Weekend need-to-know: Holiday events kick off with Distillery Winter Village

It’s officially holiday market time in Toronto with the Distillery Winter Village opening its doors this weekend. Keep in mind, there is a subway closure on Line 2 and some GO transit service adjustments on the Lakeshore East line and the Stouffville line.

The Distillery Winter Village

The much-anticipated Winter Village in the Distillery District kicks off this weekend with the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday night.

Cobblestone streets will be transformed into a holiday wonderland until Jan. 4 with Santa Claus, carollers, seasonal food and drinks, and shopping from local artisans.

Entry is free aside from peak hours, including opening night, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays after 4 p.m., Thursdays in December after 4 p.m., and daily from Dec. 15-31.

Tickets are available on their website along with details about vendors and performances throughout the village.

CN Tower Climb

Get those legs moving for a good cause. The annual CN Tower Climb for the United Way is this weekend. Conquer the 1,776 steps to help fight local poverty and build stronger neighbourhoods in Toronto, Peel and York regions.

There is a registration fee along with a minimum fundraising requirement to participate in the climb. All the proceeds go to the United Way.

The climbs will be happening on both Saturday and Sunday between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Beaches Santa Claus Parade

Santa Claus is paying the Beaches community an early visit this year with the annual Santa Claus Parade. Reindeer will be pulling Santa’s sleigh through the community on Sunday, starting at 1 p.m.

It kicks off at Victoria Park and Kingston Road and ends at Centre 55 at 97 Main St. for a post-parade celebration.

Toronto Zoo Holiday Marketplace

Looking for a gift and want a chance to check out some animals this weekend? The Toronto Zoo Holiday Marketplace is open this weekend only for zoo guests to celebrate the magic of the holiday season.

The indoor/outdoor market will have artisans, producers from local and surrounding communities, along with festive decor, photo opportunities and food and beverages.

It’s free to attend with a Toronto Zoo admission

A full list of vendors can be found on the zoo’s website.

2025 NSL Final

AFC Toronto has advanced to the first-ever Northern Super League Final, taking on the Vancouver Rise in Saturday’s game at BMO Field.

The six-club league launched in April of 2025, featuring teams from Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary.

The match starts at 2 p.m. and tickets to the historic game are still available.

TTC/GO closures

Line 2 weekend closure

Subway service on Line 2 between Kipling and Jane stations will be replaced by shuttle buses from Saturday to Sunday due to planned track work. Regular service will resume on Monday at approximately 6 a.m.

GO Transit Lakeshore East service adjustment

On Saturday and Sunday, Lakeshore East service will be adjusted due to planned construction. Additionally, some late-night service will be adjusted on Friday.

GO buses replace trains between Durham College Oshawa and Pickering GO and run direct between Pickering GO and Union Station Bus Terminal.

There will be no GO Transit service at Rouge Hill, Guildwood, Eglinton, Scarborough, and Danforth GO stations.

GO Transit Stouffville service adjustment

On Saturday and Sunday, GO buses will replace trains on the Stouffville Line at all stations except Kennedy, Agincourt and Milliken GO due to planned construction.

There will be no GO Transit service at Milliken, Agincourt, or Kennedy GO.

Road closures

Eastern/Adelaide Bridges Rehabilitation Project 

Starting Sunday and until Thursday, Nov. 20, the following nightly closures will be in effect from 10:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. the following day:

• Don Valley Parkway will be reduced to one lane in each direction between Eastern Avenue and Dundas Street East 
• Don Valley Parkway northbound on ramp at Eastern Avenue will be closed 

Queens Quay West 

From Friday at 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Monday, the eastbound vehicle lane on Queens Quay West between York and Bay Streets will be closed for sewer repair work.

Pharmacy Avenue 

On Saturday, Pharmacy Avenue at Dolphin Drive will be reduced to one vehicle lane from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Two-way traffic will be maintained by a police officer and traffic control person. 

Don Valley Parkway 

Until Friday, Nov. 21, all Don Valley Parkway/Bayview Avenue and Bloor Street on and off ramps will be fully closed nightly from 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., as part of ongoing rehabilitation work.

Gardiner Expressway closure

As part of the long-term construction plan on the Gardiner Expressway, a stretch of the westbound Gardiner has been reduced from four lanes to three. 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.

From Friday at 11 p.m. until Sunday at 5 a.m., two eastbound lanes of the Gardiner will be closed from Grand Avenue to the Park Lawn bridge to complete paving work as part of bridge rehabilitation. One eastbound lane will remain open.

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