Before the Ultimate Fighting Championship puts on its second Ontario show Dec. 10, the promotion invited fans to meet some of the league’s stars in person. Jake Shields, Clay Guida, Melvin Guillard and Carlos Newton were just some of the fighters who made appearances over the weekend at the two-day Toronto Fan Expo.

Rich Hil is the son of fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger. But that’s about the least interesting thing about him. Still in his early twenties, Hil, a rising hip-hop fixation, has in two short years released over 700 songs, dropped myriad freestyles and a number of mixtapes.

It’s been pouring rain all day, yet several hundred patiently wait under the watchful eye of Toronto’s finest for Drake to arrive. The moment comes as the doors to two black SUVs pull in front of a music store, a bank of TV cameras emerge from the store and shrieks can be heard escaping the crowd.

Martyr’s Devin Size ventured to the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto Oct. 29 to celebrate Halloween with the dynamic trio of The Balconies, in action on the band’s latest tour following the release of the Kill Count EP. Long story short, they failed to disappoint – even in zombie attire.

The Canadian installment of what has rightly been renamed the “occupy movement,” after it moved from New York’s financial district to many major cities across the globe, is in its third day and does not seem to have lost much steam since it started Saturday.

Entourage star Adrian Grenier’s insightful documentary Teenage Paparazzo has been out for a year now and is still turning heads to the reality behind tabloid photography. The HBO documentary follows the life of one of the youngest members of the paparazzi, Austin Visschedyk.

Kid Sister recently invaded Ottawa with an electrifying performance that tore down the house and had the crowd moving all night. Her first time in the country’s capital city since 2008, Kid Sister was on this night accompanied by Willy Joy.

Another year has come and gone for the culture and community festival known as the Manifesto. This year for its fifth anniversary the festival’s organizers pulled out all the stops, from headlining hip-hop acts to integrating other events and activities to engage the general public.

Over 6,000 Canadians, many wearing orange outfits and draped in Canadian flags, lined the streets outside Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto to mark the late opposition leader’s passing, while millions watched the procession for Layton from home.

As one of the top-ten music festivals in North America, Bluesfest is an example of what should be when it comes to drinks and beats in an outdoor venue. From environmental policy to porta-potty ratio, it’s a festival worth committing to.