The Festival of Bizarre Toronto History Is Back!
Plus: a new series of true crime talks, the history of annexation threats, and more...
The Festival Of Bizarre Toronto History is coming back for 2025! Just like we’ve done for the last two springs, we’ll spend a week digging into the weirdest tales our city has to offer — seven days filled with online lectures, panels, interviews, and walking tours.
In the first two years of the festival, we’ve covered everything from the Circus Riot to the Patty Wars to body snatchers to the man who mailed himself out of slavery. I’ve had a ton of fun putting the events together while getting to invite some of Toronto's greatest storytellers to be part of them. The response has been absolutely wonderful, so I’m delighted to be bringing it back for 2025!
I’ll be sharing lots more details about the line-up and the schedule in the weeks to come. For now, I can tell you it will involve alligators, cemeteries, and much, much more.
Here’s everything else you need to know so far…
The Schedule
The festival will be taking place during the week of June 2.
From Monday to Friday, there will be a new online lecture, panel or interview every night. Those events will all happen over Zoom, and if you have to miss any don’t worry — they’ll all be recorded so you can watch them whenever you like.
Then on the weekend, we’ll head out into the city for a few truly bizarre walking tours.
Tickets
You can attend the entire festival for just $49.50 (including all taxes and fees). Or get tickets for each individual event for $17.50.
More Information
I’ll be revealing the line-up over the next few weeks. But in the meantime, you can learn more at:
Toronto’s Most Notorious — My New Lecture Series for The Toronto Public Library!
I’m giving a whole new series of lectures for the Toronto Public Library — four monthly talks about some of the most notorious criminals and crimes from our city’s history. And it kicks off in just a couple of weeks!
Toronto's Most Notorious explores the shadowy underbelly of Toronto's past with true crime and mystery stories about the scoundrels, rogues, killers and crooks whose crimes have shocked and fascinated our city for generations. I’ll be sharing wicked tales of vice and villainy and how they've shaped the history of the place we call home.
TORONTO’S MOST NOTORIOUS: MURDERS & MYSTERIES
Friday, April 18 — Noon — Online
Toronto has a bloody past. The history of our city is filled with stories of chilling murders and mysterious disappearances. And while these tales may send shivers up our spines, they also have a lot to teach us about the place we call home. In this special lecture, storyteller and historian Adam Bunch will introduce us to the murderers who've been terrorizing Toronto ever since it was founded and explore the history of the city through the stories of some of its most infamous homicides.
TORONTO’S MOST NOTORIOUS: CON ARTISTS & KIDNAPPERS
Friday, May 16 — Noon — Online
Our city is nicknamed “Toronto The Good,” but has often been anything but. It's been home to plenty of crooks throughout its history, notorious criminals who have hatched devious schemes to take advantage of their fellow citizens. From the botched abduction of a brewing icon to the baseball star who became one of North America's most wanted men, storyteller and historian Adam Bunch will introduce us to the con artists and kidnappers whose villainous plots left Torontonians nervously looking over their shoulders.
TORONTO’S MOST NOTORIOUS: BANK ROBBERS & BANDITS
Friday, June 27 — Noon — Online
Toronto has been the stage for countless dramatic scenes of criminality: wild shoot-outs, brazen stick-ups and daring heists. From the shadowy Victorian bandits who once terrorized the Don Valley to the bank robbers who made audacious escapes from the Don Jail, storyteller and historian Adam Bunch will introduce us to some of the most infamous outlaws in our city's history, felons whose exploits landed them on the front page as often as they landed them behind bars.
TORONTO’S MOST NOTORIOUS: BOOTLEGGERS & SMUGGLERS
Friday, July 11 — Noon — Online
Toronto's history is filled with tales of criminals creeping through our city's shadows. In this talk, we'll head into the secret speakeasies, backrooms and brothels of days gone by to uncover those stories. Storyteller and historian Adam Bunch will introduce us to everyone from the smugglers who snuck shipments up the Scarborough Bluffs to the jazz age rumrunners who defied Prohibition to the gangsters who got rich off the rewards of bootlegging.
I Was On The Agenda This Week!
Trump isn’t the first American to threaten Canadians with annexation, and given the news these days I was invited onto TVO this week to talk about some of that history on The Agenda.
Here’s the episode description: “Canada's recent political tensions with its neighbor south of the border have given some historians a déjà vu moment. A 19th century petition was uncovered from Toronto Public Library's archives, demonstrating Toronto's firm determination to resist annexation to the U.S. This movement was outlined in the Montreal Annexation Manifesto of 1849. The Agenda invites historians Adam Bunch and Dominique Marshall to help us understand what we can learn from the past.”
You can stream the episode for free right here:
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QUICK LINKS
The best of everything new in Toronto’s past…
VERY TALL NEWS — It was fifty years ago this week that a helicopter moved the top piece of CN Tower’s spire into place to complete the main construction work on what was then the tallest free-standing structure in the world. Jamie Bradburn wrote about our city’s most famous landmark — and why we built it — for Toronto Today. Read more.
