Toronto's streets are no stranger to pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and the occasional scuffle involving all three groups. But for a few hours on Oct. 5th, locals and visitors alike can expect one thing: art. And lots of it.
For the unfamiliar, this year's Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Toronto will litter the city streets, not with garbage but with 112 exhibits put together by 500 local, national and international artists.
Among this year's exhibits will be a version of Ai Weiwei’s Forever Bicycles. The sculpture of over 1,000 bicycles can be found at Nathan Philips Square and adds to the Chinese political activist and artist's influence on the city. In August, the Art Gallery of Ontario opened a exhibit, "According to What?" featuring a collection of photographs, sculpture, installation art and audio and video pieces.
Like the previous seven Nuit Blaches in Toronto, the festival looks to run from sunset to sunrise for a "sleepless" night of gawking, strolling and pondering in the name of contemporary art.
This year's official kick-off time is at 6:51 p.m. and if last year's numbers are an indication of anything, participants can expect a fair bit of company. Scotiabank's 2012 rendition drew in roughly one million visitors, 170,000 of which were tourists, according to the city of Toronto
The bulk of the events and exhibitions can be found in Toronto's down town core, sandwiched between Bloor and Front Streets, though pockets or art can be found in Toronto's Distillery District, Queen West and west of Trinity Bellwoods Park.
Travellers looking to catch more of Toronto than just Nuit Blanche can also take advantage of the various hotel promotions during that weekend. The Fairmont Royal York for example, will be offering a one-night and weekend rates starting at $159. Cheaper options include the Bond Place Hotel, Madison Manor Boutique Hotel or Hotel Victoria with rates starting at $90 per night.
Will you be attending Nuit Blanche in Toronto this year? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @HPCaTravel.
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