Weekend need-to-know: Celebrate International Women’s Day

Women march during the International Women's Day rally and march in 2023 in Toronto. Photo credit: IWD Toronto

Posted March 6, 2025 11:23 am.

Last Updated March 6, 2025 2:51 pm.

It’s International Women’s Day this Saturday and there are multiple events in the GTA to help you celebrate.

We will lose an hour of sleep this weekend with Daylight Saving Time returning on Sunday morning. The clocks will jump forward at 1:59 a.m. to 3 a.m.

And keep in mind, there will be closures on the TTC’s Line 1 and 2 this weekend.

International Women’s Day Rally and March

Celebrate the women in your life by attending the International Women’s Day rally and march in Toronto this weekend.

The rally will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the OISE auditorium on Bloor Street. From there, the march will begin at 1 p.m. and head to Nathan Phillips Square to finish.

Women From Space Festival

A eclectic cast of cutting-edge performers will be taking the stage at this weekend’s Women From Space Festival. The festival’s directive is to celebrate and amplify the art of visionary women working in exploratory and experimental musical traditions, which they’ve been doing since 2019.

It will feature three days of performances by the women of Toronto’s Creative Music, Improvisation and Jazz scenes, all happening at 918 Bathurst.

Opening night is sold out but there are still tickets available for Saturday and Sunday.

International Women’s Day markets

The HER market is celebrating the achievements of female entrepreneurs with two locations this weekend.

Scarborough Town Centre and Square One will be hosting the International Women’s Day markets with a unique shopping experience.

Square One’s market begins on Thursday at 10 a.m. and runs through to Sunday while Scarborough Town Centre’s market will start on Friday at 10 a.m.

The Hippie Market is also highlighting small, woman-owned businesses specializing in vintage and secondhand items with a pop-up market at The Well on Saturday.

Along with clothing and houseware vendors, the market will feature an all-female DJ lineup, content styling studio and on the spot portrait sketches.

The “Vintage at The Well” even runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

National Home Show

If you are looking at making some upgrades to your home, the National Home Show is the place to be for ideas on home improvement and design.

For over a week, the Home Show will take over the Enercare Centre with more than 500 vendors and experts in design, renovations, lifestyle and gardening. There will be presentations, resources and advice to get started on renovations, DIY projects and backyard improvements.

It kicks off on Friday and runs through to March 16. Tickets and show information is available on their website.

Seedy Weekend at Evergreen Brickworks

Gardening newbies and seasoned farmers alike are welcome at the Seedy Weekend at Evergreen Brickworks starting this Saturday.

There will be workshops, films, expert talks and seed exchanges to celebrate all things seeds, gardening and community.

It’s free to attend and kicks off on Saturday at 9 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. It will be open at the same time on Sunday.

TTC/GO closures

Line 2 closure

Subway service on Line 2 between Woodbine and Kennedy stations will be replaced by shuttle buses starting at 11 p.m., Friday, March 7 and continuing throughout the weekend on Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9 for planned track work.

Line 1 closure

There will no subway service on Line 1 between St George and St Andrew stations on Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9, due to planned track work.

Shuttle buses will not be operating due to construction along the route.

The TTC recommends riders either take Line 1 southbound between Finch and Union stations to get downtown or take the 94 Wellesley, 506 Carlton, 505 Dundas, 501 Queen, or 504 King to travel east and west downtown.

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

Spadina Avenue streetcars have been replaced by buses between Spadina Station and Queens Quay until at least March 30. Commuters wishing to travel onwards to Union from Queens Quay will need to transfer to a 509 Harbourfront streetcar.
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.
Yonge Street is reduced to a single lane both ways between Wellington and King for underground work at the TTC’s King Station to add new elevators and make it an accessible station. Construction is expected to continue into 2026.
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.
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 Sunday, January 12 until the spring, one northbound lane on the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) from the Eastern Avenue on-ramp to Queen Street East will be closed to accommodate work for the Eastern/Adelaide Bridges Rehabilitation Project. One eastbound and one westbound lane on Eastern Avenue will be closed between Sumach Street and Broadview Avenue. One eastbound lane on Adelaide Street will be closed between Sumach Street and Eastern Avenue.
Lake Shore Boulevard is down to a single lane through Strachan, from Fort York Blvd to Ontario Place Blvd. Toronto Hydro is installing new electrical systems for the Ontario Place reconstruction and expansion. The lane restrictions will be in place until April 1st, 2025.
Queens Park Crescent is reduced to a single lane south of Bloor as part of the TTC’s Easier Access Program at Museum Station. The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.