Events to check out at Toronto's virtual Luminato Festival this month

Toronto’s Luminato Festival starts next week and will bring three days of virtual programming.

The festival will be bringing together over 70 artists in visual art, music, theatre, film, and more. It will also be bringing together audiences from all across Canada.

It will kick off on June 11 and runs until June 13.

The official commencement will take place at 7 pm, next Thursday, with a welcome from the Artistic Director of Luminato, Naomi Campbell.

Audiences will be able to connect online throughout the duration of the festival on its website, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter.

All events are free and do not require tickets or registration.

We are going virtual! Luminato will return June 11-13 for 3 days of free programming, including live performances, panels, dj sets, participatory programs & past festival shows.

Sign up for our newsletter & be the 1st to receive #Luminato2020 updates: https://t.co/N30C6LlOGb. pic.twitter.com/Malh9ziPII

— Luminato Festival Toronto (@Luminato) May 6, 2020

In case you’re curious about which events to check out, we’ve compiled a list of some that you should definitely attend.

Ceviche with Quique Escamilla

Join JUNO award-winning singer-songwriter Quique Escamilla for a special at home episode from his Capsular Quiquantine. The event will feature an intimate solo performance, his favourite Mexican shrimp ceviche recipe, and more!

When: June 11
Time: 8:45 pm

Museum of Water: A Conversation

This year marks the beginning of the Museum of Water. This is a three-year project with Amy Sharrocks, a UK artist. The project will culminate in 2022. Sharrocks will be joined online with Mark Calzavara, from the Council of Canadians. They will be delving into some of the major water issues facing communities across Toronto and Ontario.

When: June 12
Time: 6:45 pm

Black Summers Night with Unit 2, Black Lives Matter Toronto & Tea Base

“We are raging. We are heartbroken. We offer a space to come and be together in these terrible times.” This event presents a dance party with DJ sets by Bliptor, Casey MQ, Myst Milano, Raven’s Vision, Sofia Fly and Syrus Marcus Ware. It will also feature performances by Dainty Smith, Ravyn Wngz, Stephen Jackman, and more. Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto and community arts spaces Unit 2 and Tea Base are coming together to present this event. Black Summer Night is raising funds in support of the Regis Korchinski-Paquet Gofundme campaign.

When: June 12
Time: 9:30 pm

What Art Has to Offer Immigration

The Laboratory for Artistic Intelligence will be sharing original music, video art and performances. This event will be in collaboration with artists lo bil, Mark Campbell, Sharada Eswar, Tom Kuo and Nava Waxman. Audiences will also be able to dive deeper with a behind-the-scenes film by Claudia Arana. The film will be followed by a statement made by Founder and Chief Artistic Officer Helen Yung about what art has to offer Immigration.

When: June 13
Time: 1 pm

CKLN Radio Hour with DJ Ron Nelson

Ron Nelson is known as the “Godfather of Toronto Hip Hop.” He was a DJ during the heyday of the activist radio station CKLN-FM. During this radio hour, Nelson will be playing iconic hits from the CKLN era. He will also take audience requests through a live chat.

When: June 13
Time: 3:55 pm

Activism During the Pandemic: A Conversation

This panel conversation will feature artist and activist Syrus Marcus Ware, activists and scholar Lesley Wood and activist and former MP Olivia Chow. The panel will take place after a sneak peak into the Henry G20 podcast.

When: June 13
Time: 7:20 pm

THE REVELATION with Les Femmes Fatales, DJ Nik Red and Live VJ Roxanne Luchak

You are invited to leave it all behind, in this late-night adventure! Les Femmes Fatales is a burlesque troupe composed of Black women, femmes, and persons of colour. “Their performances are a direct response to the collective changes we can already see in the world, and how, now more than ever, vulnerability, the sensual, and our collective expression are vital.”

When: June 13
Time: 10:15 pm