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Market this week: Pride!

For the 4th year in a row, DECA Pride is pleased to present Pride at the Market!

This Thursday, June 20 from 4-7pm at East Lynn Park, here’s what’s in store (note that the farmers are there starting from 3:00pm onward):

Art Activity: show your pride and make your own flag to represent yourself / what you are proud of, hosted by the fantastic creatives at Create Art Studio, located at 1801 Danforth (this amazing studio has it all, classes, camps, parties, corporate events!)

Photo booth & more!  Monarch Park Collegiate’s Queer Straight Alliancewill set up and run Pride photo booths (rainbow and pink) for all the photo ops. They will also be handing out stickers, sunglasses and wristbands (generously donated by TD Bank!), and will have a “Count the Skittles” contest going throughout the market. 

You can find out more about the QSA on their instagram https://www.instagram.commpcqsa/ and blog https://mpcqsa.wordpress.com/

Music: The fantastic Coe Hill Girls are back with us for another year and will be filling the park with their awesome jams from 5-6pm. 

Story and craft: TRANSvolution, a local trans group, has teamed up with our friends at Silly Goose Kids to host readings of Rory’s Rainbow at 4:15 and 5:15pm, followed by a related craft. (See poster below) This beautiful story talks about identity expression, gender stereotyping and acceptance and is not widely available in stores.  Stop by Silly Goose at 2054 Danforth after the event on Thursday to buy your copy AND you’ll receive a special LoveisLove package.

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Huge thanks to everyone participating and to Heather at corbin creative for the gorgeous poster design. 

Details and updates can be found via our Facebook event so rsvp and invite your friends and neighbours:
https://www.facebook.com/events/435178817322061/?ti=ia

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The East Lynn Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3-7:00 p.m. between June 6 – October 10 at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave. Stay up to date by visiting the East Lynn Market Facebook page or by following us on Twitter.

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It’s a big week in #DanforthEast – check it out!

Eek! We have been neglecting our blog lately but the slate of upcoming events in this neighbourhood is so incredible that a blog post with all of them in one place is required! (Be sure to keep up with local news and events on our Facebook page or on Twitter?)

Read to the end because there are a lot of VERY COOL things! Support our local businesses and all the efforts reflected here!

queer east poetry (presented by DECA Pride) – Nov 15

Please join us for a night of queer words. (FB invite here)

Featuring: Margaret Christakos, Kirby, Kari Ross-Vance, & brandy ryan. Hosted by Kerry Manders.

Admission is FREE

  • beer and wine available for purchase, along with regular coffee shop fare
  • venue has a ramp and first floor accessible washroom

DECA Pride is an LGBTQ+ group supported by DECA. For more info, join the facebook group or send an email to be added to the email list.

Art Slam – Friday Nov 9

Fresh Paint Studio + Cafe, 1849 Danforth Ave (near Coxwell)

On Friday, November 9 from 7pm-10pm, eight artists will enter into a live art competition and create their artistic pieces for an enthusiastic crowd of art lovers. The theme for the evening is ‘Find Your Power’.

Artists will have one hour to create their pieces live and go from blank canvas to creative masterpieces.

When the hour is up and the brushes hit the floor, the audience will vote for their top two art creations. The top prize winners will receive a $100 gift card from Deserres and $50 gift card from Fresh Paint Studio.

The artwork that is created will also be auctioned off and partial proceeds from the sale of each piece will be donated to charity. For this event, they have partnered with Muskoka Brewery to provide the beer!

  • Proceeds from all beer sales will go to support SKETCH Working Arts for Homeless Youth.
  • The evening will also feature the musical vibes of DJ Marlove.

Admission: Pay What You Can (partial proceeds to SKETCH Working Arts for Homeless Youth).

Find out more: https://www.freshpaintstudio.ca/the-art-slam/

Neighbourhood Toy Store Day – Nov 10

So much happening at Silly Goose this weekend. This is Saturday’s event – keep reading to see what’s happening on Sunday! Save the tax all day and so many fun events.

