Weekend need-to-know: Movie stars take Toronto for TIFF

Movie lovers are flocking to Toronto this weekend to kick off the week-long Toronto International Film Festival.

There are no scheduled subway closures this weekend, but there is a late subway opening scheduled on part of Line 2. Road closures also continue around the city for events and construction.

Here’s what is going on this weekend:

Toronto International Film Festival

The Toronto International Film Festival will be bringing movie stars back to the city, starting on Thursday through to September 15.

After a low participation due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes last year, premieres and parties this year are expected to be filled with stars.

More than 270 films, 59 Canadian offerings, will be lighting up TIFF screens, something for every kind of cinephile.

Some celebrities are expected this year include Angelina Jolie, Amy Adams, Will Ferrell, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Vikander, Nicole Kidman, Pamela Anderson, and Hugh Grant.

The opening night film was David Gordon Green’s “Nutcrackers” starring Ben Stiller.

Other titles include Francis Ford Coppola’s self-funded $120-million passion project, “Megalopolis,” starring Adam Driver, Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut “The Deb” and Nicole Kidman’s erotic drama “Babygirl.” 

A street party will also shut down King between Peter Street and University Avenue from 5 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, until 5 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 9.

Taste of North York

Taste of North York is happening from this Friday to Sunday in Mel Lastman Square.

The event is an open-air street food market with hundreds of menu items from a variety of different cuisines along with live entertainment, artisans, and fun activities by local businesses.

It kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Taste of The Kingsway

Taste of The Kingsway returns this year for the 26th year for South Etobicoke’s largest street festival.

It takes place from Friday to Sunday in South Etobicoke on Bloor Street West from Prince Edward Drive to Montgomery Street. The festival will have food, music, contests, live shows, and midway rides.

A full list of events can be found on their website.

Drive Fest

Car fanatics will all be headed to the the fourth annual Drive Festival at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville happening this weekend.

Those who attend the event can check out manufacturer displays, test drives, participate in ride alongs, food trucks, motorcycles, and more.

Tickets are still available on their website along with more information.

Cabbagetown Festival

A celebration of community, culture and creativity will be happening at this weekend’s annual Cabbagetown Festival, which is back for the first time since 2019.

The two-day festival will feature local artisans, craft vendors, and delicious treats at a lively street market. There will also be live music performances from local bans and musicians.

It kicks off Saturday morning at 11 a.m. and runs through to 8 p.m. on Sunday evening.

TTC/GO closures

Line 2 early closure and late opening

On Sunday, subway service on Line 2 between St George and Broadview stations will start at 11:00 a.m. due to track work.

Shuttle buses will operate.

Lakeshore West line service adjustment

Lakeshore West trains will run on an hourly schedule to accommodate work at Long Branch GO and other work groups along the line on Sept. 7 and 8.

Road closures

Ongoing Gardiner closures

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 road closures

Toronto International Film Festival

From 5 a.m. on Thursday, September 5 to 5 a.m. on Monday, September 9, the following roads will be fully closed for TIFF’s Festival Street Initiative, a free pop-up street festival with music, screenings and activations:  

• King Street West between University and Spadina Avenues.  
• Widmer Street between King and Adelaide Street West.  
• Emily Street between Wellington and King Street West.  
• Duncan Street between Pearl Street and Adelaide Street West.  

John Street:  

From 5 a.m. on Thursday, September 5 to 5 a.m. on Monday, September 9, John Street will be closed between Wellington and King Street West.  

Simcoe Street:  

From 5 a.m. on Thursday, September 5 to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, September 10, Simcoe Street will be closed between Wellington and Adelaide Street West.  

In addition, a number of partial lane closures will be in effect around the Shangri-La Hotel, Scotiabank Theatre and Princess of Wales Theatre until Tuesday, September 17, and around Roy Thomson Hall until Thursday, September 19.   

Constantine Yorkville Run 

On Sunday, September 8, the following closures will be in effect to accommodate the 5K run: 

From 5:30. to 11 a.m.: 

• Eastbound lanes on Davenport Road will be closed from New Street/Belmont Street to Bay Street 
• Southbound lanes on Bay Street will be closed between Davenport Road and Yorkville Avenue 

From 8:15 to 11 a.m. intermittent lane closures will be in effect: 

• Southbound lanes on Bay Street will be closed between Davenport Road and Elm Street 
• All lanes on Elm Street will be closed between Bay Street to University Avenue 
• Northbound lanes on University Avenue will be closed between Dundas and College Street 
• Northbound lanes on Queens Park Crescent East will be closed between College Street and Bloor Street West 
• Northbound lanes on Avenue Road will be closed between Bloor Street West and Davenport Road 
• Eastbound lanes on Davenport Road will be closed between Avenue Road and Bay Street   

Jesus in the City Festival 

From 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 7, Queens Park Crescent East will be closed between College Street and Wellesley Street West. Wellesley Street West will be closed between Queens Park Crescent and Queens Park Crescent West.  

Jesus in the City Parade 

The following roads will also be temporarily closed to accommodate the parade from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 7: 

• Bay Street between Wellesley Street West and Bloor Street West 
• Bloor Street West between Bay Street and Yonge Street 
• Yonge Street between Bloor Street West and College Street West 
• College Street West between Yonge Street and Queens Park Crescent  
• Wellesley Street West between Queens Park Crescent East and Bay Street 

Southbound lanes on Queens Park Cresent West will remain open.  

Cabbagetown Festival 

From 6 a.m. on Saturday, September 7, to 11 p.m. on Sunday, September 8, Parliament Street will be closed between Wellesley Street East and Gerrard Street East. Carlton Street will be closed between Parliament and Seaton Streets.  

Taste of the Kingsway Festival 

From noon on Friday, September 6, to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, September 8, Bloor Street West will be closed between Montgomery Road and Prince Edward Drive North. 

Bay Street 

From 12 a.m. on Saturday, September 7 to 5 a.m. on Sunday, September 8, southbound lanes will be closed on Bay Street between Wellington Street West and King Street West for a filming event. A northbound lane will be converted to a southbound traffic lane. 

The Esplanade 

On weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., from Monday, September 9 to Friday, September 20, the Esplanade will be closed between Lower Jarvis Street and George Street South for sewer replacement and water upgrades. Cyclists may wish to use Front Street as an alternative route. Pedestrian access will be maintained. 

Other ongoing city closures

• Spadina Avenue streetcars have been replaced by buses between Spadina Station and Queens Quay, and until the end of the year, there will be no 510 service between Spadina Station and Union Station. Commuters wishing to travel onwards to Union from Queens Quay will need to transfer to a 509 streetcar.
• O’Connor Drive is down to a single lane each way between Bermondsey and Sandra for road reconstruction and sewer and watermain installation until the summer of 2024.
• 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.
• 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, at least four-and-a-half years.
• Northbound Yonge Street is reduced to one lane between Wellington and King Streets for TTC construction, which is scheduled to continue into 2024.
• Two northbound lanes of Yonge Street from King Street to Wellington Street are closed for TTC construction until Sept. 30, 2024.
• Finch Avenue West is reduced to a single lane in both directions from Dufferin to Wilmington until October 2024 for sewer installation.
• 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 Friday, July 12, the Progress Avenue bridge over McCowan Road and the ramp at Busby Drive to northbound McCowan Road will be permanently closed for demolition as part of construction on the Scarborough Centre subway station. Demolition is scheduled for completion in early September. Sidewalk access will be maintained.
• The eastbound lanes of Huntingwood Drive will be closed between Birchmount and Kennedy Roads for rehabilitation and improving bike lanes until Sept. 15. Westbound lanes will remain open.