00 PM
• Saturday, August 23rd from 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
• Sunday, August 24th from 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

If you’ve never been to Buskerfest before, you are in for a real treat. Buskers are street performers with some amazing talent. Just wander around and you’ll see jugglers, unicyclists, stilt walkers, acrobats, comedians, magicians, mimes, contortionists, yoyo masters, skate boarders, sword swallowers, and more, on the street and on 8 stages. These amazing performance artists hail from around the globe – Canada, United States, England, Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden, Argentina, Japan, and Australia. There are even balloon twisting artists and magic lessons for the kids.

Do yourself a favour and leave the car at home and take the TTC instead. Take the subway and exit at Union Station or the King Street Station. From there you are a short walk over to the heart of the action or you can hop the King Street streetcar and get off at Jarvis Street.

Look up in the sky on Saturday, August 30th, Sunday, August 31st and September 1st, 2008 and prepare to be dazzled. The Canadian International Air Show is back with some of the most amazing stunt pilots and death defying aerobatics that you’ve even seen. The spectacle will take place over Lake Ontario at the waterfront grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE).

If you are planning to attend the CNE the Air Show is complimentary with your CNE admission and Ontario Place pass. The shows are scheduled to begin each day at 1:00 and end at approximately 4:00 PM. The roster of talent is astounding headlined by Canada’s own incomparable Canadian Forces Snowbirds. In addition you can expect to be dazzled by the CF-18 Hornet, Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team, Matt Chapman, F-16 Viper, T-38 Talon, Mike Wiskus, Julie Clark, MK IX Spitfire, Water Bomber, Eurocopter, and more.

One of the most unique ways to take in the Air Show is on the water. On Saturday, August 30th, Sunday, August 31st, and Monday, September 1st Toronto Harbour Cruises & Events invites you to come aboard one of their fabulous Air Show Cruises. For one incredibly low price you will get reserved seating, a delicious hot buffet lunch, DJ, dancing, a cash bar, and a bird’s eye view of the show. Boarding is at 11:30 AM, departure at noon, and the yacht returns to the dock at 4:30 PM. For more information on the Toronto Harbour Air Show Cruises or to make your reservations, follow this link: Toronto Dinner Cruises

Where did the summer go? The Canadian National Exhibition is right around the corner. It begins on Friday, August 15th and ends on Labour Day Monday, September 1st. Founded in 1879 the CNE or The Ex, as it is affectionately known is a beloved Toronto tradition. Almost everyone local to Toronto has childhood memories of The Ex. This 18-day fair attracts over 1.25 million people annually. It is the largest annual fair in Canada and the 5th largest in North America. The CNE is easily accessible by car and by TTC. Parking is expensive so leave the car at home and take public transit. Follow the link below for maps and directions.
http://www.theex.com/planyourvisit.php?menu=02:02

There is so much to see and do:
• 2 midways with over 50 rides and 80 games
• Great Horse Shows
• Casino
• Circus Orange in Jump Jet: a fabulous show of pyrotechnics, acrobatics, and circus theatre
• Illusionist Kevin Ridgeway and Escape Artist Kristen Johnson
• Hippike: an aerialist and equestrian show
• The Canadian Forces
• IAMS SuperDogs Show
• Daily Parade at 6:00 PM
• Hypnotist Mike Mandel
• Ventriloquist Michael Harrison
• The RCMP Musical Ride
• The Rodeo
• Labour Day Weekend Laughs
• Canadian International Air Show
• Garden Show
• Rib Fest
• Classic Car Show
• 90 vendors in the Food Building featuring international selections
• Great Shopping
• And More!

For information on how and where to purchase tickets, or to buy your tickets online, follow the link below.
http://www.theex.com/gettickets.php
What is your favourite part of The Ex?