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š¦ Micheladas, Pickleball, and Eastern Europe
What's happening in the West End September 11th to 15th.
Xavier W
September 11, 2025
Happy Thursday Toronto!
Iām writing this on Wednesday night, just before heading out to go see a concert at the new Rogers Stadium for the first time. Somehow this stadium is considered to be doggy doo-doo while at the same time every show thatās happened there has been amazing and life-changing? Quite an enigma, Iāll report back.
Anyway, letās get into it.
Featured Events
(Full list of events at end of newsletter)
šŗš¦ Toronto Ukrainian Festival
Friday to Sunday @ Bloor West Village
Boasting over 1 million annual visitors, Torontoās is North Americaās largest Ukrainian Festival. This Š²ŠµŃŃŃŠŗŠ° on Bloor will feature craft vendors, live music on a stage at Jane and Runnymede, and of course delicious food trucks serving up borscht, kebabs, and more.
šµš± Roncy Polish Festival
Saturday and Sunday on Roncesvalles
Weāre going full Eastern European this weekend in the West End as the Roncy Polish Festival is also going down. This event will feature the classic 3 Pās: Pierogis, Polka and Polish stuff. Also vendors and live music and all the stuff like that.
West End Updates
New Chill Cocktail Spot
No Notes is a community oriented cocktail bar in that opened last month in Dovercourt Village around the corner from Paradise Theatre. The new spot compliments its cool interior with a solid selection of local craft beers as well as a curated cocktail menu that includes micheladas š¤¤
Theyāll operate on whatās known in the industry as the āWest End Raccoon scheduleā, covering Thursday to Monday but then skipping Tuesday and Wednesday because itās too much work.
West End Breakfast Battle
Alright folks itās West End Breakfast Battle time. In case youāve forgotten, weāre working here to crown our neighbourhoods best breakfast. The last time we did this it was our first semi-final matchup, and the result was:
Skyline DEFEATS Good Fork!
What a Cinderella run for Skyline. They started as the 9 seed and needed to go through an extra round just to enter the bracket, now here they are in the finals. But who will face them?
In our second semi-final sits a truly gargantuan matchup. We haveā¦.. DIRTY FOODā¦ā¦. versusā¦ā¦ GOLD STANDARD! Both of these iconic spots have handily won their previous battles, but only one can move on for the chance to take the crown.
To cast your vote, click on the link of your preferred spot below. (Clicking the link will take you to the restaurants website/Insta)
Dirty Food - CLICK HERE TO VOTE
Gold Standard - CLICK HERE TO VOTE
Fancy House of the Week - Presented by CARGO CABBIE
Moving soon? With a 4.9 star rating on Google, CARGO CABBIE is your West End go-to for packing, moving, and storage. Get up to 20% off with code LOCAL20 from your neighbours at CARGO CABBIE. Book your move today: cargocabbie.ca
This weekās fancy house is 148 Rusholme Avenue, a 5 bed 5 bath in Dufferin Grove with some blessed natural light bouncing around. Highlights include a walkout porch, a brick fire place, and a solarium that would be perfect for growing a monstera or even doing some photosynthesizing of your own. $3.2 million, check it out.
Events
If you have an event youād like included in the West End Raccoon, please submit it here.
