April
Fabled City
Allies in Troubled Times: The Mississauga First Nation in the Battle of Fort York
Mon. April 2, 7 – 9 pm
The Mississauga Nation chose to fight alongside British troops to defend Fort York against the invading Americans. Poet and storyteller Stacey LaForme of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation brings to life these troubled times. The evening will also include a short tour of the Fort, focusing on First Nations involvement in the War of 1812. Refreshments are included.
Pre-registration is required by calling 416 392-6907 x 0
Admission $15 adults, $12 youth & senior, $10 child (all prices plus HST)

Ontario Women’s History Network: Annual Meeting and
Conference: Women and the War of 1812
Sat. April 14, 8 am – 5 pm
Eleven speakers address the topic under broad themes: Setting the Context: Race, Gender, Ethnicity and Class in Colonial Canada before the War; Women’s Roles and Experiences during the War of 1812; Gender and the War of 1812 in Upper Canada: History, Memory, and Commemoration; and Remembering and Commemorating Women’s Roles in the War of 1812: Possibilities and Challenges. The day concludes with a tour of Fort York.
Participants must pre-register. For further information about speakers and fees please visit http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/~owhn

Community Cleanup Day
Sat. April 21, 10 am – 12 noon
Help us give a much-needed spring cleaning to the Fort’s Garrison Common. Join us for Mayor Rob Ford’s Community Cleanup Day at Fort York National Historic Site. All equipment will be provided.
A FREE Family Pass to the site will be offered to all those who give their time.
Meet at the front gates.

Newfoundland Commemoration of the Battle of York
Victoria Memorial Square, Wellington St. W at Portland Street
Sun. April 22, 1 pm, all are welcome
Act of Remembrance and Wreath Laying to honour the soldiers of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment who fell in the Battle of York, 27 April 1813. On the 199th anniversary of this sacrifice, we recall the common interest among the British colonies in North America in resisting invasion 50 years before Confederation and long before Newfoundland joined that union. The Old Comrades of the 48th Highlanders, active soldiers of the Regiment, and the Fort York Guard in period uniform will participate in a brief but dignified ceremony.

Parler Fort: Exploring Toronto’s Past, Present, and Future
Toronto: A Natural City? Building Our City to Harmonize
Ecological & Human Systems
Thurs. April 26, 7:30 pm (doors open at 7:00)
How can Toronto and other cities re-envision their built environment to create a more sustainable foundation for growth and community? The editors of The Natural City (U of T Press, 2011), Stephen Scharper and Ingrid Leman Stephanovic, will lead an urgent but hopeful panel discussion including a philosopher, an architect, an ecologist and an urbanist.
Admission $8.85 + tax, Students admitted FREE

Canadian Citizenship Ceremony at the Fort
Fri. April 27, 11 am – 12 noon
Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, in partnership with Fort York’s volunteer Citizenship Committee and Fort York National Historic Site, will host candidates for citizenship at a special community ceremony at the Fort. The event includes community roundtable discussions, guest speakers, music, and a reception for the participants.
FREE admission to the public on this day.

Battle of York Commemoration
Sun. April 29, 10 am – 5 pm
Discover Fort York National Historic Site and commemorate the 199th anniversary of the Battle of York, fought on 27 April 1813.

• To start the day the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC) will parade from HMCS York to a flag-raising ceremony.
• All day long displays of naval shore gunnery, 19th-century seamanship, musket firings and military drills will be offered.
• Tours will depart regularly explaining the Battle of York, science of fortification, and 1812-lifestyles. In the fort’s 1826 kitchen there will be demonstrations of Georgian-era cooking techniques
• Children will be able to “fall-in” to learn the same drills practiced by the Canada militia in 1812, or to talk with period-animators in the Soldiers’ Barracks.

Regular admission.

