THINGS TO DO

June 18: Candlelight vigil for AIDS victims

The 35th Toronto AIDS Candlelight Vigil commemorates and celebrates those who have died of AIDS or AIDS-related illnesses. It takes place at Barbara Hall Park, 519 Church St., on June 18 at 9 p.m.

Hundreds will gather at the annual vigil theme whose theme this year is “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” providing a retrospective look at the multitude of loss, journey and suffering in the HIV/AIDS movement, and to innovate advocacy and activism.

This year’s vigil will be hosted by Amutha Samgam and Kerolos Saleib, and will include performances from drag artists Jezebel Bardot and Jade Elektra, Les Chiclettes’ Nathalie Nadon and spoken word artist Bryan Deresti.

The event will close with a reading of the names of those who have passed from HIV/AIDS or AIDS-related illnesses, followed by a candle lighting ceremony. The names read prior to the candle lighting ceremony will be engraved on the long-standing AIDS Memorial in the heart of Barbara Hall Park.

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