Queer West Fest 2009
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 Gender Queers - Bent Expressions. Come play with a group of colourful young queers as they explore and deconstruct gender and sexuality!
Queer West Fest - 2006 to 2008 Photo Album Queer West Fest uncompromised standards of excellence, create a greatness, that is envied by competitors, but seldom duplicated.Queer West Fest is owned and managed by Gay West Community Network Inc., a non profit charity organization.. This year the Festival ran from Saturday June 13 to Saturday June 20., a 10 day festival. Having successfully coordinated several queer focused events over the past several years, 2009 marks the forth year that a series of events are being presented over the course of one week as part of the new Queer West Fest. Queer West Fest is a younger, more alternative venue for Queer artists to engage their communities through visual art, dance, theatre, literature and poetry readings, film and video screenings, and multi-disciplinary programs. We appreciated the support of our community sponsors who made the Festival possible this year 
 These bracelets are handmade by a cooperative South
African women. Your $5 donation helps in the treatment and care of
HIV and AIDS, and makes a vital difference to their quality of life • Lesotho
has 1.8 million people, 320,000 are infected with HIV. • There are over 100,000
AIDS orphans in Lesotho • 60% of those infected are between the ages 15-24,
70% are women • Life expectancy in Lesotho has been reduced to 34 years of age.Learn
more at www.braceletofhope.org
Leena Vadera, Masai Centre For Africa, Guelph Ontario, will be one
of our guest speakers on Saturday June 20 along with Rahim Thawer and Ms
Mohini Datta-Ray from ASAAP Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention. ASAAP
 Affiliated Event - Wednesday June 10 to Saturday June 13 - What are you Searching For? A Multimedia Interactive Event @ Gallery 345 (Parkdale) What are you searching for? Are you looking for fun, art and entertainment? Wouldn’t it be great if all of that came with making a difference? Well with FireSlide Productions that is exactly what you will discover at our creative showcase “Searching For...” FireSlide Productions has taken its 12 workshop participants (visual artists and writers) and created a show that will take you through an interactive artistic journey unlike any other. There will be painting, sculptures, interactive art work, dance, and staged performances to indulge your creative pallet. Then surrender yourself for the rest of your evening to High Five Entertainment and dance the night away. It’s a one stop art show and nightlife. One of the main events is a sitcom pilot about the journey of an insecure, gay man as he comes to terms with his sexuality and his boring office job. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to Arts for Children and Youth. The Details: June 10-13 2009 Doors open: 7:30 - Show begins: 8:00. Gallery 345 345 Sorauren Avenue Advance Tickets (Recommended): $20 At the door: $30 A 19+ event (Valid ID Required) A portion of all proceeds will be donated to Arts for Children and Youth. Come and see what Toronto artists have been creating for you to discover.www.fireslideproductions.com  Affiliated Event Family Fun - Wednesday June 17 to Sunday June 21 @ Cooking Fire Festival in Dufferin Grove Park The festival is run in part by two lesbian moms. We are pleased to announce The Annual Cooking Fire Theatre Festival has become a Queer West Fest community partner. The Cooking Fire Festival is week-long performance extravaganza celebrating theatre, food and public space in west Toronto’s Dufferin Grove Park. Local, national and international theatre companies will present original work that promises to delight, entice, and inspire. Each evening, returning hosts Le Trouvères will lead the audience from site to site throughout the park to see performances ranging from the love story of an old man and a beautiful pigeon to a comic meditation on going on a journey. Delicious organic meals will be served to the audience over cooking fires and from Dufferin Grove Park’s two wood-fired outdoor community bake ovens. The Cooking Fire Theatre Festival will offer the experience of enchanting and challenging theatre, wonderful food and the beginning of summer. PWYC ($10 sugg). Info: 416-655-4841, cookingfire.ca. TTC: Exit Dufferin station, walk south on Dufferin to the park. STREET MAP Starts: June 17 6:00 PM. Ends: June 21, 9:30 PM Saturday June13 - Launch Party @ Cock and Tail Cancelled. 1198 Queen St. W.Bar went out of business June 1 2009, new owners may not open till July.
