Weekend need-to-know: Don some green attire for the St. Patrick’s Day parade

Toronto will be bathed in green this Sunday at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and 5K run/walk. Keep in mind, there will be a closure on the TTC’s Line 2 this Saturday.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The St. Patrick’s Day Society is hosting the annual celebration honouring Irish culture, community and contribution this Sunday.

The parade to celebrate tradition, diversity and the spirit of St. Patrick will start at St. George Street and Bloor Street and travel to Yonge and Dundas streets.

MPP Todd McCarthy will be the Grand Marshal for the 38th annual parade, beginning at 12 p.m.

St. Patrick’s Day run/walk

Break out the running shoes for the annual St. Patrick’s Day run/walk in a new scenic location. Runners can either do a 10K, 5K or the kid’s 1K run.

Evergreen Brick Works is the new host of the run, supporting Achilles Canada. It will start there before heading down the Bayview Extension and Rosedale Valley Road before returning to Brick Works for the afterparty.

It will feature Irish flair music, cold ones and a meal for after the run.

You can still register now. Sign up here.

All Toronto sports teams in action

It’s a busy weekend with most of the Toronto sports teams in action including Toronto FC’s home-opener.

Toronto FC will start their 20th season against the New York Red Bulls at BMO Field this weekend. Tickets are still available for the 1 p.m. match-up.

The Toronto Raptors will kick things off Friday night at Scotiabank Arena against the Phoenix Suns with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. They will also take on the Detroit Pistons Sunday night.

At the Coca-Cola Coliseum, the Toronto Marlies will take on the Rochester Americans Saturday afternoon before the Sceptres take the ice Sunday against the Seattle Torrent on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Sugar Shack TO

Maple season is in full swing and Sugar Shack TO is back on Toronto’s waterfront for you to taste all things maple.

The “truly Canadian experience” will be happening at Harbourfront Centre with live entertainment, maple-infused food and lots of maple taffy from two Sugar Shacks.

It kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday and runs until 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free and you can find more details here.

TTC/GO Transit

Line 2 Saturday closure

Subway service on Line 2 between St George to Broadview stations will be replaced by shuttle buses on Saturday due to planned signal work. Regular service will resume on Sunday at approximately 8 a.m.

Road Closures

Gardiner Expressway long-term 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.

Lake Shore Boulevard 

The following closures on Lake Shore Boulevard will be in place nightly from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for routine testing on the Gardiner Expressway: 

• From 10 p.m. on Sunday, March 15 to 6 a.m. on Monday, March 16 two eastbound lanes will be closed between Rees Street and Lower Simcoe Street. 
• From 10 p.m. on Monday, March 16 to 6 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, and from 10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17 to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18 two eastbound lanes will be closed between Rees Street and Lower Simcoe Street. 
• From 10 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18 to 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 19 and from 10 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 to 6 a.m. on Friday, March 20 two westbound lanes will be closed between Rees Street and Lower Simcoe Street. 

Additionally, from 9 a.m. on Monday, March 16 to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 20 there will be lane reductions in place across Lake Shore Boulevard at Ontario Place Boulevard for sewage work. The work will be done in phases, with one to three lanes of traffic maintained in both directions throughout the project.  

Cherry Street 

From 7 p.m. on Friday, March 13 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 15, Cherry Street will be closed to vehicles between Eastern Avenue and Front Street for tower crane construction. 

St. Patrick’s Day Race  

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, Bayview Avenue from Pottery Road to River Street, and Rosedale Valley Road from Bayview Avenue to Park Road will be fully closed to vehicles.  

St. Patrick’s Day Parade  

The following road closures will be in effect on Sunday, March 15. 

From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: 

• St. George Street from Bloor Street West to College Street 

• Devonshire Place from Bloor Street West to Hoskin Avenue 

• Sussex Avenue from Huron Street to St. George Street 

• Harbord Street from Huron Street to St. George Street 

• Hoskin Avenue from St. George Street to Queens Park Crescent West 

• Ursula Franklin Street from Huron Street to St. George Street 

From 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: 

• Bloor Street West, from St. George Street to Yonge Street  

• Yonge St, from Bloor St to Richmond Street 

Toronto Street  

From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, Toronto Street will be closed between King Street East and Adelaide Street East for filming. 

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