It’s officially midway through the summer, and what better way to mark it than celebrating the Toronto Caribbean Carnival this long weekend.
Keep in mind, the August Civic Holiday is not a designated fireworks day, and residents are only permitted to set off fireworks on their property if they have obtained a permit from Toronto Fire Services.
Fireworks are not allowed in city parks or on beaches, balconies, streets, parking lots or other private property. Canada’s Wonderland will be having fireworks just before it closes at 9:45 p.m. on Sunday.
Caribbean Carnival
The largest Caribbean Carnival in North America is happening this long weekend with a multitude of events across the city, including the Grand Parade taking place on Saturday.
Masqueraders and steelpan performers will take over Lake Shore Boulevard for the annual parade, with millions from around the world tuning in to see the live performers in person and online.
The parade will leave from the Exhibition Place grounds and travel westbound on Lake Shore before turning at Jameson and heading back to Exhibition.
Everyone is invited to attend, with most of the areas along the route free to access.
Family-friendly events, along with parties at Rebel, Markham Fairgrounds, and more nightclubs, will be happening throughout the weekend. You can find a full lineup of events on their website.
Veld Music Festival
Electronic dance music will take over Downsview Park along with thousands of attendees for the annual Veld Music Festival.
Each day represents a new theme with Y2K on Friday, Enchanted Forest on Day 2 and finishing off with Thunderdome on Sunday. Interactive art and immersive experiences will also be happening alongside the performers.
Tickets are still available, both single day and for the whole weekend. A full lineup of artists is available on their website.
National Bank Open
Victoria Mboko will look to defend her hometown title when the National Bank Open kicks off this weekend in Toronto.
The women’s tournament is back in the city and will also feature Leylah Annie Fernandez, Bianca Andreescu, Kayla Cross, Rebecca Marino, Katherine Sebov and Cadence Brace.
The preliminary rounds for the nearly two-week tournament begin on Saturday.
Toronto Food Truck Festival
Woodbine Park will be filled with food trucks offering up any cuisine you can think of.
Admission is free, and there will be local talent performing alongside live-eating challenges. The event runs for four days, kicking off at 5 p.m. on Friday and running through to Monday evening.
A full list of food trucks is available on their website to get your mouth watering.
Taste of India Festival
The largest food festival in North America will take over Nathan Phillips Square this weekend.
For its ninth year, the Taste of India Festival, organized by School of Flavours, will feature an entertainment lineup, authentic Indian culinary delights, art, and unforgettable experiences.
It’s happening this Saturday and Sunday. More details about performers can be found here.
Scarborough Ribfest
If you haven’t had your fill of ribs this summer, head to Thomson Park for one of the last GTA ribfests of the year. The grills will be firing up starting Friday at 11 a.m. and run through Monday until 9 p.m.
For more details on the Scarborough Ribfest, you can head to their website.
TTC/GO closures
Line 6 late opening
Service on Line 6 between Humber College and Finch West stations will be replaced by shuttle buses until 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, due to planned signalling software upgrade work undertaken by Metrolinx.
Regular LRT service will resume at approximately 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3.
Road closures
Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade
Road closures for the parade take effect on Saturday at 12 a.m. and continue until Sunday at 7 a.m., including:
- Lake Shore Boulevard West from Fort York Boulevard to Colborne Lodge Drive
- Lake Shore Boulevard West, westbound between Bathurst Street and Fort York Boulevard, is open to local traffic only
- Strachan Avenue southbound from Fleet Street
- Lake Shore Boulevard West will close to traffic at 12 a.m. from westbound Strachan Avenue to Parkside Drive, and eastbound Lake Shore Boulevard W. from Colborne Lodge Drive to Strachan Avenue
- The Princes’ Gates will remain closed to vehicle traffic on Saturday starting at 1 a.m.
The following Gardiner Expressway ramps will close at 12 a.m. on Saturday:
- Westbound Gardiner Expressway on-ramp at Jameson Avenue
- Eastbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp at Jameson Avenue
- Eastbound Gardiner Expressway on-ramp from Jameson Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard W. at British Columbia Road
- Westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp at Dunn Avenue
To assist with the flow of traffic and minimize disruptions to residents, the following streets will be restricted to local traffic only:
- Dufferin Street south of King Street West
- Dowling Avenue south of King Street West
- Stadium Road south of Lake Shore Boulevard West
- Queens Quay West, west of Bathurst Street
- Springhurst Avenue, west of Jameson Avenue
- Springhurst Avenue, east of Jameson Avenue
- Remembrance Drive
Ongoing 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.
For full traffic and closure updates, click here for the latest information from 680 NewsRadio Toronto.
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