Weekend need-to-know: Celebrate holiday cheer just before Christmas

There will be lots of events to celebrate the holidays this weekend ahead of Christmas Day on Monday, including festivals, performances and lots of last-minute chances to talk to Santa before his big night.

There are no TTC or GO Train closures over the weekend, and if you want full details of what’s open and closed over the holidays, click here.

Here are some of the events you can enjoy.

Christmas at the Castle

Celebrate Christmas at Casa Loma with Christmas at the Castle with a wide range of activities and “thrilling performances.” There will be holiday magic throughout the castle with decorations, including a 40-foot-tall tree in the Great Hall and eight other trees decorated by talented Canadian designers.

Kids will also have the chance to visit the centre and participate in festive arts and crafts. It’s happening on Dec. 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are available on their website and children three and under are free.

Distillery District Winter Village

While the Distillery District’s Winter Village has been going on for several weeks now, what better time to visit than the weekend before Christmas? Santa will also be at the Village from 12:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Check out the tree and meet Santa, as vendors will be dishing out holiday drinks, and musicians will be putting on a show.

Tickets are required after 4 p.m. but before that, entry is free. For all the details and the schedule, you can find it on the website.

Toronto International Ballet presents The Nutcracker

For one night only this weekend, the Toronto International Ballet Theatre will be putting on its version of the Nutcracker, featuring two dancers from the American Ballet.

The two performances are happening on Dec. 23 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Meridian Hall and tickets are still available.

Cavalcade of Lights

This free event at Nathan Phillips Square transforms City Hall and its surroundings into a dazzling wonderland, inspired by international lantern, fire and light festivals and winter solstice celebrations.

High Park Animal Display

Toronto’s oldest animal display is open daily over the long weekend between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Visitors heading to High Park are reminded that roads in the park will be closed to vehicular traffic for all three days of the long weekend.

Riverdale Farm

Riverdale Farm – a working farm in the city’s centre – is open daily all weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free.

Roller Express Rink
The Union Station indoor Roller Express Rink will be open to the public throughout the holidays, except from December 24 to December 26.

Centennial Park Conservatory

Explore the Winter Flower Show at the City’s Centennial Park Conservatory which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the holiday season.

TTC/GO closures

No TTC or GO closures.

Road closures

Ongoing city closures

• University Avenue will be reduced to a single lane between College Street and Queen Street West to complete several infrastructure projects for the next seven months.
• Two northbound lanes on University Avenue between Queen Street West and Armoury Street are closed for Ontario Line construction until early December.
• The intersection of Adelaide and York Streets will be fully closed to traffic for TTC construction until mid-December.
• Southbound Bayview Avenue is closed from Rosedale Valley Road to River Street from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly until early January.
• In Brampton, northbound Main Street is closed from Queen Street to Nelson Street until December for watermain replacement.
• 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 until further notice.
• 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.