Open Mic Night – Nov 10

Saturday Nov 10th

Saturday November 10, doors at 7, reading at 7:30. No need to register or RSVP, just come on down.

Firefly Creative Writing, 1898 Danforth Ave, unit 2. It’s fully wheelchair accessible and a short stroll from the Woodbine subway station.

$10 at the door will support their scholarship fund. If that’s too steep, they’ll gladly make an exception. If you can kick in a little more, scholarship-ees will thank you!

Come early to grab a seat or beanbag. If they overfill, they’ll need to close the doors.

Kids’ Book Reading & Signing- Nov 11

Make sure to visit Silly Goose Kids on Sunday from 3:00-4:30pm for a free book reading and signing with Heather Smith and Alice Carter, author and illustrator of Angus All Aglow.

The book is about Angus who loves sparkle. One day he wears his grandma’s necklace to school and get teased, but a little girl sticks up for him and shows him kindness and acceptance. Angus All Aglow is a gentle story of acceptance, generosity and friendship, and reminds us that it only takes one kind gesture to restore your sparkle, and returning the kindness can make you glow from the inside out.

Open Rhodes Art Show & Sale – Nov 10 & 11

Over 22 local artists showing and selling their art work in an open house/street sale format. Participatingouses will have “Purple Open Rhodes Signs”. This year we have International Artists from Japan participating.

The show is always held on the second weekend in November for two days. Saturday, Nov 10th and Sunday, Nov 11th from 1:00 – 7:00pm.This year, we are raising funds for the East End Children’s Centre. There will be a raffle and any donations are greatly appreciated. Several pieces of artwork of participating artists will be raffled. Artist Raffle will be conducted by local officials Sunday November 11th at 6:30 pm.

Save the date!

DECA’s Festival Of Lights – Nov 24 from 5-6 (email us if you want to volunteer – we are always looking for helpers!)

DECA Annual General Meeting – Nov 26 (evening) details tbd

DECA meet & greet info sessions – Nov 14 (2pm) and Nov 22 (10am) – details tbd

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Market this Week – celebrate Pride!

DECA Pride is happy to be hosting the 3rd annual DECA PRIDE @ The Market on June 21st from 3-7pm.

As always, the East Lynn Farmers’ Market is all about supporting the farmers. This week we are layering on a Pride celebration in honour of our thriving east end LGBTQ+ community and all of the wonderful allies who also live here. Pride isn’t just a downtown thing – join us as we bring Pride to the east end!

Over the course of the afternoon, we’ll have the amazing facepainters, pride-themed arts and crafts with Silly Goose Kids and Create Art Studio and we’re happy to welcome back the Coe Hill Girls, who will perform from about 5-6pm.

The winery on hand will be Chateau des Charmes, and some of the farmers and vendors may even have some pride-themed specials just for us!

Facebook event is here in case you want to invite others.

This event is sponsored by Steve’s Quality Meats and Deli (1938 Danforth). Steve’s approached DECA Pride last year asking how they can support us, and this is their second year sponsoring our market event! Steve’s is right across the street from East Lynn Park, so be sure go by any day for amazing cuts of meat, deli meat, cheeses, prepared food and hot food to go! You will not be sorry that you did.

If you are looking to take it to the next level, stop into Silly Goose on your way over and grab some of their Pride gear – kids clothes, buttons, and other treasures. Or buy some of the other high quality toys, crafts, baby goods and other fun stuff!

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Create Art Studio is a newish Danforth East business located just eat of Coxwell and they have classes for kids, youth, and adults as well as PA Day and summer camps and after-school programs. Oh, and they do birthday parties and wine nights too! Thanks to Jen and the Create team for helping us celebrate Pride!

Last but not least, thanks to corbin creative for designing the poster – another amazing local business.

DECA Pride was started by DECA to bring together the east end LGBTQ+ community and create spaces and events right here in the east end where we live. Allies are always welcome. For more information or to join the DECA Pride email list, visit DECA.to/Pride or send us an email.

HAPPY PRIDE!! 

