Cavalcade of Lights Festival
Encyclopedia
Nathan Phillips Square
Nathan Phillips Square is an urban plaza that forms the forecourt to Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall, at the intersection of Queen Street West and Bay Street, and named for Nathan Phillips, mayor of Toronto from 1955 to 1962. The square opened in 1965, and, as with the City Hall, the square was...
has an impressive 43-year history in Toronto. The event was created in 1967 to showcase Toronto's newly constructed City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square.
This festive event traditionally falls on the final weekend of November to kick-off the holiday season with the official illumination of the Square and giant Christmas tree. The lighting display at Nathan Phillips Square is a 44-year holiday tradition featuring the official Christmas tree and more than 300,000 energy-efficient LED lights that shine from dusk to 11:00 p.m. every night throughout the holiday season (from November 27, 2010 to January 1, 2011).
Since 2002 Cavalcade of Lights has transformed from a one night format to a month-long holiday celebration with the addition of Saturday night skating parties to live music at Nathan Phillips Square's famous outdoor rink.
In 2004, the event expanded to become a city-wide celebration including sparkling energy-efficient LED lighting displays in Toronto neighbourhoods.
2010 Event Information
This year, Cavalcade of Lights takes place for one night only. The festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 27, with the lighting of Toronto’s official Christmas tree, a trampoline performance by Haut-Vol, and live musical performances by Divine BrownDivine Brown
Divine Brown , previously known as Divine Earth Essence, is a Canadian rhythm and blues and soul singer and theatre performer....
, Shawn Desman
Shawn Desman
Shawn Bosco Fernandes better known by his stage name Shawn Desman, is a Canadian pop/R&B singer of Portuguese descent. He is signed to Universal Music Canada.-Career:...
, and Sarah Slean
Sarah Slean
Sarah Hope Slean is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet, and occasional actress from Pickering, Ontario. She has released eleven albums to date .-Major recordings:...
, under the music direction of Wade O. Brown. The concert culminates in a spectacular fireworks display at 8:00 p.m., followed by a skating party "Celebrating 40 Years of the Juno Awards" featuring award winning Canadian music from the past 40 years with DJ Tony Sutherland.
2009 Edition Information
The festivities kicked off on Saturday, November 28 at 7:00pm with the lighting of Toronto’s official Christmas tree, fireworks and live musical performances by Steven PageSteven Page
Steven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
, Matt Dusk
Matt Dusk
Matthew-Aaron Dusk is a Canadian jazz musician / vocalist. He currently has two certified gold albums: Two Shots and Good News, and three number one radio hits: "Back in Town," "All About Me", and "Good News."-Biography:From an early age, Matt Dusk wanted to become a performer. At the age of...
, Keshia Chante
Keshia Chanté
Keshia Chanté is a Canadian Juno Award-winning critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, model, and actress...
, and Fritz Helder & the Phantoms, under the music direction of Adrian Eccleston. Each concert culminates in a spectacular fireworks display at 8:00 p.m., followed by a skating party on the iconic rink with tunes provided by a different guest DJ each week.
The fireworks, free concerts and skating parties continue Saturday nights in December from 7:00 p.m. featuring:
December 5: Jully Black
Jully Black
Jully Black |Julie]]"; born Jullyann Inderia Gordon; November 8, 1977) is a Canadian R&B singer–songwriter. She has collaborated and written for many artists, including Nas, Missy Elliott, Saukrates, Choclair, Kardinal Offishall, Destiny's Child, and Sean Paul.-Life & career:Black was born Jullyann...
with a Soul/Funk skating party by DJ Jun
December 12: State of Shock (band)
State of Shock (band)
State of Shock is a Canadian-based band from Vancouver, British Columbia. They made their debut in June 2004 with their album Guilty by Association....
with a skating party by Promise DJs spinning the hottest dance music hits
December 19: Faber Drive
Faber Drive
Faber Drive is a four-piece, Canadian pop punk band from Mission, British Columbia.-Biography:Discovered by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, and signed to his 604 Records label after winning Fox Seeds, a local radio challenge, Faber Drive released their debut album, Seven Second Surgery, on May 15, 2007...
with an Alternative music skating party by DJ Misty Rock n' Roll
Past Performers
The Cavalcade of Lights has brought the best in Canadian and international talent to perform as part of each year's festivities. Past performers in recent years have included:2005: Esthero
Esthero
Esthero ,born Jenny-Bea Englishman, is a Canadian singer-songwriter who currently lives in Los Angeles, California. The name Esthero refers both to the singer and formerly to the two-person team of herself and producer Doc McKinney...
, In Essence
In Essence
In Essence is a 5-member Canadian R&B group that has had success both in Canada and USA. The groups members, Dru, Pops, Smooth, Que and Touch all met in Toronto, Ontario in 1993. On a trip to NYC, In Essence met Funkmaster Flex and his manager and in 2001 they were signed to Franchise...
, Patrizia Ciofi
Patrizia Ciofi
Patrizia Ciofi, born in Casole d'Elsa, Siena, on June 7, 1967, is an Italian operatic soprano. She is married to the conductor Luciano Acocella....
