Celebrate the first weekend of spring in Toronto

You’ve been waiting for spring since winter started, and it is finally here. This is the first weekend of spring, so below are some events to help kick-start your celebration.

Events

Holi at the ROM
To celebrate the colourful Indian festival of Holi — which celebrates the arrival of spring — the ROM is throwing a party, as part of its Friday Night Live programming. The museum will be offering free access to the special exhibition, Treasures of a Desert Kingdom: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India. The event runs from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Holi started on Wednesday — the same day as spring’s arrival — and ended on Thursday.

In the life of Austen
If you’ve read Pride and Prejudice over and over again or watched Sense and Sensibility (the one starring Emma Thompson, who also wrote the screenplay), then chances are you are a Janeite — a devout Jane Austen fan. If you are searching for your Mr. Darcy, you may find him this weekend at Montgomery’s Inn in Etobicoke, which is hosting a Weekend with Jane Austen. Learn how to dance and dress the way they did in the Regency era, practice writing with a quill pen, take part in some parlour games, and chat about all things Austen by candlelight, among other things. Tea, anyone?

Sustainable living
Want to live a sustainable lifestyle but don’t know where to start? The Green Living Show, which takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre this weekend, has plenty of tips for you. Learn from chefs, breweries, and wineries about eating healthy, get nutrition advice from health and wellness experts, check out the sustainable and ethical fashion, and plan your next eco-friendly trip.

Relax and be well
Alleviate your stress by learning the tools you need to be relaxed and taking time for yourself at the GH Marketplace: Wellness Market on Sunday. Get into some yoga practice and explore reiki, and other products and services that promote wellness. You can also look into environmentally-friendly tours in the city.

Reach for the stars
If stargazing and discovering new planets is your thing, then Astronomy on Tap T.O. is right up your alley. Chat about astronomy and get answers to your cosmic questions, while enjoying a pint or two, at The Great Hall on Friday. The event, which is organized by the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto, takes place from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. There will also be prizes handed out.

TTC service

Partial Line 1 closure
Subways won’t be running on Line 1 between Lawrence and St Clair Stations on Saturday as crews install the new Automatic Train Control signalling system. Shuttle buses and Wheel-Trans service will be running. Riders travelling south on the line who require an elevator should exit at York Mills Station.