Music

The push begins to get Toronto its own Iron Maiden Day

by Tyler Munro

Toronto has its share of unofficial holidays. We’ve got Bob Marley Day in February, Neil Young Day in March and, as AVClub Toronto hilariously points out, we’ve even got our own Red Tape Awareness Week. That’s at least part of the inspiration for the current push to make July 13th in Toronto the city’s official Iron Maiden Day.

The idea is being spearheaded by AVClub Toronto editor John Semley, who says he got the idea when he and a friend decided to take July 13th off to have their own Iron Maiden themed day before the band hits the stage that night at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre. Upon remembering that Toronto already has its share of loosely linked holidays based on everything from reggae icons to daffodils, Semley decided to put his plan in motion.

His reasons are simple. Not only does Iron Maiden have history in Toronto, securing themselves as a force in heavy metal with their headlining club shows in the 80s, but their charity work and legendary cultural status makes them a positive choice. We’ll add that it doesn’t hurt that their upcoming tour is in support of arguably their best album, 1988’s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.

While he admits that the idea might be a bit of a joke, Semley says he’s seeing it through and filling out the requisite paper work.

“I was hoping Bruce Dickinson could get the key to the city at a ceremony and fence Rob Ford or something,” he says.