Annual March 6th Fundraiser
The Old Town Revue: A Love Letter to Toronto
Gather online to celebrate Toronto’s 187th birthday with an ode to our wonderful city!
Emceed by popular local historian Bruce Bell, the evening will be in the form of a revue with a top-notch array of entertainers all coming together to celebrate our city.
This year’s Revue will include performances from the following:
Julie Nesrallah: Mezzo-soprano Julie Nesrallah is a singer and CBC broadcaster who dazzles audiences with her engaging personality and her rich, expressive voice. Miss Nesrallah has performed for leading opera companies, symphonies, festivals and chamber music ensembles across Canada and around the world.
Rosemary Lawton: Rosemary is an award-winning Newfoundland traditional artist with formal training in classical violin, and has completed her degree in Music Education. She is a passionate advocate of women’s issues and champions the advancement of women in the music industry through her work.
The Haunted Walk: Ghosts, graveyards, hangings and haunts. From the old military town of York to the metropolitan city of today, discover Toronto’s darker history. Offering interpretive programming and walking tours of Ontario’s darker past.
Bruce Bell: Bruce has been guiding walking tours throughout Toronto since 2000. In 2002 he was named by the City of Toronto the Official Historian of St. Lawrence Hall and St. Lawrence Market. Bruce’s mission is to tell Toronto’s history through his tours, writings and lectures.
Plus…
- Get a Behind-the-Scenes tour of our Collections with our Curator, Zoé Delguste-Cincotta.
- Participate in Toronto-based trivia throughout the evening to win an incredible prize!
- Enter our raffle for a chance to win a 1 night stay and breakfast for 2 at the Holiday Inn Express Downtown Toronto!
- Of course, it wouldn’t be March 6th without the popular Old Town Silent Auction, featuring many of our favorite local businesses. This year the auction is moving online and is running for an entire week! Check out this year’s Auction lots here.
For the latest on the event, see our event page here and follow our social media channels @TOs1stPO and #Tos187th.
Bonus perk! Your registration confirmation includes an exclusive discount code for 25% off our shop, redeemable online or in-person.
DATE AND TIME:
Saturday March 6th, 2021
7:30pm-9pm.
PRICE:
$8 for TYHS Members/$10 Non-Members
100% of ticket sale proceeds and donations go directly to the Town of York Historical Society and Toronto’s First Post Office.
For the first time in TYHS history, our annual fundraiser will be presented virtually, allowing our viewers and participants to join us remotely and take part in the celebration from the safety and comfort of your homes. While we regret that we cannot celebrate together at St. Lawrence Hall, be assured that yours will be the best seat in the house!
The aim of the event is to fundraise for the Town of York Historical Society and Toronto’s First Post Office whose purpose is researching, interpreting, and promoting the history of the Town of York and early Toronto, and to advocate on behalf of the preservation of the Town of York’s surviving built environment.
A variety of entertainment of local entertainers ranging from historic tid-bits, music, and comedy.
The Old Town Silent Auction showcasing items from our neighbourhood partners.
Trivia and RaffleShow off your knowledge of Toronto history and enter for chances to win amazing prizes.
@TOs1stPO | #TOs187th
A Big Thank You to …
Old Town Silent Auction Donors:
- Gotamago – Toronto’s Lines Gift Set
- Holiday Inn Express Toronto Downtown – One night stay and Breakfast for 2
- Kimberfire – Pearl and Diamond Earrings
- Kozlick’s Canadian Mustard – Mustard Variety Packs
- Robbie Estate – Ennid Robbie Silk Screen Prints
Interested in sponsoring this event or donating to our Silent Auction? Find out more here.
2020
Toronto's 186th Birthday!
- Richard Fiennes-Clinton shares stories from the Town of York
- Food from St. Lawrence Market vendors
- Old Town Silent Auction
2019
Toronto's 185th Birthday
- Bruce Beaton as William Lyon Mackenzie
- The Interpreters
- RSCDS Toronto (Scottish Country Dancers)
- Food from St. Lawrence Market vendors
- Old Town Silent Auction
2018
King Street: The Great Thoroughfare of Toronto
Christopher Hume, urban affairs columnist
with Rollo Myers,
and Barbara Gray, Manager, City of Toronto Transportation Services
Old Town Silent Auction
Table Presenters:
- Mackenzie House Museum Toronto
- Transit Bricks
- On The Bright Side
- City of Toronto Transportation Services
2017
1867 / 1967: An Evening of Story and Song
- Bruce Bell, with Randy Vancourt on piano, spoke on the history of St. Lawrence Hall and of Toronto, at these turning points in Canadian history.
- A Battle-of-the-Bands performance of music from 1867 and 1967 by Ian Bell, Michelle Rumball, Tom Leighton, and Conrad Kipping
- Old Town Silent Auction
2016
The Flood
The Flood by Leah-Simone Bowen
- Handwriting Analysis by Edda Manley
- Old Town Silent Auction
2015
The Postman
- Appledore Productions previewed The Postman
- Old Town Silent Auction
2014
Soldiers of Song: A Tribute to the Dumbells
- Jason Wilson and ABMG presented Soldiers of Song: A Tribute to the Dumbells
- Old Town Silent Auction
2013
There was no fundraiser in 2013, as the St. Lawrence Hall was undergoing renovations.
2012
Petticoats, Scoundrels and Soldiers
- Peter Meyler, author of A Stolen Life: Searching for Richard Pierpont,
on the “Coloured Corps” and its contribution during the War of 1812. - Single Thread Theatre Company premiered Petticoats, Scoundrels and Soldiers
2011
Then and Now: A Poetic Landscape of Toronto
- Brick Road Creations premiered Then and Now: A Poetic Landscape of Toronto
- Performance and workshop of English Country dances by dance mistress Karen Millyard and friends, accompanied by trio Playford’s Pleasure.
2010
175 Years of Toronto
- Michael Comstock on Toronto’s 175 years.
- A display of plans for Fort York’s new interpretive centre by the Fort York Guard.
- A performance by Random Roads band.
2009
175 Years of Cakes
- Bruce Bell and Richard Fiennes-Clinton in discussion on Toronto’s history.
- Performance by the Fort York Regency Dancers.
- Soprano Aleksandra Balaburska, accompanied by pianist Irene Wong-Montgomery, performed songs popular in the 19th century.
- Refreshments provided by the Culinary Historians of Ontario and George Brown
College’s students of Applied Food History, featuring “175 Years of Cakes”.
2008
An Ode to St. Lawrence Hall
- A performance by the Downtown Alternative School Singers
- Bruce Bell on the performance history of St. Lawrence Hall
- A performance by the St. James’ Cathedral Choir
2007
Toronto: A Retrospective
- Bruce Bell, on Toronto as a colonial outpost to Imperial city during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- Silent Films: Toronto in the Dawn of Cinema, a program of early footage curated by Candida Paltiel of the Planet in Focus film festival and narrated by Mike Filey.
- Former mayor David Crombie, on some of the challenges of the past few decades.
2006
Toronto's Birthday
Bruce Bell and Mike Filey in discussion on the history of St. Lawrence Hall.