The 519 Annual Gala 2020

Legendary talents will come together on October 25, 2020 for The 519 Virtual Annual Gala to support Canada’s largest LGBTQ2S community centre, and celebrate the 65th birthday of The 519’s honorary patron, Salah Bachir.

Toronto, October 14, 2020: The 519’s largest fundraising night, The Annual Gala, will bring together leading performers for a virtual variety show of musical performances and special appearances in support of LGBTQ2S communities in Toronto and beyond. The event will be streamed on Sunday, October 25, at 7:30 pm (EST).

The Annual Gala has gone virtual this year in response to COVID-19, and will feature musical performances by:

● John Alcorn ● Alan Cumming ● Molly Johnson ● k.d. lang
● Patti LuPone ● Billy Newton-Davis ● Louise Pitre ● Carole Pope
● Jackie Richardson ● Buffy Sainte-Marie ● Lorraine Segato
● Theo Tams ● Ben Vereen

And messages from celebrity guests, including:

● Jann Arden ● Margaret Atwood ● Barenaked Ladies ● Kim Cattrall ● Atom Egoyan and Arsinée Khanjian ● John Greyson and Stephen Andrews ● Emily Hampshire ● Norman Jewison ● Sir Elton John and David Furnish ● Andrea Martin ● Kent Monkman ● Rick Mercer
● Ben Mulroney, and many more!

The 16th edition of this signature event is organized by The 519’s Honorary Patron Salah J. Bachir and hosted by Mathieu Chantelois, former Chair of The 519 Board of Management.

When: Sunday, October 25, 2020 at 7:30pm (EST)

Where: Virtual event. Unique access link will be shared closer to the event.

Tickets:

VIP: $1,000 (CAD)
Regular: $150 (CAD)
Limited "Pay-What-You-Can" tickets also available.

Get Tickets Facebook Event

Pull Quotes:

"The COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely difficult for everyone, particularly for our communities, and now is the time to help. Over the years, many of the performers who have participated in the Annual Gala became friends of The 519, and they have graciously offered to come back this year for this one-of-a-kind celebration.

This year’s gala will be more inclusive than ever since we won’t be confined to the space limitations of The 519 ballroom. Everyone is welcome, and can pay what they can to attend the event."

– Salah J. Bachir, Honorary Patron, The 519

*

“The common denominator between all of these performers is their care for The 519, but also their love for Salah Bachir. He is a force of nature who brings people together like nobody else. Salah is celebrating his 65th birthday this month, and many of the performers were looking for a way to celebrate with him and support The 519 while respecting public health guidelines. This virtual gala will help us achieve those goals in a safe manner.”

– Stacy Kelly, Director – Philanthropy, The 519

*

“The cancellation of the 2020 Green Space Festival due to COVID-19 resulted in a significant loss of operating revenue. The 2020 Annual Gala is an opportunity to support The 519 and its essential programs and services for the most marginalized members of our LGBTQ2S communities.”

– Maura Lawless, Executive Director, The 519

Title Sponsors:

Jacob Yerex and Salah Bachir

Presenting Sponsors:

BMO Financial Group, Labatt Breweries of Canada, Air Canada, and The Slaight Family Foundation

Many thanks to our Lead Supporters:

BCE Inc., CIBC, Shane and Linda Carter, The Daniels Corporation, The Murray Frum Foundation, Foundation Emmanuelle Gattuso, Andy and Valerie Pringle, Scotiabank, and TD Bank

About The 519:

Located in downtown Toronto, The 519 is a City of Toronto agency, a registered charity, and Canada’s most prominent LGBTQ2S community centre and service provider. The 519 strives to make a real difference in people’s lives while contributing to the advancement of LGBTQ2S rights and inclusion in Toronto and beyond. We take pride in being an organization that responds to the existing and emerging needs of our communities – by delivering essential programs and services for the most underserved, and leading advocacy, access to justice, and anti-violence initiatives. The 519 has been a valuable and vibrant community hub offering Service, Space, and Leadership for LGBTQ2S communities and the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood since 1975.

Find us on: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram