Weekend need-to-know: Air show returns to the skies

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be taking to the skies this weekend for the annual Air Show during the final weekend of the CNE. There are lots of other activities happening across the city as well.

Keep in mind, because of the holiday weekend, there will be some closures on Monday.

Canadian International Air Show

The Canadian International Air Show takes place this weekend from Saturday to Monday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The air show is Canada’s largest and longest-running airshow. The 2024 Air Show features headliners: the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the CF-18 Demonstration Team, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, and the Red Arrows.

In addition to these jet teams, the show will include the United States Air Force F-22 demonstration. You can also catch the Douglas C-47 Dakota on August 31 and the iconic Avro Lancaster and B-25 on September 1 and 2.

T.U. Jazz Fest

The T.U. Jazz Festival, where emerging artists in Canada can show off their talent, is back at Mel Lastman Square this Labour Day weekend.

Over 150 equity-deserving musicians across Canada will have the opportunity to perform.

There will also be the World Eats Market, which will showcase local foods and masterclasses with some of the most wanted musicians.

Admission is free for the event that lasts from Friday to Monday, kicking things off at 6 p.m. A full schedule can be found on their website.

Toronto International BuskerFest for Epilepsy

The Toronto International BuskerFest will be back at Woodbine Park this weekend and will feature performances of song, acrobatics, comedy and more.

There will also be an array of food vendors, artisan stalls and a beer garden. For dog lovers, Bark in the Park TO is a highlight of this year’s festival, with a dedicated area of the park for a wide range of activities, obstacle courses and pet photo-ops.

Epilepsy Toronto puts on the event and will kick off on Friday through to Monday. More details, including schedules of performances, can be found on the website.

TTC/GO closures

No closures

Road closures

Ongoing Gardiner closures

As part of the long-term construction plan on the Gardiner Expressway, one westbound lane and one eastbound lane are closed between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue. The eastbound on-ramp from Lake Shore Boulevard at Jameson Avenue is also closed.

Temporary road closures

Canadian National Exhibition

From 5 a.m. on Saturdays to 11:59 p.m. on Sundays, British Columbia Road will be closed weekly between Lake Shore Boulevard West and Dufferin Street Bridge during the CNE.  

Police officers will be present at key intersections near the CNE. Traffic will be directed north on Dufferin Street towards King Street West. Signs will be in place this week to advise motorists of the closures. 

The CNE’s final day is Sept. 2.

Banglafest on Danforth 

From 4 a.m. on Monday, September 2, until 4 a.m. on Tuesday, September 3, Danforth Avenue will be closed between Victoria Park Road and Sibley Avenue. Drivers will be directed to detour on Gerrard Street East between Main Street and Victoria Park Avenue.  

Taste of Bangladesh 

From 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, September 1, until 7 a.m. on Monday, September 2, Danforth Avenue will be closed between Birchmount Road and Variety Village. Drivers will be directed to detour on Highview Avenue. 

Other ongoing city closures

• Spadina Avenue streetcars have been replaced by buses between Spadina Station and Queens Quay, and until the end of the year, there will be no 510 service between Spadina Avenue and Union Station along Queens Quay. Commuters wishing to travel onwards to Union from Queens Quay will need to transfer to a 509 streetcar.
• O’Connor Drive is down to a single lane each way between Bermondsey and Sandra for road reconstruction and sewer and watermain installation until the summer of 2024.
• The Yonge and Bloor intersection will be reduced to a single lane until 2025 for condo construction and sewer installation.
• University Avenue will be reduced to a single lane in both directions between College Street and Queen Street West to complete several infrastructure projects for the next several months.
• 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 until 2027, at least four and a half years.
• Northbound Yonge Street is reduced to one lane between Wellington and King Streets for TTC construction, which is scheduled to continue into 2024.
• Two northbound lanes of Yonge Street from King Street to Wellington Street are closed for TTC construction until Sept. 30, 2024.
• Finch Avenue West is reduced to a single lane in both directions from Dufferin to Wilmington until October 2024 for sewer installation.
• Eglinton Avenue West is reduced to a single lane east of Islington and west of Scarlett Road due to tunnelling work related to the multi-year Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project.
• Lane restrictions on Bayview Avenue between Roehampton Avenue and Armistice Drive while the city completes road resurfacing, curb and sidewalk replacement, and traffic signal and pedestrian upgrades. One northbound lane is currently closed on Bayview Avenue between Kilgour Road and Roehampton Avenue.
• Cherry Street remains closed south of Polson Pier due to maintenance on the Ship Channel Lift Bridge (Strauss Trunnion Bascule Bridge). Road users are able to access the Port of Toronto and Cherry Beach via Unwin Avenue. 
• From Friday, July 12, the Progress Avenue bridge over McCowan Road and the ramp at Busby Drive to northbound McCowan Road will be permanently closed for demolition as part of construction on the Scarborough Centre subway station. Demolition is scheduled for completion in early September. Sidewalk access will be maintained.
• The eastbound lanes of Huntingwood Drive will be closed between Birchmount and Kennedy Roads for rehabilitation and improving bike lanes until Sept. 15. Westbound lanes will remain open.