August 2nd-5th Scotiabank Caribbean Festival @ various locations. A festival of Caribbean culture celebrating its 45th anniversary! Check out their website for a complete list of Caribbean-inspired events and parties.

WEDNESDAY

7 pm “Down The Rabbit Hole” Opening Reception @ Steam Whistle Brewing, 255 Bremner Blvd. “’Down the Rabbit Hole’ presents a series of drawings, paintings and photographs that explore the ethereal, comical and visceral elements of nature in different fantasy realms. Each artist works through familiar and unfamiliar territory in the discovery of the nature of his or her own unique fantastical world.” Until 11 pm. Exhibition runs during all of August.

9 pm Comedy at The Ossington @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. With comedians Evany Rosen, Amanda Day, Winston Spear, Deb Robinson, Ryan Belleville, and Julia Hladkowitz! Hosted by Sara Hennessey, Greg Alsop, Jeremy Mersereau, and Steph Kaliner. PWYC.

10 pm The Grump Goes To Camp @ Camp 4, 1173 Dundas St. W. Special guest DJ Richie Volume plays the best in go go, psych rock, garage, and surf all night.

THURSDAY

5 pm 12th Annual “Being Scene” Opening Reception @ The Gladstone Hotel (3rd and 4th floor public galleries), 1214 Queen St. W. 12th annual juried art exhibition “Being Scene” presented by Workman Arts for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and music. Until 7 pm. Exhibition runs until October 28th, 12 to 5 pm daily.

7 pm “Good Looks Good” Opening Reception @ The Mascot, 1267 Queen St. W. Artwork by Manny Trinh, Mark Byk, and Luis Mora. Until 11 pm.

10 pm Homophilia @ 1602, 1602 Dundas St. W. DJs Gay-Straight Alliance (David Balzer and Chris Randle) throw a dance party for all those of artistic temperaments. Glittery disco, palatial house, shameless pop, and soaring R&B.

FRIDAY

10 pm Beatlemania! @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Join Bangs & Blush for a HARD DAY’S NIGHT where you TWIST AND SHOUT to 60’s soul, rock n’ roll, and all your favourite Beatles tunes! $5.

10 pm Back-A-Yard @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St. A night of sunshine vibes with Pie & Mash DJs. The best reggae, ska, dub, and dancehall tunes!

10 pm Yacht Rock: Workin’ For The (Long) Weekend @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Celebrate our statutory pay-day with Loverboy the the rest of the Yacht Rock crew! A night of dancing to the smoothest music you’ve ever heard in your life. $5 to step aboard.

10 pm Soul Block Party / She’s So Thirsty @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, DJs Fase and Splattermonkey rockin’ that sweet soul, funk, hip-hop, R&B, and reggae that you know and love! Downstairs, DJ Grouch plays 90’s reggae, hip-hop, and more. $5 before midnight, more after.

10 pm Pop Kult! @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. DJ Moon Boots (French Express, Chicago) delivers a feel good, body-warming blend of disco, funk and house with guests Joakim (Tigersushi, Paris), Scott Seewhale, and Colin Bergh. $10 advance tickets (guaranteed entry) available at Rotate This, Soundscapes, Play De Record, and online. For $10 reduced guestlist (subject to capacity), email names to guestlist@wearemansion.ca.

10 pm Big Primpin’ @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. Hip-hop and hot times for homos, their friends, and admirers. With DJs Dionne, Stunts, and Blackcat + special performances by Miss Jamaica feat. DJ No Problem, and the House of Monroe. For guestlist, email bigprimpin@gmail.com. $5.

10 pm Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A pulsating dance party rocking the retro sounds of the 1990s! All your favourite dance, pop, hip-hop, R&B, and so on and so on and so on. $5.

10 pm Beach Wave @ Sex Laser, 1369 Dundas St. W. DJs Gabe Knox, Jeff Hayward, and Geoff Snack play summer music ALL. NIGHT. LONG.

10 pm Because J Wo Said So @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Hip-hop hooray! With DJ Johnny Dubz.

10 pm Scissors @ Sazerac Lounge, 782 King St. W. Sexy house music for ladies who love ladies and their handsome friends. With DJs Fawn BC and Sokes. $5.

11 pm Never Forgive Action @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Classic hip-hop and R&B super jams all night long from DJ Numeric, Ted Dancin’, and Dalia + special guests Paul E. Lopes and Mike Tull. Vintage rap videos on the screens! $10.

