Nuit Blanche
On a cold, chilly Saturday night this weekend, I decided to check out the immensely popular Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, a contemporary, free all-night art event which takes place annually right in the heart of downtown Toronto. Even for those who consider themselves not too fond of the arts, I'd definitely recommend this one.
Nuit Blanche also takes place in various cities across the world, including Paris (its birthplace), Brussels, Rome, Bucharest, Riga, Madrid, La Valette, Portugal, Tokyo, Montreal, Leeds internationally and San Francisco, New York, Miami and Chicago in the Americas. Toronto itself recreated this spectacular festival just 2 years ago, back in September 2006. For those who don't speak/understand French, "Nuit Blanche" directly translates to "Sleepless Night', describing the art festival quite aptly.
The event kicked off at dusk as planned, proceeding to entertain thousands of visitors from virtually all across Canada till the wee hours of the morning. I myself made an entry at 9 sharp; upon arrival at Nathan Phillips Square, I was greeted with a phenomenal German exhibit known as "Dancing Lights" that illuminated the entire City Hall in quite a bedazzling display. Armed with a highly informative and handy guide booklet, I planned out my night, choosing those events that would be closest by foot. Of course, public transit was running over time to accomodate for the millions (literally) of visitors that flooded the streets of Toronto; I myself avoided using the subway just so I could take in as much of the exhilarating ambience that filled the city that night.
Nuit Blanche itself was split into 3 zones, Zone A, B and C that were spread out all across downtown.Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I was unable to explore the entire event, although I didn't feel too upset after hearing from fellow visitors that it's virtually impossible to experience the whole of Nuit Blanche even in the 12 hours allotted – there's just so much to see!
In the 3 hours that I did manage to experience, I must say I loved the walk down Queen Street the most. For those of you who have been to Toronto, I'm sure you would agree wholeheartedly. Even on a perfectly normal morning, a stroll down Queen St. is sure gonna leave you wanting more – I'd safely label is the Champs Elysees of the city. Did I mention the European feel of the street? Dotted with fancy cafes, eateries and all the finest boutiques, it was certainly the place to be that night. Not only did the charm of Queen St. entertain, there was also the added benefit of interesting and highly unique art displays available to passers-by at absolutely no cost.
The City of Toronto definitely hit gold with the inception of Nuit Blanche back in 2006. Not only is it a great opportunity for art lovers from all walks of life to meet, it's an excellent way of discovering the many hidden nooks and crannies of Toronto city. I bet even local residents would learn a thing or two about their city thanks to the festival. You can check out a few photos from Nuit Blanche right here on my photoblog. Kudos to all those who helped create a perfect "Sleepless Night" in Toronto!