More Farmers’ Market Info

We still need DECA Booth volunteers for the Market season, which means you sit at the DECA table and help out as needed, mostly with chatting with people. At our market, we cook for our farmers thanks to our team of volunteer cooks.  Dinners can been as simple or as elaborate as you wish – no matter what they are always appreciated. Click on the links above to learn more or click here to send our market volunteers an email. 

The East Lynn Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3-7:00 p.m. between June 7 – October 11 at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave. Stay up to date by visiting the East Lynn Market Facebook page or by following us on Twitter.

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Upcoming DECA Events

First of all, thank you to everyone who came out to the Pumpkin Parade at East Lynn Park on November 1st and especially to the volunteers who tossed pumpkins in less-than-ideal weather to help us restore the park at the end of the night.

The Pumpkin Parade was the first of four November DECA events. Here is the low-down on what else is coming up!

DECA Pride cinq-à-sept | November 9 |5-7pm

Bringing together East End LGBTQ+ folks and allies, DECA Pride is hosting a casual get together at Local 1794 from 5-7pm. Light snacks provided. Meet at the back!

Click here to join the DECA Pride email list and here to join the Facebook group.

DECA Annual General Meeting & Party | November 20 | 7-9pm

It’s our last official #DECAde event – the Annual General Meeting & Party! Come to Hirut Café and Restaurant to eat delicious Ethiopian food, listen to some live music, meet your neighbours, renew your membership or join DECA and celebrate another great year of community-building. Cash bar. Board elections and formal remarks will be short, starting at around 8. Facebook event is here.

Stay tuned for our recommended nominations for next year’s Board. Spoiler alert: change is afoot!

DECA’s Festival of Lights | November 25 | 5-6pm

For the past five years, DECA has organized a tree lighting event at East Lynn Park to celebrate the festive season and this year promises to be the best one yet!

Rumour has it that Santa himself has cleared his schedule to visit us.

Watch this space for the beautiful poster to come, and in the meantime, save the date!

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Celebrate Pride at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market – June 22

Join DECA Pride for our 2nd Annual Pride celebration on June 22 at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market! All are welcome.

In addition to our amazing farmers, food vendors and face painting, we’re planning:

Live Music featuring the Coe Hill Girls: 4:45-5:45

Kids sing-a-long with Christina W: 5:45-6:30

Arts & Crafts:
Silly Goose Kids: 4:15-5:15
Art Cave: 5:30-6:30

(times are estimates)

Plus a few other surprises! 

Brought to you by DECA Pride, an east-end LGBTQ+ group under the Danforth East Community Association (DECA).
This event is generously sponsored by Steve’s Quality Meats and Deli at 1938 Danforth.
Thanks also to Corbin Creative for the poster!

As with all events at the market, please remember to come and support the farmers – without them we have no market!


Table Tennis 4 Tuition #TT4T

Also happening at East Lynn Park on June 22 is the #TT4T finals happening at 6:00pm on the ping pong table! Come and cheer on your neighbours as they battle it out for a great cause: DECA’s Young Leaders Scholarship. 

The East Lynn Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3-7:00 p.m. between June 1 – October 19 at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave. Stay up to date by visiting the East Lynn Market Facebook page or by following us on Twitter.

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DECA Pride Film Screening – May 4

Join DECA Pride (DECA’s LGBTQ+ Group) for a free, all ages community screening courtesy of the Inside Out Film Festival and the S. Walter Stewart Library. 

You will also have a chance to learn more about DECA Pride and other DECA initiatives. 

The screening is absolutely free but for anyone who chooses to, we will be accepting donations to go to a local LGBTQ+ refugee/newcomer group.

If you would like to learn more about DECA Pride, send an email!

For more info, visit the Facebook event page.
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It’s our 10th year and we’re celebrating our DECAde by asking our followers to join asmembers to  support our efforts for the next 10 years. $10/household if you live in our boundaries (Main-Lumsden/Mortimer-Monarch Park-Train tracks) and if not, feel free to make a donation of any amount. https://deca.to/membership