, Lisa Odjig, DJ Starting from Scratch, Circus Orange and the Arabesque Dance Company.
2006: Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett is a Canadian rock musician originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and now resides across the harbour in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia...
, jacksoul
Jacksoul
jacksoul, sometimes stylized as jackSOUL, was a Canadian soul and R&B band. Based in Toronto, the band was fronted by singer Haydain Neale, and was best known for their hits "Can't Stop" and "Still Believe in Love"....
, God Made Me Funky
God Made Me Funky
God Made Me Funky is a Toronto-based funk group. The group started in 1996 as an "instrumental funk fusion experiment" and developed a popular following in the Toronto music scene.-Awards and nominations:...
, Stabilo (band)
Stabilo (band)
Stabilo are a rock band from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada. Formed around 1999, they are best known for their songs "Everybody", One More Pill, "Don't Look In Their Eyes", "Flawed Design", and "Kidding Ourselves"....
, Lindy, Divine Brown
Divine Brown
Divine Brown , previously known as Divine Earth Essence, is a Canadian rhythm and blues and soul singer and theatre performer....
, Faith Chorale and Kayte Burgess.
2007: Kim Stockwood
Kim Stockwood
Kim Stockwood is a Canadian pop singer and songwriter. She was a member of Atlantic Canadian regional music group Shaye from 2003-2009 with Damhnait Doyle and Tara MacLean ....
, Murray McLauchlan
Murray McLauchlan
Murray McLauchlan, CM is a Canadian singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and harmonica player.-Biography:Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, he emigrated to Canada with his family when he was five years old...
, Nikki Yanofsky
Nikki Yanofsky
Nicole "Nikki" Yanofsky is a Canadian jazz-pop singer from Hampstead, Quebec. She is involved in charitable causes, and released her first studio album on her own label, A440 Entertainment, and on Decca Records outside of Canada. Yanofsky sang Canada's national anthem at the opening ceremonies of...
, Sarah Slean
Sarah Slean
Sarah Hope Slean is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet, and occasional actress from Pickering, Ontario. She has released eleven albums to date .-Major recordings:...
, Louis Pitre, Jully Black
Jully Black
Jully Black |Julie]]"; born Jullyann Inderia Gordon; November 8, 1977) is a Canadian R&B singer–songwriter. She has collaborated and written for many artists, including Nas, Missy Elliott, Saukrates, Choclair, Kardinal Offishall, Destiny's Child, and Sean Paul.-Life & career:Black was born Jullyann...
, Suzi McNeil, DJ Alvaro, Tomi Swick
Tomi Swick
Tomi Swick is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Hamilton, Ontario signed to Warner Music Canada.By age 13, Swick had learned to play several instruments, including the bagpipes, military drums, piano and guitar. At 19 he began playing in a Hamilton band but soon pursued a solo career. He is a...
, Hayley Sales
Hayley Sales
Hayley Sales was born on August 31, 1986 in Washington D.C. She is a singer and songwriter who rose to fame after the release of her album Sunseed. She is best known for her two songs 'What You Want' and 'Keep Driving'...
. DJ Tricky Moreira, The Golden Dogs
The Golden Dogs
The Golden Dogs are a pop-rock band based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Formed in 2001, the band is known for their wild, energetic live shows and were labelled as one of the best live bands in Canada by Chart Magazine.-History:...
and In-Flight Safety
In-Flight Safety
-External links:* official website*...
.
2008: Serena Ryder
Serena Ryder
Serena Ryder is a Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter raised in Millbrook, Ontario.Ranging musically between folk, roots, country, and adult contemporary music, Ryder possesses a five-octave range...
, the Canadian Tenors, Alex Cuba
Alex Cuba
Alexis Puentes , better known by his stage name Alex Cuba, is a Cuban-Canadian singer-songwriter who sings in Spanish and English. He has won two Juno Awards for World Music Album of the Year: in 2006 for Humo De Tabaco, and in 2008 for his second album, Agua Del Pozo...
, Dragonette
Dragonette
Dragonette is a Canadian electropop group active since 2005. Dragonette consists of singer-songwriter Martina Sorbara, bassist and producer Dan Kurtz and drummer Joel Stouffer....
, DJ Denise Benson, DJ Tony Sutherland, Andrew Craig, Toya Alexis
Toya Alexis
LaToya Lesmond , better known by her stage name Toya Alexis, is a Canadian R&B vocalist from Ajax, Ontario.- Career :...
, Zack Werner
Zack Werner
Zack Werner has had a career in the music industry as an artist, producer, entertainment lawyer and manager. He is also president of Toronto-based Venus Management and Venus Records , where he spends his time finding and developing new talent across Canada.He attended the St...
and the final three Canadian Idol
Canadian Idol
Canadian Idol is a Canadian reality television competition show which aired on CTV, based on the British show Pop Idol. The show was a competition to find the most talented young singer in Canada, and was hosted by Ben Mulroney. Jon Dore was the "roving reporter" for the first three seasons...
contestants of the season.