Artist studio Nocturnal Medicine, known for their recent “Rave For Eco Grief” in New York, present a contemporary festival that centres both joy and sorrow, dancing and meditation, as we confront our planetary health crisis. Equal parts DJ dance party and urban ritual.
Summer in the city holds two very different realities in the era of climate urgency: it is a time of sunshine and flourishing, while also a time of unprecedented heat and ecological unease. It is a season ripe for dreaming up new possibilities for the future of our planet. At the height of the season, as the sun sets over the Gardiner, we look to embrace the complexity – all the joy, grief, dysregulation, and hope – of summer in a 21st century city.
This summer, Nocturnal Medicine presents an urban gathering for a city facing climate change. Earth Dreams invites Toronto to confront the painful truths of our planetary health crisis, to explore where progress lies, and to celebrate emergent possibilities for the future of Earth. Designed as a party with a meditative journey, this event will encompass collective solidarity, dancing, and moments of contemplation, all drawing from the cultural and ecological histories and futures of The Bentway.
Working with the understanding that today’s layered environmental crises evoke powerlessness and disconnection in so many, this event aims to catalyze our collective grief and joy as channels towards deeper love, accountability, and connection to our environment and to each other.
press highlights
event overview
The event program was designed as a continuous experience.
8:00pm: Program opens with ambient set by Tender Buttons, and the Bar opens.
8:45pm: Nocturnal Medicine leads a Sound Bath & Guided Journey through the cultural & ecological histories of The Bentway.
9:15pm: Dr. Duke Redbird, Elder of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, performs his poem, “Mother Earth is an Altar.”
9:30pm – 1:30am: DJ Sets by Tender Buttons and Me Time, and an interactive sculpture on the dancefloor invites guests to touch and play. Throughout the evening Elder Dr. Duke Redbird will read additional poems.
10:00pm: Food available for purchase.
1:30am: Nocturnal Medicine leads Closing Rites, inviting participants into the ritual takedown of the space.
2:00am: Event ends.
What to expect:
- This event is a party, with various activations and experiences throughout the evening.
- All-gender and accessible washrooms will be available throughout the event.
- There will be food and drink available for purchase.
- Please take care of yourself, and consume responsibly.
- Portions of Strachan Gate at The Bentway are wheelchair accessible.
- There will be designated “quiet areas” at the party, for those looking to relax or take a break.
- The terrain is a mix of concrete, large-stone gravel, and grass. We recommend comfortable footwear and dressing accordingly.
- We ask that you arrive with your water bottle empty as no outside liquids are allowed in the party. There is a water fountain onsite to refill your water bottle.
- We have zero tolerance for violence, racism, transphobia, sexism or other discriminatory language or actions.
listen along
Listen to a playlist curated by Nocturnal Medicine:
