Giant Dominoes Sweep Torontonians Away

Don’t miss this unique exercise of public play

8,000 giant dominoes falling brick-by-brick along a 2.5km urban pathway in downtown Toronto: It’s not something you see every day. Created by British performance art and theatre company Station House Opera and brought to Toronto through The Bentway‘s exceptional programming, the playful public event is set to break ground this Sunday, September 22nd.

Weaving through Stackt Market, Canoe Landing Park, The Bentway Staging Grounds and other Toronto landmarks, Dominoes even crosses the crowded Gardiner Expressway. In this day-long event, visitors are encouraged to explore the route, check out the sculptural installations along the way and, of course, stake out a spot for the 4:30PM go-time. Connecting neighbourhoods and neighbours alike, this simple, but powerful presentation is an exercise in public joy and community.

Open Gallery Modal

“At a time when 43% of Canadians report never seeing their neighbours, this event brings together over 250 local volunteers and thousands of audience members in the collective act of city building,” shares Ilana Altman, Co-Executive Director of The Bentway.

Originally created in London, 2009 to link together the 5 host boroughs of the 2012 Olympics, the project has been successfully realized across Europe, Australia and South Africa and has hit the streets of cities like Copenhagen, Marseilles and Ljubljana. This weekend, Dominoes will make its North American debut here in Toronto.

Featured Image: Station House Opera, Dominoes Gent 2019. Photo by Simon Leloup.