Happy Pride month West Enders!!! This is about the one time of year a place east of Yonge maaaay have a slight advantage to our glorious side of town. We’ll give it to ‘em…this time. But just because we don’t have The Village, doesn’t mean there isn’t a hell of a lot of West End Pride happening, as the events section will pay testament to!

And in other exciting news, this weekend is DO WEST FEST! Dundas is going to be taken over all weekend with food stands, musical acts and vendors from across the city. Make sure to fill your boots.

I could stuff this entire newlsetter with just Pride and DO WEST but guess what? There’s a ton of other stuff going on, like bike workshops, Art Jams, and a performance involving a man dressed as a gorilla that…well, suffice to say it’s worth the click through.

Also shoutout Osler Records, the recently opened and deeply West End cafe/bar/record label who let me chill and write the majority of this newletter for the price of one iced Americano.

Anyways, update time!

It’s a tunnel. It’s only 270 meters long. It was approved in the mid ‘90s. Construction started on it two years ago. Is it finished? Absurd that you’d even ask. But we do have a picture of it now and it looks pretty much done! (Should be open in 3-5 years if history has taught us anything.)

Jokes/gripes aside, I am hype for this. It will connect Dundas West Station with the Bloor GO/UP Express platform, shortening the current 8-10 min trek (in good weather — ever tried dragging your luggage through the snow?) to a 2 minute amble through a creepy liminal space (the kids are loving them these days!)

Read more here.

I feel like it was pre-pandemic that I first heard the beloved West End institution Sneaky Dee’s was going the way of the Dodo — in Toronto that means becoming a Condo. But after community outcry and municipal grumbling, the plan seemed to fade away. Now it’s back.

Last week, supporters of the iconic dive spoke at a city council meeting urging the council to reject the plans for redevelopment, which have evolved to maintain the venue (after construction — they’d have to close up shop or move locations during.) Josh Matlow supports the “temporary” displacement. Fans of emo music and nachos fear “temporary” displacement is a death sentence.

Read more here.

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More condos means more housing — and hopefully they’ve learned from the shoebox mistakes of the late 2010s. But is it worth it if could kill one of the venues that makes this part of town worth living in?

8 Wendigo Way…. what an address. It rolls of the tongue, its got an alliteration thing going, it’s got a mythological element, it’s a little spooky, it’s great. If you buy this house you need to do it up big for Halloween. I’m talking better decorations than those losers on Bigfoot Boulevard or Sasquatch Sideroad.

Nice house too - $3.5 million, check it out.

Keep Ford's Hands off the TTC: Talk to Transit Riders @ Dundas West Station - Thurs 6pm. Remember when the province handled the LRTs? I think it's best we keep decisions about Toronto's subway IN Toronto. Details.

Mercy Mission: Connie Beattie & Arctic Polio, 1949 @ Annette Branch, Toronto Public Library - Thurs 7pm. Join professional medical and public health historian, Christopher Rutty, on a dramatic journey to the remote Arctic community of Chesterfield Inlet, on the west coast of Hudson Bay, where a devastating polio epidemic struck in the middle of the winter of 1948-49. Details.

A Century of Poison: Tales of Secret Murder with K. K. Cathers @ Curiosa - Thurs 7pm. Apparently the Victorian Era was a poisoner's playground! Details.

JIGZUP Social @ Annex Social - Thurs 7:30pm. According to the organizers, better than your average board game night. Plus a call to action to "try the coleslaw". Details.

Whimsy-Oke @ The Wych - Thurs 8:30pm. A little singing, a little chatting, and a whole lot of whimsy. As they say on their page proudly, "GET IN LOSER WE'RE JOYMAXXING" Details.

PA Day Screening: THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939) @ Revue Cinema - Fri 2pm. What better way to spend the last PA day of the year than a trip down the yellow brick road? Details.

Do West Fest @ Little Portugal - Fri 6pm - Sun 6pm. It's the best fest in the West!! Food, culture, and one really crowded street. Details.

ArtJam Toronto vol.2 @ Dance Cave - Fri 7pm. ArtJam is a pluridisciplinary event that brings together live creators, performances and pop-ups from the city's artists, musicians, tattooers, filmmakers, photographers, DJ's, sculptors, and other creatives simultaneously in a one-night showcase. Step into the creative playground. Details.

TRANSMIT PRESENTS FREE LIVE MUSIC AT DO WEST FEST @ The Garrison - Fri 7pm - Sun 6pm. Live music in the events section?! Absurd. But this is a lineup of artists that could fill three live music reports. Come check em out -- I saw Phedre open for Xiu Xiu in London ON in 2012 and they BANGED back then. Though I did get thrown out after heckling Xiu Xiu… Details.

