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🦝 Pizza, Vietnamese Food, and a Free Music Festival

🦝 Pizza, Vietnamese Food, and a Free Music Festival

What's happening in the West End July 3rd to 7th.

Xavier W
July 03, 2025

Happy Thursday Toronto and welcome to this week’s West End Raccoon.

I hope you all had great Canada Days, I’m personally recovering from one of my worst sunburns of all time. I’m calling it the base layer of my summer tan but until it fades I’ll continue to look like a steamed lobster.

Lots of fun stuff going on this weekend, most of it outdoors. Let me serve as an example, don’t forget the sunscreen.

Let’s get into it.

Featured Events

(Full list of events at end of newsletter)

💃 Salsa on St. Clair

Saturday & Sunday @ St Clair between Winona & Christie

This week’s street festival is Salsa on St. Clair! If you don’t know about it this is a massive Latin dance party that takes on the street yearly. The event draws thousands of people from all around the world to enjoy and celebrate Latin American communities. Expect a street full of non-stop dancing plus delicious food options like pupusas, empanadas, and churros. Details.

🪩 Open Canvas Music & Arts Festival

Saturday & Sunday @ Trillium Park

If you’re more of an electronic music fan, Open Canvas is a free music festival happening at Trillium Park by Ontario Place this weekend. There’ll be a ton of cool DJ sets by artists from all around Canada in addition to art exhibitions by local street and graffiti artists. All this will be beautifully silhouetted by the lake with a skyline backdrop. Details

West End Updates

Bourdain Favourite Opens on Ossington

“The Lunch Lady” is a Vietnamese street food restaurant that opened last weekend on Ossington across from La Cubana. It’s an expansion of the original Lunch Lady spot in Saigon which became iconic after a visit from Chef Anthony Bourdain in an episode of No Reservations. I don’t know if any of my readers are mathematicians but Ossington + Bourdain + Vientamese food = impossible to get a table, so now is the time to start befriending hostesses and prep cooks.

This Toronto location will fuse the culinary heritage of the original Saigon restaurant with local Canadian ingredients. Signature dishes include a Pork Tomahawk and Coconut Clams. More info on their Instagram.

New Pizza Place on Queen W

“Little Ese” is opening up on Queen W by Trinity Bellwoods in the old Noce location. They’ll be offering up a signature menu of pizzas along with bar staples like nachos and mozza sticks. The showstopper on their extensive patio is going to be the margarita towers. It’s next to impossible to sit next to another table that has one of these badboys without looking a your friends and asking “Shooooould we???”. They also have a afternoon happy hour with $7 cocktails and $10 pizzas. Instagram

West End Breakfast Battle

For those of you who missed last week’s issue, the West End Breakfast Battle is a contest with one goal: to crown the West End’s favourite breakfast spot.

We’ve already received hundreds of submissions - if you have a spot that you think is worthy of the title, nominate them here.

Fancy House of the Week

This week’s fancy house is 839 Windermere Ave. The footprint is much smaller than our typical houses but the interior design is so nice and cohesive I had to include it. Unfortunately I’m completely out of my depth when talking about design. Do you call this style Scandinavian? No, I didn’t think so either - I was testing you. $1.5 million, listing here.

Events

If you have an event you’d like included in the West End Raccoon, please submit it here.

Thursday and Friday

Exhibition Opening @ Northern Contemporary - Thursday 6PM
Reception for a new exhibition of baseball themed paintings by David Holden. Details

Toronto Stitchers and Chatters Club @ Strawbella Café - Thursday 6PM
This is a weekly free social group run by a West End Raccoon reader. “Our group welcomes everyone who enjoys fibre crafts like knitting, crochet, embroidery, beading, and more. It is a casual, no-instruction gathering where people can bring their own projects and connect with others who share similar interests.” They’ll meet every Thursday until the end of summer.

Almost Jeopardy Trivia @ Junction Craft - Thursday 7PM
This week's theme is "Game Shows". Details

The Big Noise @ Junction Underground - Thursday 7PM
A genre spanning show with bands playing everything from punk to reggae to Bollywood hits. $15

The Bats of Toronto Skies @ Mimico Creek Park - Thursday 8PM
An urban bat expert will lead you on a short free hike while discussing the bats that call our city home. A bit out of the way but cool. Bring a flashlight.

