Toronto Time Machine

A creation of famed Canadian cartoonist Charles Thorson, Punkinhead the bear  was a common sight inside and around Eaton's department store. Bright colours and holiday festivities roared down the Toronto streets last week for the 2024 edition of The Original Santa Claus Parade provided a delightful spectacle for young people as well as those people young at heart. Part of the parade’s draw to audiences during this seasonal tradition is the appearance of whimsical characters. Of course, Santa Claus and more recently Mrs. Claus is lead figures of the holiday parade while other staples of the pre-Christmas event include marching bands as well as the Celebrity Clowns. Modern editions of The Original Santa Claus Parade have also involved a number of popular characters familiar to audiences beyond the parade. Former Canadian department store Eaton, the originator and longtime sponsor of the Toronto Santa Claus Parade, chose in 1947 to introduce a new mascot to appeal to toy-craving chil...

MuchMusic and MusiquePlus Stamps Released by Canada Post (Photo Credit: CNW Group/Canada Post) It was forty years ago when the broadcast of Rush’s "The Enemy Within" signified the launch of Canada’s first music channel. From 299 Queen Street East in Toronto, MuchMusic began broadcasting on August 31st between maverick media magnate Moses Znaimer and Canadian television producer John Martin. Formerly working with CBC, Martin pitched a show called The NewMusic that aired in 1979 on Znaimer’s City-TV (the television channel was purchased by CHUM Limited in 1981). The success of that show prompted the motivation for creating an MTV-like all-music station in Canada that went live in 1984.  From its inception to the 2000s, MuchMusic and later its French-language ami MusiquePlus that took to the airwaves in 1986 provided Canadians (particularly Canadian youths) with an avenue to experience musical culture. Immersive programming on the channel would include popular music videos, conc...

Photo Credit: Toronto Blue Jays This month, a Toronto landmark marks its 35th anniversary as a hub for sports and entertainment for the entire country. The Rogers Centre or (more affectionately known) originally as the Skydome continues to exist as an achievement in engineering for its retractable roof. While the building has become a comfortable sight and there have been newer sport venues providing more than what the Skydome could provide in 1989, there is a lot of charm in a space that has hosted concerts, shows, NFL games and, of course, the Toronto Blue Jays including during the successful 1992 and 1993 World Series runs.  The Skydome’s commemoration identified the complex as a multi-use facility like no other built at this time. In addition to the before-mentioned efforts for the current tenants of the Rogers Centre, the Toronto Blue Jays , other team’s of the Canadian city that played inside the retractable roof sporting complex included the Toronto Argonauts from 1989 to 20...