Busy Weekend In The City With Events Shutting Roads

If you’re planning on coming downtown this weekend you’re definitely not alone. From the Molson Grand Prix to the Celebrate Toronto Street Festival, the city will be busting at the seams with parties and festivals from Friday through Sunday.

“There’s an energy and electricity all weekend that you just can’t get anywhere else,” Charlie Johnstone, President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Toronto, said. “We’re expecting over 165,000 people here throughout the weekend, and it’s more than just a race. There’s lots of people that are coming down just to be part of the scene.”

But all that fun will mean a lot of hassles for commuters. Many Toronto streets, including parts of Lake Shore Blvd., Yonge St. and St. Clair Ave., will be shut down for the duration. And that means drivers will be going nowhere – and not fast.

If you live downtown, the TTC is definitely the better way to get around as the streets that are open to traffic will undoubtedly be jammed with cars. The Red Rocketers are doubling their bus and streetcar service along the waterfront, and GO Transit plans to add extra trains running to the Grand Prix on Sunday, as well as a few more on Friday and Saturday.

And though the race could be dubbed this weekend’s main event, it’s far from the only party in town. The Celebrate Toronto Street Festival will close down four sections of Yonge St. all weekend for a party with music, food, and games.

Afrofest, the 18th annual celebration of African music, will feature traditional and contemporary styles along with workshops, crafts, and kids’ games at Queen’s Park.

Travel northwest and you’ll find yourself smack dab in the middle of the Corso Italia Fiesta, which runs along part of St. Clair Ave. West. Over 30 bands will be performing, while local restaurants will sample the best Italian food in the city.

Speaking of Italy, fans are gearing up for Sunday’s World Cup final between Italy and France. The Rogers Centre is showing the game on the Jumbotron and so far more than 36,000 free tickets have been scooped up for it.

And if none of those events appeal to you there’s also an outdoor art show at Nathan Phillips Square, fireworks at Ontario Place, and the Fringe theatre festival, among other activities.

So what if you’re a driver and not a spectator? Be prepared to watch the traffic jams from your car. Or better yet don’t get in your car at all.

“I live in Pickering,” points out Lance Brown. “I’ll stay out of the city. Too much traffic downtown.”

But some are willing to brave the madding crowds to be a part of something special. “Italians love to party, so any excuse to party, we’ll be there for sure,” exclaims Jen Donati, who wouldn’t miss the World Cup final for anything.

But while the city will be under gridlock and key, most think it will be worth it. “I think these are the things that make Toronto famous,” suggests City Transportation Department boss Les Kelman. “If you look at Boston – it’s famous for a marathon, it’s not famous for how fast traffic moves around.”

He admits it’s an unfortunate coincidence that it all comes on the same day as the planet’s biggest soccer game. “The…Indy is every year, and we really plan 5-6 years ahead so that weekend was fixed I think even before the World Cup was scheduled,” he points out.

And after all these weekend activities you can head to one of the 130 restaurants across the city offering a Summerlicious menu.

So in the end, getting there may not be half the fun. But you can bet it will be once you finally arrive.

And there is one bright spot – all major construction on the streets is being called off this weekend.

Event Info:

Molson Grand Prix of Toronto

July 7-9

Exhibition Place

Gates open from 7:30am to 6pm

Sunday, July 9, 12:30pm – start of Molson Grand Prix race

For tickets: http://www.grandprixtoronto.com/

Canada Dry Festival of Fireworks at Ontario Place

July 6 – China

July 8 – Grand Finale

http://www.ontarioplace.com/

Afrofest

July 8-9

Noon to 10:30pm

Queen’s Park

Free admission

http://www.musicafrica.org/

Corso Italia Toronto Fiesta

July 7-9

St. Clair Ave. West, between Westmount and Lansdowne Ave.

July 7, 7-11pm

July 8, 1-11pm

Free admission

http://www.torontofiesta.com/

Beats, Breaks & Culture

July 7-9

Harbourfront Centre

230 Queen’s Quay West

Free admission

www.harbourfrontcentre.com/wr

Fringe of Toronto Theatre Festival

July 5-16

http://www.fringetoronto.com/

Taste of Lawrence Festival

July 7-9

Lawrence Ave. East between Crockford Blvd to west of Warden Ave.

Fri, July 7: 7-11pm

Sat. July 8: 11am – 11pm

Sun. July 9: noon to 8pm

Free admission

http://www.tasteoflawrence.com/

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

July 7-9

Nathan Phillips Square

Friday July 7 – 10am – 8pm

Saturday July 8 – 10am – 7pm

Sunday July 9 10am – 6pm

http://www.torontooutdoorart.org/

Celebrate Toronto Street Festival

July 7-9

http://www.toronto.ca/special_events/streetfest/index.htm

Summerlicious

July 7 – 23

For more information on the 130 restaurants participating, click here.

Current Road Closure Info: 

Molson Grand Prix – Exhibition Area, partial closure of Lake Shore Blvd. Strachan Ave. Princes’ Blvd., Ontario Dr., Manitoba Dr. and Nova Scotia Ave.

Celebrate Toronto street festival – portions of Yonge St. between Shuter and Lawrence.

Sites/Closures:

• Dundas Site: South side of Dundas St. to the north side of Shuter St.
• St. Clair Site: South side of Heath St. to north side of St. Clair Ave., and from south side of St. Clair Ave. West to north side of Rosehill Ave.
• Eglinton Site: South side of Briar Hill Av./Sherwood Av. to north side of Eglinton Ave.
• Lawrence Site: From Melrose Av./Teddington Park Av. to north side of Bedford Park Av.

Taste of Lawrence Festival – Lawrence Ave. East between Crockford Blvd to west of Warden Ave.

Fri, July 7: 7-11pm

Sat. July 8: 11am – 11pm

Sun. July 9: noon to 8pm

Corso Italia Toronto Fiesta

July 7-9

St. Clair Ave. West, between Westmount and Lansdowne Ave.

July 7, 7-11pm

July 8, 1-11pm