Toronto Uncovered

Posts Tagged ‘Arts Festival’

With TIFF in full swing this weekend, Torontonians had tons of activities to choose from.  Those of us (myself included) looking to escape the TIFF madness were lucky to have some viable options. My escape’s name was the Junction, the stretch of Dundas Street West from Keele to Quebec, and the host of this weekend’s 17^th Annual Junction Arts Festival.

I have been to many street festivals in and around Toronto: Taste of Little Italy, Taste of the Danforth, Cabbagetown Festival and Buskerfest to name a few, however, the Junction Arts Fest was notably different from any of these.  It truly exhibited the artistic nature of the neighbourhood and its inhabitants.  Local artists, like Lavarius and The Fuzionists, displayed their work in booths and on the sidewalks, some creating their pieces of work as we watched. Professional and amateur street performers entertained by-passers with modern and expressive dance moves, using street benches, parking meters and window ledges to gain height and draw attention. Some bands set up on street corners to share their latest tunes with the crowds, while other musical acts like The Beauties and performers like Hip Kik were featured on the main stages. There seemed to be no restrictions on what counted as art or who was labeled as an artist. People were encouraged to express themselves and their art in any way they could.

Smash, a store filled top to bottom with salvage materials, vintage fixtures and other architectural pieces, featured work by Toronto artist Bruno Billio, who takes everyday objects and creates pieces of art by stacking them in intricate or different ways.

The Junction also has a strong eco-friendly “green” culture which is embodied in market shops like The Sweet Potato. The Toronto Hydro exhibit did a great job of marrying the artistic nature of the festival with the passion the community feels towards green initiatives and sustainability.  Their showcase, Straight From the Fridge, was an art exhibit of vintage fridge doors which were transformed by Canadian artists into pieces of modern art. The exhibit went to promote Toronto Hydro’s fridge pick up and recycling program which ensures these old and unwanted appliances are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.

Street festivals allow the real character of the community shine through.  As I wandered through the vendors, exhibits and food stands on the blocked off streets I could feel there was a strong sense of support and togetherness. Many of the people there live and/or work in the Junction and have watched the area transform since prohibition was banished in 2000.  The Junction Arts Fest gave store owners an opportunity to connect with their community and introduce themselves to visitors like myself.  It was a great introduction into this up-and-coming area of Toronto, highlighting the talent and inspiration the Junction embodies.