Every month, we send our list of the Toronto's cultural events, festivals and releases to the concierges at the city's best hotels. Now we've decided to share it with you. This is all you need to know to plan your weekends and evenings out in November 2015.
Important events and festivals
Oct. 17 – Nov. 8: Chocolate Festival (various locations across Toronto)
Oct. 30 – Jan. 24: Stars of the Silver Screen Andy Warhol ($13.00 exhibition at TIFF Bell Lightbox)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 12: Reel Asian International Film Festival (various locations across Toronto)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 15: The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Nov. 6 – Nov. 8: Toronto International Antiquarian Book Fair (AGO)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 8: CN Tower Climb for United Way
Nov. 7 – Canada’s Walk of Fame
Nov. 11: Remembrance Day
Nov. 11 – Nov. 12: ProFusion tradeshow (Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
Nov. 15: Santa Claus Parade (begins at 12:30 in Christie Pits park)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 22: Gourmet Food and Wine Expo (Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
Nov. 22 – Dec. 23: Christmas at Blackcreek Pioneer Village
Nov. 26: One of a Kind Christmas Show (Exhibition Place)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 20: The Toronto Christmas Market (Distillery District)
Nov. 28 – Calvacade of Lights (Nathan Phillips Square)
Historical dates
Nov. 1 (1922): 'The Royal', as it is colloquially known, has taken place in Toronto every November since the first Winter Fair of 1922. That event saw 17,000 agricultural entries with over 150,000 visitors, while today over 325,000 people (and animals) visit and participate.
Nov. 1 (1952): First english broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada is televised from Maple Leaf Gardens
Nov. 2 (1976): Toronto Reference Library relocates to its present site at the intersection of Bloor St. and Yonge St.
Nov. 3 (1803): Lieutenant-Governor Peter Hunter established a public market that would be held on November 5 and every Saturday thereafter, on the 5 acres of land bounded by Front, Jarvis, King and Market Streets.
Nov. 6 (1971) The Toronto Daily Star is renamed The Toronto Star
Nov. 10 (1965): Northeast Blackout of 1965 occurs
Nov. 11 (1918): saw the signing of the armistice that ended the First World War.
Nov. 12 (1931): Maple Leaf Gardens opens with a hockey game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Chicago Black Hawks
Nov. 15 (1915): Lieutenant-Governor Sir John Hendrie officially opened the province's new government house in Rosedale. Named Chorley Park, it was one of the largest and grandest houses in the country. Designed by Francis Heakes, who also designed the Whitney Block, the house was constructed of Credit Valley stone in the style of a French chateau. It took 4 years to build at a cost of over $1 million.
Nov. 17 (1892): after just 27 months, service ended on the Toronto Belt Line railway.
Nov. 21 (1891): cornerstone laying ceremony of Toronto's third City Hall, (today known as Old City Hall). Mayor Edward Clarke laid the cornerstone, an unmarked grey and brown block, 6 by 4 feet in size. The grey in the stone was quarried from the Credit River Valley in Ontario and the brown was from New Brunswick.
Nov. 22 (2002): The Sheppard Subway Line opens
Comedy
Comedy Bar:
Nov. 3-7: Sketchcomageddon
Nov. 5: Charles Demers Book Launch
Nov. 6: We Dirty North
Nov. 7: A Very Mark Forward Barn Dance
Nov. 10: East Coast Show
Nov. 11-12: Comedy Girl Grad Show
Nov. 14: Kliph Nesteroff, Superstars of Comedy and Notorious Anniversary Show
