An art project with 8,000 giant dominoes is making its first ever North American appearance in Toronto

A massive public art project that topples 2.5 kilometres of human-sized dominoes is making its first North American appearance in Toronto.

Dominoes was created by artists Station House Opera and has appeared in Europe, Australia, and South Africa.

The project will see 8,000 giant-sized dominoes tumbling down along an incredibly long 2.5-kilometre path that weaves through the downtown neighbourhoods of Toronto. The neighbourhoods will all be in the radius around The Bentway, from near King West to Canoe Landing to the waterfront and under the Gardiner Expressway. An exact route and schedule will be announced.

“Dominoes will bring Torontonians together in a joyful act of community-building,” reads a post on The Bentway’s social media. “Join us for this communal celebration as we transform the urban environment for one exceptional day!”

The installation is a day-long experience that involves not only watching the dominoes fall, but also seeing the route be built.

“Across streets, through parks and buildings, occasionally disappearing and then resurfacing, sometimes pausing for sculptural performances, the domino line threads its way through old and new parts of the city, linking its diverse communities in a symbolic as well as physical chain of cause and effect,” reads The Bentway’s website.

The domino effect will actually take place around the afternoon or evening, and should last about a full half hour.

They’re actually looking for 250 volunteers to bring the art installation to life. You just have to be over 16 years old or accompanied by an adult, and you’ll get a free tee and tote plus snacks and lunch provided throughout the day. There will even be a “Block Party” celebrating volunteers. There’s one mandatory orientation session a week before the event.

“At a time when 43 per cent of Canadians report never seeing their neighbours, this event brings together over 250 local volunteers and thousands of audience members in the collective act of city building,” says Ilana Altman, co-executive director of The Bentway, on their website.

“We are thrilled to bring this larger-than-life event to The Bentway and surrounding neighbourhoods to close our summer season, and to prove out the possibilities for new long-term connections across the Gardiner corridor.”

Art installation Dominoes will be built and fall across Toronto on Sept. 22.