Refinery29's 29Rooms

I was given the opportunity to attend 29Rooms in Toronto and a party co-hosted by Stella Artois this past Thursday. Such a fun event! I wanted to get this post up quickly for any of my local readers who might like to go or to get a further idea on what is offered here in Toronto, as well as when it travels. 29Rooms is a pop-up style event set up with art displays and themed rooms based on causes, cultures, and artistic creativity. Many of the displays travel, while some are distinct to the city it is in. After Toronto, 29Rooms will travel to Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA. It's only in Toronto until October 6 and that date is coming up fast! You can find it at the Queen Elizabeth Building on the CNE grounds.

To not make this a picture-heavy post, I'm sharing these in collage format to fit a lot more in. There are many that I am not sharing, so I hope you'll look at what others are sharing and that you get the opportunity to go! 29Rooms is a perfect time to "do it for the 'Gram", because every room is just calling out for pictures! If you follow me on Instagram, I did share pictures on my Stories (now some are in my highlights).

The top left is from "The Traveling Billboard: Toronto" by Hatecopy. It was interactive in that you got to pick up a paintbrush and paint the art. This wouldn't be a true Wendy post if I didn't include an anecdote here. My husband and I did our painting and went on our merry way. Fast forward about an hour or so and he realizes he has lost his wedding ring. 29Rooms is a vast set-up and there was a heavy crowd. We retraced our steps, staring intensely at the floor, and I started to get emotional. I prayed that we would find it even though the odds were stacked up against us.

I had to step outside for some air. He went back in and asked the staff member at this first room if she had seen a ring, and holy smokes...she had. She gave it to another staff member who then gave it to security. We thanked her so many times. There is good and honesty in this world and my prayer was answered. Crisis was averted and I'm thinking about supergluing the ring to my husband's finger!

The bottom two are in the room "You are Magic" by The Hoodwitch. It was all about channeling your inner magic and releasing light. These set-ups were super calming and I honestly didn't want to leave them.

Covergirl had a room that was fun with streamers, props, and the like called "Designed to Command Attention". A room by Covergirl and talking about mascara? Yeah, we already know I was in my zone. "Teenage Bedroom" was EVERYTHING and more. It was decked out in fur, Spice Girls and Saved by the Bell posters, a Nintendo 64 (that you can play!), and took me back to the good ol' days. I've been harping about nostalgia on here quite a bit lately and this gave me a nice big dose of it!

When in a teenage bedroom that is all things furry,you take a mirror selfie. I think it might be one of the universal rules. I went upside down in "Dream Doorways".

I don't remember the name of the Shoppers Drug Mart room, but it is set up like a beauty workshop. OMG, these signs. I want every single one of them for my vanity area. Hilarious!

One of the best photo spots is "No Filter" and is a huge play on light. There are two set-ups What's amazing is the description about seeing yourself in a new light. I do feel that way about the photos and I'm really happy to have them. We got a few with both of us and alone and it's just really cool to see the power of light and shadows working together. The bottom right picture is from "Dream Doorways" like above in the upside down room.

Hollywood can't win without women! This was another interactive room where you could put pen to paper and talk about how Hollywood is missing the mark in portraying women. Another great interactive room was one where you could write a message to your younger self and stick it on the wall.

The bottom room is "A Long Line of Queendom". This room has so many details and is meant to celebrate black women. The staff member told me about how the gold bars in the display were made out of cocoa butter and the long robe is made of the same material to mimic their sleep bonnets. There are messages of empowerment written and seen all around. This is a powerful display and as a white person, I walked away with some new knowledge and an even deeper respect.

I hope you enjoyed reading a bit about my night at 29Rooms. The show has existed since 2015 and is still traveling and adding dates. I hope that it comes near you and that you can check it out! And remember, if you're in Toronto, you still have until October 6, 2019 to see it. Tickets are for timed entry and just under $40 CA and does not include parking. Have you been to the one in Toronto yet or another city? I'd love to hear what you thought about it! This was my first experience at something like this.

**I was provided free entry. All pictures and thoughts are my own and there are no affiliate links in this post.