Posts Tagged ‘crowd’

Pride, no parade 2020

Posted: June 28, 2020 in events, people
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Instead of pictures of this year’s Pride Parade, I am posting some photos from previous Pride weekends from my archives. I have tried to use pictures that weren’t chosen for prior blog posts. As you know, the fall out from Covid-19 includes cancellation of parades in Toronto this summer. There was a virtual Pride parade online this year (so I hear) but that doesn’t lend itself to photography. We miss the social interactions that normally occur. We miss the atmosphere and the fun. This collection is a poor substitute for the real thing but maybe it will bring back a few memories….. See you in 2021!

Pride parade, rainbow wings, dancing woman

women dancing in the street, pride parade

women dancing in the street, pride parade

carrying a big polka dot umbrella

pride parade, woman, this is a good sign

group, drag queens, pride parade

high fives, pride parade

young people posing for pictures outside store with happy pride balloons in the window

two women kissing, on sidewalk, outside, pride

two people dancing, pride parade while spectators cheer

woman doing limbo dancing, pride

man in pink shirt and straw hat dances while squating while people passing by slow down to stare

man with rainbow mask

naked people in pride parade, backside view, bums,

you can be naked too, sign held by nude people walking in pride parade

older person walking with walker in pride parade

pride parade, man in some leather

pride parade

purple parasol, pride weekend activities

3 people on roof watching pride parade

one man sitting on another man's shoulders, rainbow flag

man in uniform in pride parade

Singh, leader of federal NDP at pride parade, in pink turban

Rocky Horror theme group at pride parade with sign that says let's do the time warp again

flowers entirely converng back of person's head and neck, one on nose too

underwear

3 people on top of green container watching pride parade

truck pulling float down Yonge Street for Pride parade

woman in Waterloo Engineering society t-shirt high fives with crowd watching pride parade

on float at pride, in long turquoise dress and platinum blond hair

woman watching pride parade

getting ready to make bubbles

blowing bubbles, pride parade

Greek Independence Day Parade

Posted: March 25, 2019 in events, locations, people
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Greek Independence Day is March 25, comemorating the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821. Prior to that, they had been part of the Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years, since 1453. Yesterday there was a parade along the Danforth to mark the occasion.

a man in traditional Greek clothing carries a flag in a parade, he is in front of a group carrying a banner

There were people with banners representing many groups including the Cultural Society of Kilkis and Suburbs,

a man in a blue parka carries a banner in a parade, a small flag-like banner for the Cultural Society of Kilkis

the Thessalon Federation of Ontario, and many more,

women in traditional Greek costume carry a banner of the Thessalon Federation of Ontario, a blue banner, in a parade, while others walk behind the banner

a woman in a brown coat and maroon scarf wrapped around her head, holds a Greek flag. Behind her is a boy in traditional greek clothing in a parade

a woman with dark sunglasses and blue coat holds three small flags, two Greek and one Canadian

the crowd cheers and claps as a parade passes by

3 girls posing with a banner, the younger girl holds a Greek flag, they are with a banner representing the Daughters of Penelope

a group of people, older men with kids, Greek Independence day parade

below: There was only one float in the parade. It was a memorial to those who died in the Greek genocide during and after WW1 when the Christian Ottoman Greeks living in Anatolia (now part of Turkey) were killed or driven out.

people in costume on a float commemorating the genocide of Pontos

a girl in red jacket and cap, dark sunglasses, and holding a Greek flag, walks in a parade, with people on the sidewalk watching in the background.

a police man in yellow jacket directs a group of marchers in the Greek Independence Day parade on the Danforth. The group is walking with a large banner with words written in Greek

two kids in traditional Greek costume pose for a picture. The young girl is not amused.

in a parade, people (mostly young boys) carrying a banner for the Knossos society (of Crete), along the Danforth, Greek flags, other people watching

a man in traditional Athenian clothing with pompoms on the toes of his shoes walks in a parade while holding a very large Greek flag

what is happening at city hall?

Posted: July 27, 2018 in events, people
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below: What is happening? By the looks of it, Doug Ford and John Tory have taken up cricket. Nice uniforms but something’s not cricket…

a woman with light brown hair holds a sign at a protest, seen from the back. The sign says what is happening? Picture of John Tory and Doug Ford as cricket players.

below: What is happening is a protest. A decent sized crowd gathered at Nathan Phillips Square late this afternoon because why?  Because another Ford, another protest. Been there, done that, and is he really going to do what? Sigh.

crowd gathered at Nathan Phillips square for a protest, TV cameras, microphones, speakers, protesters, signs, placards,

below: Making a point.  Doug Ford recently dictated that the sex ed curriculum brought in by the last government will no longer be taught because not enough parents had been consulted about its contents.  Today he announced that the number of Toronto city council seats will be reduced from 47 to 25 after he consulted with zero zilch nada of Toronto’s 2.7 million people.  Hypocrisy.  It also gives credence to the theory that this is all sour grapes – he lost the last mayoral election to John Tory and his ego is damaged.

a man in a green t shirt holds up a protest sign that says Dick-tator Ford

below: “To succeed we must secede #provinceofontario”  An interesting concept?

