Weekend need to know: Just for Laughs and other events, road/TTC closures, GO updates

It’s officially the first weekend of autumn in Toronto and several festivals are continuing to run like the return of Just for Laughs Toronto, Taste of Iceland, an expo for lovers of vintage shopping, and more.

There are road and TTC closures, and GO train service suspensions on two lines, to keep in mind this weekend as well. Scroll below for more details.

Here’s what’s on this weekend:

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Top Events

Just For Laughs Toronto 

Just For Laughs is back in Toronto until October 1, featuring headliners like Trevor Noah, John Mulaney, Issa Rae, Amy Schumer and more.

The event’s first street festival is taking over this weekend from Friday to Sunday.

The three-day festival is completely free and will feature both local and international comedians, DJs and bands.

The weekend event will take place on a 130,000 square foot site at Front Street East and Berczy Park.

The ComedyCON convention is also taking place this weekend at Meridian Hall and St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts with over 20 events including intimate conversations, round tables, TV cast panels, live reads and podcasts.

The 42 is another iconic event for the 10-day festival which spreads out across the city at more than 15 venues over the next week.

WATCH CityNews reporter Stella Acquisto talk to organizers and Canada’s Drag Race, Tynomi Banks, about the lineup:

 

Taste of Iceland

The annual celebration of Icelandic culture in North America has returned to Toronto and runs until Sunday.

Throughout the weekend, locals can experience Icelandic culture through food, drinks, music, literature and films.

Hosted daily starting at 5 p.m. until Sunday at The Drake Hotel, Icelandic Chefs Viktor Örn Andrésson and Hinrik Örn Lárusson will prepare a four-course tasting menu of Nordic cuisine.

Other official events will be hosted by Horseshoe Tavern, Union Yoga, Stackt Market, Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, and the Toronto International Festival of Authors.

People, Power, & the Park

The free, four-day outdoor festival celebrating the history of Allan Gardens located at 160 Gerrard St. E., is taking place this weekend starting on Thursday at 6 p.m. and ending on Sunday at 4 p.m.

The festival will include an archival gallery put together by students, staff and community members from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as poetry readings, guided walking tours and performances at the park.

TO Vintage Show

Vintage dealers and shops from as far away as Nova Scotia to California will be bringing their curated collections of vintage clothing, accessories, décor and antiques to the Queen Elizabeth Building at Exhibition Place this weekend.

The two-day expo for all vintage shoppers will take place this Saturday and Sunday.

Indonesia Food Festival

The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia will host the Indonesia Food Festival on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square.

The festival will feature Indonesian food, cooking demos, and dance and music performances, as well as an Indonesian hijab fashion show.

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Road closures

Events

The following roads will are closed to traffic until 6 a.m. Monday due to the Elevate Festival and Just for Laughs:

• Front Street between Yonge Street and Church Street
• Scott Street between Scott Lane and 41 metres north of Front Street
• West curb lane on Scott Street from Scott Lane and The Esplanade

 

The following roads will be closed to traffic from 8 a.m. on Saturday until 3 a.m. on Monday to accomodate the Geary Art Crawl:

• Geary Avenue between Ossington Avenue and Lightbourn Avenue
• Lightbourn Avenue between Geary Avenue and Brandon Avenue
• Bristol Avenue between Geary Ave and the North Laneway
• Bartlett Avenue from the Train Tracks south to the North Laneway
• Salem Avenue between Geary Ave and the North Laneway
• Westmoreland Avenue between Geary Avenue and the North Laneway
• Delaware Avenue North between Geary Avenue and the North Laneway
• Somerset Avenue between Geary Ave and the North Laneway

 

The west curb lane and sidewalk on Eastern Avenue from Queen Street East to 20 metres south of Queen Street East will be closed until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday for the Legacy Awards. On Sunday, the south curb lane and sidewalk on Queen Street East between 1651 Queen St. E. and Eastern Avenue will be closed from 6 a.m. until 11:59 p.m.

Market Street continues to be closed from Front Street East to The Esplanade for I Heart Market Street activities.

Construction

Lake Shore Boulevard West will be reduced to a single westbound lane at York Street due to Enbridge gas main replacement from 7 a.m. Friday until 11 p.m. on Saturday. Drivers won’t be able to access Lake Shore Boulevard from north or southbound York Street. Northbound traffic will be redirected onto Harbour Street, and southbound traffic will be redirected at Bremner Boulevard. Westbound Lake Shore is also reduced to a single lane between Lower Jarvis Street and Yonge Street until 7 a.m. on Sept. 30, for Enbridge gas main installation.

College Street from St. George Street to Spadina Avenue is fully closed to traffic to replace the TTC streetcar tracks and other work. College Street between Augusta Avenue and Spadina Avenue is reduced to one eastbound lane. Drivers won’t be able to travel westbound along this section of the work zone. This closure is expected to be in place until mid-November.

The intersection of King Street West and Shaw Street will be reduced to a single lane in each direction until November 12 for TTC and watermain work.

Traffic lanes on Queens Park between Bloor Street West and Queen’s Park Crescent are reduced as the TTC works to installation elevators at Museum Station.

The Queensway has a reduced number of lanes, in both directions, between Parkside Drive and the King-Queen-Queensway-Roncesvalles intersection for TTC track replacement and road reconstruction work. Eastbound left turns are not permitted from The Queensway to Glendale Avenue.

Roncesvalles Avenue is closed from Queen Street West to Harvard Avenue for watermain replacement, TTC track replacement and road reconstruction.

Wellington Street from Church Street to Yonge Street is reduced to a single westbound lane for TTC track replacement and sidewalk improvements. Scott Street, north of Wellington Street, is closed to all vehicular traffic.

The Carlton Street and Church Street intersection will remain closed for streetcar track replacement.

Pottery Road between Bayview Avenue and Broadview Avenue will be closed from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday to upgrade a telecommunications tower with a mobile crane.

High Park

Roads within High Park are closed to vehicle traffic during the weekend.

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TTC closures

Line 1 early closure
Subway service on all of Line 1 will be impacted starting at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday until the end of regularly scheduled service.

There will be no northbound or southbound subway service between St George and Bloor-Yonge stations.

There will be no northbound subway service between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and St George stations (no impact to southbound subway service).

There will be no northbound subway service between Finch and Bloor-Yonge stations (no impact to southbound subway service).

Shuttle buses will operate. Regular subway service will resume at approximately 6 a.m.

Line 1 weekend closure
There will be no subway service on Line 1 between Finch and St Clair stations on Saturday and Sunday.

Line 2 late opening
Subway service on Line 2 between St George and Broadview stations will start by 12 p.m. on Sunday. Shuttle buses will operate.

GO Transit updates

Trains will be suspended on the Lakeshore East Line from 11 p.m. on Friday until the end of service on Sunday. Buses will serve all stations except those where the TTC is an option – Rouge Hill, Guildwood, Eglinton, Scarborough and Danforth.

Trains will be suspended on the Stouffville Line at the start of service on Saturday until the end of service on Sunday. Buses will serve all stations except those where the TTC is an option – Milliken, Agincourt and Kennedy.