Hottest tickets in town: Five things to do in Toronto

The Big Feastival takes place Aug. 18 to 20 at Burl’s Creek in Oro-Medonte, Ont.Justine Trickett

Dance: Made in Canada/Fait au Canada

Happening every two years and involving dance companies from across the country, the festival offers free films and art exhibits, along with nine mainstage productions that include the Toronto premiere of Chorus II, a personal work from Montreal's Sasha Kleinplatz for six male dancers, rooted in the swaying movements practised by praying Jewish men. Aug. 17 to 20. $10 to $25 ($50 to $112, passes). Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St., 416-533-8577, ext. 3 or princessproductions.ca/dance.

Sza

Solana Imani Rowe (whose stage name is pronounced "sizza") agonized over her debut album so long that her record label ended up taking her hard drive away to finally get the LP out. The worth-the-wait album is Ctrl, a blunt, opinionated statement of neo-soul with moments of indie rock, swaggering R&B and a Kendrick Lamar cameo. Aug. 23, 8 p.m. $29.50 to $50 (all ages). Rebel, 11 Polson St., 855-985-5000 or ticketmaster.ca.

Party Today, Panic Tomorrow

In its latest sketch revue, the Second City troupe satirically offers advice and relief from the absurd dilemmas of life in 2017, with hot takes on fiercely contested board games, settling scores with dance-offs and taking life advice from a giant banana. Opened Aug. 8 . $26 to $57. The Second City, 51 Mercer St., 416-343-0011 or secondcity.com.

Portugal. The Man

The latest album from the prolific Oregon indie troupe is Woodstock, inspired by the discovery of an original ticket stub from the iconic counterculture event, by the father of the band's lead singer. The psyche-rock veterans are stardust, golden and a slow-build success story. Aug. 17 and 18, 6:30 p.m. $40 to $50. Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave., 855-985-5000 or ticketmaster.ca.

The Big Feastival

The organizers of this British event of food and sound aren't reinventing the cheese wheel, but they are putting a new spin on bucolic music fests. Well-established in the rural Cotswalds (on the farm of the cheese-making former Blur bassist Alex James), the family-friendly gastro-music happening makes its North American premiere with headliners Weezer and Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, catnip for the Gen-Y crowd. Aug. 18 to 20. $96. Burl's Creek, Oro-Medonte, Ont., thebigfeastival.com.