JUNIOR, Toronto’s International Children’s Festival, offers a May long weekend of theatre, dance, music, storytelling and other activities to pique the imaginations of the younger set. The festival takes place at Harbourfront Centre from May 18 to 20.
May 19 is designated as Enhanced Accessibility Day, and will feature ASL/DSL interpretation, described audio and introductory notes, touch tours, a relaxed guide and “Zen Den” quiet spaces for select events.
“At JUNIOR, we believe growing up is a journey of self-discovery,” says Nathalie Bonjour, Harbourfront Centre’s Director of Performing Arts, “and one of the most compelling ways to facilitate this lifelong exploration is through the transformative power of the arts. In our mission of enhanced accessibility and inclusivity, we welcome children of all ages and their families to connect to the world, their community and themselves through multidisciplinary arts and cultural events that encourage children to delve into their imaginations and ask big questions, all while having fun!”
The lineup includes both free and affordable ticketed events.
The Festival At A Glance
Ticketed Events
Finding Home: A Salmon Story Upstream (Ontario)
Theatre Direct and Animacy Theatre Collective (All ages)
Two best friends, who also happen to be salmon from Lake Ontario, drift apart as one of them gets ready to make the big “change” upstream. A story told with humour kids can appreciate, and music from a live band.
Make Me Dance (Norway)
Panta Rei Danseteater (Ages 8+)
Audience participation is encouraged in this immersive and energetic dance theatre production, featuring three dancers and a musician.
Robot Song (Australia)
Arena Theatre Company (Ages 8+)
11-year-old Jupiter May befriends a singing robot, and discovers different ways of relating to the world. The multimedia performance incorporates video, live animation, and animatronics.
Yassama And The Beaded Calabash; Yassama et la calebasse aux cauris (Ontario)
Lua Shayenne (Ages 3+)
Yassama and the Beaded Calabash is the story of a young girl who helps save her village from drought, with a message about respecting and protecting Mother Earth that’s inspired by African oral traditions. The performance includes song, dance, and live drumming.
Free Events: All Ages
Experts Radio Lab (Scotland)
Alice Mary Cooper
A drop-in, pop-up kids show in a set modelled after an 80s-style radio studio, where kids are the interview subjects on anything they’re interested in. Artists Alice Mary Cooper and Geraldine Heaney will conduct the interviews in front of a live audience.
Transhumance (Ontario)
CORPUS
Canadian dance/theatre company CORPUS brings a flock of playful fuzzy sheep to an interactive paddock where audiences can interact with them, and feed them.
BENCHED (Denmark)
Uppercut Dance Theater
Street meets contemporary dance in an outdoor performance based on the idea of what happens when life puts you on the bench, and out of the game.
Bust A Move! Dance Demo (Australia)
BAMDance
BAMDance is dedicated to enabling people of all abilities to express themselves. Experience isn’t necessary for this fun and inclusive event.
Bollywood Dance Demo (Ontario)
Broken Dance Entertainment
Broken Dance Entertainment specializes in South Asian dance styles, and fusing Asian and Western choreography. They were a finalist on Canada’s Got Talent, and encourage audience participation at their dance party.
All Nations Juniors + First Fire Dance (Tkaronto, Ontario)
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre
Toronto Council Fire’s All Nations Juniors is a First Nations Pow Wow-style youth drum group that includes Dakota, Anishinaabe, Chippewa, Cree and Haudenosaunee member, joined by First Fire Dance. The performance remixes four dance styles: contemporary, break dancing, hip hop and traditional hoop dancing.
Rhythms of North India (Ontario)
Toronto Tabla Youth Ensemble
The Toronto Tabla Youth Ensemble will perform both contemporary and classical music with North Indian rhythms. Audience members will learn about how the tabla works, and its thousand year old history.
Quand On Chante (Ontario)
Ariko
The Lefaive sisters from Lafontaine, Ontario, form a family band characterized by fiddles and vocal harmonies. Their music is rooted in French-Canadian traditions, incorporating zydeco, bluegrass and popular music.
A Musical Journey Around The World!!! (Ontario)
Moskitto Bar
The music of Moskitto Bar fuses Ukrainian, Middle-Eastern and French Celtic music, adding a circus performer in the tradition of Ukrainian folk dance.
Afrique en Cirque (Quebec)
Cirque Kalabanté
Yamoussa Bangoura and Cirque Kalabanté bring daring stunts, human pyramids, costumes and dance based on the traditions of Guinea, in West Africa. Accompanied by live Afrojazz and West African drumming.
Fay & Fluffy’s Storytime (Ontario)
Fay and Fluffy
Drag stars Fay Slift and Fluffy Soufflé bring drag story in an inclusive environment, where the focus is on fun and culturally diverse books, songs, and laughs.
Tipi Showcase: Storytelling (Tkaronto, Ontario)
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre
A storyteller will relate the history and meaning of the iconic Tipi, using the Native Women Resource Centre Tipi, focusing on healing that comes from Indigenous culture, ceremonies and collective bonds.
Kids and parents will also get the chance to participate in a variety of hands-on workshops in various disciplines.
- Find out more about JUNIOR [HERE].
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