LOST PALACE NEWS — The Palace Arms had been standing on the corner of King & Strachan for 135 years, but was demolished last year. Michael Smee wrote about it for the CBC this week, reporting that since the building had heritage protection, the facade was originally supposed to be incorporated into the new development. But the brickwork had been allowed to deteriorate to the point where the City agreed it couldn’t be saved. So, instead, the new apartment building is meant “to salvage and re-use a dozen elements from the original building.” Read more.
BEFORE TORONTO NEWS — Eric Sehr has another new post in his project exploring the history of Brockton Village. In this one, he looks into the Indigenous history of the land where the city and the neighbourhood now stand. Read more.
MUDDY YORK NEWS — The Muddy York podcast has a whole bunch of new episodes since I last mentioned them. They took a look back at the 1955 provincial election (which saw a Toronto Tory aim to unseat the last Communist MPP in Ontario), explored a Victorian streetcar strike, shared the history of the Elgin & Winter Garden theatres, and interviewed Florence Linehart, “one of Toronto’s greatest unsung visionaries.” Listen to them.
SWEET NEWS — Robyn Sturtevant has created a new map for Heritage Toronto that explores the history of confections in the city, “from Canada's first cocoa factory to a revolutionary sugar refinery that has been operating for over sixty years.” Read more.
FUTURE OF HISTORY NEWS — Heritage Toronto has released its 2025 State of Heritage Report, looking to answer the question “If the heritage sector were to put community perspectives first, what kind of city could Toronto be five years from now?” Read more.
GASSY NEWS — At Spacing, Peter MacCallum takes a look back at the days when much of Toronto ran on gas produced by the Consumer’s Gas Company — as recorded in photographs from a century ago. Read more.
TINY DINER NEWS — Way back in 2022, I mentioned Andrew Smith’s miniatures project. He was creating tiny versions of Toronto’s lost music venues. Now, he has turned his attention to Toronto’s lost greasy spoons. Isabel B. Slone interviewed him earlier this year for Toronto Life. Read more.
SPINNING DISC NEWS — Kimia Afshar Mehrabi wrote about the history of Sam The Record and the Yonge Street store’s iconic sign for blogTO. Read more.
CENTURY OLD NEWS — College Park originally opened as an Eaton’s department store back in 1930. The initial plan was meant to include a huge tower above it, but when the Great Depression hit that idea was dropped. Now, with the building’s 100th anniversary coming up in a few years, the owners have announce plans to revisit the original vision and launch a series of events about the past and future of College Park. Anthony Teles wrote about it for Urban Toronto a few weeks ago. Read more.
TORONTO HISTORY EVENTS
THE 52: STORIES OF WOMEN WHO TRANSFORMED TORONTO
April 9 to December 20 — Wednesday to Saturday, 12pm to 6pm — Museum of Toronto
“Did you know that 52% of Torontonians are women? Join Museum of Toronto as we bring their stories to life. The 52 is a project that celebrates the impact that women have had on our city, the world, and beyond. Building on a multi-year research project, our newest exhibition will celebrate the lives of 52 women who have shaped Toronto as we know it. Spanning from the 1800s until today, this exhibition shines a spotlight on the change-makers, rebels, and revolutionaries within Toronto’s 52%. While some of these women’s stories are well known, others have gone relatively untold until today. See how many names you are familiar to you — step into their shoes, learn their stories and discover the ways they have transformed Toronto.”
Free! Donation suggested.
THE BEACH IN THE 1920s and ’30s: THE NEIGHBOURHOOD’S CHARACTER TAKES SHAPE
April 16 — 7pm — Beaches Sandbox — The Beach & East Toronto Historical Society
Historian and author Richard White shares stories about the Beach in the 1920s and 1930s, an era when the neighbourhood’s character was taking shape.
Free!
THE PARANORMAL ROADSHOW
April 17 — 7:30pm — Montgomery’s Inn — Etobicoke Historical Society
“Join ‘Ghost Guy’ Steve Collie as he takes us to different hauntings throughout Toronto, Brampton and Exhibition Place. Steve will explain the stories behind these strange hauntings at locations such as historic museums, bars, government buildings and even Fort York. Many of these hauntings have never been told before.”
Free for members; annual membership is $25
MAPPING TORONTO: BRINGING HISTORY TO LIFE
April 23 — 7pm — Toronto’s First Post Office — Town of York Historical Society
“Join us as we officially unveil the digital companion for our 1837 map model! Learn how our speaker, Mike Carter, professional tour guide and local historian, built an interactive digital version of our popular model, overlaying our map with the current City layout which now provides visitors with a more immersive experience and adds an interactive element to our permanent display. An exciting announcement will also be unveiled at the start of the evening so be sure to register early as spots are stricly limited!”
$17.31 for non-members; $11.98 for members.
