Weekend need to know: Culture, art and food festivals, road/TTC closures, baseball vaccine clinics

It’s a fun weekend full of more food and culture festivals, waterfront runs and charity drag performances.

Keep in mind there is a partial TTC subway closure all weekend, and road closures for events and construction. Scroll below for details.

We’re also updating you on what you need to know regarding COVID-19 vaccine clinics at some weekend events.

Here’s what’s going on this weekend:

Need to know: COVID vaccine clinics at events

Those catching the Blue Jays game against the New York Yankees on Saturday can get an eligible COVID-19 vaccine if they have not done so already.

The clinic will run from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the south east side of the Rogers Centre outside gates 6 and 6A on Bremner Boulevard.

Vaccines will be administered on a walk-in basis with no health card required. Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines will be offered by nurses who will answer any COVID-19 and vaccine-related questions.

Toronto Public Health is also hosting vaccine clinics this weekend at the Yorkville Exotic Car Show on Sunday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. and at the Riverdale Art Walk on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Top weekend events

Indigenous Arts Festival

In celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Month, Na-Me-Res (Native Men’s Residence) is returning its annual pow wow with drummers, dancers and food vendors this weekend at Fort York.

The event is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Any donations on the day directly support Na-Me-Res programming, which provides housing and other supports for Aboriginal men in Toronto.

The festival will include traditional and contemporary Indigenous music, dance and culinary experiences of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples living across Turtle Island and Indigenous Communities around the world.

Festivities kick off this Saturday at noon and runs until 6 p.m. Sunday.

After two years, the Indigenous Arts Festival returns to Fort York. (Photo credit: Na-Me-Res)

Juneteenth Block Party & Food Market

Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It’s also called Emancipation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day.

The Juneteenth Block Party will include a guided food and beer pairing as well as a Black food market in support of the Black woman-led nonprofit Foodpreneur Lab. The day will celebrate Black excellence and joy, and all proceeds will go toward the non-profit.

The party is taking place at the Junction Craft Brewery at 150 Symes Rd at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Taco Fest

The festival for taco lovers is finally back at Ontario Place. Over 150 varieties of tacos from 33 of Toronto’s top taco joints will be at the event this weekend – as well as a lot of tequila, salsa dancing, piñata smashing, hot sauce and live mariachi bands.

The event runs from Friday at 11 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Sunday at 955 Lake Shore Blvd W.

Mississauga Creative Craft Beer Festival

This beer festival will include 12 craft beer and cider breweries from across the province on Friday and Saturday at the Small Arms Inspection Building.

The event will also feature food vendors, games and live music.

To ensure safe distancing, the festival will be held in three separate sessions. Event organizers say all proceeds will support community arts, heritage and environmental programs.

Two evening sessions will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. An afternoon session will run from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

VS Jasmine Kennedie drag show

The Concerned Kids is partnering with Haus of Decadence and Drag Academy to host “VS Jasmine Kennedie,” a drag show aimed to raise funds to tackle bullying in schools for children.

Eight Canadian drag artists will challenge each other in lip sync battles for an opportunity to take on Jasmine Kennedie from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14. The winning drag queen will also win a cash prize and the title of Lip Sync Champion.

The show is happening on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre to preface Toronto’s Pride Week celebrations.

Eight Canadian drag artists will have the opportunity to challenge RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 contestant, Jasmine Kennedie, in a lip sync battle for charity. (Photo credit: @jasminekennedie Instagram)

Toronto Waterfront 10K

The Toronto Waterfront 10K returns to the Lake Shore on Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

Over 4,000 participants (with an additional 200 virtual participants completing their race independently) will participate in this weekend’s race with a focus on supporting local businesses.

Good Foot Delivery is the charity partner for this year’s race. The organization is a local courier service that provides employment to the neuro-diverse community, with all deliveries completed via public transit and on foot.

The Toronto Waterfront 10K will be returning to Toronto’s Lake Shore Boulevard on Saturday, June 18. (Photo credit: @RunCRS Twitter)

Weekend road closures

Taste of Little Italy (Friday-Sunday)

• College Street, from Bathurst to Shaw streets, will be closed to vehicles from 3 p.m. on Friday to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Toronto Waterfront 10K (Saturday)

With the race comes road closures, which will be in effect from 4 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Lake Shore Boulevard will be fully closed (East and West) from Bathurst Street to Windermere Avenue.

Exceptions include:

• Access to Sunnyside Park/Beach, Palais Royale, The Boulevard Club, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 344, and Toronto Argonaut Rowing Club shall be provided using the eastbound curb lane on Lakeshore Boulevard West from Windermere Avenue to Oarsman Drive
• Access to HMCS York, Coronation Park, and Ontario Place shall be provided from Stadium Road across Remembrance Drive
• Fort York Boulevard will be fully closed between Fleet Street and Lakeshore Boulevard West
• Strachan Avenue will be fully closed between Fleet Street and Lakeshore Boulevard West

ActiveTO (Saturday-Sunday)

• Bayview Avenue from Rosedale Valley Road to Lawren Harris Square, River Street between Bayview Avenue and Spruce Street, and The Meadoway from Brimley Road to Scarborough Golf Club Road, will be closed from 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 p.m. Sunday

High Park (Saturday-Sunday)

• Roads within High Park will be closed to vehicles during the weekend. Limited street parking is available on Bloor Street.

Yorkville Exotic Car Show (Sunday)

• Bloor Street West, from Avenue Road to Bay Street, will be closed from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Ongoing road, TTC work and construction

• The DVP southbound lane from Queen Street to Eastern Avenue, and the DVP southbound curb lane from Bloor to Gerrard streets, will be closed from 12:01 to 6 a.m. on Saturday
• Yonge Street northbound and southbound lanes from the Esplanade to Lake Shore Boulevard continues to be closed to traffic but bike lanes in both directions will be maintained.
• Access to Simcoe Street from northbound and southbound Lake Shore Boulevard is closed, and Lake Shore Boulevard eastbound and westbound from Simcoe Street to York Street is reduced to a single lane from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday
• Jarvis Street from Carlton Street to Bloor Street East, including Ted Rogers Way, is reduced to one lane in each direction.
• Wellesley Street East from Ontario to Sherbourne streets is reduced to one westbound lane. Wellington from Yonge to Church streets is reduced to one westbound lane.
• The Queensway between Parkside Drive and Roncesvalles Avenue is reduced to a minimum of one shared travel lane in each direction. King Street West is also closed at this intersection.

TTC subway closures

A TTC subway entrance in front of Union Station in downtown Toronto. CITYNEWS / File / Nick Westoll

Line 2
The portion of Line 2 between Jane and Ossington stations will be closed on Saturday and Sunday for track work. Shuttle buses will run, stopping at each station along the route.

The following station automatic entrances will be closed:

• High Park Station: the automatic entrances/exits at Parkview Gardens.
• Keele Station: the Indian Grove automatic entrance/exit.
• Lansdowne Station: the automatic entrance/exit at Emerson Avenue.
• Dufferin Station: the automatic entrance/exit at Russett Avenue.

Other entrances and exits will be available for customers at each subway station.

Keep in mind that subway service along that stretch, between Jane and Ossington stations, will end at 11 p.m. on Thursay and Friday for track work.