December 11th-22nd Toronto Christmas Market @ The Distillery District. Rediscover the magic and romance of the holidays at the Toronto Christmas Market. There will be vendors selling locally handcrafted products, entertainment, Santa and his elves, light canopies, heated mulled wine, and lots more. Admission is free on weekdays until Friday at 5 pm, after which tickets cost $6. 

December 11th-31st WinterFest @ Canada’s Wonderland, 1 Canada’s Wonderland Drive (Vaughan). Canada’s Wonderland will be magically transformed into a winter wonderland full of enchantment and holiday cheer! Become immersed in the season’s spirit with spectacular holiday lights and décor, world-class live entertainment, savory treats, and fanciful experiences.

December 11th-January 5th Toronto Aurora Winter Festival @ Ontario Place (West Island), 955 Lakeshore Blvd. W. Experience Canada’s largest winter festival this holiday season. Ontario Place will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland with a beautiful skating rink, tube park, massive light displays, a Christmas Market, amusement rides, food gardens, magical characters, and plenty of other exciting activities. 

December 11th-January 5th A Nutcracker Christmas at the Castle @ Casa Loma, 1 Austin Terrace. Celebrate the holiday season at Casa Loma! Guests will be surrounded by holiday magic throughout the castle, which will be resplendent with holiday décor, including a 40-foot tall tree and eight other signature trees by talented Canadian designers. Enjoy shows by famed illusionist entertainer Professor Wick, ice skating performers Glisse on Ice, a dazzling lighting display, outdoor holiday Christmas market, performances by the Casa Loma Holiday Orchestra, and more. 

December 14th-15th Leslieville Christmas Pop-Up Market @ 240 Logan Ave. This staple holiday Leslieville event is great for the entire family, friends, or for a couple out on a cool afternoon. Highlights include an artisan market, complimentary deluxe hot chocolate bar, kids craft station, Santa photos, music, and a DIY organic shampoo bar and lip balm workshop. Runs 10-5 pm both days.

December 14th-15th Tranzac Holiday Gift Fair @ Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave. The Tranzac Holiday Gift Fair, now in its third year, is a great place to find original, handmade gifts by local artists and artisans. Dozens of different vendors each day + delicious food for sale. Runs 12-6 pm both days.

WEDNESDAY

7 pm Music Bingo 4 Year Anniversary @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Music Bingo is turning a whole grown up four years old and they’re throwing a party with some rad giveaways to celebrate! As usual, host Kaleb Robertson will play a song, and if it’s on your bingo card, you get to hit it with the dabber. It tests your musical knowledge too – you’ve got to know what the song is to be able to cross it off the card. 

THURSDAY

6:45 pm Designing The Movies: Marie Antoinette @ Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave. A screening of Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette, starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, and Rip Torn. Presented with an introduction to Coppola’s references and visual influences by series host Nathalie Atkinson. $12-15 advance tickets available online.

7 pm F*ck Sh*t Up: One Year Anniversary @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Trans and non-binary performers have been hitting the stage at the Gladstone for a year, and they’re ready to celebrate! Performances by Manny Dingo, Gay Jesus, Patricia Wilson, El Toro, and your hosts, Babia Majora and Fluffy Soufflé. Stick around after the cabaret for tunes and more good times. PWYC (no one turned away). 

10 pm DJ Ol’ Nerdy Bastard Goes Glam @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. DJ Ol’ Nerdy Bastard plays the best tunes from the glam era accompanied by drinks, board games, pinball, and free pool! 

FRIDAY

7 pm Long Winter @ Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. Long Winter is back to help get you through the cold months with a night of live music and art! This edition features performances by ANAMAI, Riit (Nunavut), Joanne Pollock, Casey MQ, Boy Pussy, Small Time Giants (Denmark), ELLE MÁRJÁ (Norway), Digawolf (Northwest Territories), and more + Long Night with Vish Khanna and art by PA System, BUMP TV, Diana Lynn VanderMeulen, MEEK, Juliet Rohlmann, Marie Sotto, Nigel Edwards, Krystal Ball, Marja Helander (Finland), and Nicholas Galanin (Alaska) All ages. $13.50 advance tickets available online, PWYC at the door.

10 pm Prophecy @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. A dark dance party with DJs Mistress McCutchan and The Wasteland. Goth, deathrock, post-punk, dark electro, and industrial. $5.

10 pm Sunset Culture Club @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. All vinyl rare party jams and audio explorations with DJ Morgan Yew.

10 pm The Good Life @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Your millennial soul needs The Good Life. A dance party playing the best hip-hop from the 2000s, all night long! $10.

10 pm Gold Chain @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJs Aoki and Snack will have you dancing all night long to the best hip-hop of today and yesterday. You don’t wanna miss this display of supreme DJing – it’s the gold standard.

10 pm My Bad @ Stones Place, 1255 Queen St. W. ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s guilty pleasures dance party with DJ Blush! $5.