BATTLE OF YORK DAY AT FORT YORK
April 27 — 11am to 4pm — Fort York National Historic Site
“Experience the commemoration of the 212th anniversary of the Battle of York with special tours and demonstrations. Discover the battle's impacts on the city, this land and its peoples. Join the special ‘Anishinaabeg Defenders of York’ tour and learn the stories of Toronto's Indigenous defenders. Excite your imagination with musket and music demonstrations, historic kitchen animations, special presentations and more!”
Free!
WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS: WHEN COPS AND COURTS GET IT WRONG
April 29 — 6:30pm — Toronto Reference Library
“Interested in true crime? Toronto Reference Library is hosting a monthly True Crime Series of panel discussions with some of Canada's top crime writers. This month panelists: Lorna Poplak, author of Drop Dead: A Horrible History of Hanging in Canada, Lorna will focus on wrongful convictions between Confederation and the abolition of capital punishment in 1976. Susan Goldenberg presents her book: Snatched! The Peculiar Kidnapping of Beer Tycoon John Labatt [which] highlights two wrongful convictions. This time, Nate Hendley, in addition to moderating, gives a presentation about the 1956 wrongful murder conviction of 14-year-old Ron Moffatt of Toronto.”
Free!
BANNED & BREWED: A HISTORY OF BEER & TEMPERANCE IN TORONTO
May 1 — 6:30pm — Online & at Campbell House Museum — Town of York Historical Society
“Join us for a captivating evening of exploration and celebration at the Town of York Historical Society’s annual fundraiser in celebration of Toronto's 191st Birthday. This event not only commemorates the incorporation of the city of Toronto but also serves as a significant opportunity to support the preservation of our rich historical heritage. Delve into the exciting history of beer, brews, and temperance in the City of Toronto, with a chance to sample up and coming local craft beers.” Keynote speaker: Jordan St. John.
$43.93 for non-members in person; $38.61 for members in person; $22.63 for non-members online; $17.31 for members online.
THE EARLY AIRFIELDS OF TORONTO
May 8 — 7:30pm — Lambton House — Heritage York
Dr. Bob Galway shares the history of early airfields in the city.
Free, I believe! Annual memberships are $20.
BLATANT INJUSTICE: INTERNMENT OF JEWISH REFUGEES IN CANADA DURING WORLD WAR II
May 13 — 1:30pm — S. Walter Stewart Library
“Author Ian Darragh talks about the new edition of his book chronicling the harrowing experiences of Jewish refugees to Canada, who were treated as enemies and imprisoned in internment camps during World War II. Yet the internees did not let the authorities crush their spirit. "Blatant Injustice" is a story of resilience and determination.”
Free!
THE DON: THE STORY OF TORONTO’S INFAMOUS JAIL
May 24 — 1pm — Riverdale Library
“Join True Crime author and historian, Lorna Poplak as she presents an illustrated talk that will focus on an in-depth exploration of the Don Jail from its inception through jailbreaks and overcrowding to its eventual shuttering and rebirth. The program will highlight stories about inmates, guards, governors, gangs and officials. Q&A to follow. Signed books available for purchase.”
Free!
THE BEACHES: CREATION OF A TORONTO NEIGHBOURHOOD
May 27 — 2pm — Taylor Memorial Library
May 29 — 2pm — Victoria Village Library
“Local historian, Richard White, presents his book, The Beaches: Creation of a Toronto neighbourhood with an illustrated lecture recounting several key aspects of the history of Toronto's Beaches neighbourhood, drawing from the author's book. Richard White is a historian, author, and former lecturer of Canadian history and urban planning history at the University of Toronto.”
Free!
Learn more at the links above.
JUSTICE SERVED: WHEN COPS AND COURTS GET IT RIGHT
May 27 — 6:30pm — Toronto Reference Library
“Interested in true crime? Toronto Reference Library is hosting a monthly True Crime Series of panel discussions with some of Canada's top crime writers. This month panelists: Peter Edwards, Toronto Star reporter and author of several blockbuster true-crime books about bikers and gangs. Peter Vronsky, the best-selling author of multiple accounts of murder and mayhem. Peter will give a recent update on the work he has been doing with the recent Richard Cottingham ‘Torso Serial Killer' cold case murder investigations in the United States. Moderator: Nate Hendley, renowned and award-winning author of The Beatle Bandit and other true-crime books.”
Free!
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF OLD TORONTO
May 28 — 2pm — Barbara Frum Library
“The Jewish community of Toronto, numbering close to 200,000 in the greater metropolitan area, is the largest in Canada and now one of the largest in North America. This presentation illustrates the early Jewish community of Toronto from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, a time period that saw the rise of two distinct and colourful Jewish neighbourhoods, the Ward and Spadina Avenue, and culminated with the community?s geographic shift northward to mid-town along the Bathurst Street corridor. Speaker: Bill Gladstone is a professional genealogist, writer and publisher who has published many books about the Toronto Jewish community. As a journalist, he was a frequent contributor to the Globe and Mail and was a writer and columnist for the Canadian Jewish News for 35 years.”
Free!