NUIT BLANCHE is hands-down by FAR my favorite event in Toronto. Traipsing around all over the city in the middle of the night experiencing art with my friends, community and fellow life lovers, is an unbelievable experience. If you’ve never done it, it’s a must, at least once in your life
I’m so excited to actually be in Toronto for it this year! So, I’ve read through all the exhibits and put together my personal schedule for the night. I want to stress to you that there are a ton of very cool looking projects and artists and this only reflects my personal taste and what I’m currently in the mood to experience.
I encourage you to check out the website and see what might interest you- https://nbto.com
First off, this year Nuit Blanche (#nbTO16) takes place:
Saturday October 1st, sunset to sunrise, 7p.m.- 7a.m.
Want to know a little secret?
The best time to go to Nuit Blanche is 3a.m.- 5a.m…
(I know, right now you’re thinking I’m crazy.)
But honestly, you’ll thank me for it. Listen, the beginning of the night it’s crammed with people getting off work, families and tourists. You can barely get around and the lines can get crazy. Then, around midnight, it moves into the drinking/drunk ‘suburban’ crowd, who accidentally stumbled into an exhibit coming out of a bar, and probably should just go home.
So, what I like to do, is go to bed at 10p.m. and set my alarm for 2a.m. That’s half my nights sleep. I head out and play under the stars for a few hours, and am back in my cozy bed to finish up sleep before the sun comes up. Trust me. It’s the way to go.
Alrighty, now that we’ve got the where and how out of the way, let’s do the ‘what’-
Your mind can start spinning just looking at the list of almost 100 options. So, here’s how I went about making my list-
First, I wiped out any galleries or exhibits that are open year round, or have a longer run, cause I can go see them another time. Then, I made a list of exhibits that excited me. I leaned towards things that were interactive, things I had to participate in. I choose some big, and some independent projects. Next, I made a route that I could walk, or easily subway. Then I sprinkled in a nice variety considering loud, quiet, food, bathrooms, etc.
And that’s it. So, here we are.
My 2016 guide to Nuit Blanche Toronto- Enjoy! See you on the trail!
1. Start with- And the Transformation Reveals curated by Camille Hong Xin Hand-held
Location: Church of the Holy Trinity, 19 Trinity Square
2. Then walk south- OBLIVION curated by Janine Marchessault and Michael Prokopow Ocean
Location: Toronto City Hall (This is always the biggest event of the year)
3. And the Transformation Reveals curated by Camille Hong Xin Literature vs. Traffic
Location: Old City Hall, 60 Queen Street West
4. And the Transformation Reveals curated by Camille Hong Xin Vertigo Sea
Location: The Design Exchange Trading Floor, 234 Bay Street (There’s something so cool & sneaky about entering these buildings in the middle of the night)
5. And the Transformation Reveals curated by Camille Hong Xin Everyone Thinks the Same Thought
Location: Commerce Court, 199 Bay Street
6. Militant Nostalgia curated by Paco Barragán Meet Me in the Glass House
Location: Metro Hall plaza, 55 John Street
7. Independent Project Laneway Canopy: Public Living Space
Location: 25 Kensington Avenue (a nice interesting stroll, and inspiration for city design)
8.Independent Project The Firefly Effect
Location: The Royal Conservatory of Music, 273 Bloor Street West (on the Bloor Street Culture Corridor) (This looks like a very ambitious project and I’m excited to see how it unfolds)
9. Salute the 6ix ~ Piece by Piece
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor Street West (I put this collaborative piece towards the end of my night so I can see how it has evolved after the community participation)
10. Independent Project Beyond
Location: Spadina Museum, 285 Spadina (Now we can start to wind down over bonfires & crepes!)
11. End here, and stay for a dance party, if you dare. Fly By Night
Location: The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street
Go Ruby Garnay 