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Summer continues this weekend: Arts fair, concert, new store and more!

Want to make the most of this unexpected summery weather? Here are some suggestions!

Danforth East Arts Fair, East Lynn Park, Sat & Sun, 10am-5pm

I know you know but here’s the poster again anyway because honestly, our 100% volunteer-run, juried (meaning the vendors were selected as the cream of the crop among many applicants) arts fair is such an amazing event. You must go.

While you’re there, don’t forget to post some pics to social media using #DECAF17

Rikki Nicks Concert, Stephenson Park, Sat 7-9:30pm

How fun is this? Awesome Fleetwood Mac cover band, plus food, wine and beer available for purchase from Sauce, Hooked and Tuana!?!

Stephenson Park is by Main and Danforth, more or less behind Sobey’s. Kudos to Councillor McMahon and Friends of Stephenson Park for organizing.

If you live in the area and want to help our with Friends of Stephenson Park, email us and we will put you in touch or contact them via their Facebook page. They really need volunteers, especially for the winter ice rink effort.

August Kinn Grand Opening, Sat 10am-6pm, 1374 Danforth

A lovely new store for baby things has opened between Coxwell & Greenwood. Visit them today for their grand opening event! They will have door prizes and other fun stuff so check it out.

Other DECA Events

Okay fine, we *just* posted yesterday about our scavenger hunt and the impressive prizes available, plus our two fun #DECAde birthday parties happening on Thursday (Sept 21) and on Saturday (Sept 23) so here’s a link to that post in case you missed it.

Do you love what DECA does? Support us by buying a $10/household membership. Click here! We are also looking for volunteers for events, our Board and for whatever your great idea is!

Even more events later this week!

WAX + WATER 

A collection of recent encaustic and acrylic artworks by Victoria Wallace and Deanna Hutton. September 22-27, 2017 at STUDIO by the Nooks – 1912 Danforth Ave, 1 1/2 blocks west of Woodbine

OPENING NIGHT PARTY – Friday, September 22 from 6-9pm.

For those that can’t make it to the Opening, the Gallery will be open the following days/times.
Friday, Sept 22.……….6pm-9pm – Opening Night Party
Saturday, Sept 23.…..11am-7pm – encaustic demonstrations
Sunday, Sept 24.…….11am-5pm – acrylic demonstrations
Monday, Sept 25.…… 11am-5pm – gallery open
1pm-4pm – *Acrylic Transfer Workshop by Victoria
Tuesday, Sept 26.……11am-7pm – artists painting in the gallery
Wednesday, Sept 27..11am-5pm – artists painting in the gallery

*Acrylic Transfer Workshop – $75 includes all materials – max 8 participants.  To register, please contact Victoria at victoriawallaceartist@gmail.com.

Now Magazine Readers’ Poll

It’s a big deal for our locals to win these “best of” awards so take time to vote and show everyone in this city what #DanforthEast has to offer. Voting closes this Thursday (September 21) at 11pm so do not delay.

To make it easy, our friends at Moberly consolidated all of our local nominees here:

http://www.moberlynaturalfoods.com/2017/07/21/now-best-toronto-find-danforth-east-businesses-nominated/

That’s all for now!

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September weekend fun!

So much fun happening this weekend – plus a few reminders about some DECA events coming up in September! The Danforth East Arts Fair is one week away, but you can cope with your excitement by checking out some of these events happening tomorrow.

Saturday events

Bike Lane Party 10am-noon

Queenie’s Cards Grand Opening 10am-6pm

Nooks Flea, noon-10pm

Other News

Do you want a Danforth East Arts Fair sign? Email us and Nicole will be in touch to arrange it!

#DECAde Celebrations

Our 10th birthday celebrations are happening this month! We’re having a party at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market on September 21st (formal remarks and cake at around 5pm) and a cocktail party at the Shore Leave on Saturday, September 23rd from 7-9pm. We also have our self-led community scavenger hunt underway! All the details are in the post found here.

Well, you’ve read this far so you must want to see the arts fair poster! We still need volunteers so watch this space for the sign-up or send us an email. Sitting at the DECA table is a great way to be right in the middle of the happiest day in the neighbourhood! Spots for set-up and take-down are also available.

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Arts Festivals Galore!

The first ever Monarch Park Arts & Music Festival is happening this Saturday, August 12 (tomorrow), 12 noon – 8:00pm
Free!

Coming soon…

East End Arts presents Main Squared, a free nine-day arts and community festival that will activate and explore the public square at the corner of Main Street and Danforth Avenue from August 26 to September 3, 2017.

Blending contemporary art and community arts projects, the festival will feature art installations, interactive activities, workshops, performances, and more.

The festival location is situated in the unique spaces between the four high-rise towers that are home to thousands of residents and a commercial plaza with unoccupied storefronts. Given its accessible location, diversity, density of residents, and proximity to transit and other amenities, Main Square is full of potential as a vibrant and unique cultural hub. With Main Squared, East End Arts aims to increase engagement with the community to spark a sense of pride within the spaces in the neighbourhood in which they live, work, play, and own every day.

Visit the website for more info. Also note that they are looking for volunteers!

Still over a month to go but you definitely want to make a mental note and block off time now for the Danforth East (Community) Arts Fair #DECAF17, coming on September 16 & 17. One of DECA's signature events, this weekend of arts, beauty, community and fun is a must-do for everyone in this 'hood.


See all the sneak peeks of what will be for sale by following the DECAF on social:

Fb: @DECAartsfair
Insta: @deca_arts

We are always in need of volunteers so give us a shout if you're available for a shift that weekend! Sit at the info table, help with set up or take down, take pics, help us with social media – there are lots of jobs! Email us here.