Crowd of people at protest rally at city hall in Toronto. One man holds a sign that says to succeed we need to secede

protesters at an anti Doug Ford and anti PC Ontario provincial government for their announcement to cut the number of city council seats

two middle aged red headed women holding a sign at a protest at city hall

a young woman holds up a sign that says Dud Ford. Words followed by a sad face. Seen from the back. Lots more people in the crowd at the rally

below: Ford did campaign on cheap beer, a dollar a can if I remember correctly.  There was no beer at Nathan Phillips square this afternoon.   No consultations AND no beer.

a woman holds a white hand written sign at a protest, the sign says You campaigned on cheap beer, not on cutting my representation in government with no public consultation where is my beer?

Young women in a crowd, holding a sign that says Ford - F for Fuck O for Off R for rude and D for Doug

below: A lone dissenter (or at least the only visible one). “Thank you Doug Ford.  You saved me a part of my battle, for the Mayor’s office.  Harris suggested this at amalgamation you put it in to action. Jim McMillan.”

people sitting by the Archer, a Henry Moore sculpture, at Nathan Phillips Square. An older man is talking to another man. He is holding a hand written sign that says Thanks to Doug Ford

Once the speeches were over, some of the protesters went inside City Hall to the council chambers where a city council meeting was in progress.  We’ll see what happens in the coming days and weeks.

below: Like most days, there were lots of tourists in the square too.  But that’s a whole other story!

a father and son by the light purple O in the 3D Toronto sign. In the background is a group of people at a protest

cruising Church Street

Posted: June 26, 2018 in events, people
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Walking with the revelers on Church Street on Sunday afternoon as the Pride Parade was winding down.

a man in drag, high heels, skimpy bottoms and a frilly red top looks at the camera with a smirk and a wink

crowds on church street, with a man in just underwear sprawled on a chair in the middle of the street

three Asian woman laughing as they walk down the street, looking at something that has made them laugh

an south asian man in pink shirt and sunglasses gets a topless woman to pose with him, she is kissing him

two men with big beards. one in a short red top and red cap, the other topless except for shoulders straps

two women talking, with rainbow headbands and colourful clothes, as another woman walks past behind them

a young girl holding a bunch of yellow balloons

men with no clothes except for black leather harnesses and straps and a black cap

below: A slow time at the ice cream truck

a young man sits in the window of an ice cream truck as he watches the crowd

below: It was the man behind that made me laugh.

two naked men walking down the street, with a man behind them taking their picture, two women in bathing suits and large hats

below: Matching butterflies.

two women in bikinis, both with sparkly butterflies on their lower back

a man in drag with a wig of long grey hair, black hat with red flowers, in the crowd

a young man with pink t shirt and fuzzy pink ears, another man with a rainbow flag on his back and his hand over his mouth

a group poses for a selfie shot as other people walk by

below: Daddy hunter

woman with a sticker that says daddy hunter

below: Another daddy sticker

a woman is putting a sticker on her upper thigh while another woman looks on

below: Spock makes an appearance

a man dressed as Spock mingles with the crowd in front of Pizza Pizza

All For One in first

Posted: December 11, 2017 in events, people
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On Saturday Toronto FC, Toronto’s pro soccer team, won the MLS (Major League Soccer) championship when they beat the Seattle Sounders 2 – 0 in the finals.  To celebrate, there was a parade from Maple Leaf Square, near the Air Canada Centre, up Bay street to Nathan Phillips Square.

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, police escort at the front of the parade

kids sitting on a float, waving tfc flags, dressed in red and white

float being pulled by a car in the tfc parade on Bay Street, December 2017

The team was founded in 2005 and began playing in 2007.   They were the first Canadian team in Major League Soccer.  Since then, 2 other Canadian teams have joined the league, Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact.  There are 22 teams altogether.

below: A line of photographers join the parade

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, photographers walk in a line in front of one of the banners in the tfc parade up Bay street to celebrate thesoccerteam's championship win

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, men holding a banner

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, young boy helping to hold a banner as they walk in a parade

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, a group of men fans wearing red and white tfc team scarves

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, a group holding a banner as they walk

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white,

a reporter holding a microphone, interviewing a couple who are watching the Tornto FC parade, she is holding a large red 2 and he is holding a large red 3, the number 23, They are wearing tfc hats andscarves and sweatshirts

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, a man wearing a large tfc team flag

below: Outside Nathan Phillips Square.