10 pm Freaky Friday the 13th @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. An all-vinyl night of surf, psych, garage, rock, and other freaky beats with DJ Waves. 

10 pm Pink Friday the 13th @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. DJs Yummy Baby and Nomad Nala are celebrating Nicki Minaj’s birthday and Friday the 13th by playing Nicki, techno, rap, persian trash, and whatever else.

10 pm Dirt Nap @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. DJ Davey D plays retro ’80s and classic rock. The worst records and the most fun all night long!

10 pm Emo Night @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. Revisit your teen angst! Spinning your favourite emo anthems all night every Friday at Sneaky Dee’s. $5 early bird tickets available online.

10 pm Wax Candy Disco Party @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. DJ Efsharp and Cyclist serve up platters of the sweetest soulful, refreshing, and uplifting disco in one of the best sounding rooms in the city. $10.

10:30 pm Beam Me Up Disco @ The Baby G, Dundas St. W. The Patchouli Brothers play a disco mix of gospel, funk, soul, boogie, rare groove, house, and jazz sounds surrounded by smiling faces.

11 pm Electric Circus @ The Drake Lounge, 1150 Queen St. W. You might remember it as that dance show you always watched, yearning to be a part of; or perhaps you’ll recall the consuming envy you felt seeing your sibling on live-to-air television; or maybe you were still a toddler and don’t even know what this sentence is referring to. Whatever your memories of Electric Circus, DJs illo and Techtwelve will keep you dancing by mixing the best in old and new club music. In true EC fashion, they’ll be live streaming the entire night. $10.

11 pm Hot Coco @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Experience world music in the most multicultural city in the world. Playing afrobeats, coupé-décalé, gqom, reggae, and much more. $10.

SATURDAY

11 am Vegan Christmas Market @ Ontario Heritage Centre, 8 Adelaide St. E. The Vegan Christmas Market gathers under one roof a selection of vendors offering a wide range of vegan products. All made without animal exploitation, you will find among these products pastries, chocolate treats, plant-based cheeses, wines, skincare products, jewelry, clothing, and more. Until 6 pm.

12 pm The Black Owned Holiday Market @ The International Centre, 6900 Airport Rd., Mississauga. The Black Owned Holiday Market features products and services by black-owned businesses from various industries. Enjoy music, performances, and amazing food while doing some holiday shopping! All are welcome. Until 8 pm. 

1 pm Eyesore Cinema’s Annual Winter Art Market @ Eyesore Cinema, 1176 Bloor St. W. Shop from a variety of local artists selling postcards, ornaments, prints, magnets, stickers, T-shirts, vinyl, DVDs, comics, and more. Until 11 pm.

5:30 pm I Heart Beer + Mac & Cheese Festival @ Exhibition Place, 180 Princes’ Blvd. This ugly sweater-themed event invites all food and drink enthusiasts to sample some of the province’s finest breweries and restaurants while enjoying foosball, cornhole, a photo booth, beer pong, jenga, and more. $26 tickets available online (includes two tokens and a sampling glass). 

8 pm DJ Skate Nights: Marilyn Mansion @ The Natrel Rink (Harbourfront Centre), 235 Queens Quay W. Sharpen your skates and skills as Toronto’s number one outdoor winter party returns with another stellar lineup of DJs that will bring the heat to your Saturday nights. The  first DJ Skate Night of the season features Marilyn Mansion, the alter-ego of Toronto artist Cameron Lee. Skate and helmet rentals available. Until 11 pm. 

9 pm December Will Be Magic Again: Kate Bush Tribute @ Paradise Cinema, 1006 Bloor St. W. All hail Queen Kate! With a career spanning over 40 years, Kate Bush remains one of the most singular, influential and mysterious singer-songwriters of the 20th century and beyond. Venus Fest founder, Aerin Fogel, has assembled some of Canada’s most exciting musicians to perform stunning renditions of Bush’s work. From ”Running Up That Hill,” to “This Woman’s Work,” there will be plenty of Kate classics covered in this night to remember. $23-28 tickets available online.

10 pm Synthesexer @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Toronto’s synthesexiest sexy synthy alternative electro dance party! Expect to hear stuff like: Tiga, Annie, Chromeo, M.I.A., Holy Ghost!, Robyn, Daft Punk, Little Dragon, Pet Shop Boys, and more. $10.

10 pm Open Season @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. ’90s/00s hip-hop, trap, Motown, ’80s, girl pop, dance, and party jams with DJs Brank Oh! and Tyler.

10 pm Bump in the Night @ Swan Dive, 1631 Dundas St. W. Rock, soul, classic pop, and rarities with DJ Precious Brett. Come shake your rump!

10 pm Saturday Night Jukebox Dance Party @ Stones Place, 1255 Queen St. W. Sweat it out to the sweet sounds of the golden age of rock ‘n’ roll and soul music! DJ Blush plays pop, rock, and soul from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. $10.

