Start your engines: Honda Indy among events to rev up your weekend

By Patricia D'Cunha and Samantha Knight

If you crave adrenaline and love fast cars, then Lake Shore Boulevard is the place to be this weekend as the Honda Indy roars into town. If the Indy is not your thing, other events around town are sure to appeal to your kind of fun.

As is the case with most weekends, there is a partial subway closure, so plan for an alternate route to get you to where you need to go.


Events

Honda Indy
The roar on Lake Shore Boulevard is back with a three-day line-up of events and racing. Festivities for the 31st edition of the Honda Indy get underway with Fan Friday and run through Sunday. Guests can explore five areas: Honda World, Thunder Alley, Honda Speedzone, Beer Gardens and paddock/garage access. The big race is set for Sunday at 3:40 p.m. Road closures have been in place since Wednesday. Click here for a list.

Festival of India
A colourful and euphoric parade kicks off the two-day 45th annual Festival of India on Saturday. The parade travels down Yonge Street, from Bloor Street and south to Queens Quay. The celebration then moves on to Sherbourne Common on Dockside Drive, where people can partake in a free vegetarian feast. There will also be theatrical performances, a bazaar, outdoor yoga, traditional face painting, and more. Admission to the festival is free.

 

Bloor West StreetFest
The Bloor West Village will be shut down this Saturday for its first-ever StreetFest. The hustle and bustle will begin at 10 a.m., with tents lining the streets. Shoppers can explore the outdoor marketplace, and there will also be children’s activities and themed side streets. As the sun goes down, Bloor West will be transformed into an Artisan Night Market, complete with buskers. The festival runs until 10 p.m.

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
Nathan Phillips Square is always a hub of activity. This weekend, more than 340 artists will converge at the exhibition, showcasing their original artwork to the masses under canopies. Art enthusiasts can chat with the artists and also purchase a piece of art. The three-day event starts on Friday with a performance by Brazilian Samba group Batucada Carioca. Admission to the outdoor art show is free. If you need a beer or snack break, an beer garden will provide all the food and beverages you need.

 

Night Nation Run
The world’s first Running Music Festival is taking over Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday night. The Night Nation Run offers live music, lights, lasers and the latest in Electronic Dance Music (EDM). Participants can run, walk, skip or dance their way through the racecourse to multiple DJ stages along the way. Each party zone offers light-shows, selfie stations and giveaways. The run ends with a main stage after party featuring top EDM DJ’s and celebrity performers. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with a pre-party set for 7:30 p.m. and the first wave of runners hitting the course at 8:30 p.m.

Budweiser County Fair
If you’re a little bit country, then put on your boots and line dance your way to the county fair in downtown Toronto this weekend. Country music, carnival games and food, BBQ, line dancing and a mechanical bull championship awaits you at the fair, which is being held outdoors at 525 King St. W. Click here to purchase tickets.

Mississauga Ribfest
Another weekend, another ribfest to look forward to – this time in Mississauga. The ribfest, which runs from Thursday to Sunday, features vendors offering BBQ ribs and chicken, and other food and drink options. Attendees can also take in live music and an amateur singing competition. Money raised from the event goes to the Rotary Foundation, which raises money for various projects aimed at improving people’s lives around the world.

TTC and road closures

Partial Line 2 shutdown
A heads up for TTC riders this weekend, there’s a subway closure to keep in mind as you navigate the city. Service won’t be running on Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) between Jane and Ossington stations. Crews will be doing track work during the Satruday to Sunday closure. Shuttle buses will be running. Regular service is expected to resume Monday morning.

Road closures

Southbound Strachan is closed between Lake Shore Boulevard and Fleet Street, and Lake Shore is shut down both ways from Strachan to British Columbia Drive. Both closures are expected to be in effect until 11 p.m. on Sunday, Toronto police said. The TTC is also diverting several routes to accommodate the Honda Indy, including the 511 Bathurst streetcar, 29 Dufferin bus, 509 Harbourfront streetcar and the 510 Spadina streetcar.

Bloor West StreetFest: Bloor Street between Armadale Avenue and Runnymede Road will be closed from 6 a.m. to midnight on Saturday. Partial road will also be in effect on Willard Avenue, Windermere Avenue, Durie Street and Beresford Avenue.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today