Festivals

[Urban Shocker]

Oh I don't think 905-ers are inherently barbaric - they flock downtown to our opera, ballet, symphony, concert and theatre venues in great numbers when The Hunger strikes, especially at weekends, so their interests aren't that much different. It's unfortunate that the best we have to offer them, sometimes, is shopping festivals primped out as cultural events. There's certainly no shortage of interesting and creative things going on all over town, but the BIA festivals rarely seem to draw on them for inspiration since they're primarily designed to part people from their money.

 

[Tewder]

I agree with US. I'm a 905 barbarian but aside from Pride or TIFF do not venture into the city for any of the festivals anymore. Way too crowded and way too little substance.

 

[taal]

But honestly most festivles throughout the world are like that ... a lot of flash / crowd and very little substance. I like to think of the BIA events as a more local festivle in which case the more the better!

I agree what we really need is a big winter festival - the festival of lights or whatever it is called is very small. Mind you some of the shows at NPS are entertaining.

In the summer I don't really see a need for many more festivlas to be honest - just make the ones we have already bigger and better. Maybe something in late September / early October as it's still summer time for the most part.

 

[Mustapha]

The comments by Tricky Ricky and Urban Shocker about block parties hit home with me. In the Yonge Lawrence area there are regularly three for some years now.

Douglas, St Germain and Albertus Avenues annually push tables together and have a potluck. Obviously there are benefits besides seeing the ladies in their English Garden Party gauzy whites.

 

[wyliepoon]

One idea for a big festival in Toronto is to set aside a special Toronto or GTA-only holiday, when all of Toronto shuts down and everybody goes partying (similar to how Mardi Gras is seen as the holiday for New Orleans).

Preferably this Toronto-only holiday would celebrate a date of special significance in the city's history. From Wikipedia, I learned the date of Toronto's incorporation is March 6. However I don't think March is a good time of year to shut down the city to party.

 

[adma]

Well, it could be worse than March

 

[Archivist]

Festivals: Perhaps we ought to just be honest about it and copy Dubai's premier festival, which would be, of course, the Shopping Festival. This really cuts out the need to have some intermediary reason to spend - it's more direct and more honest.

Dubai Shopping Festival Office New initiative to feature Dubai as the premier destination of the region during Eid celebrations

Dubai is set to become the region’s premiere destination for Eid celebrations, this was announced by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group and Chairman of the Dubai Shopping Festival Office (DSFO) Supreme Committee at the launch of a new initiative that will further strengthen the city’s position as the leisure, tourism and cultural hub of the Middle East.

But what to call it ...

"A Taste of Your Wallet"?
"SpendaloTO"?
"Toronto International Credit Card Festival"?
"Cashibana"?

 

[Hydrogen]

"Nuit Vert"

 

[Archivist]

I'l go with Hydrogen's suggestion. Fabulous.

 

[digi]

Why should an event, such as Pride, be content with a million spectators/visitors every year?? Why not try and attract 1.5 - 2 million. There is next to little marketing when it comes to these events.

It wasn't that long ago that the city refused to acknowledge pride day.
The pride committee is responsible for the cost of all marketing AND cleanup.
Caribana gets our tax dollars to clean up and market.
More money is spent by visitors during pride week, then during carabana.
The police have stated numerous times that they make more arrests at caribana and the santa clause parade, then they do during pride week.

 

[Dichotomy]

... and Pride turns a net profit most years, without those nasty, squabbles over who cooked the books at Caribanna - with the requisite City bail outs.

Festivals need to be marketed, but at the same time they need to be wary of straying too far from their intended purpose. I have been to most of the Pride events, dating back to the first, rather sparsely attended event at Hanlan's Point, through the first 'big' event at the Grange Park in '81 and the growth of the '90s. It was more fun when the turn-out numbered in the tens of thousands. Now, it is one big, crushing weekend, like a Sunday at the Ex. At some point, as many 'purists' could be turned off by huge events as newcomers are attracted to them.

Besides, truthfully, I've always been suspicious about the claims of "one million this" and "one million that."

 

[Archivist]

I agree with Dichitomy. I find Pride celebrations in smaller towns to be more fun than Toronto's now, I think that claims of a million may be overstated and even if they aren't - a million when, and a million who? Is it for the parade only (which I no longer go to). The idea that we need more at that time is anathema to me, I'd rather see more summer events take off like the Church Street Fetish Fair, etc., than for Pride to get bigger.

 

[marcus_a_j]

How about WEMF (aka 3-Day) somewhere in the City, like Parc Downsview Park? Imagine the gov't sponsoring that one.

 

[Mustapha]

Lots of charity-runs-this or charity-walks-that lately in TO. Some of them seem to have a festival air about them so I post here. I wish they would kibosh some of these. There are altogether too many IMHO. They take the street away from cars for a few hours but its not like all citizens can use the closures to walk about or bike.

I was hearing on 680 radio that some folks FLEW here to take part in last weeks marathon. More fey nonsense to engage the engaged middle classes.

 

[Moonmoth]

I would definitely help, plan, organize and fundraise for the 'Toronto Louis Riel' celebration and we all boycott 5 dollar bills in solidarity.