September 14, 2018

Moana movie screening Sep 22

Join us for the last outdoor movie of the year, the family-favourite Moana, a special presentation in support of the Friends of Charles G. Williams Park (“Sorauren playground”) on Saturday, September 22.

Activities kick off with a Basketball Jamboree at Charles G. Williams Park across Wabash Avenue from Sorauren Park, starting at 4 p.m. Kids aged 7 – 11 can sign up for the jamboree and tournament in person at Scooter Girl Toys on Roncesvalles Avenue, or by calling Scooter Girl Toys at 416-534-211 or emailing the shop.

We’ll also have a Teddy Bear Clinic, presented by Dundas West Animal Hospital, Fun Games for Kids, presented by Scooter Girl Toys and The Little Paper, and a raffle.

And the pizza oven will be fired up for park-made pizza with our partner Pizzeria Defina. Come to the parks!

Basketball Jamboree: 4 p.m.
Teddy Bear Clinic: 4:30 p.m.
Kids’ Games: 5 p.m.
Pizza Dinner: 6 p.m. ($10 per pizza, share of proceeds to the park)
Movie: 7:30 p.m. (free – donations welcome)

Kids Games Sponsored by

Outdoor Movie Season Presented by

Pizza Dinners Presented by

2018 Season generously sponsored by:

Dundas West Animal Hospital

Master Mechanic High Park

Meridian Credit Union

Pizzeria Defina

Produced by:

August 31, 2018

Special screening of Hocus Pocus Sept. 13

The Friends of Sorauren Park are proud to support the City of Toronto and the non-profit organization Park People to kick off the Pumpkin Parade season with a special 25th Anniversary screening of the bewitching comedy classic Hocus Pocus, starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy.

The free outdoor screening will take place on the Sorauren Park Town Square Thursday, September 13, along with pizza dinner from the park’s oven, and a special live performance.

6 pm: Pizza Dinner with Pizzeria Defina staff making fresh pizzas in the park’s oven.
7 pm-ish: Special LIVE appearance from Winifred Sanderson, courtesy Toronto entertainer Heroine.
7:30 pm: Free movie screening, Hocus Pocus.

When three 17th century Salem witches are accidentally summoned by modern-day pranksters, the 300-year-old trio sets out to cast a spell on the town and reclaim their youth, but first they must outwit three kids and an immortal talking cat. Get ready for a night of zany fun! Rated PG, 1h 36min.

#HocusPocus25

Pizza Dinners will be available for purchase ($10 each) before the movie from the new Sorauren Park Pizza Oven, prepared and presented by Pizzeria Defina. Pizza purchases are cash only, with a portion of the proceeds going to Friends of Sorauren Park.

Please take transit, bike or walk to Sorauren Avenue Park. The streets are narrow and busy in the neighborhood, and there is no parking in the park.

The closest subway stop is Dundas West, closet streetcar stop is Sorauren at Dundas.

There are accessible public washrooms in the Sorauren Avenue Park Fieldhouse.

The next screening in the park’s regular Outdoor Movie Season will be the kid special Moana, in support of renovations at Charles G. Williams playground.

Get ready for the annual Pumpkin Parades!

On November 1st of each year, Toronto’s pumpkins shine brightly for one last night in parks across the city. The tradition, started at Sorauren Park, has spread to dozens of parks in Toronto and parks in Montreal, New York and elsewhere.

September 9, 2018

Gracias! Taste of Spain fundraiser kicks off fall season

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A beautiful cool evening and the art-deco industrial home of Junction Craft Brewing welcomed revellers for the successful Taste of Spain fundraiser in support of Friends of Sorauren Park and Friends of Charles G. Williams Park on September 8.

Thanks to everyone who attended, sponsored, donated, volunteered and worked the event, a magical evening.

Funds raised will support free programming at Sorauren Park and playground renovations at Charles G. Williams Park.

Produced by Friends of Sorauren Park and presented by Junction Craft Brewing, the event started with a shuttle bus from the park, sponsored by Pollocks Home Hardware. Following the lively cocktail hour, diners enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by Chef Bruno Beaudoin (GM, Novotel Ottawa) and Executive Chef David Neinstein (Barque Smokehouse). Throughout, everyone was entertained by the Jorge Miguel Flamenco Ensemble. The Roncesvalles Pass and the hamlet of Sorauren are both places in Spain, the names coming to Toronto via settler Colonel Walter O’Hara following his Napoleonic War exploits.