Thursday and Friday
Laugh it Forward @ Society Clubhouse - Thursday 7PM
A lineup of great Toronto comedians fundraising for Glia Equal Care and the Davenport Aid Brigade. $18
Filmera First Take @ Lavelle - Thursday 7PM
"āThis is the official launch of Filmera Toronto Network ā a new community built for actors, writers, and filmmakers in Toronto. Our purpose is simple: to bring together the cityās creative voices to network, collaborate, and build projects." Details
Trivia Night Live! @ Old Mill - Thursday 730PM
This event is like a mix between trivia night and classic game shows, with sections like Guess That Tune, Family Feud, and more. $10
Theatre Night @ Village Playhouse - Thursday 8PM
A production of BUS STOP, in which cross-country bus is stranded at a diner during a snowstorm. Could be good preparation for the upcoming winter TTC outages. Proceeds going to the Bloor West Foodbank. $35
Age Ain't Nothing @ Burdock Music Hall - Thursday 8PM
Comedy night for all those age 40 and above to reminisce and laugh. Remember gathering around the radio listening to the good āol hockey game? $23
Parenthood & Mental Health Workshop @ Trinity Bellwoods - Friday 1PM
From a reader: "This afternoon in the park is designed to bring parents together, grounding us in conversation, connection, and supportive resources." Details
Board Game Night @ Left Field Brewery - Friday 7PM
A big gaming night hosted by Changeling Gaming. Come as a group or come solo and be added to a group. RPG tables are also available for you serious gamers. Details
R&B Fest @ Mod Club - Friday 9PM
Big club night celebrating 90's and 00's R&B. $35
Soul A Go-Go @ BSMT 254 - Friday 10PM
Dance party with non-stop 60's soul spinning on vinyl. $10
Saturday
Trees of High Park @ High Park Nature Centre - Saturday 10AM
"Why wait hours outside a downtown hotel for a glimpse of a movie star when you can meet the celebri-trees of High Park!" A lesson in identifying trees followed by a walk to test out your new skills. $10
Sketch The Junction @ ARTiculations - Saturday 11AM
Start with a breakfast artistās social to power you up, then move throughout the neighbourhood to see who can create the best sketch, prizes available for the winners. Details
The Creators Game @ Roncesvalles United Church - Saturday 11AM
Celebrate our national sport with a stick carving demonstration by an indigenous artist and a meet and greet with a Toronto Rock player. Details
Pickleball and Pizza @ Sorauren Park - Saturday 12PM
Learn to play pickleball and enjoy some wood-fired pizza at this fundraiser for local parks. Details
Greek Life in the West End @ Bloor and Russet - Saturday 3PM
Everyone knows about Greektown on the Danforth, but did you know there was a West End Greektown that predated it? Learn more about its history on this walking tour. $10
End of Season Yoga @ High Park Nature Centre - Saturday 420PM
PWYC yoga in the park. This special end of season session will also include a potluck and a raffle. Details
Start Making Sense @ 1655 Dupont - Saturday 7PM
A live recreation of Talking Headās legendary film. This event is also a fundraiser for the West End Phoenix, a great organization who do actual journalism in the neighbourhood. $80
Milk Drunk @ Bluebird Bar - Saturday 7PM
From a reader: "This is an evening for badass moms who deserve a break from the chaos, in a judge-free zoneā¦ Ramp up for an unapologetic time on the dance floor. " $30
House Party @ Danu Social House - Saturday 7PM
It's a night at a bar but everyone will act like it's a good old-fashioned house party. There'll be a host walking around making introductions and guests are encouraged to socialize and meet new people. Details
80s and 90s Party @ Ground Control - Saturday 9PM
Video dance party focusing on the guilty pleasures of the good old days, this time featuring an extra serving of Phil Collins. Details
Sunday
Terry Fox Run @ High Park - Sunday 8AM
The iconic Canadian September event. 4km loop raising money for cancer research. Details
Toronto Walk Club @ The Well - Sunday 10AM
CETWEOK! A massive group of people who get together every Sunday to walk around Toronto and meet new friends. Details
Butterfly Gardens Tour @ 108 Vine Ave - Sunday 1PM
Enjoy an expert-led tour of the Junctionās 22 vibrant pollinator gardens, all attendees will receive a free packet of native seeds to plant at home. Details
The Breakfast Club @ The Piston - Sunday 7PM
Free screening of The Breakfast Club for its 40th anniversary followed by a dance party. Costumes encouraged! Dress as one of the many iconic characters like French Toast, Cappuccino, or Oatmeal (Yeah I havenāt seen this one) Details
šµ Live Music Report šµ
šµ Victoria Houser (Acoustic) @ Bluebird Bar - Thursday 8PM
šµ Saddletramps (Country) @ The Bell and The Beacon - Friday
šµ Fat Cats (Psychadelic) @ Rosario's - Friday 8PM
šµ Chacha & Scatter (Techno) @ Junction Underground - Friday 9PM
šµ Paddyman (Irish) @ The Local - Saturday 2PM
šµ Beverley Taft Trio (Jazz) @ NeuLokal - Saturday 530PM
šµ Mexican Independence Day Live Band @ Rosario's - Saturday 8PM
šµ Neu Turkish Night @ NeuLokal - Saturday 930PM
šµ Ruuted (Jungle) @ Junction Underground - Saturday 10PM
šµ Glenn Paul Trio (Jazz Beatles Covers) @ Burdock Music Hall - Sunday 1PM
šµ Michael O'Grady (Celtic) @ The Local - Sunday 2PM
šµ The Capys (Irish Trio) @ The Mezz - Sunday 3PM
šµ PRRR & SextĆŖte (R&B, Soul) @ Burdock Music Hall - Monday 8PM
Thank you!
Thanks for reading the West End Raccoon!
As always, if you know a friend or family member who might be interested, please share the newsletter with them: www.westendraccoon.ca
Have a great weekend, and talk to you next Thursday!
Xavier