Nov. 16: Personal Space Invaders
Nov. 18: The World Champion: Judah Friedlander
Nov. 19: Bad Bitches
Nov. 21: Laughing in the 6ix
Nov. 22: Things Black Girls Say
Nov. 23: Party Hard Hard Party
Nov. 24: CG Incubator
Nov. 25: Battle Silhouettes and Improv Against Humanity
Nov. 26: One Night Stand
Nov. 27-29: Cameron Esposito
Second City:
Every Tues.-Sun.: Click Bait & Switch
Nov. 2, 9, 16: The Best of The Second City
Nov. 23, 30: The Second City Unwrapped
Yuk Yuks:
Nov. 1: James Mullinger
Nov. 4-7: Canadian Comedy Festival Showcase Week
Nov. 12-15: Ian Sirota
Nov. 18-22: Peter White
Nov. 25-28: Tim Rabnett
Nov. 29: All Black Comedy Special
Other:
Nov. 6: Just for Laughs Comedy Tour: The Relationship Edition at Massey Hall
Nov. 13: Ron James at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
Nov. 18: It’s Always Something variety show at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
Nov. 25: Taggart & Torrens at the Mod Club
Nov. 28: Scharpling & Wurster at the Mod Club
Opera
Canadian Opera Company:
Nov. 1, 4, 6: La Traviata
Nov. 5, 7: Pyramus and Thisbe
Ballet
The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts:
Nov. 14-22: The Winter’s Tale (Christopher Wheeldon)
Nov. 25 – Dec. 5: Romeo and Juliet (Alexei Ratmansky)
Sony Centre for the Performing Arts:
Oct. 30 – Nov. 1: Twyla Tharp Dance
Dance
Harbourfront Centre:
Nov. 3 – Nov. 7: Toronto Dance Theatre (Fleck Dance Theatre)
Nov. 4 – Nov. 8: Fujiwara Dance Inventions
Nov. 19 – Nov. 21: Sinha Danse and Constantinople
Sony Centre for the Performing Arts:
Nov. 20 – Nov. 21: Sleeping Beauty on Ice
Theatre
Mirvish:
Nov. 14 to Dec. 6: Seminar (Panasonic Theatre)
Nov. 17-22: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical (Princess of Wales Theatre)
Nov. 24-29: Dirty Dancing (Ed Mirvish Theatre)
Ongoing to Dec. 20: Kinky Boots (Royal Alexandra Theatre)
Soulpepper:
Nov. 5-22: Spoon River
Sony Centre for Performing Arts:
Nov. 20-21: The Imperial Ice Stars – Sleeping Beauty on Ice
Factory Theatre:
Ongoing to Nov. 8: Age of Arousal
Nov. 3-22: Banana Boys
Nov. 17 to Dec. 6: Bombay Black
Lower Ossington Theatre:
Ongoing to Nov. 22: Legally Blonde: The Musical
Nov. 12 to Dec. 6: Avenue Q: The Musical
Buddies in Bad Times:
Nov. 14-28: The Road to Paradise
Art
ROM:
Ongoing: Pompeii: In the Shadow of the Volcano
Ongoing: That’s a LOT of Fish! 100 YEARS OF COLLECTING
Ongoing: New Dino Discovered
Ongoing: Jane Ash Poitras: New Acquisitions of Contemporary First Nations Art
Ongoing to Oct. 12: Around 1914: Design in a New Age
Ongoing to Oct. 18: Generations: Annu Palakunnathu Matthew
Ongoing to Nov. 1: Worn: Shaping Black Feminine Identity
Ongoing to Nov. 1: Champlain on Our Doorstep
Ongoing to Nov. 15: A Warlord's Stronghold: Mystery on the Silk Road
AGO:
Ongoing: Manasie Akpaliapik
Ongoing: European Sculpture from the Collection of Murray Frum (1931-2013)
Ongoing: In/visible Bodies: Baroque Sculpture and Modern Painting
Ongoing to Jan.10: Anne Collier
Ongoing to Nov: The Kids’ Gallery Pets and Me: Explore, Imagine, Create
Ongoing to Nov. 15: Camera Atomica
Ongoing to Feb.: Into the Woods: Two Icons Revisited
Ongoing to Apr.: Idea Lab: Research at the AGO Investigating the Works of Benjamin Cheverton
Ongoing to Apr. 17: Look Again: Colour Xerography Art Meets Technology at the AGO
Ongoing to Jan. 31: J.M.W. Turner: Painting Set Free
Design Exchange:
Ongoing to Oct. 12: Smarter. Faster. Tougher.
Ongoing: DXUncrated: Icons in Wood
Textile Museum:
Ongoing to Mar. 20: Lyn Carter: 11th Line
Ongoing to Feb. 8: Home Economics: 150 Years of Canadian Hooked Rugs
Music
Air Canada Centre:
Nov. 3, 5: The Weeknd
Nov. 11: G.E.M.
