What's On: Walking around Toronto haunts

There are walks in the city this weekend that highlight its spooky surroundings, and others that delve into a literary past. There's that and more to do this holiday weekend:

The Haunted Walk's Halloween

Oct. 10 to Nov. 1 Various Locations

There are two walks offered. One gives participants a glimpse of Toronto's past and present, gamboling through haunted theatres, spaces of public hangings and the storied MacKenzie House. The other will have people guessing which of the ghost stories they hear while exploring the Distillery District is in fact untrue, and a sweet prize is up for grabs.

For more information, check out the Haunted Walk website.

Haunted Toronto

Oct. 11 Start Point: main entrance, Royal Conservatory Museum

Who would have thought Toronto could offer up so much intrigue? A mass graveyard at Yorkville and a former insane asylum (which rather fittingly is now home to members of parliament) — you will find out so much about the city's creepy past. Organizer ask you to bring a flashlight and steady your nerves.

For more information, check out the Urban Capers website.

FINAL: Lucy Maud Montgomery Salute

Oct. 11 Start Point: Runnymede subway station

Many people know of Lucy Maud Montgomery, the Canadian author of the classic Anne of Green Gables. But they may not know of her Toronto connection — she lived the last seven years of her life in Swansea, in the city's west end. Discover the Toronto connections to this beloved literary figure.

For more information, check out the A Taste of the World website.

Piece of Mine Festival

Oct. 7 to Oct. 12 918 Bathurst St. 

The festival gives emerging and established black playwrights a chance to showcase their works-in-progress. Elements of the plays performed range from hip-hop and spoken word to dance. Each evening ends with an audience talk-back to help artists develop their works.

For more information, check out the Piece of Mine Festival website.

afteRock Plays

Oct. 10 to Oct. 25 Buddies at Bad Times Theatre

afteRock Plays returns for its second edition and presents two new plays in repertory — Catherine Hernandez's The Femme Playlist and Sébastien Heins's Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera. While Femme Playlist explores the realities living as a queer woman of colour, Brotherhood presents a parodied story of two brothers living a hip-hop life entirely in rhyme.

For more information, check out the bcurrent website.

Fall 4 U

Oct. 13 Habourfront Centre

Thanksgiving fun includes creating a giant comic mural, watching an improv tap performance and listening to kids from Sistema Toronto make some wonderful music.

For more information, check out the Harbourfront Centre website.

In Concert: Esperanza Spalding

Oct. 10 Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Once infamous for beating out Justin Bieber for a best new artist Grammy, Spalding is now celebrated as a vocal powerhouse and charming performer.

For more on her, check out Esperanza Spalding's website.