168. Aug. 12-14 Multicultural Toronto Weekend

Taoist Taichi. Image©Ruth Lor Malloy 2011.

If your weekend starts early, three interesting events are on Thursday. If you’re concerned about your health, there’s a Taoist Taichi demonstration with lectures at Yonge-Dundas Square. The Downsview Library has a session on Chinese tea ceremony, and the York Woods Library has an evening on Afro-Cuban drums, dance and poetry.

On Friday, Harbourfront starts its weekend Fortune Cooking Food Festival on Asian food. This includes a demo by a Teppanyaki cook from Benihana. That Japanese restaurant is so expensive, I can’t even think of eating there. At Harbourfront, you can watch the cooking and hopefully get a sample for free.

On Saturday, there will be India’s Independence Day, Vietnamese students, and Rastafarian events in different places. The Indians will be celebrating at Yonge-Dundas Square. The parade with floats from different Indian states starts at 11:30 a.m. Cultural performances should begin at 12:30. Expect a large crowd and enjoy the colour.

Vietnamese students from York University will be celebrating their Thoi bao Summer Festival at Mel Lastmas Square. I saw this group at Harbourfront last year. They are very creative and should be encouraged.

Rastafest will be at Downsview Park with live Rastafarian musicians. This event is sponsored by Toronto Public Library, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, etc. I hope to get there myself.

On Sunday, the 9th Annual Toronto African Dance Festival will be held in Nathan Phillips Square by Toronto’s City Hall. You might be able to take in more of Harbourfront’s offerings that day too.

Have I missed any other free or almost-free ethnic events? Details for these are on: www.TorontoMulticulturalCalendar.com.

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