Upcoming Events - by Date

We Put Our Foot In Everything!

Do you have an idea for a public program event at the Bata Shoe Museum? You don't have to be a shoe expert to start something!

Are you a performer? Shoes have inspired plays, dances, music, and art.
Are you a storyteller? Shoes are the main show in many a film, folk tale, and novel.
Are you an expert in your field? Ancient cultures, current fashion trends, political events past and present, or economics are just some of the subjects that can be explored by looking at footwear.

To find out what it takes to get involved, follow this link.

There's always something happening at the Museum! Our changing exhibitions and collections inspire talks, music, family activities, and much more with a unique flavour found nowhere else.

Here's a print-friendly Events Program for September through December 2009.
This PDF file (2 pages, 0.8 MB) prints on legal size (8 1/2 x 14") paper.
You may need to download and install the free Adobe Reader to view PDF files.

You can view upcoming events by TYPE OF EVENT (Especially for Families, Lectures, etc.) or by date (with event details, below).

Selected previous events are listed in the ARCHIVE section.

Every Saturday (except when pre-empted by other programming)
11 am to 4 pm

Regular Museum admission.

Drop-in

Especially for Families

Saturday Shenanigans: Family Fun at the Bata Shoe Museum

Bring the family to the Museum and step into a special Saturday. Combine learning and fun as you explore the exhibitions and enjoy the afternoon with us. Perfect for families with children ages three to nine.

Join us in December for Holiday Shenanigans: Decorate a festive Christmas stocking and create your very own pine cone skier!

Every Sunday (except when pre-empted by other programming)
1 to 4 pm

Regular Museum admission + $1 per mini-clog

Drop-in

Especially for Families

Paint-a-Mini-Clog Sundays

Parents, the next time you hear "There’s nothing to do!" bring your children aged 3 to 9 over to the Museum to paint a mini-clog, try on shoes, and explore the galleries!

Included in regular Museum admission.

Guided Tours

Join Museum docents every Saturday and Sunday as they provide you with first hand information about one of Toronto's most unique and surprising destinations! Tour is free with Museum admission.

Saturday, January 9, 2-2:45 pm:
Guided Tour with Museum Docent Kristin Martin

Sunday, January 10, 2-2:45 pm:
Guided Tour with Museum Docent Edythe Gerrard

Saturday, January 16, 10:30-11:15 am:
Guided Tour with Museum Docent Kathy McFarlane

Sunday, January 17, 2-2:45 pm:
Guided Tour with Museum Docent Carole Lord

Sunday, January 24, 2-2:45 pm:
Guided Tour with Museum Docent Edythe Gerrard

Saturday, January 30, 2-2:45 pm:
Guided Tour with Museum Docent Kristin Martin

September 23 - December 31, 2009

Included in regular Museum admission.

Snapshot Exhibition

Thierry Agnone – Paper Glamour

Join us at the Bata Shoe Museum for a unique and captivating 'snapshot' exhibition of delicate paper shoe sculptures by French artist, Thierry Agnone. Fresh yet complex, these art pieces are sure to delight visitors, capturing shoes at their most exquisite.

November 19, 2009 - September 20, 2010

Included in regular Museum admission.

Gallery Opening

On a Pedestal: From Renaissance Chopines to Baroque Heels

The Bata Shoe Museum is pleased to announce a once-in-a-lifetime experience for visitors this fall. Bringing together an international collection of exceptionally rare examples of fashionable shoes, the much anticipated exhibition On a Pedestal will focus on two of the most extreme forms of footwear ever worn in Western dress, the chopine and the high heel.

Marking the first time that such an extensive collection of shoes from the Renaissance and early Baroque periods will be brought together under one roof, prestigious lenders from all over Europe have contributed rare artefacts to this exhibit which will examine the origins and cultural meanings of both the chopine and high heel, as well as investigating issues of art and architecture, exoticism and trade, and politics and gender.

Click here to find out more information about our special Renaissance lecture and music series.

POSTPONED

Special Event

Una Mora en Mi Enamora: Concert and Talk with Musicians In Ordinary and Prof. Josiah Blackmore, Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese at UofT

Enjoy an evening of Spanish songs of love for Moorish girls and of great battles against Moorish armies. With a special presentation by Prof. Josiah Blackmore.

POSTPONED

Friday, February 5, 2010
8-9 pm; doors open at 7:30 pm

COST: $25 per person; 20 for students and seniors; $10 for members of the Bata Shoe Museum. Pre-registration required; call 416-979-7799 x242

Special Event

Carnival in Venice: Party Music of the 16th Century: Concert by the Toronto Consort

Renaissance Italy celebrated Carnival in style, with elaborate processions, masquerades, songs and parties being a feature of life particularly in Florence and Venice in the days leading up to Mardi Gras. The Toronto Consort, Canada's leading ensemble specializing in Renaissance music, performs a delectable selection of carnival songs and dances from the early 16th century, with voices, lute, recorder, hurdy-gurdy, harpsichord and viola da gamba.

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
7-10 pm

COST: Pay What You Can; $10 per person suggested. Cash bar.
This is a 19+ event.

Special Event

‘Til Ten at the BSM

See the Bata Shoe Museum in a whole different light! On Wednesday, February 17th, the BSM is staying open late to let you experience a one of a kind night at the Museum. Take in the culture and history of our galleries, including complimentary tours by Museum docents. Relax and sip cocktails in our elegant ‘Til Ten lounge, take in the performance art piece and photograph exhibition of performance artist Faye Camilla, and enjoy the sounds of a live DJ. Don’t miss your chance to experience the fresh and fun side of the BSM during ‘Til Ten.

Sunday, February 28, 2010
2-3 pm

COST: $14 per person
Free for Bata Shoe Museum members and faculty/students at the Centre for Renaissance and Reformation Studies, UofT
Pre-registration recommended: call 416.979.7799 x242

Special Event

Redefining the Modern: Footwear in Early Modern and Contemporary Europe.
Illustrated Talk by Wendy Sepponen, University of Toronto, Fine Arts

To better understand the global and historical influence and exchange that resulted in examples of truly remarkable shoe fashions, join lecturer Wendy Sepponen as she examines footwear from Renaissance, Baroque, and contemporary Europe.

For more information about events listed on this page, or to pre-register
Please contact programs@batashoemuseum.ca or call 416.979.7799 x242.

Would you like to hear about new exhibitions and events?
Subscribe to our free ENEWSLETTER to receive monthly email updates on Museum activities.

How can you receive free or discounted admission to many of the paid events listed here? By becoming a MEMBER of the Bata Shoe Museum.

Media contact
Rosmarie Gadzovski, Marketing and Public Relations Manager
416.979.7799 x225

IMAGES OF FOOTWEAR: (C) BATA SHOE MUSEUM, TORONTO unless otherwise stated.