[ad_1]
Art installations are taking over Toronto streets and parks for the return of Nuit Blanche this weekend.
Comedy lovers can check out their favourite stand-up comics for the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. Plus, Halloween Haunt is back at Canada’s Wonderland.
There will also be another party to say goodbye to the TTC Line 3 Scarborough RT since it permanently closed, shortly after the train derailed back in July, injuring five people.
There are no scheduled subway closures this weekend, but road closures for events and construction remain. Scroll below for more details.
Here’s what’s going on for the first weekend of fall:
Top events
Nuit Blanche
Much of Toronto’s streets, parks, and alleyways will be filled with people checking out art installations for Nuit Blanche 2023.
People can explore different neighbourhoods across the city and enjoy art projects by local, national and international artists for free.
This year’s theme is called Breaking Ground. The theme is meant to invite artists to explore ideas centred around the natural world, climate change and innovation.
There will be a self-led silent disco that is part of an interactive experience called To Reflect Everything at the Toronto Sculpture Garden located at 115 King Street East. The experience is accompanied by artist Ryan Van Der Hout’s mirrored installation.
XO is a light installation by Urban Visuals located under the Gardiner Expressway at 470 R Lake Shore Boulevard West. The creator says the installation uses the movement of light to express itself as both a means of bidding farewell and a welcoming to development and growth in Toronto.
Up Front: Inuit Public Art is a series of commissioned digital murals by Inuit artists located at the flagship professional gallery of OCAD University located at 199 Richmond Street West. The exhibit on Saturday features work from artist and designer, Tarralik Duffy.
Nuit Blanche takes place on Saturday at 7 p.m. until Sunday at 7 a.m.
CityNews reporter Nick Westoll has more on what you can expect at this year’s Nuit Blanche event:
Just for Laughs
The Just for Laughs Comedy Festival kicked off its 11th edition in Toronto on Thursday and runs until Sep. 30.
This year’s lineup includes Fred Armisen, Nicole Byer, Jonathan Van Ness, Ron Funches, and more.
Portlandia creator and star, Fred Armisen, will be performing a live musical, comedy show at Berczy Park on Friday at 9:15 p.m. for one of the festival’s free street shows.
Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness is performing at Meridian Hall.
Comedian Nicole Byer is also performing at Meridian Hall.
Comedian Ron Funches has shows at The Royal Theatre.
Click here for a full list of artists at this year’s festival.
CityNews reporter Stella Acquisto catches up with comedian Ron Funches about the festival:
Halloween Haunt
This fall, horror lovers and thrill seekers can enjoy Halloween Haunt as the annual event returns to Canada’s Wonderland starting on Friday night.
The themed nights will feature seven mazes, terrifying scare zones, hundreds of monsters, thrilling night rides, and live entertainment including the return of the Day of the Dead Festival.
Guests can explore three new mazes including “Dark Ride” where guests must face the horrors waiting for them in an abandoned carnival attraction.
Organizers warn this event is not recommended for children under 13 years old.
People will not be permitted into Halloween Haunt if they’re wearing Halloween make-up or costumes.
Guests must arrive to the event before 11 p.m. (10 p.m. on Thursdays). Re-entry to Halloween Haunt is not allowed.
The event is on select nights from Friday to October 29.
TTC Line 3 farewell bash
There is another celebration of life for the TTC Line 3 this weekend at Scarborough Town Centre Station.
The ultimate farewell bash is meant to mark the end of an era of the Scarborough RT and will include cake, special guest speakers, local food vendors, a DJ, local merchandise, a raffle, and more.
The party is happening on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Road closures
RBC Run For Kids
The RBC Run for the Kids, supporting Youth Mental Health at Sunnybrook, will take place on Saturday between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
The 5 km race begins and ends in the area of Mel Lastman Square.
Motorists can expect traffic delays between 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.The 5 km route is as follows:
Southbound Beecroft Road from Park Home Avenue to North York Boulevard
Eastbound North York Boulevard from Beecroft Road to Yonge Street
Southbound Yonge Street from North York Boulevard to Sheppard Avenue West
Turn around on Yonge Street at Sheppard Avenue West
Northbound Yonge Street from turnaround to Turnberry Court
Southbound Yonge Street to North York Boulevard the finish line
Nuit Blanche
Nuit Blanche is taking place from Saturday at 7 p.m., until Sunday at 7 a.m.
The following road closures will take place incrementally beginning Saturday morning:
Bay Street between Dundas Street West and Front Street (Richmond Street, Adelade Street, King Street, Wellington Street, and Front Street will remain open to east and west rraffic along Bay Street)
Queen Street West between York Street and Bay Street
Armoury Street between Centre Avenue and Chestnut Street
Hagerman Street from Elizabeth Street to Bay Street
Temperance Street from Yonge Street to 60 meters west of Yonge Street
Elizabeth Street from Foster Place to Hagerman Street
A number of lane closures will also be in effect during this time starting on Saturday at 12 p.m.:
Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive
All roadways are expected to be open by Sunday at 12 p.m.
Just for Laughs
To support the Just for Laughs Street Festival, the following roads are closed to vehicles all weekend until 6 a.m. on Monday:
Front Street East, from Yonge Street to Church Street
Scott Street, from Scott Lane to The Esplanade
To keep traffic moving in the area, the City of Toronto will temporarily change Wellington Street East, from Yonge Street to Church Street, to two-way traffic during the festival. The City will also monitor traffic conditions and, if necessary, adjust traffic signals and deploy Traffic Agents.
Ongoing road closures
Kingston Road and Lawrence Avenue is down a single lane in all directions for construction, until the end of October.
Southbound Bayview Avenue is closed from Rosedale Valley Road to River Street from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, until early January.
In Brampton, northbound Main Street is closed from Queen Street to Nelson Street, until December for watermain replacement.
Dufferin Street Bridge has a full emergency closure for repair work and it’s expected to last into the fall.
Broadview Avenue, between Gerrard Street East and Danforth Avenue, will be closed to southbound traffic and reduced to one northbound lane until November to replace TTC streetcar tracks.
Teston Road in Vaughan will be closed between Pine Valley Drive and Weston Road until the end of the year for road reconstruction and bridge work.
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.
Lake Shore Boulevard West, from Rees Street to Spadina Avenue, is reduced to two lanes until May 31, 2024, for Enwave construction.
Military Trail is closed from Ellesmere Road to Highcastle Road for road rehabilitation and slope stabilization. The project completion date has been delayed until further notice.
Keele Street is reduced to a single lane about 100 metres north of Langstaff in Vaughan. Construction work is scheduled to finish later this year.
Northbound Yonge Street is reduced to one lane between Wellington and King Streets for TTC construction. The project is scheduled to continue into 2024.
With files from Jordan Kerr of CityNews
[ad_2]
Source link