Killer B Cinema Presents: Pulgasari! @ See-Scape - Fri 7:30pm. Ever wanted to watch a monster movie co-produced by North Korea? Now's your chance! Details.

COME OUT @ The Wych - Fri 9pm. "COME OUT is back this year (new venue) & what better way than to kick off pride month celebrations than to show some love & respect to those who gave us our freedoms." Details.

Bike Engagement Station at The Junction Farmers Market @ Junction Farmers Market - Sat 9am. The folks at Cycle Toronto are setting up a station to help you learn how to maintain your bike safely! Hell, for a few things they'll even do it for you right there! Details.

Silk Painting Workshop with Alek Phan @ MOCA - Sat 1pm. And now I know Vietnamese silk painting is a thing. Come learn it at the MOCA! Details.

Queer Art Club: (Re)Weaving—A Tapestry Making Workshop @ George Chuvalo Neighbourhood Centre - Sat 2pm. "Join us for a beginner-friendly and fun tapestry making workshop at Queer Art Club - let's get crafty together!" Details.

Reception - Solo Exhibition 'The Brush Returns' @ Remote Gallery - Sat 2pm. A painter who's painted without brushes for 15 years is doing the unthinkable...returning to the brush! Details.

Danu D&D @ Danu Social House - Sat 3pm. Come play a one-shotter with the folks at Danu! Details.

FREE Pride Movie Night @ George Chuvalo Neighbourhood Centre - Sat 7pm. "Join us for a free, family friendly screening of Summer Qamp, with a very special intro from producer Michelle Mama." Details.

Royale w/ Cheesy (Lines) - A one liner comedy battle @ Osprey Cafe - Sat 7pm. Forget rap battles, how about cheesy one liner battles?! Going down in Parkdale this Saturday. Details.

A Young Man Dressed As A Gorilla Dressed As An Old Man Sits Rocking In A Rocking Chair For Fifty-Six Minutes And Then Leaves @ Sweet Action Theatre - Sat 7:30pm. I think I can guess which will be our most clicked event this week.... Details.

RUC 5th Annual Family Pride Party @ Roncesvalles United Church - Sun 10:30am. "Sometimes love looks like music and improv, cake and crafts! All are welcome as we throw a pride party for all ages on a Sunday morning!" Details.

BYOD Yoga: Brewery Edition @ Samara Brewing Co. - Sun 11am. I already made a downward facing dog joke at a separate BYOD Yoga event and now I'm at a complete loss. Details.

TD Commons (Queen St. Marketplace) @ Queen & Shaw - Sun 12pm. Shop over 50 local vendors for your next fave floral arrangement or trinket. Details.

PA Days at MOCA @ MOCA - Sun 1pm. Just because it's a day off school doesn't mean your kiddos can't learn something at the MOCA! Details.

Boogie On! @ Trinity St-Paul's Centre - Sun 2:30pm. "Dance to a variety of fun music in a friendly, relaxed environment. Oldies, jazz, swing, pop, blues, R & B, world beat, etc. Freely express yourself in movement. $10 or PWYC." Details.

Sunday Circle @ Society Clubhouse - Sun 6pm. You didn't think I left all the witchy events in last issue did you? This one's perfect for the pagans! Details.

🎵VTSS (Electronic) @ The Mod Club - Thurs 8pm
🎵Family Man (Alt-Punk) @ The Baby G - Thurs 8pm
🎵Terror (Hardcore) @ Lithuanian House - Fri 7pm
🎵Jaguar Sun (Indie) @ Longboat Hall - Fri 7pm
🎵Dead Days (Metalcore) @ Hard Luck Bar - Fri 8pm
🎵The Listros (Rock) @ Lee's Palace - Fri 8pm
🎵Joe Pernice (Indie Rock) @ Longboat Hall - Sat 6pm
🎵Choker (Pop) @ The Mod Club - Sat 7pm
🎵Alejandro Aranda (Rock) @ The Baby G - Sat 7pm
🎵DJ Zaatar (EBM) @ The Jama - Sat 10pm

Thank you!

Thanks for reading the West End Raccoon, please enjoy our West End Pet(s) of the Week! Submit yours by responding to this email, with your preferred name/nickname/initials and neighbourhood for a chance to be featured. (Calling all bird, lizard and fish people — I like ‘em weird!)

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Hope you folks have a fantastic weekend.

Cam Smonk & Xavier