This is our monthly compendium of all things worth doing in Toronto. With everything from standup comedy to opera, these are the events that you should plan your weekend around.
And before we get into planning our nights-out this month, here are a few this day in Toronto… moments for context.
Historical Toronto dates
Oct. 1 (1960): Opening of O’Keefe Centre, with a premier production of the musical, Camelot staring Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet.
Oct. 2 (1984): The Metro Toronto Convention Centre opens
Oct. 4 (1982): Glenn Gould, one of the most celebrated pianists of the 20th century, passed away after a stroke
Oct. 7 (1912): Mutual Street Arena opens as Arena Gardens as the largest auditorium in Canada with the first artificial ice rink in Ontario
Toronto Civic Railways is established
Oct. 11 (1963): HMCS Haida was decommissioned (now a historical site and Museum Ship in Hamilton)
Oct. 15 (1954): Hurricane Hazel affects Toronto and kills a total of 81 people in Ontario
Oct. 18 (1918): Opening of Bloor Street viaduct
Oct. 21 (1966) The Spadina Expressway opens
Oct. 23 (1977): the statue of Sir Winston Churchill, located in Nathan Phillips square was unveiled
Oct. 28 (1968): The McLaughlin Planetarium opens
Oct. 26 (1974): AGO relocates to its present site on Dundas Street
Oct. 29 (1929): The Toronto Stock Exchance suffers its worst loss in history
Important events and festivals:
Oct. 1: Toronto Tech Summit (YWCA Elm Center)
Oct. 1-4: Toronto Fall Home Show (Better Living Centre)
Oct. 2: Vision Gala (Canadian National Institute for the Blind)
Oct. 3: Scotiabank Nuit Blanche (various locations)
Oct. 4, 18: Kensington and Chinatown Caper Scavenger Hunt (Bellevue Square)
Oct. 8: OktoberFEAST (Berkeley Church)
Oct. 9: Friday Night Jazz (Ripley's Aquarium of Canada)
Oct. 9, 23-24, 29-31: Haunted Toronto Scavenger Hunt (The Royal Conservatory of Music)
Oct.10, 24: Dundas West and Ossington Food Tour (Market 707)
Oct.10-25: afteRock Plays (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre)
Oct. 14-18: Imagine Native Film & Media Arts Festival (various locations)
Oct. 15: Toronto Book Awards (Toronto Reference Library)
Oct. 15-17: Creativ Festival (Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
Oct. 15-23: 9th annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival (Scotiabank Theatre)
Oct. 16-18: The Toronto National Women's Show (Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
Oct. 17: Bicycle Fall BLOWOUT (Direct Energy Centre)
Oct. 17-Nov.8: Toronto Chocolate Festival (various locations)
Oct.19-24: World Mastercard Fashion Week (David Pecaut Square)
Oct. 20: 2015 ETA Awards: La Belle Epoque (Palais Royale Ballroom)
Oct. 21: Back End Burlesque (Crews and Tangos)
Oct. 21: Restaurants for Change (various restaurants)
Oct. 22-Nov.1: International Festival of Authors (Harbourfront Centre)
Oct. 22-25: Feature Art Fair (Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre)
Oct. 22-25: Planet In Focus Environmental Film Festival (various locations)
Oct.22-26: 40th Annual Book Sale (Trinity College)
Oct. 23-25: Everything To Do With Sex Show (Direct Energy Centre)
Oct.23-26: Art Toronto (Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
Oct. 24: Toronto Zombie Walk (Nathan Philips Square)
Oct. 25: Tea and Tour Sundays (Gibson House Museum)
Oct. 27: 20th Annual Eat to the Beat Culinary Event (Roy Thomson Hall)
Oct. 31: YIMBY (Yes In My BackYard) Festival 2015 (Ryerson University)
Oct. 28: Chris Hadfield to speak at Massey Hall
Artistic events and special exhibitions
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
Sept. 23-Jan.10: Anne Collier
Ongoing to Nov: The Kids’ Gallery Pets and Me: Explore, Imagine, Create
Ongoing to Nov. 1: Piet Mondrian: Before Abstraction
Ongoing to Nov. 15: Camera Atomica
Ongoing to Feb. 2016: Into the Woods: Two Icons Revisited
Ongoing to April 2016: Idea Lab: Research at the AGO Investigating the Works of Benjamin Cheverton
Ongoing to April 17, 2016: Look Again: Colour Xerography Art Meets Technology at the AGO
Oct. 31-Jan.31, 2016: J.M.W. Turner: Painting Set Free
Design Exchange:
Ongoing to Oct. 12: Smarter. Faster. Tougher.
