CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD
REVIEW
A PERSONAL OPINION
Thanks Marilyn and Brenda
Marilyn Marshall and Brenda Brown McNee, are retiring from their roles at the annual Blair’s Run campaign. They’ve done an amazing job for all of us. They’ve been recruiting, inspiring and shepherding a big team of community volunteers every year. They’ve collecting record amounts of money despite the pause created by Covid - click here to see the results and to view the teams who ran and raised so much money in 2023. Blair’s Run is a remarkable community event and we owe our thanks to Marilyn and Brenda for its success. (Photo: Brenda at the 2023 Run)
Welcome Megan
Megan Takenda-Tully will take over the event leadership for the 2024 Blair’s Run. She’s a great choice. As the Winchester team captain, she’s learned what it takes to make the Run a success. Everyone who’s worked with her in the past (including me!), has become her admirer. She’ll need our help, of course. So volunteers and donors can sign up now for the 2024 Run on Sunday September 8. Send her an email. (Photo: Marilyn with Megan)
DOORS OPEN TORONTO
Over 150 landmarks across the city are open for tours on the weekend - Saturday May 25 and Sunday May 26. Dates and times vary for each one. The City’s website has plenty of information along with maps showing where they’re located.
There are nine locations in our neighbourhood -
St Peter & St Simon the Apostle Anglican Church (525 Bloor E), Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 pm each day.
St James Cemetery Chapel (635 Parliament), Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm each day.
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre (439 Dundas E), Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm each day.
Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas E), Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm each day.
Toronto Humane Society (11 River), Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm each day.
St Paul’s Basilica (83 Power), Saturday (10 am to 4:15 pm) and Sunday, (1:30 to 5 pm).
Little Trinity Church (425 King E), Saturday (10 am to 5 pm) and Sunday (1 to 5 pm).
Young Centre for the Performing Arts (50 Tank House Lane, Distillery), Saturday (10 am to 5 pm) and Sunday (11 am to 5 pm).
Port Lands Flood Protection Project (222 Cherry St), Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm each day
LOCAL NEWS
Save the date - it happens next weekend
Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces is Cabbagetown’s Spring garden tour. This year, there are ten special places to explore. As a bonus, CBC commentator Paul Zammit will be here to talk about your gardens and answer your questions. Master gardeners will be stationed along the way to answer your questions. Sunday, June 2, noon to 4 pm. Tickets are available online - $25 each or five for $100.
Musicians needed
The garden tour organizers are inviting musicians to play at various spots during the tour. It happens on Sunday June 2. Contact Christina for details.
Jason’s GoFundMe campaign
Jason Speek - a popular staff person at Pet Valu (240 Carlton) and at The Great Mallard (Parliament) - suffered a massive heart attack on May 8. He faces considerable hardship since he needs at least three months to recover. His partner, Anthony Lund, has launched a GoFundMe to collect $7,000 toward Jason’s expenses while he isn’t working. So far, over fifty generous people have contributed more than $4,300.
Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market
Fresh veggies and fruit have arrived at the Market. Meredith and Nate at Oakridge Farms in Millbrook brought along strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus and honey crisp apples.
There’ll be more next week so stay informed - check out the Farmers’ Market Facebook page.
Corktown’s Underpass Farmers’ Market
The market returns on Thursday, May 23 from 4 to 7:30 pm. 29 Lower River Street. For weekly updates, click here.
The Prince visited us
Victoria at Aberdeen Ave Residents Group has a wonderful memory. She wrote on the group’s FB page, “On this day 12 years ago, when KC was still PC, he visited Aberdeen Avenue Residents' Group (AARG) at Parliament St. Wifey was at the Armoury inspecting officers.”
COMING EVENTS
Winchester Fun Fair
Saturday May 25, 10 am to 2 pm. The Fun Fair transforms the Winchester School yard (15 Prospect) into a carnival. There’ll be games, a bouncy castle, music, animal guests and more. Ticket sales support important initiatives for the school.
Spring celebration at the Farm
Join Riverdale Farm (Winchester and Sumach) for its Spring Celebration on Saturday May 25 from 10 am to 3 pm. There’ll be a sheep shearing at 11:30 and 1:30, a goat demonstration at 12:30 and wool demo in the Meeting House from 10 am to 3 pm.
Kite night at Sprucecourt
Thanks to a generous donation from Castillo+Pardo at RE/MAX Hallmark Realty, the School Council at Sprucecourt purchased make-your-own-kite kits for every student. They’re holding a big kite night on Thursday June 6 from 4 to 6 pm in Riverdale Park West (425 Carlton).
Dixonlicious
The 7th annual Dixonlicious is here - June 6, 6 to 9 pm at the Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas E). It’s a fundraiser to support the food programs offered by Dixon Hall. You’ll have a great evening with wine, food from local restaurants and craft breweries and a silent and live auction. Tickets are $100 and you’ll get a tax receipt covering 70% of your ticket price. Click here for more info.
YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jane Scarffe is having a Contents Sale at 4001/2 Parliament on Saturday May 25 from 10 am to 4 pm. She’s leaving her home here ( a “reno-viction”, she says) and is selling art, furniture, tacky teapots, glass bottles, housewares, collectables, garden pots, tools and cook books
IN THE MEDIA
A new tent strategy
City Hall has unveiled a new approach to helping people using tents on public property for their housing. The experiences in Allan Gardens are noted as successful approaches. Victoria Gibson wrote an article in the Toronto Star about the issue.