 QUEERS ON GEARS - Critical Mass Bike Ride. Official Event - Sunday June 14 - 5th Annual Queer West Fest Pride Ride, put on by the Gay West Bicycle Club A little different route this year. We meet 12:30 pm at ZOOTS CAFE, 1438 Dundas St. W. one business west of Gladstone north side of street at noon. Cycle up Gladstone Avenue to College St. W., along to Ossington and North, to Harbord St.. Then East on Harbord through Queen's Park to Wellesley St. W. and over to Church St. Village. Where we may stop for liquid libations and snacks. Leaving the gay village on Church St.. We will travel South, to Queen St. W., cycling leisurely westward to end our ride on the back patio of the CADILLAC LOUNGE, 1300 Queen St W., in Parkdale, the heart of the Queer West Village for jugs of libations, pizza, gossip and ruminations from 3 pm to 5 pm, for a Queer West Festival party. Write: torontodigitalq@yahoo.ca There were were close to 40 LGBTQ cyclists all ages, who joined us, on the Pride Ride in 2008. Membership is free. Helmets are recommended for all rides. Mandatory for those under 18. Out of town visitors, welcome to cycle in this event. Queer West Village, Toronto Ontario. This is a FREE event, no membership fees to cycle with us today. Not associated with the Pride Toronto Festival June 19 to 28 Official Event - Monday June 15 - Random Order, the Johnnys and Heavy Filth @ Sneaky Dee's Anti-Corporate, Pro-Feminist and Pro-Gay.    Sneaky Dee's as the "Punk Rock Bar of Toronto. Some of the better bar food in the downtown core. The great thing about Dee's is that their kitchen is open incredibly late (2 AM or something) and you'll walk away eating for under $15. Boundary breaking bands and djs heat up uninhibited crowds of indie kids. Wolf masks, flying drum sticks, leather, Motown tracks, accordions and Baltimore bass will probably surface here on any given night. Hollywood sweetheart Rachel McAdams and Breaker High alumnus Ryan Gosling celebrated new year’s eve there two years ago. If that doesn’t warrant Sneaky Dee’s being put on a list of favourites, we don’t know what does. Who's on Tap tonight? Heavy Filth (9 PM) - The shouts of "Heavy Filth!" from the audience, will start before the rock band hits the stage, and immediately after they finished their last song. Crawling out from the ashes of lesbian disaster these dykes spew the heavy, sludge-filled sounds of their feminist rage. Heavy metal frenzy is what HEAVY FILTH is all about. Animales Cortez's (SHLONK, The Qweefs, Beatrix) crazy tight drumming, the intricate and cocksure guitar riffs of Maija Martin (the Gay, I Mudder Accordion) and Stu Marvel (Lindsay, the harmony mobilization project), and the dirty, distorted bass lines of Miss Kitty Galore www.myspace.com/misskittygalore (subterranean rumbles) are guaranteed to make your knees weak and your ears bleed. Random Order (10 pm) - Toronto Canada's premiere reggae ska band who pack floors quickly with politics you can dance to! Vocalist/guitarist S. Lynn Phillips is the driving force behind Random Order whose vocal style traverses the musical spectrum ranging from playful rap, to soulful reggae, to blow-you-away punk/funk and rawk..www.randomorder.ca | www.myspace.com/randomorder The Johnnys (Headliner 11 PM) is a fast, furious and fun rock'n'roll band rooted in the genre's origins; music of manic, rebellious energy. Add a dash of classic punk sensibility and garage rock ethics and you get the picture. Since relocating to Toronto from the Northwest Territories, in 2005, The JOHNNYS' fiery brand of rock'n'roll is earning them a place in the hearts of audiences wherever they play. Veronica Johnny - Vocals, Percussion, Guitar Dave Johnny - Drums, Backup Vocals Tim Bones - Lead Guitar, Backup Vocals Oriana Barbato - Bass, Backup Vocalswww.thejohnnys.com | www.myspace.com/thejohnnysrock The Details: Sneaky Dee's, corner of College and Bathurst. (Kensington Market) 416-504-7934. Doors at 8 pm, Show starts at 9 pm. minimum $5 PWYC. 431 College Street, The live entertainment happens on the 2nd Floor, | www.sneaky-dees.com  Official Event - Tuesday June 16 - Sing it Loud and Proud Indie Sisters! Queer Women Songfest @ MITZI'S SISTER for a night of deep and sexy vocals FEATURING Indie artists: eMKeh, Dinah Thorpe, Shawnee Lynne and Anna Gutmanis Times: 9:15 to 9:45pm (eMKeh), 10 pm to 10:30 pm ( Dinah Thorpe) 10:45 to 11:15 pm (Shawnee Lynne) and Headliner Anna Gutmanis 11:30 to midnight. Show Headliner - Anna Gutmanis, was born in London, Ontario, but now lives in Toronto. At 7, she was inspired by her older sisters' Laura Nyro albums and began taking piano lessons through the Royal Conservatory of Music. Anna started to write her own songs as a young teenager, moving to Toronto at the age of 19 to pursue her passion for music and social justice. She took an extended hiatus in 1993 to raise her two children with partner Georgia Wilder. She completed a counselling program at George Brown College, and a degree in Equity Studies and Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto. Video's of Anna are now available on YouTube! Taken while performing