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, crowd in front of Nathan Phillips Square, team and fans on open top double decker red bus, two policemen on horses,

below: She had the action happening right in front of her – including me!

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, group holding three large flags

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, father with young child on his shoulders as he takes a selfie, tfc scarf

below: The team players made their entrance into Nathan Phillips Square with lots of people lining the barricades.  You’ll notice that I have no photos of the players themselves.  It was just too crowded.   Besides, I have more interest in the fans and supporters!

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white,

below: ‘All For One’ in the Toronto FC motto.

people in Nathan Phillips Square, including all along the south ramp. Banner over the entrancethat says, All For One, which is the tfc motto

Toronto FC parade, people dressed in red and white, wearing red and white toque and scarf and waving a tfc team flag

The space in front of City Hall was crowded!  Hundreds of fans in red and white filled most of the available spaces around the Christmas Fair booths.  They also lined all the upper ramps and walkways.  There were speeches and then…..  I will admit to running off to find a warm drink in a warm place instead of sticking around to listen!  I don’t follow soccer but considering the size of the crowd today plus the fact that attendance at a TFC game averages over 27,000, many others do follow it…..  soccer has definitely found a home in Toronto.

from the back, a youngman holds out a flare

women in a crowd of Toronto FC supporters in a parade

four boys in red and white at a parade

pillow fight 2017

Posted: April 3, 2017 in events, people
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April 1st was International Pillow Fight day and like previous years, a group gathered at Nathan Phillips Square armed with pillows and ready for a fight.  Swinging, ducking and hitting as well as laughing and smiling, ensued.

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

below: Superman made an appearance

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square, father and son

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square, a girl and a boy wearing a hot dog costume

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square, two young girls

pillow fight

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

people, pillow fight, Nathan Phillips Square

below: A well deserved rest after a fight well fought.

two boys lie on pillos on the concrete ground of Nathan Phillips Square

Festival of India parade

Posted: July 18, 2016 in events
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Many people walked and danced, clapped and chanted, as they paraded down Yonge Street on Saturday to start the annual Festival of India weekend.

The parade is similar to an annual procession (Ratha Yatra) that has occurred for centuries in the city of Puri, India as part of a Hindu festival associated with the god Jagannath.  Here in Toronto, as in Puri,  three chariots constructed to look like temples are pulled through the streets in a procession from one temple to another.    Each chariot carries a richly decorated representation of a god, first is  Jagannatha (another name for Krishna or God) and then his brother Baladeva and his sister Subhadra.   The chariots are pulled by people and the procession symbolizes the pulling of the Lord into our hearts.

In Puri, this Ratha-Yatra procession continues to attract over a million people every year.  In Toronto, the numbers aren’t quite that high!

a police car drives slowly in front of a parade as it makes its way down Yonge Street

people walk behind a yellow horizontal banner that reads Festival of India, Join us at Centre Island.

two women in sarees are pulling on a large rope in a parade. In the foreground, a man is pulling on another rope.

a group of young South Asian women walking in a parade. One of them has her face decorated with paint. In front of them is a group of young men in yellow tops and white bottoms, one has a drum.

South Asian, Indian, women, in long colourful sarees dancing as they move down Yonge Street in a parade

some older people dressed in white riding high in the chariot float in the Festival of India parade, others walking in front and pulling ropes to make the chariot move.

South Asian, Indian, women, in long colourful sarees dancing as they move down Yonge Street in a parade, lifting their skirts a little bit as they move

people walking in front of one of the chariots in the Festival of India parade in Toronto

a large blue wheel that is holding up a chariot float in the Festival of India parade, people walking beside and behind it as they walk down Yonge Street

lifting the red rope that separates the parade from the traffic, women dancing and clapping and walking as well as other people, pulling ropes to pull the chariot in the parade

dancing in the square

Posted: June 4, 2016 in events
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Sharing Dance
Organized by the National Ballet School,
the 3rd annual Sharing Dance event was held at Yonge Dundas Square.

A chance to laugh a little and learn a few moves.

