Weekend need to know: TIFF, Drive Fest, Yorkville Run; TTC/road closures
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Posted September 8, 2023 7:55 am.
Last Updated September 8, 2023 12:31 pm.
The red carpet is rolled out once again for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) while dual strikes by Hollywood writers and actors are ongoing.
Other events are happening in and around the city such as the annual Constantine Yorkville Run, Taste of North York, Taste of The Kingsway, and Drive Fest in Bowmanville.
There are no scheduled subway closures this weekend, but there is a late subway opening scheduled on part of Line 2. Road closures also continue around the city for events and construction.
Here’s what to do this weekend:
Top events
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival kicked off on Thursday on King West and runs until September 17.
The festival is happening while dual strikes by Hollywood writers and actors are ongoing.
Star-filled premieres and parties remain low due to this work stoppage by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Writers Guild of America.
However, some celebrities are expected this year such as Sean Penn, Willem Dafoe, Spike Lee, Lil Nas X, and more.
The opening night’s film was Hayao Miyazaki’s animated feature “The Boy and the Heron.”
Other titles include Viggo Mortensen’s western drama “The Dead Don’t Hurt,” Michael Keaton’s “Knox Goes Away” and the horror drama “Dream Scenario,” starring Nicholas Cage.
Road closures will be in place to accommodate TIFF’s Festival Street on King West between Peter Street and University Avenue.
WATCH CityNews reporter Melissa Nakhavoly attend the first night of the festival:
Drive Fest
The third annual Drive Festival at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville is happening this weekend from Friday to Sunday.
The event is for all car fanatics who can check out manufacturer displays, test drives, ride alongs, food trucks, motorcycles, and more.
WATCH Stephanie Henry get a sneak peak of this year’s Drive Fest:
Constantine Yorkville Run
The annual Constantine Yorkville Run is a 5K run taking place on Sunday and featuring over 1,000 runners raising funds for over 30 Toronto charities.
The event goes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Jesse Ketchum PS Courtyard.
Taste of North York
Taste of North York is happening from Friday to Sunday in Mel Lastman Square.
The event is an open-air street food market with hundreds of menu items from a variety of different cuisines.
Taste of The Kingsway
Taste of The Kingsway takes place from Friday to Sunday in South Etobicoke on Bloor Street West from Prince Edward Drive to Montgomery Street.
The festival will have food, music, contests, live shows, and midway rides.
Road closures will be in effect starting 12 p.m. on Friday until midnight on Sunday.
TTC updates
Line 2 early closure and late opening
On Sunday, subway service on Line 2 between Jane and Ossington stations will end early at 12:01 a.m. and will open late at 10:00 a.m. due to track work.
Shuttle buses will operate, stopping at all stations along the route.
TIFF
The TTC is making some adjustments to some of its routes due to TIFF.
504 King streetcar service will be impacted between September 7 and September 12.
The TTC says King streetcars will not operate on King Street West between Spadina Avenue and Church Street during this time.
There will be 504/304 King replacement bus service.
Road closures
TIFF
As of 2 a.m. on Thursday until September 11, vehicles will be banned on the following routes.
- King Street West, from University Avenue to Spadina Avenue
- Duncan Street, from King Street West to Pearl Street
- John Street, from Wellington Street West to Pearl Street
- Windmer Street, from King Street West to Adelaide Street West
- Emily Street, from Wellington Street West to King Street West
Additionally, Simcoe Street, from Wellington Street West to Pearl Street, will be closed to vehicles and bicycles from 5 a.m. on Thursday until 5 a.m. on September 12.
Front Street West from Bay Street to University Avenue will be closed to westbound traffic from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. on September 10.
The Cabbagetown Festival
Parliament Street from Gerrard to Wellesley streets, and Carlton Street from Parliament to Ontario streets, will be closed to traffic from 6 a.m. on Saturday until 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Ongoing road closures
- Southbound Bayview Avenue is closed from Rosedale Valley Road to River Street from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, until early January.
- Starting on Monday in Brampton, Main Street will be closed northbound from Queen Street to Nelson Street for construction, for the next three months.
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Southbound on Broadview Avenue remains closed from south of Danforth Avenue to Gerrard Street, until the end of November.
- Dufferin Street Bridge has a full emergency closure for repair work and it’s expected to last into the fall.
- Broadview Avenue, between Gerrard Street East and Danforth Avenue, will be closed to southbound traffic and reduced to one northbound lane until November to replace TTC streetcar tracks.
- Teston Road in Vaughan will be closed between Pine Valley Drive and Weston Road until the end of the year for road reconstruction and bridge work.
- Queen Street is fully closed to traffic between Bay and Victoria Streets to accommodate work on a new station for the Ontario Line subway. The closure is scheduled to last for at least four-and-a-half years, until 2027.
- Lake Shore Boulevard West, from Rees Street to Spadina Avenue, is reduced to two lanes until May 31, 2024, for Enwave construction.
- Military Trail is closed from Ellesmere Road to Highcastle Road for road rehabilitation and slope stabilization. The project completion date has been delayed to the summer.
- Keele Street is reduced to a single lane about 100 metres north of Langstaff in Vaughan. Construction work is scheduled to finish later this year.
- Northbound Yonge Street is reduced to one lane between Wellington and King Streets for TTC construction. The project is scheduled to continue into 2024.
With files from Jordan Kerr of CityNews