When is it truly considered “summertime” in Toronto? If you’re looking for the answer, forget the calendar. Summer ultimately arrives for Toronto music fans when NXNE descends upon the city.
NXNE (North by Northeast), in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last 19 years, is the annual weeklong festival that brings a mix of music, film, comedy and art to T.O. Ford is a sponsor at this year’s edition of NXNE. Creativity is important to the blue oval and sponsoring the festival gives us a chance to pay tribute to the artistic community.
The 2013 lineup includes 1,000 bands, 150 comedians, 60 artists, and 30 films. Last year, the festival drew 330,000 people during the week. And, perhaps most importantly, NXNE generates an annual economic impact of approximately $50 million on Toronto.
Talk about numbers on the board.
NXNE runs from June 10-16. So, to mark the occasion, here is a list of 5 things you don’t want to miss at the 2013 edition.
The Rockstar Booth
Visit the Ford Rockstar Mini Movie Booth at Yonge-Dundas Square, where you can pose in front of a green screen and act out a series of actions and audio. We’ll then turn that into a video, superimposed with a cool background, and share it with you. It’ll make a nice addition to your Facebook profile page or YouTube channel.
Hometown punk rockers Billy Talent will be performing at the Ford concert night on Saturday.
June 15
Saturday is the Ford concert night at NXNE and the main event will be held at Yonge-Dundas Square. Headlining the Ford stage is the punk rock group Billy Talent, who hail from nearby Mississauga. The best part is this concert is completely free and open to all ages! For a complete list of who will be performing, click here.
Rolling Stones Documentary
The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band is in the spotlight again because of their 50 Counting tour, so this documentary comes to NXNE at the perfect time. The Rolling Stones – Charlie is my Darling – Ireland 1965 takes a look at the early days of the band and features never-before-seen concert footage. It’s perfect if you’re in the mood for nostalgia, or if you want to show your kids what made this band popular in the first place.
Keynote from Kobo
As part of the Interactive segment of NXNE, Mike Serbinis, the president of eReading giant Kobo, will deliver a keynote address. Kobo has proved quite the success story, helping to entirely transform the book industry for the digital age. And best of all – Kobo got its start in Canada! This presentation will see Mike discuss the rise of the revolutionary company.
Ludacris will take the stage at Yonge-Dundas Square on the final night of NXNE (June 16).
Ludacris
A hip-hop megastar, Luda has quite a remarkable resumé that includes over 20-million albums sold, three Grammys, and acting roles in an impressive list of films. As a veteran rapper with plenty of club-bangers and No. 1 hits in his catalogue, we’re definitely excited to see him take the stage on the final night of the festival (June 16). It’s a safe bet that the energy level of Yonge-Dundas Square will be turned up that night.
What are you looking forward to at 2013 NXNE? Have you been to the festival in the past? Let us know in the comments below!
Bonus Contest
We’re giving you the chance to win a V.I.P. pass to Saturday’s Ford concert. Just send us a tweet @FordCanada with the hashtag #NXNE telling us what you’re looking forward to at the festival.