Scarborough Family Gathering: Next Fest

Next Fest

Good news, everyone! Scarborough took a tremendous stride in shedding its unfortunate reputation as the boring place where nothing happens. Torontonians have pointed to Downtown or the west end as the cultural hotspots for too long. This injustice will not stand. Next Generation Arts, a Scarborough-based charity delivering free arts programming to Toronto youth, hosted its inaugural Next Fest event at L’Amoreux Community Recreation Centre on the afternoon of February 16, 2025. The free Family Day event featured diverse performances from Juno Award-nominated “pink pop” singer-songwriter Carina, rising indie rock band The Sedges, dream pop powerhouse Jaisy (who has performed at UTSC), headlining hip-hop soul singer Dynesti, and more. DJ Introspekt laid down impeccable vibes. Three spoken word poets took the stage. Two-time Juno Award nominee J3M opened the event with vivid vocals and meticulous keyboard mastery. 

Beyond being blown away by stage talent, you could also get henna tattoos from Supa Dim Ink, collect an assortment of handmade jewelry from Jewelry by Josie, snag an art print from Cinnamonrelle, or bag some adorable cat stickers from Mew Mew’s Art. Grassroots creative writing organization Stay Golden Outreach brought a custom sticker-making station. There were multiple rooms full of local craft vendors. Scarborough cultural institution R.I.S.E Edutainment ran a positive affirmation station while promoting essential initiatives. There was even a bouncy castle in the basement for the kids. Sasha Brathwaite, who runs a children’s arts education program called Jammin’ with Sasha, praised the event for being held on Family Day and for offering ample opportunities for parents to be active with their kids.  

Jaisy

Next Fest featured a who’s who of Scarborough's boldest and brightest artists and mentors. Event co-emcee and prolific spoken-word artist Patrick De Belen, who also facilitates spoken word workshops at Next Generation Arts, said it’s always an honour to bring the community together. 

Elle de Lyon

Elle de Lyon, Program Director at R.I.S.E. Edutainment, said it’s a full-circle moment to return to her high school neighbourhood and introduce the kinds of arts programming that sparked her passion. R.I.S.E. Edutainment has been providing Scarborough youth with free arts programming and mentorship since 2012. I’ve performed at a couple of their open mic nights at the CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals, and I highly recommend checking out their offerings.

Carina

Standout performer Carina, a self-described “pink pop” singer whose music sounds like Ariana Grande and Chappell Roan, said, “It was amazing to bring the community together and for me to have the opportunity to share some original songs. Everyone was very kind, and I am super thankful to Next Generation Arts and all the volunteers for having me!” Definitely check out her song “Pinky Promise” on all streaming platforms. Dancing, singing, and rapping, headlining act Dynesti brought a fresh spin on Nirvana’s “Dumb.”  All the performers, from rapper Mobi to the Sedges, couldn’t overstate how much of a pleasure it was to perform for the Scarborough community. The community centre venue added to a sense of authenticity. 

Next Generation Arts Team

Overall, a great day for Scarborough. Stay Golden Outreach Executive Director Henrick “Shoolie” Sales said, “Although there are art programs that have been popping up in Scarborough in the last couple of years, there hasn’t been a centralized place for artists and art making. Next Gen Arts is bridging the gap.” Stay Golden also hosts the monthly Toronto Youth Poetry Slam, which features many Scarborough spoken word artists. With all these performers and organizations right in our backyard, who says you need to go Downtown to have a good time and experience culture?