1982 Dance Party @ Ground Control - Thursday 9PM
Club night where they're playing only the best of 1982. Cocteau Twins, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, and more. Not to be confused with the 1984 Dance Party where visitors will be thoroughly surveilled the entire evening. Details

Crossing Guard Hiring Event @ JVS Toronto - Friday 10AM
If you want to become a huge part of the community and help keep our streets safe, consider becoming a crossing guard at this event tomorrow. Details

Salsa for Seniors @ Wychwood Barns - Friday 4PM
Prepare for the St. Clair festival with some free lessons. Details

Kari-oke @ Steadfast Brewing - Friday 7PM
Free karaoke night hosted by the eponymous Kari. Details

Saturday

Restaurant Grand Opening @ Firecracker Restaurant - Saturday 11AM
FIRECRACKER is a new Caribbean restaurant opening in the Junction Triangle. I'll be featuring them in the next issue but if you want to be among their first patrons, they open Saturday. Details

Day Party @ Teddy Beer - Saturday 12PM
The "4DS Kickback" is an all day party in Bloorcourt featuring live music, DJ sets, and plenty of food. $22

Dancing Divine Feminine @ High Park - Saturday 130PM
“Let's gather to dance with and toward Divine Feminine. Mayra and I will bring dances and songs to awaken the capacity to hold feminine principle in our heart and in our life." Details

Patio Party @ The Wych - Saturday 5PM
Saturday is supposed to be 26° and sunny so why not celebrate with a live mariachi band on a patio. Details

Barbershop Opening Party @ Saints of Toronto - Saturday 7PM
This barbershop which just opened in the Junction Triangle is throwing a party to celebrate. Details

Salsa on St Clair Afterparty @ Rosario's - Saturday 8PM
DJ sets and all-you-can-eat tacos to fuel you after a long day of dancing. Details

Live Band Karaoke @ Junction Underground - Saturday 830PM
Live out your boyband dreams as you sing karaoke with a live band behind you. $10

Secret Summer Party @ Christie Pits Pub - Saturday 9PM
This party is so secret that you can only find out about it by going on this small website named Facebook. Live music all night, details.

Sunday and Monday

MOCA Community Sunday @ MOCA - Sunday 10AM
Community Sunday at the Museum of Contemporary Art means free admission and a family-friendly stamp and sticker workshop. Details

OLGC Bazaar @ Our Lady of Good Counsel Church - Sunday 11AM
OLG Caribbean Church are hosting a big community gathering: "It will be a fun-filled weekend. Fun fun fun. Games, bingo, food, barbecue chicken, roti, baked goods etc." Details

Parkdale Sunday Market @ Parkdale Hall - Sunday 11AM
Weekly market with a bunch of cool and unique vendors. This week they’ll also have a couple puppies up for adoption! Details

Garden Garden @ 248 Ossington - Sunday 3PM
Garden Garden is a weekly outdoor party that runs throughout the summer, with each event having different music and food vendors. This week features Indian inspired bites from Bindi's Burgers. Details

Star Wars Screening @ Revue Cinema - Sunday 4PM
July the 6th be with you! 4K screening of Return of the Jedi. $19

Outdoor Movie Screening @ Christie Pits Park - Sunday 9PM
This weekend is the start of weekly free movie screenings in Christie Pits. This Sunday's movie is Hunt For The Wilderpeople directed by Taika Waititi. Bring your own chair or blanket to sit on, food and drink available for purchase. Details

Trivia Mondays @ Loons - Monday 7PM
This weekly trivia night is a Roncy institution. Show up early to get a seat!

Mario Kart Monday @ Shakey's - Monday 7PM
Play some Mario Kart and have some drinks at this fun bar in Bloor West. Prizes for top places, details.

🎵 Live Music Report 🎵

🎵 Matthew Endahl (Pianist) @ Old Mill - Thursday 630PM
🎵 Rock Plaza Central (Folk-ish) @ The Baby G - Thursday 7PM
🎵 June The Destroyer (Folk Rock) @ Burdock Music Hall - Thursday 8PM
🎵 Michelle Rumball (Folk) @ Blue Bird Bar - Thursday 8PM

🎵 Maureen Kennedy Trio (Jazz) @ NeuLokal - Friday
🎵 Peter Mathers (Spanish Guitar) @ Old Mill - Friday 630PM
🎵 Tak Arikusi Trio (Jazz) @ La Rev - Friday 8PM
🎵 Declan Hewitt, Josie Smith @ Junction Underground - Friday 830PM
🎵 Rise Carmine w/ Fleur Electra (Rock) @ Burdock Music Hall - Friday 9PM

🎵 Donné Roberts (Guitarist) @ The Local - Saturday 2PM
🎵 Peter Mathers (Spanish Guitar) @ Old Mill - Saturday 630PM
🎵 Seu Quartet (Jazz) @ La Rev - Saturday 8PM
🎵 Dan Curtin & Cosmic JD (Electronic) @ 1650 Dupont - Saturday 10PM

🎵 Morgan & Wayne Neon (Covers) @ The Local - Sunday 2PM
🎵 Lucas Stagg (Troubadour) @ The Local - Sunday 9PM

🎵 Sean McCarthy (Jazz) @ Steadfast Brewing - Monday 7PM
🎵 David Hodgson & Serena Maddalena (Jazz) @ Burdock Music Hall - Monday 8PM

Thank you!

Thanks for reading the West End Raccoon! I hope you all have wonderful, sunburn free weekends.

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