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - a woman in a tie dyed T-shirt and orange cap dances on her own while others watch

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - kids

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - one little girl is facing the opposite direction from the others

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - a middle aged couple

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - a kick line of 5 or 6 young women

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - a younger woman helps an older woman with a walker to lift her knees in ballet moves

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - 5 young women with the arms in the air

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - hands in the air

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - running in a circle

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - a couple dancing together

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - young women in blue t-shirts, arms linked, kicking

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - one knee up

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance

people dancing at Yonge Dundas Square as a group, part of an event called Sharing Dance - a mother is taking a photo of her daughter for instagram

#sharingdance

Fight for 15 and fairness

Posted: April 16, 2016 in events, people
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Rally and protest in front of the Ministry of Labour building on University Avenue.

April 15 was chosen as the day for rallies and protests across the country in support of a $15/hour minimum wage as well as other changes to labour laws.  Changes such as equal pay for equal work and fair scheduling.

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - people, many different union flags

cars driving past the protest on University Ave., people lined up on the boulevard taking pictures of the rally

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - photo taken from across University Ave

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - older woman in a blue baseball cap and smoking a cigarette holds a sign that says "Kicking ass for the working class"

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - one of the leaders, a young Asian man, gives a speech

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - three female students standing together holding signs. One says "Public Health students for decent work" and the other says " Free prescriptions, no student debt,

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - a car passes by the rally and as it does, people try to persuade the driver to honk his horn.

 

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - the contingent from York University, behind a banner that says $15 fairness now.

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - two women are talking together. One holds a sign that says $15 salario minimo (Spanish)

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - members of the OPSEU union arrive at the rally waving flags, holding signs, and carrying a banner that says Fight for fifteen dollars and fairness"

a young man is handing out leaflets to drivers of cars as they past a rally for Fight for 15 anf Fairness, a protest for decent working conditions and wages

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - two men standing together, one with a United Steelworkers flag and the other with a large effigy of Kathleen Wynne's head held above his own head

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - the rally spilled onto the street at one point. police kept the far lane open for traffic, in this picture an upmarket car (Jaguar?) passes by the crowd

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - members of the OPSEU union arrive at the rally waving flags, holding signs, and carrying a banner that says Fight for fifteen dollars and fairness"

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - a group of people stand around holding a flag banner about 3 metres by 3 metres that says fight for fifteen and fairness.

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - a white car passes by the rally, the woman driver leans out her window to take a picture with her cellphone

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - people holding signs that says "defend workers rights" and "fifteen dollar minimum wage now"

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - people holding flags and one person holding a sign that says "Unite here local 75"

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - speakers and a few people holding signs at the top of the stairs, using that part as a stage

photographs taken at a rally and protest in support of a $15 minimum wage, The Fight for 15 and fairness - large group of people standing around holding a black banner with the words "Make it fair" in large white letter.

man holding up a sign that says "Wake Up" at a rally protesting for a $15 minimum wage

#15andfairness | #OntarioWeWant

15andfairness.org

 

pillow fight!

Posted: April 4, 2016 in events, people
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Pillow Fight at Nathan Phillips Square
in celebration of International Pillow Fight Day 2016

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - 2 asian women hit each other with pillows while other people watch

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a young man with two yellow pillows looks intensely at a man with a pillow raised over his head

feathers go flying as pillows break during a pillow fight amongst a crowd of people

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a man wearing a suit and dark sunglasses participates in the pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a number of young people laughing

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a boy closes his eyes and ducks his head as two pillows come his way

two young women leaping at each other as they try to hit each other with pillows

two young boys swing pillows at each other - people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a young girl swings a pillow

young people participating in a large outdoor pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

a woman holds her hands up by her head defensively to ward off pillows being swung by two girls

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a young man with earmuffs and a woman wearing a face mask

young men swinging pillows at each other in a large pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people at Nathan Phillips square on a cold day watching a pillow fight, spectators,

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - an Asian woman swings a pink pillow at a man wearing a ski mask

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a woman with long red hair hides under her pillow as she walks through a crowd

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a young woman is on the shoulders of a man as they pass through a crowd during a pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a woman in a pink and blue striped hat smiles at a man as she readies to through a pillow at him

a person in a bear costume waves to the camera as a boy in pyjamas holds a pillow

people, adults and kids, swinging pillows at each other in a large pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

asian young man in suit and tie and glasses is laughing and smiling as he swings a pillow in a pillow fight outdoors with many people

a young woman holding a pillow and screaming at another young woman

blog_little_kids_pillow_fight

an asian woman with her hair dyed auburn has a pillow over her head as she emerges from a crowd at a pillow fight

#pillowfight | #pillowfighttoronto

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