Weekend need-to-know: Toronto Waterfront Marathon takes over the streets

Runners will take to the streets along the waterfront and throughout Toronto this weekend for the annual marathon. Lots of road closures will be in effect to prepare for the race as well.

Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Get out and cheer on Torontonians and others from across the world as they try to achieve the feat of running a marathon this weekend. Sunday is the annual Toronto Waterfront Marathon, kicking off at 8 a.m.

There is also the half-marathon and a 5K on Saturday. All the runs are sold out, but you can still support runners by heading to different spots along the route.

The marathon and half-marathon starts on Sunday at 8 a.m. from Yonge and Elm streets before ending at Nathan Phillips Square.

You can find all the road closure details below.

Cheer on the Blue Jays in the ALCS

With the Blue Jays win on Wednesday night, they have forced a Game 5 so get out and cheer on the Blue Jays Friday night.

The City of Toronto will be hosting a viewing party at David Pecaut Square at 6 p.m. while Celebration Square in Mississauga will also be hosting a watch party.

And there will be a Game 6 on Sunday after the Jays evened up the series against the Mariners on Thursday night with an 8-2 win. The ALCS will be shifting back to Toronto for the final two games.

The viewing parties at David Pecaut Square and Celebration Square will be happening once again as well.

The first pitch goes out just after 8 p.m. on Sunday.

The Cold Plunge Challenge

In honour of World Menopause Day, Sinai Health is hosting a Cold Plunge Challenge to raise money for women’s health research.

Take a dip on Saturday on your own or you can join in-person at Cherry Beach for the community cold plunge.

Over $20,000 has already been raised towards their goal of $50,000.

You can find more details here.

Toronto After Dark Film Festival

The 18th annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival is back at Scotiabank Theatre this weekend.

The screenings of new horror, sci-fi, action and cult movies, began on Wednesday and will run through until Sunday. There will be 10 feature premieres, as well as 29 short films from Canada and around the world.

You can find the full schedule of showings here.

Fall Festival 2025 at Queen’s Park

Celebrate Fall at Queen’s Park this weekend with the free Fall Festival at Ontario’s Legislative Building this Saturday.

An inflatable corn maze, a Parliamentary Pumpkin Patch and multiple fall-themed photo spots are some of the highlights for this year’s festival.

There will also be live music, line dancing, circus acts and roaming entertainers.

The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

TTC/GO closures

Lakeshore West GO service adjustment

On Saturday-Sunday, planned work is taking place on Lakeshore West to fully replace the Etobicoke Creek bridge.

Regularly scheduled trains will run between Niagara Falls and Oakville, however, there will be no GO train service between Oakville GO and Union Station. GO buses will run between Oakville and Clarkson GO stations to Bramalea GO, where you can connect with eastbound Kitchener Line trains to Union Station.

Metrolinx said the service modification will go into effect around 11 a.m. on Saturday. Regular weekend service will resume at 11 a.m. on Sunday, before Game 6 of the ALCS on Sunday between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners. First pitch at the Rogers Centre is at 8:03 p.m. Sunday.

Click here for information on the service adjustment and route options during the construction.

TTC adjustments for Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Saturday

Some routes will be adjusted on Sat., Oct. 18, for the 5K race. Impacted routes include the 97C Yonge, 114 Queens Quay, 501 Queen, 503 Kingston Road, 504 King and 320 Yonge Night bus.

Sunday

On Sun., Oct. 19, runners will have a number of options to get to the race starting line near University Ave. and Queen St. For runners coming from the east and west ends of the city, the 300 Bloor Danforth Night service will operate along Bloor St. and Danforth Ave., connecting with the 320 Yonge Night operating along Yonge St. and Church St. For those travelling from the north or south ends of the city, several other TTC night bus routes will be operating.

The following TTC bus and streetcar routes will be diverting to accommodate the Marathon:

• 19 Bay
• 64 Main
• 65 Parliament
• 72 Pape
• 75 Sherbourne
• 80 Queensway
• 83 Jones
• 92 Woodbine South
• 94 Wellesley
• 97 Yonge
• 114 Queens Quay
• 121 Esplanade – River
• 300 Bloor Danforth
• 307 Bathurst Night
• 320 Yonge Night
• 501/301 Queen
• 503 Kingston Road
• 504/304 King
• 505/305 Dundas
• 506/306 Carlton
• 509 Harbourfront
• 511 Bathurst

The 511 Bathurst will start later, at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, due to closures along Bathurst St. Alternate routes include 29 Dufferin from Dufferin Station, or 63 Ossington from Ossington Station.