Textile Museum:
Ongoing to Oct. 4: Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol
Sept. 24-Feb.8, 2016: Home Economics: 150 Years of Canadian Hooked Rugs
Theatre
Princess of Wales Theatre
Sept. 25 – Oct. 26: Motown – The Musical
Danforth Music Hall
Oct, 26 – Oct. 27: Welcome to Night Vale
Elgin Theatre
Sept. 24 – Oct. 11: N – The Queen of Paris
Ed Mirvish Theatre
Oct. 27 – Nov. 8: Sherlock Holmes
General Motors Centre
Girls Night – The Musical
Massey Hall
Oct. 5: Alvin and the Chipmunks
Sony Centre for Performing Arts
Oct. 17-18: Sesame Street Live: Make A New Friend
Panasonic Theatre
Sept. 30 – Oct. 18: Upside Down
Dance
Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
Oct. 30: Twyla Tharp Dance
Comedy
Comedy Bar:
Oct. 8: Dad Jokes & You Can’t Say That On Television
Oct. 10: West End Girls & Notorious
Oct. 16-24: Big City Improv Festival
Yuk Yuk’s:
Oct. 25: All Black Comedy Special
Oct. 28: Outrageous! With Robert Keller
Second City:
Every Tues. to Sun: Click Bait & Switch
Oct. 5, 12, 19: The Best of The Second City
Oct. 26: Cream of Comedy hosted by Deb DiGiovanni and D.J. Demers
Other:
Oct. 14-16: Billy Connolly: High Horse Tour at Massey Hall
Oct. 28: Chris Hadfield’s Generator at Massey Hall
Opera
Canadian Opera Company:
Oct. 8, 13, 16, 17, 21, 24, 29, 30: La Traviata
Oct. 20, 23, 25, 28: Pyramus and Thisbe
Opera Atelier:
Oct. 22, 24, 25, 27, 30, 31: Armide
Music and concerts
Air Canada Centre:
Oct. 5-6: Madonna
Oct. 9: Stevie Wonder
Oct. 11: Shania Twain
Oct. 13: BigBang
Oct. 14: Nitro Circus
Oct. 15: Ricky Martin
Oct. 17: Paul McCartney
Oct. 19: The Who
The Danforth Music Hall:
Oct. 1: One OK Rock
Oct. 2: Lianne La Havas
Oct. 3: Alkistis Protopsalti & Eleftheria Arvanitaki
Oct. 4-5: Chvrches
Oct. 9: The Neighbourhood (NBHD) with Bad Suns and Hunny
Oct. 10: Ms Mr W/ Jack Garratt
Oct. 11: DIIV W/ No Joy and Sunflower Bean
Oct. 13: Luna W/ Diane Coffee
Oct. 15: Duke Dumont
Oct. 16: Streetlight Manifesto
Oct. 17: Kip Moore
Oct. 20: Cold War Kids
Oct. 21: The Wonder Years W/ State Champs and You Blew It!
Oct. 22: The Ap Tour Featuring Mayday Parade W/ Real Friends, This Wild Life and As It Is
Oct. 23: Leon Bridges W/ Kali Uchis
Oct. 25: New Found Glory and yellowcard W/ Tigers Jaw
Oct. 26-27: Welcome to Night Vale W/ Musical Guest Eliza Rickman
Oct. 28: Circa Survive W/ RX Bandits
Oct. 29: Blind Guardian W/ Grave Digger
Oct. 30: Joe Jackson
The Drake Underground:
Oct. 15: Teen Daze W/ Heavenly Beat
Garrison:
Oct. 1: Gardens & Villa
Oct. 2: Chameleons Vox
Oct. 7: Joywave
Oct. 14: Tyler Ward
Oct. 15: SaintSeneca
Oct. 21: Drinks Droor
Oct. 25: Israel Nash
Hard Luck Bar:
Oct. 14: Knuckle Puck
Oct. 16: Negura Bunget
Oct. 20: Have Mercy
Oct. 21: King Dude
Oct. 22: The Hotelier
The Hoxton:
Oct. 9: Lane 8
Horseshoe Tavern:
Oct. 1: The Wood Brothers
Oct. 2-3: The Growlers
Oct. 5: A Place to Bury Strangers
Oct. 7: The Honest Heart Collective
Oct. 8: Algiers
Oct. 9: Blitzen Trapper
Oct. 10: Sun K, The Royal Streets
Oct. 11: Protomartyr
Oct. 13: Titus Andronicus
Oct. 17: Craig Finn
Oct. 22: Shannon & The Clams
Oct. 24: Not Dead Yet Festival
Oct. 25: Telekenisis Say Hi
Oct. 29: Ought
Oct. 30: Tops
Oct. 31: The Brains
Hugh’s Room:
Oct. 1: Cheryl Lescom & The Tucson Choir Boys
Oct. 2: John Primer & The Real Deal Blues Band
Oct. 6: Jane Harbury presents Discoveries
Oct. 7: Dan Bern
Oct. 8: Richard Flohil presents Maria Muldaur
Oct. 9: Sean McCann (of Great Big Sea)
Oct. 10: Willie Dixon – A Tribute
Oct. 15: Van Django
Oct. 16: Tribute to the Steel Delta Blues
