Indian rock band Parvaaz kicking off Canadian tour at Monster Rock Orchestra, Toronto Independent Music Award Winner Stephanie Braganza added to lineup

Brampton, ON: Indian rock group Parvaaz are embarking on a month long Canadian tour and are making Garden Square in Brampton their first stop. The “A Rooted Departure” tour is the band’s first international trip, and the team at MonstrARTity is proud to have them hit the stage Aug 18 for a free show before Monster Rock Orchestra’s headlining performance. Parvaaz’s sound is best described as a haunting soundscape of blues rock and psychedelia with profound, philosophical Kashmiri and Urdu lyrics layered over it. Following the release of their debut album Baran, which premiered a teaser on Rolling Stone India and earned a four star rating, the band have been busy recording new music and preparing for the tour. Their single from the album, “Beparwah” is a catchy tune with a punchy backbone and a visually engaging video to match. Contrastingly, their latest single “Color White,” is a cathartic journey that subtly builds and binds the listener in six minutes of auditory bliss. Continue reading “Parvaaz to make Canadian Debut at Monster Rock Orchestra”

On Saturday, August 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Markham-Milliken Children’s Festival is back for its 19th year. Come join the fun at the Markham Civic Centre, located at 101 Town Centre Boulevard, as part of the City’s vibrant Canada 150 celebrations. This “must–attend” family summer special is the largest annual children’s festival in Ontario and only one of its caliber run by a municipality –guaranteeing a memorable and action-packed experience for the kids, rain or shine!

Admission is free to the event and offers a wide variety of safe, fun and educational activities and games everyone can enjoy. Let your children’s imagination run wild at the Imagination Market, Technology Zone, arts and crafts tents and more! Learn through play how to prepare your family for an emergency and jump in to the front seat of Markham Fire & Emergency Services’ Canada 150 fire truck.  Continue reading “Markham-Milliken Children’s Festival:  A One-of-A-Kind Family Summer Special”

Founded by Prabha Raghavan,Mississauga based Sri Sanskriti Dance Academy  students are getting ready to present the most popular epic story Ramayana. A lot of work has been put into bringing this story through dance and drama. The presentation is a seamless narrative based on the legendary and renowned epic that commences with Sri Ram’s birth and leads up to his coronation. The production will feature senior students of the Academy who have undergone rigorous training in the Indian classical dance style of Bharatanatyam.

This ambitious project involves many young dancers portraying various characters and narrations of the  Hindu mythology through dance and drama, specially recorded music, professional lighting, visuals and sound .It was indeed a challenging task for Artistic Director Prabha Raghavan who is well known for her unique concepts and choreography and excerpts from this great epic have been chosen carefully to bring out the story in 110 minutes . This is a Must-see for the entire family, and we look forward to sharing this with you! Continue reading “Sri Sanskriti Dance Academy Presents Ram Katha”

Indigenous and Native Canadian and more South Asian art and culture will also be highlighted at TD Mosaic Aug 11-12, 2017

TD Mosaic – South Asian Festival of Mississauga in its 12^th year brings its biggest line up ever. The festival theme, ”Ekta” (oneness and Unity) celebrates the spirit of Canada’s 150^th by showcasing over 200 artists and performers on two stages at the Celebration Square in the heart of Mississauga. The artists are A list Bollywood, Folk and Popular musicians and singers both international and local. Three of the performers have received highest national arts awards in their countries equivalent to Order of Canada. That includes, Padma Shri Award winner , Kailash Kher from India,  TamghaHusneKarkardigi, Bushra Ansari and Jawed Bashir from Pakistan. From the Academy award winning team of musicians from Life of Pi, Anwar Khurshid joins us with a unique selection of Canadian International artists. Also in the lineup are Marigya, world music band and traditional folk Chhau Dance, a collaboration between Indian High Commission Ottawa, Festival of India Ottawa and TD Mosaic Festival. Also performing for the first time on this stage is Arzoo Dance from Ottawa, Irudaya Dance and a colorful collection of artists carefully chosen for the festival. Continue reading “Padma Shri award winner, singer Kailash Kher, to headline free TD Mosaic festival on Aug 12, 2017!”

BRAMPTON, ON: Newcomers to Brampton are once again invited to participate in an awardwinning
community program. The City of Brampton is offering free, family-friendly bus tours on
August 22 and 24 to educate new residents on City-based facilities, services and history.
The program, which has been operational since 2009, is made available through a partnership
between the City’s Recreation division, Brampton Transit and Brampton Library. In March of
this year, the Newcomer Bus Tour program received the Upstart Innovation Award from the
American Library Association, which recognizes creative and innovative library programs.
During the three-hour tour, participants will:
• Visit a community centre to learn about recreation opportunities and facility amenities
• Explore one of six community library branches to discover the diverse resources
available and how to access them
• Ride a Brampton Transit bus and receive a hands-on workshop about Brampton’s
transit map, the advantages of PRESTO fare cards and when riders need a transfer
The tours are meant to be informative and entertaining, with quizzes and prizes along the way
to keep things educational and fun. Continue reading “Free Bus Tours for New Bramptonians”

The face-melting fusion orchestra is joined by Sumo Cyco August 18th for the sixth edition of the free music festival

The larger-than-life Monster Rock Orchestra is back this summer and ready to rock Garden Square in Brampton August 18. Featuring seasoned performers from across the GTA, the orchestra joins forces with sensational rock and pop tunes to create an unforgettable, face-melting show that leaves audiences screaming for more. Expect your favourite singles from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and onwards – all combined with a massive live orchestra, stunning vocalists, and face-melting lasers. This year, in celebration of Canada 150, the Monster Rock Orchestra is honouring Canadian talent with the inclusion of hit songs from Steppenwolf, Bryan Adams, Carly Rae Jepsen, and more. Following a headlining performance at Yonge Dundas Square, the act will all come together at Garden Square to prove that hit songs + orchestra + lasers = #facemelting.

“We’ll be bringing high-energy live shows, jaw-dropping laser lights, and spectacular arrangements of modern and classic Top 40’s hits performed by some of the best musicians in the GTA,” says Executive Director Vikas Kohli. Continue reading “Monster Rock Orchestra Set to Take Over Garden Square in Brampton for Sixth Annual Show”

As announced earlier this week, Toronto Island Park, including Centre Island, Centreville Theme Park, Ward’s Island and Hanlan’s Point, will reopen to the public today, Monday, July 31. Here’s what you need to know about the park’s reopening to get the most out of your visit:

1. Services resume on Monday, July 31
Public access to the park, summer schedule ferry service and recreation programs such as summer camps will resume Monday morning. The first ferry will depart from the mainland to Ward’s Island at 6:30 a.m. and from the mainland to Centre Island at 8 a.m.

2. Get your ferry tickets in advance to avoid the lineups
Online ticket sales for the ferry service is available at http://www.toronto.ca/ferry. Island visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid lineups at the ticket kiosk at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Additional staff will be in place tomorrow to provide quicker service and help visitors navigate their way from ticketing to boarding.

3. Know when to go
The peak period for lineups at the terminal is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plan your arrival at the ferry for outside these hours to avoid the crowds. Check with @TorontoPFR on Twitter for updates on wait times and ferry schedules.

4. Hit the beach, island-style!
All beaches on Toronto Island Park – Centre Island Beach, Hanlan’s Point Beach and Ward’s Island Beach – will be open, however, some portions of beaches will be in a reduced state. Lifeguards will be on duty from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. (And remember, a portion of Hanlan’s Point Beach is clothing optional.)
Continue reading “10 things you need to know about Toronto Island Park reopening”