Today, the Yorkville neighbourhood in Toronto is an upscale shopping and entertainment district but in the 1960s, it was Canada's musical and cultural mecca. Packed with small coffeehouses, the compact enclave hummed with the sounds of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Ian and Sylvia and many more. Clubs like the Riverboat, the Penny Farthing, the 71, Chez Monique, El Patio and more thrived along Yorkville Avenue and Avenue Road.
Dr. Mike Daley is a lecturer and researcher with a particular expertise in the history of Yorkville - how and why it became a cultural hotspot, what happened here, and how it affected the careers of the musicians who passed through. The Yorkville Music History Walking Tour brings this incredible history back to life. We'll cover around 1.5 kilometres (a circuitous route from Yonge and Yorkville to Avenue and Yorkville) and you'll learn all about the Yorkville coffeehouses - where they were, what they were like, and the colourful cast of entrepreneurs who ran them. You'll learn about the roots of Yorkville as a 19th century village outside the city limits, its rise as a Bohemian enclave of folk and jazz venues, its transformation into Canada's hippie capitol, and its demise as a youth scene amid police crackdowns and gentrification.
The tour runs for 90 minutes and is limited to 25 participants. We will be outside for the entire tour. Private tours are available; email mikedaley@gmail.com for details.
Rain date: Friday June 21 at 10 am. Please ensure that you are available for both the main date and the rain date.