Live at the International Lesbian and Gay Cultural Network (ILGCN) University
of Toronto conference entitled "Migrations and Proud Art". November
14, 2008. View Let
it Slide View Empire
Deeply moved by the plight of LGBT people around the world, Anna has sought out legendary music producer Karen Kane to record “I Am Who I Am”. This song is a powerful statement against homophobia and continues Anna’s tradition of social activism through her music. Together with “Let It Slide”, her new CD single showcases a maturing artist who still has something to say after more than a quarter-century of making music. "I was in the mood to write a powerful queer liberation song. As a child, I had been inspired by Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman", which became an anthem for the Second Wave feminist movement and kick-started my own feminist consciousness. I wanted to write something that memorable and strong for the queer lib movement, and one day, it all came to me rather quickly. My being in the Sexual Diversity Studies program at U of T probably also helped matters." Said Anna. Websites: www.annagutmanis.com | www.myspace.com/annagutmanis Profiles of our other Indie Queer Women Artists on the ticket: eMKeh, Dinah Thorpe and Shawnee Lynne Talbot 
Indie Artist eMKeh Born and raised in Toronto, eMKeh is a new and emerging folk-indie artist, having played numerous Toronto venues since her solo debut in 2007. Deep, smoky vocals, reminiscent of a time when women were breaking through the rock scene, eMKeh brings the same raw and unique flare to her folk-indie songs. With an EP released last summer, she is working towards a full length album for release later this year. www.myspace.com/eMKeh Indie Artist Dinah Thorpe Since graduating from the University of Toronto last year, at 25, she has been rediscovering a passion for music, latent since high school. The singer-songwriter, whose focus has been acoustic folk, finds dance music to be a growing preoccupation. She burst onto the Toronto music scene in May 2008 with the release of her self-titled debut EP. Since then, she has been drawing crowds at local venues and festivals. Her beats have induced fevers in dance clubs, while her silvery voice and sweet melodies have brought tears to folk clubs. Dinah has shared the stage with Buck 65, The Cliks, and Melissa Ferrick. If she weren’t so damn tall, Dinah Thorpe would be the proverbial small package: composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and sound engineer all in one. Her self-produced EP earned her the title “Best Up and Coming Indie Folk Producer” (Toronto Exclusive Magazine). Dinah is currently working on material for a two-disc album, to be released in the spring of 2009. www.myspace.com/dinahthorpe / dinahthorpe@hotmail.com 21 year old Aboriginal Indie Artist Shawnee Lynne has come a long way from a small town, near Welland Ontario, to a big downtown life in Toronto. Singing songs as soon as she could put words together, Shawnee Lynne began to climb her musical “Everest” from an early age. At just five years old, she started performing for family at events and get-togethers, making her natural performing abilities unmistakably known to her parents. By age ten, Shawnee’s curiosity of musical instruments started to bloom as she began to show interest in both guitar and piano- often recording her musical creations alone in the basement for hours. This was a sign of things to come. Her goal over the next few years is to establish herself not only as an artist, but also as a denizen of Toronto, having only recently moved here. She is critical of the fact that because the Toronto music scene is so large, a lot of people don’t respect it as an art or a business. She does mention that she has several favourite local musicians, such as Brandi Carlile. In respect to her goals in the future, Shawnee feels that she’s changed over the last few years. www.myspace.com/shawneelynnetalbot YouTube