Parkour & base jumping coming to Toronto power plant

What would you do with a massive, abandoned power plant? Toronto's Luminato Festival got its hands on the Hearn Generating Station and it looks like it'll be using its 2016 home to its fullest capacity.

Instead of hosting arts-related programs and events at venues across the city, Luminato will be headquartered at the Hearn from June 10 to 26.

Since it has so much space to work with, it partnered with more than 20 local arts organizations to bring the Port Lands-area power plant back to life. Well-known institutions, such as the AGO, TIFF, the NFB and Design Exchange will be onsite with free exhibitions throughout the festival's run. Other groups, like the TSO, Tafelmusik will mount ticketed shows on site.

Along with featuring interactive performances from internationally based groups, such as Rimini Protocol's immersive play Situation Room, Luminato is working with Toronto's Monkey Vault Team, who'll run parkour workshops for adventurous festival goers.

If you'd rather watch people do crazy thing, you can see daredevils (well, professional daredevils from Canada's Team FX) base jump off of the Hearn's smokestacks on June 10 and 11.

Though perhaps a sing-a-long is more your speed. You're in luck because Choir! Choir! Choir! will lead singers in a choral rendition of Hallelujah on June 11.

Toronto's Younger Than Beyoncé Gallery, another homegrown group, will mount an art show with work from artists under the age of 33. It'll also host a so-called "post-apocalyptic, post-modern, immersive art dance party," on June 18. Yes Yes Y'all will also be running a dance party on site.

Outside of ticketed programs, the Hearn will be open to the public throughout Luminato (except on Sundays). The full festival lineup is online and includes a slew of exciting sounding program, including Toronto's second ever Unsound Festival.

Photo by Andrew Badgley in the blogTO Flickr pool.

by Amelia Gibson via blogTO