Oct. 17: Vienna Teng
Oct. 18: Linda McRae
Oct. 19: Kinky Friedman
Oct. 20: Simon Townshend
Oct. 22: Wendy Lands
Oct. 23: A Tribute to Jackson Browne
Oct. 24: Maria Doyle Kennedy with Kieran Kennedy
Oct. 25: Ken Whiteley’s Sunday Gospel Matinee
Oct. 25-26: Al Stewart accompanied by guitarist Dave Nachmanoff
Oct. 28: Beppe Gambetta & Tony McManus
Oct. 29: Paul Brady
Oct. 30: The Woodshed Orchestra
Oct. 31: Joey DeFrancesco Trio
Lee’s Palace:
Oct. 1: Battles
Oct. 2: The Tourist Company Van Damsel
Oct. 3: Good Riddance
Oct. 7: Mew
Oct. 11: Jesse Malin
Oct. 15-16: Lucero
Oct. 17: Tricot
Oct. 23: IAMX
Oct. 24: Hinds
Massey Hall:
Oct. 5: Alvin and the Chipmunks
Oct. 6: An Evening with Mark Knopfler and Band
Oct. 9: Chris Cornell
Oct. 10: Sezen Aksu
Oct. 14-16: Billy Connolly
Oct. 17: 2nd Annual Dream Serenade
Oct. 20: Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band
Oct. 24: Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus
Oct. 28: Chris Hadfield’s Generator
Oct. 29: Mariza
Mod Club:
Oct. 2: Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers
Oct. 3: Origin, Krinsum
Oct. 7: Lydia – Seahaven
Oct. 9: Tobias Jesso Jr. – Wet
Oct. 14: Soja – Dustin Thomas
Oct. 17: Mikky Ekko
Oct. 19: John Grant
Oct. 21: The Front Bottoms
Oct. 23: Against the Current
Oct. 24: Lindi Ortega
Oct. 26: Melanie Martinez
Oct. 28: Robert Delong
Oct. 29: Free The Girls
Opera House:
Oct. 1-2: Brantley Gilbert
Oct. 3: Bob Marley All-Star Show
Oct. 4: The Black Dalhia Murder
Oct. 5: Atreyu
Oct. 7: Dean Ray
Oct. 8: Fabio Frizzi
Oct. 9: Four Year Strong
Oct. 10: Serbian Artists…Riblja Corba (Fish Stew)
Oct. 11: Splash Bash
Oct. 14: Soulfly
Oct. 16: Los Rabanes
Oct. 17: 401 Funk!
Oct. 23: The Pancake & Booze Art Show
Oct. 25: Youth Lagoon
Oct. 29: Mudmen
Oct. 30: Rue Morgue 18th Anniversary Halloween Dance Party
Oct. 31: Subspace Halloween
Phoenix Concert Theatre:
Oct. 1: Autechre
Oct. 2: Tech N9NE
Oct. 3: Nick Jonas
Oct. 5: Hollywood Undead
Oct. 7: Coeur De Pirate
Oct. 8: Dread Mar 1
Oct. 10-11: Hanson
Oct. 16: Misfits
Oct. 17: Catfish & The Bottlemen
Oct. 18: The Underachievers
Oct. 20: Peaches
Oct. 23: The Darkness
Oct. 25: Kurt Vile & The Violators
Oct. 26: Garbage
Oct. 29: 5’Nizza
The Rockpile:
Oct. 1: Onuka
Oct. 3: Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Oct. 8: Local Band Showcase
Oct. 9-10: Wednesday 13 / Death Division
Oct. 11: Pink Project / Benefit for Cancer
Oct. 17: Teenage Head
Oct. 22: Country Night
Oct. 24: Traveling South
Oct. 25: Deathproof Wrestling
Oct. 30: DJ Dance Party
Rogers Centre:
Oct. 2-3: Taylor Swift
Kids Event
Oct. 1-31: Pirate Ship Adventure at Centre Island
Oct. 1-18: Kensington and Chinatown Caper Scavenger Hunt
Oct. 1-28: Under the Big Top! by the Famous People Players
Oct. 1-31: Haunted Toronto
Oct. 1-2: Humpback Whales at Ontario Science Centre
Oct. 3-4: Sleeping Beauty at Solar Stage Children’s Theatre
Oct. 3-4: Scarborough OutGrow OutPlay Children’s Consignment Sale Event
Oct. 10-25: Sleep Hollow at Solar Stage Children’s Theatre
Oct. 15-18: The Toronto Snow Show at International Centre Hall
Oct. 17-24: Halloween Spooktacular at Halton Country Radial Railway
Oct. 17: Our Kids Toronto Private School Expo at Roy Thomson Hall
Oct. 17-18: Sesame Street Live – Make A New Friend! at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
Oct. 20: Nancy Kerrigan’s Halloween On Ice at the Hershey Centre
Oct. 25: Halloween Howl at Toronto Botanical Garden
Oct. 31 – Nov. 1: Halloween Howl at Solar Stage Children’s Theatre