Videos: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc-cXAe2uYQ The Details: Mitzi’s Sister, 1554 Queen Street West. (Parkdale) PWYC Doors 8 pm to 1 am | Mitzi's Sister Toronto Ontario  Affiliated Event- Postponed to Tuesday June 23 - DJ 4est's Night with No Name @ The Beaver DJ 4est loves Cunt rock...most anything with a female singer. Especially if it's crunchy guitars, dirty electro or screaming vocals. Bands you will hear: 7 Year Bitch, 8 Eyed Spy, Pat Benatar, Blondie, Kate Bush, Patsy Cline, Cocteau Twins, Concrete Blonde, Cycle Sluts From Hell, Daisy Chainsaw, Dalbello, the Detroit Cobras, the Dresden Dolls, Eurythmics, Fleetwood Mac, Nina Hagen, PJ Harvey, Heartless Bastards, Hole, Wanda Jackson, L7, Lady Sovereign, Le Tigre, Lil Kim, Lunachicks, Metric, the Muffs, Johnette Napolitano, the Pandoras, Peaches, Penetration, Pink, Plasmatics, Pretenders, Salt n Pepa, Shakespeare's Sister, Patti Smith, Stink Mitt, Theo and the Skyscrapers, the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, Wendy O. Williams and X-Ray Spex! The Details: Expect a mixed crowd of artsy queers and their friends. The small licensed patio in the back gets pretty busy in the summer. Open 9 am to 2 am.. DJ 4est's Night with No Name The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. www.thebeavertoronto.com . www.myspace.com/dj4est  Official Event- Wednesday June 17 ( 11 pm to 2 am) - A 2-spirit, queer Indigenous, Black and Peeps of Colour Party @ The Gladstone Featuring Dj Nik Red (photo right) www.myspace.com/djnikkired  Look out for the Caribana Party, Vaginal Davis theme night, other 2 POC hero theme parties, Les Blues Pride Party, the 2 POC Francaphone Party, the 2 POC Vancouver Party and DJs Saira Chhibber, Syrus Marcus Ware, DJ Diggy Smalls (Montreal), May El Abdallah, Kalmplex, DJ Carma, Nik Red and more. About the three Fresh to Def. innovators - Leah Newbold is a Toronto visual artist, DJ, community organizer.Dedicated to creating spaces for 2-Spirit and queer Black/people of colour. Elisha Lim always has brilliant ideas. She toured with the band "Don't Go" through Germany, performed drag at Bar Wotever in London, and her comic series 100 Butches has circulated from Diva (UK) to Lesbians On the Loose Magazine (Australia). Kalmplex is a dj-mc-photo-video-visual-artist and Kreative Warrior. Born and raised in Toronto, with Jamaican and Ghanian roots. Just recently, Kamplex's photographic work was on display at the Contact Photography Festival www.myspace.com/kalmplex1 The Details: The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St W. Party starts at 11 pm to 2 am. No Cover. This will become a new weekly party. One and all welcome to attend www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=97878904560&ref=ts  Affiliated Event- Thursday June 18 - 4 pm to 6 pm - Teenage Pride Connection @ Newcomer Youth Centre. A safe, supportive and confidential space for for all newcomer youth between the ages of 14-24 regardless of status. Who identify themselves as part of the LGBTTI2Q community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender, Intersex, 2 Spirit, Questioning or Queer,) where they can build a community, share ideas & questions and have fun. This is an ongoing peer group. Culturelink settlement agency for new Canadians, CultureLink is a not-for-profit community-based organization that facilitates the settlement of newcomers to Toronto, Canada. This is done through programs, which promote self-sufficiency, positive interaction and understanding between the Host and Newcomer communities, and the overall well being of all participants. CultureLink recognizes the special needs of refugees, is committed to equity and opposes discrimination of any kind. Thursdays 4-6 pm at Newcomer Youth Centre, 2340 Dundas Street West (The Crossway Mall Bloor & Dundas eastside) , Suite 301 Contact Carolina Avila • NYC Youth Worker for any questions. Phone: 416-588-6288, ext 221.www.culturelink.net  Official Event- Thursday June 18 - Kink of Kensington Presents Under the Covers @ Augusta House - The songs we love...covered. The Details: DJ De Sod, DJ 4est , DJ Peas and Carrots and DJ Snickers. The Legendary DONNARAMA (www.myspace.com/queendonnarama) performs. Donnarama was honored by NOW Magazine in 2006 as one of the "200 Reasons Toronto Rocks" as an accomplished drag queen and celebrity impersonator.  