Happy Canada Day: Events, fireworks, what’s open/closed

By News staff

Posted June 27, 2019 5:40 am.

Last Updated June 30, 2019 10:32 pm.

This article is more than 5 years old.

It’s Canada Day weekend and there are more than enough events and fireworks shows to choose from to celebrate the 152nd birthday of this great nation.

Keep in mind, there are several closures in effect for the holiday Monday, you can find the full details below.

Events

Toronto Ribfest
Get ready for some finger-licking good BBQ as Toronto Ribfest is back at Centennial Park in Etobicoke for Canada Day weekend. The festival will feature over a dozen bands and a midway to keep the kids busy. It begins on Friday at 3 p.m. and runs until July 1 at 10 p.m.

Celebrate Canada
Canada‘s Wonderland is celebrating the country’s birthday with a two-week long festival starting on June 29. The celebration will include street performers and the West Cost Lumberjack show, topped off with a spectacular fireworks display on July 1. Entrance to the festival is included with your park admission.

Redpath Waterfront Festival
Head down to Toronto’s waterfront to catch a glimpse of a fleet of majestic tall ships at the Redpath Waterfront Festival. The ships visit every three years and will be open for deck tours. The festival is also welcoming the Canadian Coast Guard for the first time. A Maritime market will also be selling yummy seafood, handmade nautical jewellery, and beauty products inspired by the sea. It runs from Saturday to Monday.

East York Toronto Canada Day Parade & Festival
A Canada Day celebration wouldn’t be complete with a parade and that’s what you will find down in East York on Monday. Toronto’s longest running Canada Day celebration will start with the parade leaving Dieppe Park, followed by a Party in the Park at Stan Wadlow Park. It will be capped off with fireworks at 10 p.m.

Blue Jays vs. Kansas City Royals
Usually it’s quite difficult to grab tickets to the Toronto Blue Jays Canada Day tickets, but there are still some up for grabs as they close out a four-game series over the weekend against the Kansas City Royals. You can find tickets here.

Fireworks on Canada Day

Start time is around 10 p.m. at most locations.

Ashbridges Bay Park
Amesbury Park
Canada’s Wonderland
Centennial Park during Ribfest
Downsview Park
Mel Lastman Square (10:20 p.m.)
Milliken Park
Stan Wadlow Park
Weston Lions Park

What’s open and closed on Canada Day

Transit

TTC will run on holiday service, while GO Transit will run on a Saturday schedule.

LCBO/Beer stores

LCBO and Beer Store locations will be closed.

Malls

The following will be open:

Bramalea City Centre: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Eaton Centre: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Hillcrest Mall: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Square One: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Promenade: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Toronto Premium Outlets:
Upper Canada Mall: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Vaughan Mills Mall: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tourist attractions

Several tourist spots including the ROM, CN Tower, Casa Loma, Toronto Zoo, Hockey Hall of Fame, Ontario Science Centre, Canada’s Wonderland, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada will be open.

Toronto-run facilities

The city’s outdoor swimming pools, wading pools, splash pads, and swimming beaches will be open. Two of the city’s 10 historic sites (Fort York National Historic Site and Scarborough Museum) will also be open. Click here for a roundup of activities.

The Toronto Public Library will be closed on Sunday and Monday.

Garbage collection

Residential garbage is not collected on Monday. For multi-residential dwellings, Monday’s collection will take place on Tuesday and Tuesday’s collection will happen on Wednesday. Click here for more information.

Banks, government offices

All banks, government offices and municipal buildings will be closed, and mail won’t be delivered.

Road closures

TD Toronto Jazz Festival: Cumberland Street between Old York Lane and Bellair Street will be closed until midnight Sunday. Hazelton Avenue between Scollard Street to the north side of the Hazelton Hotel lane will be closed until 6 a.m. Monday.

Pedestrian Sundays at Kensington Market: Parts of Kensington Avenue, Augusta Avenue and Baldwin Street will be closed on Sunday from noon to 10:30 p.m.

Canada Day Celebration at Mel Lastman Square: Yonge Street will be closed between Park Home Avenue and North York Boulevard from 4 p.m. Monday until 1 a.m. Tuesday.

East York Canada Day Parade and Festival: Road closures will be in effect from 8 a.m. to midnight on Monday on Cosburn Avenue between Greenwood to Coxwell avenues, Cosburn between Cedarvale Avenue to Oak Park Avenue, Cedarvale between Rumney Road to Cosburn, Virginia Avenue between Cedarvale to Cosburn, and Gledhill Avenue from Holborne Avenue to Cosburn. Rolling closures will also be in effect between 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Monday as the parade rolls through various streets.

Canada Day Parade in Scarborough: Brimley Road between Progress Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East, and Triton Road between Brimley Road and Borough Drive will be closed on Monday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.