Nov. 12: Judas Priest
Nov. 24: The Tenors
The Danforth Music Hall:
Nov. 3: Rac
Nov. 6: Xavier Rudd & The United Nations
Nov. 7: Anderson Ponty Band
Nov. 8: Shakey Graves
Nov. 13, 14: Beirut
Nov. 15: Andrew McMahon/New Politics
Nov. 16: Venom w/ Necrophagia
Nov. 19: Guster
Nov. 20: K-Os
Nov. 22: Grimes
Nov. 27: Big Sugar
Nov. 28: The Watchmen
The Drake Underground:
Nov. 1: Marrow
Nov. 2: Allison Weiss
Nov. 6: Strange Talk
Nov. 7: Low Cut Connie
Nov. 8: Promised Land Sound
Nov. 10: Kate Boy
Nov. 11: HoneyHoney
Nov. 13: James Hersey
Nov. 15: John Moreland
Nov. 18: Sinkane
Nov. 22: Surfer Blood
Nov. 28: Beat Connection
Garrison:
Nov. 4: Screaming Females
Nov. 8: Small Black
Nov. 15: Gavin James
Nov. 20: Micachu & The Shapes
Nov. 21: Citizens
Hard Luck Bar:
Nov. 6: Tankscapda
The Hoxton:
Nov. 6: Lido
Nov. 18: Fuzz
Nov. 26: So Cute!
Horseshoe Tavern:
Nov. 6: Natalie Prass
Nov. 7: Current Swell
Nov. 13: The Joy Arson
Nov. 14: Lera Lynn
Nov. 15: Willie Nile
Nov. 16: Nada Surf
Nov. 18: Flamin’ Groovies
Nov. 19: Christina Martin Band
Nov. 20: One Bad Son
Nov. 22: Project Hots
Nov. 26: Health: Death
Nov. 27: Dilly Dally
Nov. 28: Julian Taylor Band
Lee’s Palace:
Nov. 3: Wild Child
Nov. 4: The Polyphonic Spree
Nov. 5: Papermaps
Nov. 7: Madison Violet
Nov. 11: Family of the Year
Nov. 13: Busty & The Bass
Nov. 16: The Slackers
Nov. 17: King Khan & BBQ Show
Nov. 20: Planet Smashers
Nov. 27: The Dears
Nov. 28: The Paper Kites
Massey Hall:
Nov. 13: Barenaked Ladies
Nov. 16: Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
Nov. 20: Hey Rosetta!
Nov. 27: Bahamas
Nov. 28: Women’s Blues Revue
Mod Club:
Nov. 1: YOB
Nov. 5: Dear Rouge
Nov. 6: Fever After Dark
Nov. 7: Shawn Cook
Nov. 8: OIP Dance
Nov. 9: Act of Defiance
Nov. 10: The Bright Light Social Hour
Nov. 11: Daniel Romano
Nov. 12: Kataklysm
Nov. 13: Hudson Mohawke
Nov. 15: Young Rising Sons
Nov. 16: Ryn Weaver
Nov. 17: Ghost Town
Nov. 18: Vanessa Carlton
Nov. 19: Raw
Nov. 20: Shamir
Nov. 27: Tokimonsta
Nov. 28: Sharpling & Wurster
Opera House:
Nov. 1: Deafheavn
Nov. 5: The White Buffalo
Nov. 6: Newsapolooza
Nov. 8: The Lone Bellow
Nov. 13: Dir En Grey
Nov. 14: The Glorious Sons
Nov. 15: Public Image Limited
Nov. 17: El Vy
Nov. 20: Los 4
Nov. 21: Deep Sounds
Nov. 24: Our Last Night
Nov. 27: Lemon Bucket Orkestra
Nov. 28: X Ambassadors
Phoenix Concert Theatre:
Nov. 9: Dom Kennedy
Nov. 13: Neda Ukraden
Nov. 14: Hawksley Workman
The Rockpile:
Nov. 9: I Set My Friends On Fire
Nov. 13: Brighton Rock
Nov. 28: My Favourite Headache
Book Releases
Nov. 3: The Crossing (Michael Connelly)
The Wheel of Time Companion: The People, Places and History of the Bestselling Series (Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, Mary Simons)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School (Jeff Kinney)
Avenue of Mysteries (John Irving) (from Forest Hill- for Sam)
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (Stephen King)
Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show (Daniel de Vise)
He Killed Them All: Robert Durst and my Quest for Justice (Jeanine Pirro)
Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology (Leag Remini and Rebecca Paley)
Nov. 10: Dear Mr. You (Mary-Louise Parker)
Year of Yes (Shona Rhimes)
The Great Surge: The Ascent of the Developing World (Steven Radelet)
Japan Restored: How Japan Can Reinvent Itself and Why This is Important For American and the World (Clyde Prestowitz)
Nov. 17: 438 Days (Jonathan Franklin)
