August long weekend: events, what’s open/closed, road closures

By News staff

This is the second-last long weekend of the summer, so make the best of it and surround yourself with fun.

If you are heading out on Monday (known as Simcoe Day in Toronto), most stores and malls will be open since it is not a statutory holiday in Ontario.

Scroll below for a list of what’s open and closed, as well as events and road closures.

Have a great long weekend.


Events

Colourful parade on the Lake Shore
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s Grand Parade will dance its way into the city this Saturday. Starting at 8:30 a.m., masqueraders and steel pan drums will travel along Lake Shore Boulevard and then make their way back to Exhibition grounds. Click here to view the route map. For those attending the parade, you can either opt for a general admission ticket to the main stage, or to one of three spectator zones along Lake Shore. All of the areas will have food vendors and beer tents.

Food festivals at the square
Two food festivals are taking place on Sunday within steps of each other, so why not go to both? The Taste Of India Food Festival will be at Nathan Phillips Square from noon to 10 p.m. Organizers say there will be more than 500 Indian dishes to try. You can also check out classical and modern Indian music and dance.

Just a short walk away at Yonge-Dundas Square, the Indonesian Street Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Immerse yourself in the music, cuisine, arts and culture, and dances from the various islands of Indonesia. If you thinking about travelling to the country, a tourism booth will be on-site.

More food in the city’s east end
Get your long weekend started right with a trip to two foodie events, both starting on Friday and running until Monday. At Woodbine Park, the best food trucks in the city will be converging for the Toronto Food Truck Festival. Before or after you’ve had your fill, take a walk at the 28-acre park. It also includes a water play area, playground, and other fun things for the kids.

Further east, at Thomson Memorial Park, the the barbecues will be fired up for Scarborough Ribfest. Several vendors will not only be serving up ribs, but also hot dogs, french fries, corn on the cob, and other summer food. Listen to live music or be a rockstar yourself at the karaoke competition. The kids will also have fun too with the midway rides and other games.

Tennis tournament in Toronto
The top female tennis players will descend on York University’s Aviva Centre starting Saturday for the Rogers Cup. Some of the players taking part include the Williams sisters, Simona Halep, Ashleigh Barty, and Canadians Leylah Annie Fernandez and Eugenie Bouchard. Serena Williams is back in Toronto for the first time in four years. The men’s tournament starts on Friday in Montreal. The finals are on Aug. 11.

What’s open and closed on Monday

Open

  • TTC will run on holiday service
  • GO will run on a Saturday schedule
  • Tourist attractions: Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada’s Wonderland, Casa Loma, CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame, Ontario Science Centre, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto Zoo
  • Major malls: Bramalea City Centre (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Dufferin Mall (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Eaton Centre (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.), Erin Mills Town Centre (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Fairview Mall (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Hillcrest Mall (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Promenade (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Scarborough Town Centre (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Sherway Gardens (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Square One (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), Toronto Premium Outlets (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), Upper Canada Mall (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Vaughan Mills Mall (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.), and Yorkdale Shopping Centre (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
  • Select Beer Store locations will be open, click here for a list
  • Select LCBO stores will be open, call your local store for hours or check store hours online
  • Select grocery stores, call ahead for your local store hours
  • City-run facilities like outdoor pools, splash pads, and golf courses will be open; however, indoor pools will be closed. The Fort York National Historic Site will be open but the other historic museums will be closed. Click here for a full list of activities
  • Garbage collection: Curbside pickup is not provided on any Monday, but other solid waste collection will be affected. Click here for details.

 

Closed

  • Government offices, municipal buildings and banks
  • All Toronto Public Library branches are closed on Sunday and Monday
  • No mail delivery in several provinces including Ontario

 

Road closures

Veld Music Festival (Saturday-Sunday closure): The road closures and restrictions will be on streets within Downsview Park.

Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade (Saturday-Sunday closure): Lake Shore Boulevard West will be closed from Bathurst Street to Colborne Lodge Drive from 2 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday.

Senhor Da Pedra Festival (Saturday-Sunday closure): Grace Street will be closed from Dundas Street West to the first lane south of Mansfield Avenue from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.

The Taste of Bangladesh (Monday closure): Danforth Avenue will be closed from Sibley Avenue to Victoria Park Avenue from 9 a.m. until midnight on Monday.

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