1. BEACH STUDIO TOUR (FREE!)
This self-guided tour covers 12 studios in the Beach, where 23 local artisans showcase their creations. Expect paintings, photography, textiles, ceramics, handbags and jewellery available for purchase. Each studio will offer nibbles and a door prize donated by the featured artists. May 1 to 3. beachstudiotour.ca.

2. FESTIVAL OF CHEFS 2009 (FREE!)
This month, Cheese Boutique hosts 10 of the city’s top chefs in educational (and tasty) demos, complete with Q&A opportunities in the sixth annual Festival of Chefs. Kicking off the month-long foodie fest are Canoe’s Anthony Walsh (May 2) and Starfish’s Patrick McMurray (May 3). May 2 and 3. Cheese Boutique, 45 Ripley Ave., 416-762-6292.

3. FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
Architecture aficionados will love this month-long festival of exhibitions, films, lectures, walking tours and competitions; admission is free for most events. This weekend, take part in Jane’s Walk (a series of neighbourhood walks in honour of the urbanist Jane Jacobs), go shopping at the Sheridan College open house and craft sale or attend the Socially Responsible Design exhibit at Pearson International Airport. May 1 to 31. toronto.ca/fad.

4. SUMMERWORKS LAUNCH PARTY
There are still a few more months until this year’s SummerWorks Festival, but why wait until then to start the fun? This soirée has snacks, an inexpensive cash bar and a silent auction, but the entertainment is the real draw. Find out who and what will be in this year’s fest, and enjoy readings and performances from past and present SummerWorks. May 3. $5. The Theatre Centre, 1087 Queen St. W., summerworks.ca.

5. CONTACT STILL REVOLUTION 2009
More than 1,000 photographers are exhibiting their work at this month’s Contact festival; up to one million people are expected to attend. This homegrown event is touted as the largest of its kind worldwide, and with so many different exhibits and venues, it can be overwhelming. We suggest checking out Still Water, a new photo-sculptural exhibit by Andrew Wright. For homebodies, TVO is airing on-topic flicks throughout the month. This Sunday, catch a documentary on the iconic photog Annie Leibovitz (May 3). May 1 to 31. 416-539-9595, contactphoto.com.

6. HOT DOCS
Film buffs and doc lovers know not to miss this annual film fest, which this year screens 171 documentaries from Canada and 39 other countries. There’s a wide range of subject matter, including a special focus on South Korea. Our picks run the gamut from local (Invisible City, about growing up black and male in Regent Park) to international (Burma VJ, which follows a small group of indie video journalists who risked everything to broadcast the truth about the country’s 2007 political uprising), cute (Zombie Girl: The Movie, the story of first-time director Emily Hagins, a 12-year-old Texan who made a horror flick) to controversial (Fig Trees, literally an operatic look at the conflict between AIDS activists and big pharma). To May 10. $12 per screening. 416-637-5150, hotdocs.ca.

7. DANCEWORKS
DanceWorks is Toronto’s longest-running dance series; this season invites choreographers to address the state of the environment and the consequences of today’s on-the-go culture. This weekend, check out Jenn Goodwin’s Accidents for Every Occasion, a playful exploration of the fear of failure. Part two of the evening’s double bill is Susie Burpee’s Mischance and Fair Fortune, based on Ovid’s story of two lovers who spend their entire lives without ever meeting. May 2. $28. Enwave Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, 231 Queens Quay W., 416-973-4000, harbourfrontcentre.com.

8. DIANA KRALL
Jazz songstress Diana Krall is in Toronto this weekend for a stop on her latest world tour, Quiet Nights, in support of her album of the same name. Expect to hear old favourites (“The Look of Love,” “Cry Me a River”), jazz standards and lots of bossa nova. May 1. $77–$127. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St., 416-973-4093, ticketmaster.ca.