A GO Train closure on two different lines could cause a headache for those making their way into Toronto this weekend, but once you are here, there are festivals galore for you to check out.
Here’s what’s going on this weekend:
TO Food & Drink Festival
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is playing host to the T.O. Food & Drink Festival kicking off at 5 p.m. Friday. There will be three days of incredible food, drinks, culinary demos, shopping and music.
If you get an early bird ticket, $18 will get you access to showcases and sampling opportunities of over 150 food and drinks brands and access to the city’s best chefs and experts cooking live.
The festival runs until 6 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets and more information are available here.
Film Festivals across Toronto
Multiple film festivals are happening across the city with several different genres sure to appeal to film buffs.
The Toronto International Spring of Horror and Fantasy Film Festival is back at Revue Cinema for one day on April 6. Showings of both local and international films will kick off at 1:10 p.m. Tickets are available for the whole day or individual showings.
The second annual Toronto Ukrainine Film Festival will run until Sunday and will feature captivating films and documentaries, including a new screening of family-friendly animated shorts at The Royal Cinema. Information on tickets and showtimes can be found here.
And finally, those who love animation can check out TAAFI, the Toronto Animation Film Festival. A collection of short films from Canada and around the world will be featured alongside the premier of the pilot episode of Ramshackle and the Toronto premiere of Mars Express, a new animated sci-fi mystery thriller. A full list of the films playing at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Theatre along with tickets are available here.
Eid Bazaar 2024
The Eid Bazaar in Mississauga aims to bring together a vibrant community of people from across the GTA. There will be an array of activities and shopping opportunities for traditional clothing and accessories along with mouthwatering food and delightful entertainment.
The Bazaar will also feature free Henna, face painting, a magic show and Eidi gifts for every child.
It’s happening at the Red Rose Convention Centre starting 3 p.m. on April 5 and runs until April 7 at 9 p.m. Full details are available here.
TTC/GO closures
TTC service updates
On Sunday, April 7, subway service on Line 2 between St George and Woodbine Stations will start by 9:30 a.m. due to track work. Shuttle buses will operate between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
GO Transit
Trains won’t be running on a portion of the Lakeshore East line and the Stouffville line for Ontario Line track work.
For those using the Lakeshore East line, train service will be temporarily suspended between Danforth GO Station and Union Station. For those taking the Stouffville train, service will be temporarily suspended between Kennedy GO Station and Union Station. Details on alternative travel routes can be found here.
Regular train service on the Lakeshore East and Stouffville lines is expected to resume for the morning commute on Monday, April 8.
Weekend temporary road closures
There are no Gardiner Expressway lane closures this weekend.
Ongoing city closures
- O’Connor Drive is down to a single lane each way between Bermondsey and Sandra for road reconstruction and sewer and watermain installation until the summer of 2024.
- The Yonge and Bloor intersection will be reduced to a single lane all ways for condo construction and sewer installation until 2025.
- University Avenue will be reduced to a single lane in both directions between College Street and Queen Street West to complete several infrastructure projects for the next several months.
- Queen Street is fully closed to traffic between Bay and Victoria Streets to accommodate work on a new station for the Ontario Line subway. The closure is scheduled to last for at least four-and-a-half years until 2027.
- Northbound Yonge Street is reduced to one lane between Wellington and King Streets for TTC construction. The project is scheduled to continue into 2024.
- Two northbound lanes of Yonge Street from King Street to Wellington Street are closed for TTC construction until Sept. 30, 2024.
- Two westbound lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard East from Cherry Street to Carlaw Avenue are closed until April 10, 2024.
- Finch Avenue West is reduced to a single lane in both directions from Dufferin to Wilmington for sewer installation until October 2024.
- Eglinton Avenue West is down to a single lane east of Islington and west of Scarlett Road for tunnelling work related to the multi-year Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project.
- The Esplanade will be closed to private vehicles between Jarvis and George Streets to replace a gas main and associated gas pipeline work from 7 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 5. Access will be maintained for TTC bus routes, pedestrians and cyclists with the assistance of Paid Duty Officers and Traffic Control personnel.