Such an event cannot happen without the support of the many individuals, organizations and local businesses who purchased tickets, as well as our sponsors and donors. Thank you.

PRESENTED BY: Junction Craft Brewing

Supporting Sponsors: Aya Kitchens and Baths Curated Properties

Music Sponsor: Scooter Girl Toys

Supplier Sponsors: Barque Willem & Jools Mabels

Shuttle Bus Sponsor: Pollocks Home Hardware

Friend of the Park: My Olive

PRODUCED BY: Friends of Sorauren Park

Thanks also to our Silent Auction Sponsors and Donors:

The Ace
Boomerang Pilates
Cafe Luna Junction
Classical Music Conservatory
The Commoner
Leslie Norgate
Lifemaps – Andrew Alfred-Duggan
The Mercantile
My Olive
Novotel Ottawa
Qanuk Interiors
Roncesvalles Mac
suetables
Village Juicery
The Westerly

August 25, 2018

Slimed! Ghostbusters movie cancelled due to rain

We’ve been slimed! Tonight’s screening (August 25) of Ghostbusters, and the pizza dinner, have been cancelled due to the weather.

Watch this page, the SoraurenPark social media accounts, and our newsletter for news of a new date.

Thanks again to our sponsors Dundas West Animal Hospital, Master Mechanic High Park, the Roncesvalles branch of Meridian Credit Union, and Pizzeria Defina.

The ground is already wet, and that big green slime blob (aka rain) is coming our way. No movie tonight.

August 16, 2018

Taste of Spain fundraiser for the park Sept. 8

Last block of tickets! Limited availability, book now.

A (Delicious) Fundraiser for Sorauren Park
Licenced event 19+

Saturday, September 8, 2018
7 – 11:30 p.m.
Junction Craft Brewing, 150 Symes Road

Take the shuttle bus from Sorauren Park
Departing the park: 6:30 pm and 7 pm
Leaving Junction Craft Brewing returning to the park: 11 pm and 11:30 pm

Buy your tickets online and reserve your seat on the shuttle bus. Limited spaces available.

Tickets: $150/person
Table: $1,200 for table of 8… contact us
Includes all food, wine, entertainment and shuttle bus. Proceeds to the non-profit Friends of Sorauren Park and Friends of Charles G. Williams Park

Who
The Friends of Sorauren Park is a non-profit community organization of volunteers dedicated to the completion of the Wabash Community Centre and enjoyment of Sorauren Park through free programming such as outdoor movie nights, a public skating rink and more.

What
A Taste of Spain is our first fundraising dinner — an event that will feature a delicious menu curated by celebrated local chefs and inspired by the flavours of Spain. It will be a lively and elegant evening of food, wine and entertainment.

Where
The Junction Craft Brewing, 150 Symes Rd. The 1930s art deco brewery provides a unique and memorable backdrop, where guests will have the opportunity to mix and mingle before enjoying a sit-down dinner. A central stage will host a variety of flamenco-style music and dancing.

Why
The Friends of Sorauren Park is committed to continuing its tradition of community building in the Roncesvalles, Parkdale and Brockton neighbourhoods by offering events, programs and capital improvements to enhance the enjoyment of Sorauren Park. This event is a fundraiser to support programming, and the renovation of the Charles G. Williams Playground.

We need volunteers
The Friends of Sorauren Park is looking for volunteers to help us with this event, for set up, tear-down, as greeters and bus captains, and anyone with food service experience. Sign up as a volunteer.

Did you know?
Roncesvalles, Spain, is the site of a battle against Napoleon in the 19th  century, in which Colonel Walter O’Hara, a prominent member of the British army, fought before immigrating to Toronto. Today, Roncesvalles Avenue marks land he once owned, and several streets in the surrounding neighbourhood are named after his family (Marion Street – his wife; Constance Street – his daughter, etc.) Sorauren was another battle site in Spain during the 1813 Battle of the Pyrenees.