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🦝 Puppies, Burgers, and a Talent Show

🦝 Puppies, Burgers, and a Talent Show

What's happening in the West End July 10th to 14th.

Xavier W
July 10, 2025

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

This is the first weekend that I’ve done this newsletter where I won’t personally be in the city to experience the fun events! Somehow I was conned into a portage trip, so while you’re all enjoying a sunny Saturday I’ll be fighting for my life against bears and mooses. (meese?)

Me this weekend

And what a weekend to miss! Talent shows, music festivals, and a ton of outdoor markets. Let’s get right into it.

Featured Events

(Full list of events at end of newsletter)

🐶 Barket Market

Saturday 12PM @ Parkdale Hall

The “Barket” Market is big showcase featuring all things dog! Not to be confused with the “Bop-It” Market which only sells those toys from the 90’s.

30+ vendors will be selling everything from treats to leashes and accessories to pet art. Bring your pup by for a free photoshoot, meet rescues up for adoption, and enter in raffles to win pet-prizes! Details.

🎨 Toronto Outdoor Art Fair

Friday to Sunday @ Nathan Phillips Square

Okay this isn't technically West End buuut it's a pretty cool event and there are posters for it all over the neighbourhood so I think I'm allowed to include it. It's a massive expo where you can enjoy and purchase pieces from Canadian artists. Exhibitors will come from all over the country, with paintings from Port Coquitlam sitting next to sculptures from Saguenay. Details

West End Updates

New Burger Joint in Little Portugal

The Burger Republic has proclaimed its independence within a storefront on Dundas West (across from Spaghetti Disco). We welcome this fledgling nation to the neighbourhood and look forward to sampling its menu of delicious smashburgers and chicken sandwiches.

Its location, low prices, and late hours mean this country will be receiving many late-night tourists. The Republic is already demonstrating its diplomatic skills, boasting a 4.9 rating on Google Maps one week after opening. Check out the menu here.

New Caribbean Spot in the Junction Triangle

Firecracker Restaurant opened last weekend near Dupont and Symington (in the same building as Defina Wood Fired Pizza). Firecracker started as a sauce company, with their Trinidadian Pepper Sauce bringing home awards at several Canadian competitions. That culinary success will now be applied at their new restaurant which will be serving up rotis, curries, and more from Tuesday to Saturday every week. Full menu here.

West End Breakfast Battle

After hundreds of votes, we’ve tabulated the results and selected the ten participants of the West End Breakfast Battle. These are the spots that you the readers voted most for, and now they will do battle for the crown of the West End’s favourite breakfast. Below is the official bracket with restaurants seeded by the number of nominations they received:

Next week we will have a double elimination round, as four amazing spots will fight for a place in the quarter finals. The match-ups will be as follows:

Skyline Restaurant (Queen West) vs Masa Deli & Café (Dovercourt)

and

The Ace (Roncesvalles) vs The Federal (Dundas West)

These will be intense battles between some amazing and iconic restaurants. There’s exactly seven days to do your research and become an informed voter before the polls open in next week’s edition (July 17th).

Fancy House of the Week

🎵 We gonna rock down to, 52 Fern Avenue 🎵

Our fancy house this week is steps away from one of the nicest streets in the whole city, Sorauren Ave. This location is a dream - enjoy the park, enjoy the coffee shops, and walk to Queen W or Roncy whenever you feel like it. On the days where you just feel like staying home, you can sit on the balcony or in the garden, reading a book and soaking in the sun. $1.8 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

Lunar Electronic Picnic @ Christie Pitts - Thursday 5PM
Communal BBQ with some electronic music to celebrate tonight’s full moon. Details

Queen West Run Club @ 946 Queen W - Thursday 7PM
Foreign Riders Run Club meet every Thursday night in West Queen West to go for a group run. All levels and paces welcome. Details

Gay Men Dating + Game Night @ Snakes & Lattes - Thursday 7PM
Play some games and find some love. $33

Talent Show @ Shakey's - Thursday 10PM
"This or That" is a new talent show starting tonight in Bloor West Village where musicians, comedians, and actors will compete for cash prizes. Details

UHF Screening @ Paradise on Bloor - Friday 7PM
Watch the Weird Al classic "UHF", complete with a pre-show drag performance. $23

Social Dancing @ Dovercourt House - Friday 730PM
Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba lessons followed by a night of drinks and dancing. $20

Saturday

Roncy Flea @ Roncy United Church - Saturday 10AM
It's Roncy Flea! It happens once a month and is always a lot of fun. Expect a ton of cool vendors selling everything from retro furniture to kitschy crafts. Details

Beginner Birdwatching @ High Park Nature Centre - Saturday 10AM
It's a bird! It's a plane! Oh it actually is a bird! Learn the basics of finding and identifying birds. For me the easiest ones to spot are Blue Jays, especially Alejandro Kirk. $10

Best of Bloor @ Bloordale - Saturday 10AM
Art walk facilitated by the Bloordale BIA which will take you to some local businesses for coffee/tea and then to see some public art. Details