SATURDAY

10 pm Motown Party 4 Year Anniversary @ 751, 751 Queen St. W. The Good Kids celebrate 4 years of Motown Party and those who come to shake a tail at their shindig! Motown, northern soul, and remixes with DJs Fawn BC and Caff upstairs + an all-vinyl set with DJs Brett Millius and Reverend Throwdown downstairs. $5 early bird and $10 advance tickets guarantee line bypass and free entry until 12:30 am. $5 before midnight, $10 after otherwise.

10 pm Booyakasha @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. It’s Caribana weekend, get down to some island sounds with DJs Stunts, Dear Aunt Agnes, and Max Mohenu. Limbo contest at 11 pm, whining contest at midnight, and daggering contest at 1 am. $2 at the door.

10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A sexy, sweaty dance party thrown by the Bangs & Blush ladies! 60’s pop, soul and rock n’ roll. $5.

10 pm Super Funk Soul Party @ 3030, 3030 Dundas St. W. DJs Cozmic Cat and Splattermonkey serve it up fresh and funky playing kick ass soul, funk jams and sweet party grooves + live performance from special guests The Frasor Melvin Blues Band. $5.

10 pm Da Da Da: A Psychedelic Dance Party @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. An all-night free love psychedelic midnight ball! DJs Brad Casey and Wilderness Creature play psychedelic music from The Beach Boys to Beach House, The Kinks to Caribou, The Byrds to Black Moth Super Rainbow, etc. $5.

10 pm Pay Day @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. DJs Isosceles and Stew Innes play open format from 10 to midnight followed by old school hip-hop from midnight to close. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Upside Down @ The Yukon, Queen St. W. DJ Ian Worang plays records which means fun times involving both alcohols and musics!

10 pm Rip It Up! @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. DJ Davy Love and friends play R&B, garage, soul, doo-wop and down and dirty rock n’ roll records for your listening, dancing and drinking-along-with pleasure.

10 pm Sugar Hill / Back In The Day @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, DJ Grouch plays uptown boogie, new jack swing, and 80’s and 90’s rap + RnB. Downstairs, DJ Law and guests spin the best of all the classics with music videos GALORE! $5 before 11:30 pm, more after.

10 pm Pop Lobster: Do Your Civic Duty Edition @ Magpie, 831 Dundas St. W. DJ Little Kicks + special guest DJ ARP 2600 know no pop boundaries! You may or may not have the opportunity to dance to the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Blondie, Destiny’s Child, Le Tigre, Britney Spears, Robyn, Motown, indie, new wave, disco, and more.

10 pm Slowed @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. Slo-mo tunes with DJs Ryan Hemsworth, Lucie Tic + a secret international guest. $10 advance tickets available online.

10 pm Solid Gold @ Midpoint, 1180 Queen St. W. 80’s funk and soul all on vinyl. $4 tequila all night, $3.50 bar rail before 11 pm, and $5 PBR all night.

10 pm Living Room Discotheque @ The Fountain, 1261 Dundas St. W. Get down, get sassy, and dance in your new adopted living room. No cover, no genres, no rules with DJs Andrea Ayotte, Erin Berg, and Andrew Lochhead.

10 pm Reality Bytes @ Augusta House, 152-A Augusta Ave. Travel back in time to the 90’s! DJs 4est, Lindzrox, and Jrox spin all your favourite dance, hip-hop, electronica and alternative 90’s tunes. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Secret Models @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. One big room, full of bad bitches! DJs Secret Models play hits straight from your high school semi-formal.

11 pm Pacific High @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. DJs Scott Seewhale and Colin Bergh play only the best Dymaxion house music all night long.

11 pm Pike Night @ Holy Oak, 1241 Bloor St. W. Oddball, international, and under-appreciated song selections by DJ Joële Walinga.

SUNDAY

7 pm Lobster Fare @ The Drake Sky Yard, 1150 Queen St. W. A Sunday dinner series running until August 26th. Indulge in a mouth-watering menu of a one-pound lobster, grilled corn, herb and butter potatoes, coleslaw, biscuit and shortcake for dessert, and a bottle of Keith’s IPA for $32.

9:30 pm Crosswires #24 @ The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. A Sunday night series brought to you by Doc Pickles, co-founder and emcee of Wavelength. Featuring performances by BoysWhoSayNo, Shit From Hell, and Jim Storie Juniors + General Chaos Visuals and DJ selector Acacia Christensen. Sponsored by Steam Whistle. PWYC.

10 pm So Long & Thanks For All the Tunes @ Crawford, 718 College St. An evening celebrating 90’s punk music! DJs Joel French and Sean Donald Forbes McCormack play nostalgic hits for you to rebel against.

~ Caitlyn Holroyd

(For event submissions, email caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com)