MAY
Toronto District School Board History Fair
Wed. May 2, 10 am – 2:30 pm
Elementary school students from the West District of the Toronto District School Board display their history projects. educational day fun or the whole family. Recommended for ages 3–12.
Regular admission.

Fort York Historic District Walking Tours in association
with Jane’s Walks: Fort York and 200 years of Development
Sun. May 6, 1 – 2:30 pm
Explore the history and evolution of Fort York, the Garrison Common, and the nearby Lake Ontario shoreline from the early British colonial era to the present day. The tour highlights the Battle of York, the fortification and development of the harbour, and the eventual industrial, recreational, and residential growth of this vital area.
FREE admission to Fort York following tour.

Parler Fort: Exploring Toronto’s Past, Present, and Future
A Celebration of June Callwood and the new
June Callwood Park
Wed. May 16, 7:30 pm (doors open at 7:00)
Join June Callwood’s many friends, colleagues and family members for this evening of storytelling and remembering one of Toronto’s most beloved people. Coinciding with the publication of It’s All About Kindness: Remembering June Callwood (Cormorant Books, 2012, ed. Margaret McBurney) and the start of construction on a stunning new park adjacent to Fort York, designed to embody her words, “It’s All About Kindness.”
Admission $8.85 + tax, Students admitted FREE

Victoria Day
Mon. May 21, 10 am – 5 pm
What better way to celebrate Victoria Day than to visit the birthplace of Toronto. Tours, kids’ activities such as soldier’s drill, demonstrations of Georgian-era cooking techniques, and English country dancing.
Regular admission.

Doors Open
Sat. and Sun. May 26 and 27, 10 am – 5 pm
Fort York will open its doors to the public for this annual celebration of history and architecture. Enjoy special tours of some of Toronto’s oldest architecture (and home to Canada’s largest collection of original War of 1812 buildings) or stroll the grounds of this National Historic Site.
Sunday only: 1 – 2 pm
Enjoy a featured walking tour, City Building: “Simcoe to Skyscrapers.” The tour highlights the founding of York (Toronto) by Lt. Governor John G. Simcoe, the Battle of York (1813), the fortification and development of the harbour, and the eventual industrial, recreational, and residential growth of this vital area.
FREE admission all weekend.

JUNE
The Encampment (Luminato)
June 8–24
A large-scale public participatory art installation, The Encampment proposes the archaeological encampment as its metaphor. A dig for artifacts is replaced by a dig into the collective memory of a public space and its history. This acclaimed installation will celebrate the launch of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 as part of Luminato 2012. The installation will be open to the public in the evenings.
Admission is FREE.

Bicentennial Commemoration Launch
June 15–24
Enjoy Bicentennial events across the City, as well as at the Fort, that commemorate the Declaration of War in June 1812:

• Experience the grandeur of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and a new specially commissioned work, as the Luminato Festival presents a free outdoor concert performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in David Pecaut Square.
• Explore The Encampment at Fort York National Historic Site, an interactive installation by artists Thomas & Guinevere of 200 tents, each detailing the stories and lives of civilians touched by the war. Presented by the City of Toronto and Luminato.
• Honour those who died and reflect on the outcomes of their sacrifice at an all-night vigil in St. James’ Cathedral.
• Think about the war from the contemporary perspectives of five young multi-media artists in an exhibition at Harbourfront Centre.
• Join us as we revisit our community at the onset of war. Courtesy of the St. Lawrence Market BIA, engage in conversation with actors in 1812-era dress as they wander through Toronto’s Old Town relating “events of the day.”

National Aboriginal Day
Thurs. June 21, 5 – 10 pm
Dance, Music, Traditional food, Storytelling, and Entertainment. Learn more about First Nations spiritual traditions honouring the land, the season, and the environment.
FREE admission.

Regular admission to Fort York: Adult: $8.61, Senior (65+) & Youth (13 – 18 yrs.): $4.31,
Children: $3.23, Children (5 and under) FREE (all prices include HST, where applicable)