SHOPPING NEWS
Shop2Win
Congrats to Anne Sprott. She’s the latest winner in the Shop2Win lottery. She takes home $500 and The Epicure Shop (Parliament) also wins $500. The final week is now underway. Save your receipts when you spend $20 or more at a participating retailer. If you miss during the weekly draw, you’ll still be eligible for the $1,500 Grand Prize. Click here for more info.
RESTAURANT NEWS
Patio season is here
Stout Irish Pub (221 Carlton) welcomes you and your puppy to its patio - and there’s even a Pawtie Menu featuring non-alcoholic beer, peanut butter and ice cream, and a raw veal bone.
The Golden Pigeon’s patio now features live music and $2 oysters every Tuesday evening (424 Parliament). DOVA’s beautiful private rear patio is back again for the season (229 Carlton).
F’Amelia’s comfy front patio is now open and ready to go (12 Amelia).
The Keating Channel (2 Villiers) is open for lunch and dinner and you can inspect all the construction going on around it in the Port Lands. Bisou’s side patio is open (350 Berkeley). The House on Parliament (454 Parliament) has two patios - the front one at the street and the other on its roof. L’Avenue (583 Parliament) has one of Cabbagetown’s prettiest outdoor patios.
Stout’s beer sale
Stout (221 Carlton) has a limited-time offer on three Louis Cifer brews - Raven Dry Stout, ESB Amber Ale and Gothic Brown Ale. All tall boys at $2.
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
Jazz bands will play in The Distillery’s Trinity Square - every Friday at 4:30 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 pm and at 4:30 pm. From Monday to Thursday, bands will also appear daily at 1 pm. For the daily schedules, check out the list below in our Weekly Calendar.
Danny Marks
Danny will be featured at the Distillery’s Bourbon Street North Festival (Trinity Stage, 55 Mill St) from 4:30 to 7:30 pm on Sunday May 26.
WEEKLY CALENDAR - CLUBS & PUBS
THURSDAY MAY 23 TO SUNDAY JUNE 2
For contact info about these clubs and restaurants, see the list at the bottom of this page.
THURSDAY MAY 23
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm, Ross Morgan Quartet
Old Flame Brewery
8 pm, open mic with Landon Doak
FRIDAY MAY 24
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
4:30 pm - Grooveyard
Alice’s Place
Karaoke night.
Bisou
4 to 8 pm, tapas night
Decoy
10 pm, DJ Oakeve
Old Flame Brewery
7 pm, live entertainment
Super Bargain
10 pm, DJ Shamz
SATURDAY MAY 25
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm - Sing Toronto
5 pm - Queen Pepper
Old Flame Brewery
2 pm, live entertainment
SUNDAY MAY 26
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm - Mark Stafford Blues Band
4:30 pm - Danny Marks Blues Band
The Aviary
11:30 am and 1 pm, Jazz brunch with a live band
Old Flame Brewery
2 pm, live entertainment
MONDAY MAY 27
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm, Robert Lee Group
Stout Irish Pub
7 pm, Headscratchers Trivia
TUESDAY MAY 28
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm, Kettleband
The Aviary
7 pm, Bird Brain Trivia
The Golden Pigeon
4 pm, $2 oysters
Live music on the patio
Stout Irish Pub
7 pm, Headscratchers Trivia
WEDNESDAY MAY 29
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm, El Ciebo
The Aviary
7 pm, Euchre Socials
8 pm, Karaoke night
F’Amelia
Wine Wednesday bottles over $100 at half price
Old Flame Brewery
7 pm, Trivia night
Stout Irish Pub
7 pm, euchre night
THURSDAY MAY 30
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm, Noah Abrahamse & The Mumbo Jumbo Combo
Old Flame Brewery
8 pm, open mic with Landon Doak
FRIDAY MAY 31
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
4:30 pm - Chicken ’n Waffles Band
Alice’s Place
Karaoke night.
Bisou
4 to 8 pm, tapas night
Old Flame Brewery
7 pm, live entertainment
Super Bargain
10 pm, DJ Shamz
The Aviary
Vinyl Night
SATURDAY JUNE 1
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm - Laura Hubert Band
4:30 pm - Ben Harvey & the Ornamentals
Bisou
4 pm, wine tasting, spring bites, DJ, and wineries from Nova Scotia and BC
Decoy Bar
10 pm - This must be the place with DJ Moe Funk & DJ Scootz
Old Flame Brewery
2 pm, live entertainment
SUNDAY JUNE 2
Distillery’s Bourbon Street North
1 pm - Chloe Watkinson Jazz Band
4:30 pm - Alex Pangman & the Alleycats Jazz Band
The Aviary
11:30 am and 1 pm, Jazz brunch with a live band
Old Flame Brewery
2 pm, live entertainment
CONTACT INFO
Alice’s Place - 554 Parliament
Aviary - 484 Front East
Bisou - 350 Berkeley (at Gerrard)
The Vibrational Apothecary - 243 Gerrard E
Cranberries - 601 Parliament
Decoy Bar - 370 Queen E
Distillery - Mill Street and Parliament
El Catrin - 18 Tank House Lane, Distillery
Golden Pigeon - 424 Parliament
House on Parliament - 454 Parliament
Johnny G’s - 478 Parliament
Keating Channel - 2 Villiers St
La Gloria Mexican Coffee - 453 Parliament
Mill Street Brew Pub - 21 Tank House Lane, Distillery
NJ Lounge - 507 Parliament
Old Flame Brewery- 45 Tank House Lane, Distillery
Playground - 492 Parliament
Stout Irish Pub - 221 Carlton
Super Bargain - 441 Parliament
Wing House - 420 Parliament
