Weekend need-to-know: Early Halloween celebrations across Toronto

Halloween falls on weekday this year, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t multiple events to celebrate the weekend before. There will be lots of family-friendly happenings across the city.

Keep in mind, there is a subway closure in effect along Line 2 this weekend.

Halloween events

Riverside Howl-O-Ween

Get your costumes ready for the spook-tacular annual Riverside Halloween. The festival features free kids activities at Riverside Common Park including pumpkin decorating, treats, a haunted house, DJ, face painting and more.

It’s happening at Riverside Common Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Pumpkinfest

Join The Kingsway BIA with your best Halloween costumes (pets included) and get the chance to win prizes. There will also be pumpkin decorating, face painting and store-to-store trick or treat. Plus, enjoy a vibrant street market! 

It’s happening on 7 Jackson Avenue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Day of the Dead Celebration – Día de los Muertos

Toronto Día de los Muertos Collective, in partnership with Casa Maíz Cultural Centre, will be hosting traditional annual multi-day Día de los Muertos celebration for 2024. It’s happening from October 24 to November 3, 2024, with the main celebration happening on October 26 from 3:30pm to 10pm at Wychwood Barns.

Experience meaningful ceremony, captivating performances, original artwork, and traditional food.

Halloween Food Truck Festival

If you are feeling hungry this Halloween weekend, check out the Halloween Food Truck Festival in Scarborough this weekend.

It will be family-friendly extravaganza with up to 10 of the GTA’s best food trucks dishing out delectable treats, craft beer to quench your thirst, live entertainment to keep you grooving, and a variety of activities for all ages.

It starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday until 5 p.m. on Sunday at Variety Village on Danforth Avenue.

Howl’oween at The Bentway

Halloween isn’t just for humans! At the Bentway, they will be celebrating canine costumes at Howl’oween.

.Prize-packs will be awarded to dogs for the Best Handmade Costume, Best Family costume – where dogs and their human companions come together to create coordinated ensembles – as well as overall Judges’ Picks.

Halloween Fest at Bay Lower Station

Brave the haunted subway train or stroll through the kid-friendly Halloween train this weekend at Bay Lower station

It starts on Saturday at 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and runs until 4 p.m. on Sunday.

alloween Fest at Bay Lower Station runs on Saturday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and again on Sunday, October 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets will sold at the Cumberland entrance at street level for $5. All proceeds will go to United Way Greater Toronto.

TTC Closures

Line 2 weekend closure

On Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27, 2024, there will be no subway service on Line 2 between Victoria Park and Kennedy stations for planned track work. Shuttle buses will operate.

Regular service will resume Monday, October 28, by 6 a.m.

Barrie GO service adjustment

Starting at 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25 and throughout the weekend of Saturday, Oct. 26 and Sunday, Oct. 27 GO buses will replace train service on the Barrie line due to construction. GO buses will replace trains between Barrie Bus Terminal and Highway 407 Bus Terminal as we work to improve your service.

Road closures

Gardiner Expressway closure

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 closures