Author Lorette C. Luzajic, Launches her new book "Weird Monologues for a Rainy Life (Irreverent Ramblings) From the end of the World." While observing the cultural markers of the world at large, and her changing response to them, Luzajic provides a kind of self-portraiture, one that reveals the tragic and the comedic with equal aplomb.You’ll meet monks, drug addicts, men in dresses, and Dad; Captain Stardust and Nancy Drew, a cat named Knerpie and a chap named The John Bennett. Her Royal Highness Diana makes an appearance, as does The Hermit, Scarlett O’Hara, Sayuri the geisha, a pop artist named Iaian Greenson who makes Warhol look unproductive, and a few monkeys on crack. You can buy Lorrette's book at her web site, Handymaiden Editions, 2009, $35.00. 380 pages. (thegirlcanwrite.net) A fundraising raffle to Support Queer West Fest. We do have "Over $300 in door prizes, from cds, books, clothes, cheese, nick-nacks, t-shirts and boner phones to dildos" to give away from our generous Kensington Business Sponsors: FLASHBACK, CURL UP & DYE, EXILE, CHEESE MAGIC, HOT BOX CAFE, COURAGE MY LOVE and THIS AIN'T THE ROSEDALE LIBRARY at Kink of Kensington event June 18, it will be a fun night. PARTY OF THE MONTH with the Queer Kensington Market Posse . The Details: Augusta House, 152 Augusta Ave (at Wales Ave.) (Street Map) Queer West Village, Toronto Ontario (Kensington Market)
 Official Event - Friday June 19 - SWAGGA LIKE US An "Urban" Queer Women of Colour event. By Girls with Swagger for Girls with Swagger (& their allies) @ Pacha Lounge. SWAGGER is an Event Production Company based out of Toronto, Canada. Co- founded
by Trinidad & Tobago expats Laurence Alex Williams and Featuring... DJs Lissa Monét www.myspace.com/simpleelissa & Kalmplex www.myspace.com/kalmplex1 Playing hip-hop, house, dance and mashup into the wee hours.  An all female line-up including Kay-Ann Ward's dance troupe, Innovative, Sexy, Creative, Raw, Soulful and Passionate are just a few words used to describe Kay-Ann Ward. She has choreographed for music artist such as Masia one, Roach Killa and Shottie. Kay-Ann has also worked with Kreesha Turner, S. Davis, 20-blo, Snow, Choreographers Luther Brown, Tre Armstrong, Tazz, and Hollywood. www.kayannward.com PLUS specialty drinks, sexxxy women and tonnes of swagg donated by our generous
sponsors: Havana Club Rum, FUZE, Come As You Are, Good For Her, NACO Gallery,
Francesca Nocera (Lover Sun) and much more! COMMUNITY PARTNERS: ASAAP. Alliance
for South Asian AIDS Prevention &Bracelet of Hope Campaign; http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=78393736380&ref=ts The Details: Find more info at lovinyourswagger.com and follow us on Twitter twitter.com/lovinurswagger. Location: from 9pm-3am. Pacha Lounge. 1305 Dundas Street W, TTC Directions: Dundas car to Dovercourt. Walk to #1305. Stations w/ Dundas Car: DUNDAS,ST. PATRICK,DUNDAS WEST,BROADVIEW - Queer West Village, Toronto Ontario Affiliated Event - Saturday June 20 - Queer West Fest, BIG on Bloor Festival @ Queer Bloorcourt Village. Coinciding with the close of the Queer West Fest, BIG on Bloor Come celebrate the community spirit. Ote'a Tane, will be dancing at the stage at Russett Avenue and Bloor (near Dufferin) at 1pm and members are invited to the party - stop by earlier in the aft if you can check us out, and enjoy Bloor St, car free from Lansdowne to Christie! Bring your own drinks, plan transportation ahead - and feel free to bring any veg snacks. Likely head out to parties afterwards.Near Ossington station. RSVP darcyhiggins@gmail.com | http://www.oteatane.com/ | http://www.bigonbloor.com/festival |  Last Official Event of the Festival - Saturday June 20 - Curtain Up, Light the lights the Annual Queer West Film Festival is back for 2nd year @ Fixt Point Studio, Video Submission are still coming in for review: The Details: Saturday June 20 at Fixt Point Theatre, 1550 Queen St W. beside Mitzi's Sister and Good Catch General Store. (Parkdale) PWYC Doors: 8 pm to 10:30 pm queerwest.org/queerwestfilmfest Queer West Village, Toronto Ontario Showing Toronto pride in creating new & exciting gay and lesbian Queer FestivalsAbout the Festivals: Overview | Festival 2005 | Festival 2006 | Festival 2007 | Festival 2008 | Festival 2009 | Festival 2010 About our Film Festivals: Overview | Film Festival 2008 | Film Festival 2009 | Film Festival 2010 Around the Village: Contact Us | Accommodations | Nightlife | History Queer Festivals Toronto | Press Room | Sponsors | Travel Info | Queer West Village Links: International Queer Arts Festivals Copyright 2010 Gay West Community Network Inc. |
© Copyright 2010 Gay West Community Network Inc.
queerwestinfo@gmail.com
P.O. Box 204 Stn. C Toronto, Ontario M6J 3M9
