Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this Oct 24-26, 2014.

Night of Dread 2014
Join Clay & Paper Theatre on Saturday, October 25th for the15th annual Night of Dread, when people dressed in black, white, and dreadful masks parade their private and collective fears through the darkened streets of Toronto. Night of Dread is an evening of pageantry, music and masquerade, with towering puppets, stilt dancers, fire-spinners and fearful masks. The interactive parade begins in Dufferin Grove Park at 6pm. Dufferin Grove Park, Oct 25, 4pm, PWYC. JS

SPOOKY

Toronto Zombie Walk
Yup, they got their funding. On Saturday, join over 10,000 zombies, monsters and otherworldly beings for the 12th Annual Toronto Zombie Walk and Halloween Parade. Pre-parade festivities in Nathan Phillips Square include a Halloween Vendor Market, food, and live bands. This year there's an official after party being held at the Hard Rock Cafe. There's also a Thriller dance-off world record attempt. Nathan Phillips Square, Oct. 25, 12pm, free. JS

See also

Toronto Halloween party guide 2014

FOOD & DRINK

Cask Days
If you don't have a ticket to one of the season's biggest beer events, it's your last chance to add "Cask Days tix?" to your Tinder bio (with the pint emoticons, naturally). Evergreen Brick Works will house the 10th annual celebration of cask-conditioned craft beer October 24-25. Here are our rules for enjoying the festival (once you find tickets, and a date).

See also

• Bids & Beers (Friday, 918 Bathurst)
• Beringer Brunch (Saturday, El Caballito)

ART FAIR WARS

Art Toronto
The Toronto International Art Fair, the city's biggest arts fair by a long shot, is a great chance to immerse yourself in some of the best contemporary and even traditional artwork Toronto has to offer via both established and young galleries, plus be exposed to art from around the world. It's also one of the year's best events for people watching (and Instagram). Brush shoulders with the art world October 24-27 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre - look out for our preview tomorrow.

Feature Art Fair
Newbie Feature Contemporary Art Fair doesn't seem interested in competing with Art Toronto - or at least they're playing it cool. Rather the curated booths of a modest 23 galleries at the Opera Centre complement the bigger, glitzier, ordeal at the Metro. Read our review of the fair here. Canadian Opera Company, Joey & Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre (227 Front Street East), until Sunday, October 26.

DANCE

Vatican Shadow
Get thee to Comfort Zone for the weekend's most spookerific dance party - no costume necessary. Seriously, what you're wearing is fine. You're wearing black, right? You and I are literally one shadow. Jokers of the Scene and Votive (Kotravoid and Kat Duma) provide support. Saturday, Oct 25, 10pm, Comfort Zone (480 Spadina Avenue).

See also

• Otherland (Friday, Tattoo)

FILM

Kid Power book launch + Bad News Bears
Got kids? Miss being a kid? Kier-La Janisse (House of Psychotic Women) is launching new book Kid Power - a culty, "heavily-illustrated collection of film writing by a diverse array of some of genre criticism's most unique voices," plus a publishing co, and a retro film screening series all in one go this Saturday with a screening of the unbelievably fucked up Bad News Bears. Read more about the weird universe that is Kid Power here - no children necessary. Saturday, Oct 25, 4pm, Royal Cinema (608 College Street).

FESTIVAL

imagineNATIVE
imagineNATIVE is on now, celebrating its fifteenth year of aboriginal programming at TIFF, Hot Docs, Trinity Square Video, Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, and many more. See the full list of films screening here, plus more art events are parties here. Until Sunday, Oct 26.

See also

• Sikh International Film Festival Toronto (Saturday, Jackman Hall, AGO)
• Adventure Day Out (Sunday, Everygreen Brickworks)

GALLERIES

Bev Koski and Christian Chapman - Recast / Oct 24 - Nov 22 / Gallery44
Gallery44 is partnering with imagineNATIVE to show Bev Koski and Christian Chapman's provocative sculptures later this month, where the familiar will become uncanny as it's recast by the artist's nimble skills - I'm especially looking forward to Koski's bead enshrined dolls, pictured above. The opening is Friday, October 24, 6-8pm.

See also

• Margin of Eras (Friday, 832 Bloor Street West)
• Flash Forward 10: Uncanny Worlds Opening Reception (Saturday, OCAD)

MUSIC

"No fees, no radius clause, paid gigs." TWiMFeST runs at Rancho Relaxo, The Gladstone Hotel, The Horseshoe Tavern, Charlie's Gallery, Magpie Taproom, and Caplansky's October 23-26. Check out our preview of the indie music festival here.

See also

• Ben Frost (Friday, Garrison)
• Work/Death, Gordon Ashworth, Manticore, Beard Closet (Sunday, Ratio)
• Lights (Sunday/Monday, Danforth Music Hall)

For more music listings, check out our October Concerts post.

BOOKS

IFOA
Got lit? You've got some on your upper lip, here use my sleeve. All gone. Button up your cardigans and pull out your thick framed glasses, the International Festival of Authors is in town. Harbourfront Centre is hosting readings, talks, interviews and panels with major Torontonian, Canadian, and international authors. Programming runs until November 2nd. Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West).

FASHION & LIFESTYLE

The Everything to Do with Sex Show
Got a burning desire? Looking for some sexy results? Want to play a wicked game? The Everything to Do with Sex Show October 24-26 at the Direct Energy Centre can probably help with that. Unless it involves a rash, then you need a doctor.

See also

• The Annex Flea (Sunday, CSI Coffee Pub)

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

Contributions by Julia Stead