Once Again (Cameron Dokey, Liz Braswell)
All Dressed in white (Mary Higgins Clark)
My Father’s Daughter: A Memoir (Tina Sinatra)
Dirty Boys (John Ligato)
Strange Girl (Christopher Pike)
Nov. 24: Twelve Feet Tall (Tony Ward)
The Unquiet (Charlie Parker)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (Michael Moreci)
Living Mindfully (Deborah David)
The Triumph of William McKinley (Karl Rove)
Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving A Relationship with a Narcissist (Ramani Durvasula)
Giant Days Vol .1 (John Alison and Whitney Cogar)
Denial (Lisa Renee Jones)
Primary Greatness (Stephen R. Covey)
Movie Releases
Nov. 1: Bad Movers (Jory Lyons) – Troy Matthew Martin, Bryan Paccagnella, Sean Morris
Nov. 3: The Final Girls (Todd Strauss-Schulson) – Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam DeVine
Nov. 6: Spectre (Sam Mendes) – Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes
The Peanuts Movie (Steve Martino) – Francesca Capaldi, Madisyn Shipman, Noah Schnapp
Life (Anton Corbijn) – Robert Pattinson, Peter Lucas, Lauren Gallagher
Nov. 7: (Garret Ryan) – Andrew Doinick, Matt Lishman, Dean Barrowcliffe
Nov. 11: (Dan Walton and Dan Zachary) – John Fallon
Nov. 14: The Summer Project (Sterling Johnston) – Seth Kwiatkowski, Dimitry Komocsi, Brad Linton
Nov. 15: Room Full of Spoons (Rick Harper) – Juliette Danielle, Robyn Paris, Kyle Vogt
Nov. 20: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (Francis Lawrence) – Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Nov. 21: I Wish You Love (Svetiana Koseniv) – Christina Schimmel, Rich Gomes, Lisa Moule
Nov. 23: Ecdysis (Lior Khananaev) – Demetre Vasilounis, Marat Altinbaev, Ariel Chouminov
Nov. 25: Creed (Ryan Coogler) – Sylvester Stallone, Michel B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson
Victor Frankenstein (Paul McGuigan) – Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, Jessica Brown
The Good Dinosaur (Peter Sohn) – Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, Steve Zahn
Sports
Toronto Raptors:
Nov. 1: vs Bucks
Nov. 2: @ Boston Celtics
Nov. 3: @ Mavericks
Nov. 6: @ Magic
Nov. 8: @ Heat
Nov. 10: vs Knicks
Nov. 11: @ 76ers
Nov. 13: vs Pelicans
Nov. 15: @ Kings
Nov. 17: @ Warriors
Toronto Maple Leafs:
Nov. 2: vs Stars
Nov. 4: vs Jets
Nov. 6: vs Red Wings
Nov. 7: @ Capitals
Nov. 10: @ Stars
Nov. 12: @ Predators
Nov. 14: vs Canucks
Nov. 15: @ Rangers
Nov. 17: vs Avalanche
Toronto Argonauts:
Nov. 6: @ Winnipeg
Kids Events:
Nov. 1: Cirque Alfonse at Markham Theatre
Nov. 1: Old Town Toronto Halloween Pumpkin Parade in St. James Park
Nov. 1: Mimico Pumpkin Parade
Nov. 1: Camp Spooky at Canada’s Wonderland
Nov. 1: Colour your fall with Adventure at Scenic Caves Nature Adventures
Nov. 1: Halloween Howl at Solar Stage
Nov. 6-9: 2015 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Weekend
Nov. 7-30: Fancy Nancy The Musical at Lower Ossington Theatre
Nov. 7 – 29: The Stone Princess at Solar Stage on Saturdays and Sundays
Nov. 8: EcoFair at the Barns
Nov. 20-21: Sleeping Beauty on Ice – Imperial Ice Stars at the Sony Centre
Nov. 21: Astronomy Night at Kortright
Nov. 21, 22, 28, 29: Christmas at Black Creek Pioneer Village
Nov. 22: Richmond Hill Santa Claus Parade
Nov. 22: Toronto Toy, Doll and Train Collector Show
Nov. 27 – 30: Ross Petty’s Peter Pan Pantomime
Nov. 28: Bubble Guppies Live at the Sony Centre
Nov. 29: Scarborough Model Railroaders Train Show
