Toronto’s queer artists bring vivid new life to the public spaces of the Pride Toronto festival site all weekend long with their challenging, transformative works during Plot, Engage, Disperse, Pride Toronto’s contemporary art exhibit. Plot, Engage, Disperse is curated by Daryl Vocat.
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What: Pie Eating Contest
When: Saturday, June 28 – 3:30 PM
Where: VIA RAIL Village Stage
Show off your pie munching skills in what’s sure to be a messy post-Dyke March pie eating contest. Cash prizes for the winners, free dessert for everyone else!
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What: Melissa Levin’s Old School Femme (for Joan Nestle)
When: Saturday, June 28 – 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Where: James Canning Gardens
In a saucy and sexy, celebration of the power of Lesbian Femmes a clothesline will be strung between trees on the day of the dyke march. All self-identified femme lesbians are invited to hang up a piece of their favourite salacious clothing for all to gaze upon. The clothesline will be photographed each time a piece of clothing is added. Ultimately Old School Femme – for Joan Nestle is a saucy, sexy celebration of the Power of Femme Dykes.
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What: Improv in Toronto
When: Saturday, June 28 – 9:00 PM
Where: Various Locations
Join the folks from Improv in Toronto in a brief impromptu reading. Stop, reflect and read for 30 seconds wherever you are.
Improv in Toronto (I.T.) is a group of fun loving people from all around the GTA who’s main goal is to improve the lives of everyone in Toronto by giving them a moment that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Previous events include a subway dance party and a large number of people mysteriously starting to scratch themselves in a public place.
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What: FASTWàœRMS’ Tryst
When: Saturday, June 28 – 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Where: Norman Jewison Park
Tryst is a Witch Nation outreach project featuring 2 Witches and 2 Bears and a Faerie Princess, (FASTWURMS, Andrew Harwood and RM Vaughan, and Katie Bethune-Leamen), in a public service performance and participation narrative featuring free fortune telling, psychic divination, hand fasting, glitter cosmetics and Gayga.
In their custom truck and tent compound, the Tryst crew will be sharing card readings and psychic prophecy, giving glitter make up and tying tryst friendship bracelets, and demonstrating the new queer exercise program, Gayga.
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What: Once More With Feeling’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer musical sing-along
When: Saturday, June 28 – 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Where: Rogers Paul Kane Parkette Stage
Gay geeks unite! Sing along with the dearly departed Scooby gang. Dress up as your favourite character and be ready to belt out the words. Don’t know the songs? Have no fear, subtitles to the rescue!
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What: Paige Gratland‘s Tit Pin
When: Sunday, June 29 – 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Where: Norman Jewison Park
Stop by Paige Gratland’s Tit Pin booth and get a photo-button with your tits on it! Participants pose while Paige makes a souvenir button. Be sure to bring your friends and lovers to share or trade with. Open To everyone.
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What: Lex Vaughn‘s Graham and Diane
When: Sunday, June 29 – 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Where: Various Locations
Graham and Diane is an unconventional ventriloquist act, that could be enjoyed by some children, but its mostly for adults who enjoy dark, dark humour. Diane is a meek admin assistant who is recently trying her hand in the performing arts, after being inspired by a visit from corporate comedians at her workplace. Diane has been living with this doll, Graham, since she was 14 (a gift given to her by her drifter uncle), and is Diane’s only friend. Graham is ribald, brash, and utterly foul mouthed.
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What: AA Bronson Loves Video Art
When: Sunday, June 29 – 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Where: Norman Jewison Park
This looped video programme includes a collection of short, sexy art videos chosen by AA Bronson of General Idea fame. This programme features international work by Naufus Figueroa, Paige Gratland, Peter Hobbs, William E. Jones, Peter Kingstone, Terence Koh, Jeremy Laing & Will Munro, and SUPERM (Slave Mogutin & Brian Kenny.) Drop in and out, or stay for a while.
Adults only.
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What: Jess Dobkin‘s Human Disco Ball
When: Sunday, June 29 – 10:00 PM & 10:30 PM
Where: James Canning Gardens Stage
A spinning human disco ball invites queer reverie.
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What: Pride [murmur], co-sponsored by the Lesbian and Gay Community Appeal Foundation
When: Permanent Installation
Where: Various Locations
Personal stories about a number of places around the Church and Wellesley neighbourhood have been recorded by [murmur]. In each of these locations a [murmur] sign with a telephone number on it is installed that anyone can call with a mobile phone to listen to that story while standing in that exact spot, engaging in the physical experience of being right where the story takes place. Some stories are anecdotal while others are more historical, but all are told from a personal perspective by somebody who cares about that information and place.
See www.murmurtoronto.ca for exact sign locations.
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Photo courtesy of Daryl Vocat.
