Orange Shirt Day, Stages, and Stories: What’s On in Toronto (September 25–October 1)
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This week’s picks are a mix of reflection, storytelling, and big community energy — from Truth & Reconciliation gatherings, to Palestinian cinema, to Arabic improv, theatre, and a two-day Middle Eastern festival in Mississauga. Here are five standout events worth planning around.
Events This Week
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
A time to honour survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. While not an Arabic event, it’s an important week to reflect, learn, and stand in solidarity.
🌟 Performer(s): Community-led gatherings
💬 Language: English and Indigenous languages
🗓️ Date & Time: Week leading to Monday, September 30
📍 Venue: Public Library branches & Indigenous community centers (Toronto + online)
🎟️ Tickets: Free
18th Toronto Palestine Film Festival — 2025
TPFF returns with powerful films, premieres, documentaries, and community events celebrating Palestinian art and culture — in person and online.
🌟 Performer(s): Toronto Palestine Film Festival Collective & guest filmmakers
💬 Language: Arabic & English
🗓️ Date & Time: Sept 24–Oct 3, 2025 (In-person: Sept 24–29 | Online: until Oct 3)
📍 Venue: TIFF Bell Lightbox & various venues, Toronto, ON
🎟️ Tickets: Paid tickets + some public events
King Gilgamesh (And the Man of the Wild)
An award-winning play that fuses the world’s oldest epic with a modern Toronto friendship — funny, touching, and energized by Ahmed Moneka’s Arabic-jazz band.
🌟 Performer(s): Ahmed Moneka, Jesse LaVercombe & six-piece Arabic-jazz band
💬 Language: English / Arabic
🗓️ Date & Time: Sept 13–Oct 5 (various showtimes; 90 mins, no intermission)
📍 Venue: Soulpepper Theatre, 50 Tank House Lane, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4
🎟️ Tickets: Paid ticket (Discount codes: ARABICJAZZ, KINGSTUDENT; Tuesdays PWYC)
Improv بالعربي: Arabic Theatre Games & Improv Workshop
No experience needed — come ready to laugh, play, and get creative in Arabic theatre games. You can also join the very first Arabic improv troupe in Toronto.
🌟 Performer(s): Fatma Naguib & Ehab Mounir Labib
💬 Language: Arabic
🗓️ Date & Time: Sunday, September 28 · 1:30 – 4:30pm
📍 Venue: Crane Creations Theatre Company, 2359 Royal Windsor Dr Unit 210, Mississauga, ON L5J 4S9
🎟️ Tickets: $15 (3-hour workshop) — registration by email only (limited spots)
2nd Annual Arts of the Middle East Festival (2 Days)
One of the largest Middle Eastern festivals of its kind in Canada — a lively weekend of arts, music, performances, and incredible food in the heart of Mississauga.
🌟 Performer(s): Hisham Abbas & multiple performers (headliners listed by organizers)
💬 Language: Arabic / English
🗓️ Date & Time: September 26–27
📍 Venue: Mississauga Celebration Square, 300 City Centre Dr, Mississauga, ON L5B 3C1
🎟️ Tickets: Public event
👉🏽 Looking for more events for this week? Browse the full khamsa community calendar .
Please note that event details can change, and cancellations are sometimes made by the organizers. It's always a good idea to double-check the event page before heading out.
Know about an upcoming event that should be featured? Submit it to the khamsa calendar here .