Streetcar replacement bus services will also operate on College, Dundas, King and Queen streets to help spectators get to cheering points along the race route.

Road closures are expected to last until approximately 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Road closures

Weekend closures

Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Friday road closures

• Bay St. from Dundas St. W to Queen St. W – 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Hagerman St. from Elizabeth St. to Bay St. – 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Elizabeth St. from Dundas St. W to Hagerman St. – 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• James St. from Albert St. to Queen St. W – 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Albert St. from Bay St. to James St. – 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday 5K road closures

• University Ave. from Dundas St. W to Adelaide St. – 5 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Armoury St. from Chestnut St. to University Ave. – 5 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• University Ave. from Wellington St. to Edward St. – 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Wellington St. from University Ave. to Bay St. – 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Bay St. from Queen St. to Lake Shore Blvd. W- 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Lake Shore Blvd West from Bay St. to Spadina Ave. – 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Sunday road closures

• University Ave. from Dundas St. W to King St. W – 3 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Bay St. from Queen St. to Lake Shore Blvd. W – 4 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Armoury St. from University Ave. to Centre Ave. – 3 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Lake Shore Blvd from Windermere Ave. to Yonge St. – 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Richmond St. from Simcoe St. to Yonge St. – 6 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Adelaide St W. from Simcoe St. to Yonge St. – 6 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• York St. from Queen St. W to Richmond St. W – 6 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Temperance St. from Sheppard St. to Yonge St. – 6 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Wellington St. from York St. to Church St. – 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Front St. E from Church St. to Jarvis St. – 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• King St. W from York St. to Yonge St. – 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• University Ave. / Queens Park from Bloor St. W to Dundas St. W – 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Bloor St. W from Bathurst St. to Bay St. – 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Bathurst St. from Bloor St. W to Lake Shore Blvd W – 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Westbound Fort York Blvd from Lake Shore Blvd W to Bathurst St. – 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• Cherry St. North from Eastern Ave. to Lake Shore Blvd E – 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Front St. from Cherry St. N to Bayview Ave. – 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Bayview Ave. from Road Rosedale Valley Rd to Front St. – 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Carlaw Ave. from Eastern Ave. to Lake Shore Blvd – 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Lake Shore Blvd E from Carlaw Ave. to Woodbine Ave. – 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Woodbine Ave. from Queen St. E to Lake Shore Blvd E – 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Queen St. E from Woodbine Ave. to Beech Ave. – 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Eastern Ave,/Front St. from Jarvis St. to Carlaw Rd. – 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Gardiner Expressway Ramp Closures/Access – Sunday, October 19, at 4 a.m.

Eastbound:

• Lake Shore Blvd off ramp (west end) – OPEN (EB Lake Shore closed at Windermere until 1 p.m.)
• Jameson Ave off ramp – CLOSED (5 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
• Jameson Ave on ramp – NO ACCESS UNTIL 1 p.m.
• British Columbia Dr. on ramp – NO ACCESS FROM Lake Shore UNTIL 1 p.m. (access available from Exhibition Place)
• Spadina Av off ramp – OPEN – Spadina off ramp exit gate will be opened to allow cars to enter on to the EB Lake Shore
• Rees St on ramp – OPEN
• Bay St on ramp – OPEN
• Jarvis St on ramp – UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Westbound:

• Lake Shore Blvd off ramp (west end) – OPEN
• Lake Shore Blvd on ramp (west end) – OPEN
• South Kingsway off ramp – OPEN
• Jameson Ave on ramp – OPEN (access from SB Jameson until 1 p.m.)
• Dunn Ave off ramp – OPEN
• Spadina Ave on ramp – Access to FGX OPEN, Lake Shore CLOSED (5 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
• Spadina Ave off ramp – Access to Spadina OPEN, Lake Shore CLOSED (5 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
• York St on ramp – OPEN, access from north of Lake Shore up until 1 p.m.
• Yonge/Bay off Ramp – CLOSED (5 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
• Jarvis off ramp – OPEN
• Jarvis St on ramp – OPEN

Gardiner Expressway ongoing 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.

A stretch of the westbound Gardiner will also be reduced from four lanes to three for approximately one year. The westbound lane closure will stretch from Park Lawn Road to Grand Avenue in southern Etobicoke. The eastbound lanes along the same stretch will be narrowed, but with no lane reductions, from April 2025 to December 2026.

For full traffic and closure updates, click here for the latest information from 680 NewsRadio Toronto.