10 pm Whatever You Like Feat. Sgt Garbage @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. All hits, all night with spicy DJs that’ll really get you moving and shaking. It’s the good stuff – the prom that never was!

10 pm Mr. De’ Electro Funk Records @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. With over 10 years of work as a producer and over 20 years of making electronic music, Detroit’s Mr. De’ has a sound drawn from a number of funk-based urban sounds, blending them together into a composite whole that emphasizes up-tempo booty shakin’ over the chin-stroking styles of techno. Support by Cherriep (live set), Siviyex (DJ set), Automaticamore (DJ set), and Iteration Corp (live). $10.

10 pm Bar Phlie @ Farside, 600 Gerrard St. E. Rapper/producer/DJ More Or Les plays tunes with a hip-hop slant to move you, whether it’s just a head-nod or a full-on shake-a-thon. Expect to hear stuff like A Tribe Called Quest, Dibia$e, J Dilla, Bonobo, TLC, Art of Noise, Roisin Murphy, The Internet, MF DOOM, Bob James, Strange U, and CZARFACE.

10 pm Worst Behavior @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Saturdays are for getting loose and being on your Worst Behavior! Bangs & Blush roll out rap and hip-hop from now and then. $10.

10 pm A Drag Tribute to YouTube @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. Each month, The Beaver welcomes Fisher Price to pull together a menagerie of ghastly creatures to entertain you and pay tribute to whatever themed nonsense Fisher pulls from her highly caffeinated brain. This edition features Fisher Price, Penelope Strange, and Allysin Chaynes + The Frandiscos on the decks. $5 before midnight, $10 after.

10 pm Retro ‘Guilty’ Pleasures Video Dance Party @ Remix Lounge, 1305 Dundas St. W. An unabashed night of huge retro hits and one hit wonders of the ’80s and ’90s with DJ Lazarus. The best of the worst; the ear worms that haunt you day and night. This month’s spotlight is George Michael and Wham! $10.

11 pm Racks & Bands @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Jay Jolliffe and guests come with crates chock full of forward-thinking hip-hop, RnB, and dancehall. Get sweaty on the dance floor while they take you on a ride through genres, tempos, and eras. $10.

SUNDAY

10 am Leslieville Winter Market @ The Redwood Theatre, 1300 Gerrard St. E. The Leslieville Farmers’ Market is extending the season and bringing east end’s largest weekly celebration of local farmers, chefs, and community indoors. Enjoy music, kids activities, wellness programming, a full bar serving wine and local breweries, an array of Toronto’s diverse prepared food, and of course, the best produce from local farms. Until 2 pm.

10 am Wonder Holiday Märkit @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Meet a curated selection of Toronto’s most noteworthy artisans selling one-of-a-kind, locally-made holiday must-haves and essentials under one roof. Admission is FREE and the first 50 visitors receive a complimentary swag bag. Until 5 pm.

10 am The Trinity Bellwoods Flea @ The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W. Skip the lines and the crowds this holiday season and find a special gift for that special someone on your list at the Trinity Bellwoods Flea. Featuring a curated selection of over 100 vendors, artisans, makers, and crafters. Until 5 pm.

11:30 am Handmade Holiday Faire @ Northern Contemporary Gallery, 1605 Queen St. W. The first annual Handmade Holiday Faire is an artisan-led event where talented and diverse local artists and crafters showcase their work. The event will showcase fine art and crafts along with bodycare products and warm drinks and snacks. Until 6 pm. 

1 pm Holiday OCAD Artist Alley @ OCAD Great Hall, 100 McCaul St. (2nd floor). Looking for unique gifts for your friends and family this holiday season? Come to OCAD’s student-run Holiday Artist Alley! You’ll find a wide variety of beautiful posters, prints, zines, stickers, greeting cards, ceramics, fashion, jewelry items, and more from 50+ OCAD artists and alumni. Bring cash, as most artists do not have card readers. Until 7 pm.

5:30 pm Girl Gang Cabarets @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave. An unboxed feminist variety show and space to create and build on the network of amazing feminists in your life. This edition features artists Halal Bae, Surer Qaly Deria, Mizz Taj, and Heather Beamish + a pop-up shop by The Unboxed Market. Doors at 5:30 pm, show at 6. 

7 pm Brass Facts Trivia @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Test your knowledge and win prizes! Hosted by Famous Kirk Hero. Until 10 pm.

10 pm Sinful Sundays Burlesque: Must Be Santa @ Cherry Cola’s, 200 Bathurst St. Come be entertained at this weekly “temple of tease,” where you’ll find a fresh lineup of burlesque entertainers, drag, and variety acts. This week, Sinful Sundays is going full garish holiday glam with a stacked cast of performers bringing their naughty and nice Saint Nick-inspired acts. Free entry; tipping encouraged.

10 pm Nite Flights @ Little Jerry, 418 College St.  DJs Craig Dunsmuir and Matt Collins play and eclectic mix of folk, rock, soul, jazz, disco, reggae, and electronic on vinyl. 

~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com