The Power Plant

Festival of Cool is coming to Harbourfront Centre, wrapping up a year-long cultural initiative, Nordic Bridges. Kicking off on December 8, Festival of Cool allows visitors to experience Nordic culture—without having to board a plane. Here are three must-do activities on the opening weekend.

Arctic/Amazon: Global Networks of Indigeneity
The Power Plant, 231 Queens Quay W
Until December 31, 10 AM–6 PM
Free admission

The Power Plant’s Fall 2022 season, featuring Arctic/Amazon: Global Networks of Indigeneity, closes at the end of December. Before your calendar is booked up with holiday parties, make time to visit this extraordinary group exhibition that explores the ways in which Indigenous contemporary artists and collaborators take on issues of climate change, globalized Indigeneity, and colonial encounters within the circumpolar Arctic and the Amazon regions during times of crisis. This exhibition includes several Nordic artists, whose textile works and video installations showcase traditional Sámi culture. Planning to stop by in the afternoon? Join us for a Power Tour, a free thirty-minute tour of the exhibition every Saturday at 3 PM.

Nordic Silent Disco
Harbourfront Centre, 219 Queens Quay W
Fridays and Saturdays, December 9–10 & December 16–17, 6 PM–10 PM
Free admission

Beat the cold by moving your feet at a silent disco located right next to The Power Plant. From 6 to 10 PM, Icelandic guest DJs will be bringing some much-needed warmth to the former Lavazza Café. Enjoy this non-traditional party experience with wireless headsets that allow you to dance freely in your own Nordic world.

Mobile Sweat
Harbourfront Centre, 219 Queens Quay W
December 8–18, varying times, December 9–11, 5 PM–10 PM
First come, first served
Free admission

Give your dancing feet a break by warming up in a wood-fired mobile sauna. Steps away from Nordic Silent Disco, Mobile Sweat is a unique platform for contemporary art, featuring a program of sound and video art, as well as live performances to be experienced while you sweat. Presented by Art Spin, Silent Sweat celebrates community building, public health, and social interaction. Make sure you bring a bathing suit and towel, and enjoy this unique experience steeped in Nordic culture.