Major Music Headliners and Entertainment Schedule Unveiled for TO2015's 35-day Arts and Culture Festival, PANAMANIA presented by CIBC

TORONTO, May 6, 2015 /CNW/ - Culture enthusiasts and music lovers can start making summer plans — the entertainment schedule is now available for PANAMANIA, presented by CIBC, the 35-day TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games arts and culture festival.

Unprecedented in scale, PANAMANIA will feature more than 1,300 artists in 250 performances and exhibitions across Toronto from July 10 to August 15. The festival will showcase the diverse cultures and artistic excellence of Ontario, Canada and the Americas through music, theatre, dance and more, with free and ticketed events.

Major music headliners scheduled to perform free outdoor concerts during PANAMANIA will include Grammy-, Latin Grammy- and Juno-award winning artists. The music lineup includes the Flaming Lips, Calle 13, The Roots, A Tribe Called Red, Janelle Monae, Café Tacvba, Brigitte Boisjoli, Chromeo, Jann Arden, Choc Quib Town, Death from Above 1979, Damien Robitaille, Lila Downs, Lights, Luciano, Dragonette, Colin James, USS, Marie-Pierre Arthur, Tanya Tagaq and the Barra MacNeils.

"The Games will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, unlike anything this city has ever seen. Not only are we going to have some of the best athletes in the world compete in our backyard, we're going to have 35 days of music, arts and culture that will inspire us and bring the city to life," said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015).

PANAMANIA will be spread across the following four programs:

• PANAMANIA presentations (July 10–August 15, free and ticketed): Will feature 40 national and international performances and exhibitions, including 28 new works commissioned by TO2015 that will have their world premieres during PANAMANIA. The diverse spectrum of music, theatre, dance, visual arts, comedy, circus and fashion will feature distinguished award-winning artists, including Robert Lepage, Sandra Shamas, Edward Burtynsky, Veronica Tennant, Mustafa the Poet, Rick Miller, Crystal Pite and more.
  
  
• PANAMANIA Live @ Nathan Phillips Square (July 10–26 and August 7–12, free): Bright and energetic design elements will envelop the Square, which will feature daily live music and entertainment programming that will culminate with nightly concerts on the main stage and fireworks, co-produced with the City of Toronto. Victory Celebrations, presented by CIBC, will honour medal-winning athletes nightly at 7 p.m. Jumbo video screens will feature live Games coverage and a special live broadcast of the Pan Am Opening Ceremony, created by Cirque du Soleil, on July 10. Additionally, the Parapan Am Closing Ceremony will be held at Nathan Phillips Square on August 15.
  

• CIBC Pan Am Park (July 11–25, free): Experience the ultimate street party in the heart of the largest sport competition cluster on the grounds of Exhibition Place. Daily programming will include live music, interactive sponsor activations, food and fun for the whole family. Great tickets are still available to the many Pan Am sports taking place at CIBC Pan Am Park, including beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, rugby and gymnastics. Tickets for these sports will be available on May 8, at 1 p.m. at TORONTO2015.org/tickets.
  
  
• PANAMANIA Live @ The Distillery District (July 11–25, free): Take in the sights, sounds and tastes of the Americas while strolling the cobblestone lanes. The Distillery District, located next to the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletes' Village, will be a hub of activity during the Pan Am Games. There will also be multitude of ticketed PANAMANIA presentations taking place at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts.

PANAMANIA has been financially assisted by the Community Celebrations Fund, a program of the Government of Canada and the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, a program of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation.

For the PANAMANIA schedule and more information, please visit TORONTO2015.org/PANAMANIA.

Press Room:  http://panamania.pr.co/

About TO2015
The TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10–26 and the Parapan American Games August 7–15. The TORONTO 2015 Games are funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, as well as Lead Partner CIBC and other partners and sponsors.

The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) is tasked with managing and delivering the Games. It is working to bring some of the world's best athletes and artists to Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe region, giving Ontarians a unique chance to be part of the action, and making the region a hub for sport.

For more information about the Games, please visit TORONTO2015.org or follow @TO2015, @TO2015_fr (French) or @TO2015_es (Spanish).

Quotes Page

The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport):
"Diversity is one of Canada's greatest strengths, and our future depends on growing together through our shared values and institutions. The $1.4-million investment our Government has made in PANAMANIA Live @ Nathan Phillips Square provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the vibrant heritage of our diverse regions and cultural communities while celebrating the Games."

The Honourable Michael Coteau, Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games:
"With fantastic cultural programs like PANAMANIA and IGNITE Ontario, the TO2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games will be more than a great athletic event. This is our chance to showcase Ontario's diversity, culture and heritage to the world and I'm proud of the impressive group of Canadian and international artists announced today who will help put our province in the spotlight this summer." 

Mayor John Tory, City of Toronto:
"Toronto will come alive this summer with the TORONTO 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games and a big part of the action will be at Nathan Phillips Square with PANAMANIA Live @ Nathan Phillips Square. I look forward to welcoming residents and visitors to enjoy 23 days of entertainment. There will be no better place to celebrate the Games than at Toronto City Hall!"

Stephen Forbes, Executive Vice-President, CIBC:
"CIBC is excited to present PANAMANIA, the arts and cultural program of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. This one-of-a-kind festival gives Canadians and visitors alike an opportunity to experience the vibrant and diverse cultures of Canada and the entire Pan American region with daily performances and exhibitions featuring talent from all of the participating Games' countries."

Andrew Davies, Executive Director of No.9: Contemporary Art & the Environment: 
"No.9 is extremely excited to showcase its international photographic exhibition titled Water's Edge as part of the PANAMANIA festival! It is a great opportunity to celebrate the power of these Pan American artists and their talent while at the same time stimulating a discussion about our global fresh water issues."

David Ferry, Artistic Director of Appledore Productions:
"Being commissioned to create the site specific theatre piece The Postman for PANAMANIA has truly enriched my experience as a Toronto artist. Our unique "promenade" performance piece on neighbourhood porches during this superb 35-day arts and cultural festival celebrating the life of Albert Jackson, Toronto's first Black postman, is just one of many celebrations of the diverse cultures and artistic excellence that will provide SPECIAL DELIVERY during the games."

SOURCE Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

Image with caption: "The entertainment schedule for TORONTO 2015's arts and culture festival PANAMANIA, presented by CIBC, was unveiled this morning by performers and speakers including Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Hon. Michael Coteau, Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell, CIBC Vice-President of Sponsorship Marketing and Strategy Monique Giroux and TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games CEO Saad Rafi. (CNW Group/Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150506_C4909_PHOTO_EN_16341.jpg

For further information: Carrie Sager, FLIP Publicity, 416.533.7710, ext. 224, [e-mail]