PawsWay - barkTO

Yes, I just invented a new year long festival - barkTO. See, you take something related to the object at hand, here dogs therefore the 'bark', and you add 'TO' for Toronto and voila, it's barkTO. This is the expression to describe the fun your dog will have at PawsWay down at Harbourfront. Don't have a dog? Doesn't matter, just go inside and watch all the dogs playing and looking for toys and dog clothes.

They say "PawsWay Toronto is dedicated to the understanding and celebration of pets. It's the first place in the world where pets, owners, and pet lovers can come together to enjoy exhibits, activities, special events and more." Check out the doggie events on their website.

Puppy & Kitten Weekend at PawsWay

Cute was the word as PawsWay Toronto held the Puppy and Kitten Weekend down at Harbourfront. Just in case you missed it here are some lovable canines. Posted by Joe Hamilton.

Big Ass Boats - I mean Tall Ships

Update July 4, 2010: The ships have left Toronto Harbour, exiting through the western gap, going past Ontario Place for the Parade of Sail. We watched through the haze from Humber Park East as the ships unfurled their sails and went south. One of the ships kept firing off some canons which was pretty cool. You would see the smoke from the guns and seconds later hear the boom. One of the schooners headed back towards the city.

Now back to the original post from Saturday.

Toronto's harbour was full of quite a few Tall Ships as part of the Redpath Waterfront Festival and the Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge. My favourite ship was the Bounty which has 10,000 square feet of sails. Bounty was made for the 1962 movie "Mutiny on the Bounty" and was featured in the more recent "Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest".

See more pictures after the jump.

Tomorrow the ships leave port under the Parade of Sail which will be something to see with all the sails billowing in the wind (hopefully there will be some wind).

Mr Peru and his giant chess game

Mr Peru set up his giant chess game on Queens Quay in the Harbourfront area during a recent weekend. He was explaining chess to his young opponent - who said that he knew how to play chess.

The flamboyant chess player moves around Toronto engaging in competition with people willing to play against him.

If you like chess there will be an Canadian Open Chess Championship held in Toronto during July 10-18, 2010.

Sunday at the Circus

I attended the Harbourfront Toronto International Circus Festival on Sunday, May 23 and watched a few of the acts. This circus was definitely geared for families with small children and the number of people exploded as the day went on and the sun burned away the clouds and fog.



My fave was the singing duo Splash 'N Boots - they got the crowd a rocking, in a preschool kind of way.



The regular Harbourfront attractions were also open like the pond with canoe rides, the glass blowing workshop in the York Quay Centre and the Natrel Kinder rink as well as the adjacent boat tours like the ships Kajama and Harbour Star.

Toronto International Circus Festival

HarbourKIDS: Impact Kids event the Toronto International Circus Festival co-produced by Zero Gravity Circus entertained thousands at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre.

The event had action and adventure for all ages including stilt walkers, clowns and magicians while aerial shows provided plenty of excitement - all for free. My favourites were the Slomovia royalty of Duke Sylvester & Dutchess Isabella at the Sirius Satellite Stage, they were hilarious.




They introduced many circus acts in between royal proclamations and assorted shenanigans.




While elsewhere on the 10 acre public trust property you could see an Impact Aerial Show or pirate Capt'n Thom Bedlam.