Photo: "Royal Alexandra Theatre" by bensonkua, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14 and SUNDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2009... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

Saturday, November 14:

PARTY | Skratch Bastid Presents: Scratch, Skratch, Scratch!
Haligonian Skratch Bastid began his DJ career entering local competitions at the age of 15. He's now grown too big for his East Coast britches and has a new home in Toronto, where he looks to revive the art of old-school turntable deejaying. To that end, he launches a new quarterly party tonight with legendary beatboxer Scratch (of Roots fame) and Flow 93.5 DJ, Starting from Scratch. This is going to be one huge jam.
Revival, 783 College St., $10-$12, 10 pm

MUSIC | Dirty Projectors with Tune-Yards at the Opera House
Toronto (hearts) the Dirty Projectors. The Brooklyn band's appearance at Lee's Palace earlier this year had the whole city twitterpated with anticipation. The lovefest only increased when the band's tour van flipped en route to the show, thankfully leaving everyone unharmed. There's nothing like a little adversity to make a love affair stronger. They'll be sharing the stage with Tune-Yards, who up to this point has been trying to make a career selling her songs on cassette because she abhors the convenience of CDs and iTunes. Weird.
Opera House, 735 Queen St. E., $16, 9 pm

FESTVIAL | NuJazz Festival with Jazzanova, DJ John Kong and Rollin'Cash
The NuJazz Festival wraps up tonight with a set by Jazzanova, considered by those in the know to be one of the most important electro jazz ensembles of our time -- which means of any time really, when you think about it. The Berlin sextet has had a strong influence on all kinds of genres from the mainstream to the obscure, having worked with Lenny Kravitz and Common among others. They'll be joined at the gala event by Toronto's DJ John Kong and Rollin' Cash, as well as Montreal's former Bullforg band leader Robertson.
El Mocambo, 464 Spadina Ave., $15 advance, $20 door, 9:30 pm

SPORTS | Yahoo! World Rock Paper Scissors Championships
Want to win $10 000 simply by waving your hands around? Come on down to the Steamwhistle Roundhouse on Saturday to compete against Canada's best Rock Paper Scissors "athletes" to see who will become this year's world champion. I've heard there's some skill to this competition, but frankly I don't believe it. Just stick with rock. Nothing beats rock.
Steamwhistle Roundhouse, 255 Bremner Ave., $20 spectator, $40 participant, 8 pm

Sunday, November 15

PARADE | Santa Claus Parade
There are few traditions in this city more beloved than the Santa Claus Parade. For 104 years ole St. Nick has weaved through the downtown streets accompanied by a supporting cast of upside down clowns, snow princesses, and helper elves. For many, the event marks the official start of the holiday season despite the fact that malls have been hanging ivy and mistletoe since the week before Halloween. The parade route starts at Bloor and Christie and snakes through the downtown core before ending at Front and Church. It's that time of year again... exciting!
Downtown Toronto, Free, 12:30 pm

MUSIC | Espirit Orchestra at Koerner Hall
The Espirit Orchestra is the only Canadian orchestra devoted to exclusively performing new works. The 80-member ensemble launches its 27th season Sunday night with a performance of inspired by the limitless Canadian North. The repertoire includes Take the Dog Sled, a piece composed for two Inuit throat singers, and North/White, written for orchestra and snowmobile. No idea what that sounds like, but with any luck it involves some one revving a skidoo onstage at the beautiful, acoustically perfect Koerner Hall.
Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W., $32 - $ 43, 8 pm

COMMUNITY | Call Out: Community Storytelling
The Movement Project is a small collective consisting of composer Gein Wong, dancer Marika Schwandt, and filmmaker Malinda Francis. The group is jumpstarting a new show called What Are We Doing Here?, which seeks to give voice to Torontonians who usually go unheard. On Sunday afternoon they are inviting Torontonians to sit down and record their thoughts on the city we all call home. Your stories will be used to shape themes in the projects upcoming show.
Walnut Studios, 83 Walnut Ave., 1 pm - 6 pm

FOOD | Pierogi Night in Canada
Oddfellows Restaurant hosts this night of delicious food and hip music. You can never get enough pierogis, and Oddfellows is offering an all-you-can-eat menu for only $15. If that's not enough to entice you, there's also $3 vodka drinks. Consume these potato byproducts while listening to Alex Edkins (singer/guitarist for shit-hot hardcore band METZ) spin the tunes. Apparently the place to be on Sunday night.
Oddfellow's, 936 Queen St. W., 8 pm

Continuing Events:

FAIR | Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair caps off its 87th edition with a Christmas jam this weekend. Visitors of all ages can enjoy Christmas-themed agricultural events (cows wearing red noses!) and take in the extraordinary Equine Extravaganza which features performances by over 50 horses and Shorty Leggs, the 2008 Rodeo Clown of the Year. Also includes barrel racing and the Pony Express.
Ricoh Coliseum, 100 Princess Ave.,9 am - 9 pm, $16 - $30

COMEDY FEST | Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival
The Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival concludes this weekend with a cornucopia of shows. Frankenmatt, LA's the Tangs, and New York's New Excitement headline Saturday's shows while Statutory Jape and Oddville captain the comedy ship on Sunday. The main event Sunday night is Sunday Night Live, presented by the always hilarious Sketchersons and presented by Ben Mulroney (otherwise known as Brian Mulroney's ongoing effort to screw over the country).
Various locations and times, $12 - $28

ARTS AND CRAFTS | Craft Off the Lot
Since Thursday the Cryptic Canvas gallery has been hosting Craft Off the Lot at an abandoned Chrysler dealership on King St. The show brings together artisans from all over the country to sell one-of-a-kind jewellery, clothing, pillows, soap, chocolate and more. This is an artist-represented event so you'll also get a chance to interact with the artisans. Maybe you can get a handy tip on how to knit your own owl, which is an alarmingly popular hobby these days. Runs til Sunday.
1030 King St. W., PWYC ($5 suggested), Opening night 7 pm - 11pm

FILM FESTIVAL | Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival
The Center for Addication and Mental Health's Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival closes this weekend with five films that examine dysfunctional relationships and representations of mental illness on film. Unlisted: A Story of Schizophrenia tells the story of a psychiatrist who treats the mentally ill yet has trouble with her own affected father while the closing film Achilles and the Tortoise explores the role that art can play in alleviating the pressures caused by mental disorders
Workman Arts, 651 Dufferin St., and Workman Theatre, 1001 Queen St. W., $10, Various times

For full listings, head on over to our events calendar.
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