Saturday 30 April 2011

Science Fiction and Fantasy Events in Toronto, May 2011

These events are from the science fiction & fantasy calendar I've started.  If you have an event that's not listed, email me (jessica.strider@gmail.com) and I'll put it on the calendar.  While I try to get the details correct, always check the links to confirm event information. And I'll be updating this post as I learn of more events.

Sunday May 1


World's Biggest Bookstore Presents: Teen Reads
Meet YA authors Lesley Anne Cowan (Something Wicked), Alyxandra Harvey (Out For Blood) and Teresa Toten (Beyond Blonde). 
Proof of purchase required from any Indigo, Chapters or Coles location.
For more information, call the store at: 416-977-7009
Where: World's Biggest Bookstore (20 Edward Street)
When: 2 pm

Chester Brown The comic book artist launches Paying For It at a party with NOW sex columnist Sasha.  
Where: Goodhandy’s, 120 Church, Toronto, 416-760-6514 
When: 7:30-10 pm
Admission: Free

Writers and thinkers including Izzeldin Abuelaish, Jim Bryson, Karen Armstrong and Jane Urquhart come together for readings and discussions. 
Benefit for: Child Soldiers Initiative/Frontier College/Toronto Public Library
Cost: $15/talk, $100 Salon Passes for all talks


Tuesday May 3


Online chat with Guy Gavriel Kay on his newest book, Under Heaven, via Pollstream
Pre-register and submit questions here.
When: 2 - 3 PM (EDT)


Wednesday May 4

Star Wars Day Toronto - May the 4th be with you!
Toronto's official Star Wars Day celebration
Where: Toronto Underground Cinema (186 Spadina Avenue)
When: 7PM
Admission: $8 at the door

featuring:
- the web's best Star Wars remixes, mash-ups, and parodies on the big screen
- 35mm prints of the original trilogy's trailers
- Original Trilogy Trivia game show
- Costume Contest with celebrity judges
- prizes courtesy Silver Snail and Teletoon
 

Friday May 6 


Where: Toronto Reference Library, the Appel Salon (789 Yonge Street)
When: 6:30-8:30 PM
They've created some of the best and most acclaimed comic books and graphic novels in history. Join Chester Brown (Paying For It, Louis Riel), Seth (Palookaville, George Sprott),Adrian Tomine (Scenes from an Impending Marriage, Optic Nerve) and Chris Ware (Acme Novelty Library, Jimmy Corrigan: Happiest Boy on Earth) in a fantastic discussion of their lives and work, in the kick-off event for the 2011 Toronto Comic Arts Festival.


Enjoy an on-stage discussion by Brown, Seth, Tomine and Ware (moderator TBA), followed by an audience Q&A and an autograph session featuring all 4 creators.


Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a cash bar reception.


300 free tickets will be available through Event Brite (see link below). An additional 150 seats will be made available at a rush-line on the event date, so if you don't get a ticket just visit the venue.

Saturday May 7 

Silver Snail's 35th Anniversary and Free Comic Book Day Event
Where: Silver Snail Comics (367 Queen St. West)
When: 10 am - 7 pm
"Lots of giveaways, contests, sales, artists signings, costumed staff, and more!

We will debut our 35th Anniversary Poster designed by Marvel/DC cover artist Kalman Andrasofszky who will be in attendance!

Other artists who will be in attendance:
Marvin Law http://marvin000.deviantart.com/gallery/
Spent Pencil Studios http://www.spentpencils.com/
Kill Shakespeare http://www.killshakespeare.com/
Sean Ward http://www.seanward.net/
and more to be announced."


Saturday May 7 to Sunday May 8


Toronto Comic Arts Festival 
Where: Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge St),
in the Atrium
When: 9 am - 5 pm
"Come out and meet comic book creators and artists from around the world.
Monday May 9

Manga Artist Usamaru Furuya, book signing
Where: World's Biggest Bookstore (20 Edward St)
When: 5pm
Call: 416-977-7009 for more details

Wednesday May 11


Where: Augusta House (152 Augusta Avenue)
When: 8 - 11 PM

CZP and the Chiaroscuro Reading Series would like to invite you to help us celebrate our own local talent and the talent of Toronto's vibrant spec-fic community by honouring three locally based magazines of speculative fiction who keep the Canadian literary scene vibrant and open to new voices: Chiaroscuro, AE: The Canadian Science Fiction Review, and Ideomancer.

We'll have a host of micro-readings from the magazines themselves, opportunities to meet the editors of these magazines, and the best part is that all donations from the event will go towards these wonderful magazines! 


Thursday May 12


Where: North York Central Library (5120 Yonge St)
Auditorium
When: 6:30 - 8:30
"Welcome to a relaxing participatory class. If you are enrolled you're interested in learning how to prepare your writing for publication, how to approach publishers and which ones are appropriate. You want practical tips, such as how to craft effective cover letters and how to avoid bad habits. Finally, this workshop is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you have about the writing life. People often want to know, for example, how to make a living off of writing in Canada, and what a professional writer's day looks like. You see yourself as a writer and want to see your work in print. To participate in this workshop, you don't need to have taken courses or workshops before, but it helps if you come with your most pressing questions. To get the most from this workshop you will need: a notebook/paper and pens. A willingness to ask questions. Writing will NOT be shared or evaluated. Toronto Public Library acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for this program."


Saturday May 14


Where: Lillian H. Smith (239 College St), Basement
When: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Friends of the Merril Collection present the 15th Annual Fantastic Pulp Show and Sale on Saturday, May 14, 2010. This show, featuring the exotic cover art of the science fiction and fantasy, crime, sports, and romance pulp magazines from the 1920s - 1950s, attracts attendees from all over the United States and Canada. Rare and collectible science fiction, original pulp art and other items of interest are also on display.
$3 admission fee.


Sunday May 15

Space-Time Continuum Reading and Discussion Group 
Topic: Abarat by Clive Barker
Where: Bakka Phoenix Books (84 Harbord Street)
When: 1 pm


Thursday May 26

China Mieville talks about his new novel, Embassytown
Where: World's Biggest Bookstore (20 Edward St.)
When: 7 pm
Call the store at 416-977-7009 for details

Friday May 27 - Sunday May 29


Where: Toronto Congress Center, 650 Dixon Road, and at the Doubletree International Plaza Hotel, 655 Dixon Rd. (directly across the street). Additional events will be held at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel 801 Dixon Road (formally the Renaissance), west of the Doubletree across the highway bridge).
When: Friday 6 pm - 2 am, Saturday 10 am - 2 am, Sunday 10 am - 6 pm
Tickets: $35/day, $55/weekend - Advisary posted about fake passes being sold, see site for more details

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