Pop-Up Market with a Twist @ MOCA - Saturday 10AM
Hippie Market is having a pop-up outside MOCA for you to collect some fun stuff, while inside Dr. Michael Prokopow will be giving a talk reflecting on the habit of collecting. The market is free, museum admission + talk is $14

Street Photography Class @ Dundas W by Roncy - Saturday 11AM
Photography lesson covering everything from lenses to techniques to composition. $52

Mixto Festival @ Trillium Park - Saturday & Sunday
This is a completely free electronic music festival in Trillium Park, next to Budweiser stage. Family friendly, pet friendly, and good-time friendly. Details

Artist Conversation @ Northern Contemporary - Saturday 2PM
Artist Sean Kane in discussion on the intersection of art and baseball. Details

Tree Identification Workshop @ High Park Nature Centre - Saturday 2PM
Embrace your inner wise uncle - learn how to quickly identify trees by studying their bark and leaf shape. $30

Flowers in Concrete @ The Great Hall - Saturday 5PM
A massive punk/hardcore show. 14 bands will play from 5PM until late, with shows taking place simultaneously upstairs at The Great Hall and downstairs at Longboat Hall. $47

Sugar Shack Burlesque @ Junction Underground - Saturday 6PM
Twelve acts going up, including established Toronto stars and brand new performers. $30

BTS ARMY Slumber Party @ Youthful Vengeance - Saturday 10PM
If the name Jung Kook means anything to you, this is for you. $22

Toronto Comedy All-Stars @ Comedy Bar - Saturday 1030PM
Once-a-month show where Comedy Bar hosts Toronto's most talented and successful comedians. $25

Sunday and Monday

Toronto Artisan Market @ Trinity Bellwoods - Sunday 11AM
Outdoor market. Vintage. Handmade goods. All the fixin's. Details

Ossington Summer Market @ 19 Ossington - Sunday 11AM
More markets! "Food, drinks, vintage, fashion, art, homewares & handmade goods" Details

Bastille Day Party @ Black Sheep - Sunday 4PM
Party like it's 1789 at this Francophone dance party celebrating France's national holiday. Or as the French would say it: party like it's one-thousand seven-hundreds four-twenties nine. $12

Memento Screening @ Revue Cinema - Sunday 7PM
Once a month the staff of Revue Cinema choose one of their favourite movies to screen. This week the film is Chris Nolan's Memento. Or as Memento would say it: Memento Nolan's Chris is film the week This. $18

Outdoor Movie! @ Christie Pits - Sunday 9PM
The free outdoor movies continue in Christie Pits this Sunday with a screening of Wes Anderson's "The Royal Tenenbaums". Also good to note that all movies in this series are played with subtitles on, if that's your thing. Details

Sinatra in the Park @ Casa Loma - Monday 730PM
This is a classy even for classy people. Sit out in the Casa Loma gardens sipping martinis whilst an orchestral symphony and two crooners cover Frank Sinatra. $52

🎵 Live Music Report 🎵

🎵 Matthew Endahl (Pianist) @ Old Mill - Thursday 630PM
🎵 Kevin Breit (Folk) @ Blue Bird Bar - Thursday 8PM
🎵 Blue Sky Group (Jazz) @ La Rev - Thursday 8PM
🎵 Kev Olden, CJ Wiley (Folk, Rock) @ Burdock Music Hall - Thursday 8PM

🎵 Elliott Barenthin (Jazz) @ Old Mill - Friday 630PM
🎵 Marie Dresselhuis (Pianist/Songwriter) @ Burdock Music Hall - Friday 7PM
🎵 Trollwar, Malphas (Death Metal) @ Duffy's - Friday 7PM
🎵 SOUL A GO-GO (Disco DJ Show) @ BSMT 254 - Friday 10PM
🎵 Geneva (Techno) @ Junction Underground - Friday 10PM

🎵 The Pearl Motel (Swing-A-Billy) @ The Local - Saturday 2PM
🎵 Marley Brown (Indie Pop) @ Burdock Music Hall - Saturday 230PM
🎵 Brigadeiros @ La Rev - Saturday 7PM
🎵 Open Stage Night (Variety) @ The Mezz - Saturday 8PM
🎵 Soup, Glove, & Sabio (Blues, Metal) @ Burdock Music Hall - Saturday 830PM
🎵 Diamond Dogs (Bowie Tribute) @ Boxine Sax Club - Saturday 9PM
🎵 RUUTED (House) @ Junction Underground - Saturday 10PM

🎵 Michael O'Grady (Celtic) @ The Local - Sunday 2PM
🎵 So Perfect (Alt Rock) @ The Baby G - Sunday 8PM
🎵 Wreckless Harbour (Folk) @ Burdock Music Hall - Sunday 8PM
🎵 Kevin Conway (Alt-Rock) @ The Local - Sunday 9PM

🎵 Sean McCarthy (Jazz) @ Steadfast Brewing - Monday 7PM
🎵 Agave: Roshanak & Mimi (Pop/Indie) @ Burdock Music Hall - Monday 8PM

Thank you!

Thanks for reading the West End Raccoon! I hope you all have wonderful weekends without me.

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