Drake Hotel welcomes visitors to ‘Drakeland’ for the summer

The Drake Hotel is celebrating summer with style as they launch their unique take on the traditional summer fairground on Queen Street West in Toronto. Dubbed Drakeland, the special summer-long event includes an art exhibit, hotel packages, parties, and a fresh menu to celebrate the season.

Starting now, with the “When Sparks Fly” art exhibit, specials and events include Drakeland’s Sunday Lobster Fare, which happens each Sunday from July 15 to August 26 and offers up a one-pound lobster, grilled corn, herb and butter potatoes, coleslaw, biscuit and shortcake for dessert for $32. You can also explore the hotel with the Merry Go-Round Package which is available now until August 30, with rates starting at $239, and includes a city adventure on two cruiser bikes, gourmet picnic lunch, and a one night stay at the hotel.

Visit the Drake at 1150 Queen St. W. and online at www.thedrakehotel.ca.

Drake Hotel Lounge

Drakeland’s Sunday Lobster Fare: Sundays at 7 p.m., between July 15 and August 26, $32
Summer Sundays have never been tastier than with Drake’s new lobster special. Available exclusively by reservation on the hotel’s Sky Yard patio, the $32 prix fixe menu includes a one-pound lobster, grilled corn, herb and butter potatoes, coleslaw, biscuit and shortcake for dessert, as well as a bottle of Keith’s IPA. Drakeland’s new menu is designed for squeezing every last drop of fun and sun out of your summer weekends on Drake’s internationally acclaimed roof top patio. So gather some friends, and come over to listen to your favourite tunes with a good ol’ fashioned lobster bake. To book your spot, call 416.531.5042 ext. 1.

Merry Go-Round Package: available now until Thursday, August 30
Take a break for the afternoon and borrow a cool Drake cruiser bike for a ride around Toronto. Drakeland’s Merry Go-Round Package provides the perfect summer adventure, complete with a one-night stay at Drake, two cruiser bikes, a gourmet picnic lunch and a Drake-designed map featuring some favourite city destinations such as galleries, arcades, parks and pools. Call 416.531.5042 ext. 3 for reservations. Package rates begin at $239.

‘When Sparks Fly’ Summer Art Exhibit: on now
Like Drakeland’s very own Hall of Mirrors, Drake’s summer exhibit explores artworks with reflective surfaces. U.K. based artist Alicia Paz incorporates sequins into her work, while San Francisco’s Matt Momchilov hand studs vintage leather jackets with photo realistic illustrations. From the shards of mirrors in Montreal artist Randall Anderson’s installation to the intricate compositions made from discarded scratch-and-win lottery tickets by American collective Ghost of a Dream, ‘When Sparks Fly’ is truly illuminating. See works from the exhibit here.

Fantastic Fridays: Fridays at 8 p.m., until August 24
Expect Friday to get a bit more fantastical! Whether you stop in to sample the new summer menu or are on your way to sleep with Drake, look out for some special amusement park features on Fridays. To kick off summer weekends under the Drakeland big top, a beguiling magician (free) or a visionary tarot card reader ($20) will roam the building to offer reading or tricks, spice up cocktail hour and reveal your good fortune.

Park After Dark House Parties: July 19, July 21 & August 17
When the sun goes down, head Underground. The Park After Dark is slightly more edgy than daytime Drakeland and always lots of fun. With innovative bass and house stylings from New York’s Sepalcure (Thursday, July 19, 10 p.m., $10 in advance, $15 at the door), Bang The Party’s epic dance competition (Saturday, July 21, 9p.m., $10) and Drake’s resident Evening Standard party welcoming British DJ Maxxi Soundsytem (Friday, August 17, 11 p.m., $10) for his Canadian debut as well as many more, you’ll be greeted by a weekly roster of amazing summer DJ nights. Find all Drake event listings here.

Life-Like Drawing: 5 p.m. every Tuesday through August 28, FREE
Drake’s en plein air art class is back, and you don’t even need to be this tall to ride. Just bring your own sketchbook and pencil to receive drawing tips from a Drakeland instructor, while a model poses on top of the Sky Yard patio. The best part? You can sip a Lemonade Stand cocktail while you sketch! Find more details here.

Photos by Connie Tsang.