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Eight Reasons to visit #DECAF16

decaf-memories

Thanks to Miara Nasar, #DECAF16 volunteer, for this guest post. 

The 8th annual Danforth East (Community) Arts Fair, or #DECAF16, will be held at East Lynn Park next weekend, Sept. 17-18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This is an exciting event and an amazing way to end the summer season!

There are so many reasons to attend the fair but here are just eight:

  1. Support local artisans: DECAF is host to so many local artists showcasing their work and craft to the community. Traditionally, the majority of the fair’s artists come from East Danforth neighbourhoods. DECAF allows for a space where smaller artists are able to share their work to the public. (Click here to see a park map of exhibitors.)
  2. Build a stronger sense of community: Attending the fair can let you connect to others in your neighbourhood and let you make new friendships and connections. (Want to volunteer at the Fair? SIGN UP HERE to be part of this great event!)
  3. Find unique items: DECAF will be featuring many different artists with a multitude of talents. We have painters, jewelers, clothing designers, natural skin care products and more to discover at the fair!
  4. Taste amazing foods: Our food vendors include Celena’s Bakery, Sweet Serendipity, Taste the Tornado and The Borough.
  5. Fun for the whole family: There is a range of activities targeted for different ages to make everyone happy. Bring your family and friends to experience the fair together!
  6. Become inspired: With an eclectic mix of artists such as Attn2detail Designs, Binksy & Bobo, CGMonsters and KWP Design, just to name a few, and all the beautiful imagery, creativity is bound to be instilled within you. You also have the chance to interact with the artists themselves to engage in deeper discussions about their work.
  7. Live entertainment: Live music will be playing all throughout the event to keep the crowd on their feet. Bust out your favourite dance moves! You are guaranteed to have non-stop fun!
  8. It’s free: Best of all, DECAF is free to attend for anyone and everyone! Spread the word and bring your friends and family to make the most of the fair. They will thank you for bringing them! We hope to see you all soon!

 

Follow us on social media and tag us with #DECAF16:

Facebook: @DECAartsfair

Twitter: @DECA_Arts

Instagram: deca_arts

DECAFposter2016

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Danforth East (Community) Arts Fair – THANK YOU! #DECAF

In case you missed it, the Danforth East Art Fair ran for its 7th year a couple of weekends ago. (Here’s the wonderful poster to remind you!)

DECAF 2015 mailer

This is one of the larger events that DECA organizes in East Lynn Park each year, and it takes an entire team to bring 65 of your neighbourhood artists together for the weekend.  Our volunteers spend countless hours of their own time to pull off this extraordinary community event.

DECA would like to thank Melanie Ramsay, Melissa Peretti, Julie Glick and Shauna Rempel who continue to take on the challenge of the Arts Fair year after year, and who do it so successfully.

Thanks also to returning volunteers Corinne McCabe, Fernand Ciraco and Dana McCullough (of local Ciraco Framers fame), Dan and Jane Davis-Munro, Jodi Shanoff, Anita Schretlen, Sheri Hebdon, Alison McMurray and Linda Ballantyne.

This year we had a few stand out NEW volunteers. A big shout out to Caroline Starr, Janice Peters, Erica Schaub and our two student volunteers, Sydney Burns and Julian Morris. All of these volunteers came out just to see what was going on, they didn’t know each other, they didn’t know DECA, they just wanted to meet their neighbours and help make our community better. And it was fun!

If you have any interest in volunteering for next year, please send an email to volunteer@deca.to

Thanks also the Arts Fair sponsors:
Bosley Real Estate
Canine Social Company
Toronto Honda/Kia

Here are some great pics from this year’s fair from snapd beach/danforth

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Arts Fair Shout-outs & Tips for Meeting Doggy Friends

Who to thank for another stellar Arts Fair

If you didn’t make it out to the Danforth East Arts Fair last weekend, don’t worry, you can catch us at the same spot next year. For those of you who did make it to East Lynn Park, you most certainly ran into one of our phenomenal volunteers. They were running the craft stations, at the DECA booth, photo documenting the weekend, and generally making the park a better place to be for a couple of days. This year’s fair was made possible by our wonderful community sponsors Corinne McCabe at Bosley Real Estate and Jane Davis-Munro at Pegasus Studios, as well as long time sponsor Toronto Hydro.

DECA would like to thank the social media team Shauna Rempel, Imani Thomas and Casey Palmer who have been tweeting, instagramming and facebooking for months. Thank you to Stephen Caissie and Stephen Rabjohn who spent hours photographing the fair for our archives, and to all the wonderful volunteers who helped to set up the park, greet the guests and make East Lynn the place to be: Mary and Maddy Cowan, Rob Symes, Lindsay Martin, Joanne Lindsay, Anita Schretlen, Natasha Granatstein,  Jodi Shanoff, Rebecca Green, Terry Perusse,  Annette Bourque and Naz Rabhar.

The Danforth East Arts Fair takes months to plan. The core volunteer group meet in the back rooms of local businesses and restaurants to review applications, set up marketing strategies, design posters and marketing materials and talk about art in the community. If this is something that interests you, come out an join us at one of our meetings and share a drink with your neighbours (contact deca-arts[at]gmail.com). Thank you to our organizers: Melissa Peretti, Melanie Ramsay, Julie Glick, Fernand Ciraco, Danna McCullough and Shauna Rempel for another great year.

Meeting Dogs 101

If your kids missed Molson, Tinker and Ellie at the doggy meet and greet at Thursday’s Farmers Market, we have the next best thing to one of their slobbery kisses: a helpful handout from the Merril Park Dog Association (MPDA) on how to properly and safely meet a dog.MPDA_4_Steps_To_Meet_A_Dog_2014_FINAL Thanks, MPDA!