Vibrant colours, elaborate costumes, spirited masqueraders and the sounds of Soca music will be taking over Toronto’s lakeshore on Saturday for the Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade.
The parade, which starts at 8 a.m. and runs until 8 p.m., will travel from the grounds of Exhibition Place to Canada Boulevard, to westbound Lake Shore Boulevard West. It will then head west along Lake Shore, take a turn west of Jameson Avenue and then travel east on Lake Shore. The masquerade bands will return to Exhibition Place for judging via Canada Boulevard.
Road closures will be in effect on Saturday and into early Sunday, scroll below for those closures and transit updates.
The parade, which draws millions of people from all over the world, is free to attend but there are some ticketed areas.
There are several other Caribbean Carnival events happening over the weekend. Click here for more information.
As with the Pride parade, Toronto police say they will have extra security measures in place for the Grand Parade and during the evening hours.
“Officers will have increased visibility throughout the weekend to provide crowd and traffic management and to ensure public safety,” a police release states.
Police are also expecting more people at restaurants and nightclubs during the evening hours and say they will have dedicated resources in the downtown core and waterfront area.
Road closures
Drivers can expect traffic delays as several road closures will be in effect on Saturday and early Sunday on Lake Shore Boulevard West and ramps on the Gardiner Expressway as well as on local streets.
Lake Shore Boulevard West will close to traffic at 12 a.m. Saturday from westbound Strachan Avenue to Parkside Drive, and eastbound Lake Shore Boulevard West from Colborne Lodge Drive to Strachan Avenue
Starting at 1 a.m. on Saturday, the Princes’ Gates will remain closed to vehicle traffic.
The following road closures will be in effect from 12 a.m. on Saturday until 7 a.m. on Sunday:
- Lake Shore Boulevard West from Fort York Boulevard to Colborne Lodge Drive
- Strachan Avenue southbound from Fleet Street
- Lake Shore Boulevard West westbound between Bathurst Street and Fort York Boulevard will be only be open to local traffic
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 West at British Columbia Road
- Westbound Gardiner Expressway off ramp at Dunn Avenue
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, east and west of Jameson Avenue
- Remembrance Drive
Parking and towed vehicles
Police say streets south of King Street West, east of Colborne Lodge Drive, and west of Bathurst Street will be “strictly enforced” for parking infractions.
All vehicles, including tour buses, parked illegally on the following streets and areas will be tagged and towed:
- Lake Shore Boulevard West (including the grassed area)
- Bathurst Street
- Fleet Street
- King Street West
- Queen Street West
- Roncesvalles Avenue
- Dufferin Street
- The Queensway
- Parkdale area
- Stadium Road
Getting around using TTC and GO
TTC service
The TTC says there will be extra subway service on lines 1 and 2 on Saturday with additional streetcar service on the 509 Harbourfront and 511 Bathurst.
For those going to the Grand Parade on Saturday, the TTC says they can take Line 2 to Dufferin Station and transfer to a dedicated shuttle bus that will run between the station and Dufferin Gate Loop. Alternatively, riders can also get off at Bathurst Station and transfer to the 511 Bathurst streetcar, or travel to Union Station and transfer to the 509 Harbourfront streetcar.
The streetcar stop at Fleet Street and Strachan Avenue will not be serviced during the parade.
Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday until 4 a.m. on Sunday, several bus and streetcar routes will also be diverting due to road closures for parade:
- 80 Queensway eastbound buses will divert along The Queensway, to Roncesvalles Ave. and Howard Park Ave. Regular westbound service will be maintained.
- 307 Bathurst Night bus will divert southbound from Fort York Blvd., via Fleet St. and Manitoba Dr. to Exhibition Loop. Regular northbound service will be maintained.
- From 8 a.m. on Sat., Aug. 2 until 1 a.m. on Sun., Aug. 3, 503 Kingston Road streetcar service will be extended to run to Sunnyside Loop via King St. and The Queensway.
Click here for full details of TTC service on Saturday and into the long weekend.
GO Transit
Metrolinx says GO train trips will be added on the Lakeshore West line between Union Station and Exhibition GO to help people get to and from the parade. Service on the Barrie line will be adjusted as well.
Lakeshore West line
- Westbound from Union to Exhibition: 10:32 a.m., 12:02 p.m., 12:32 p.m., 2:02 p.m., and 2:38 p.m.
- Eastbound from Exhibition to Union: 5:28 p.m.
Barrie line
The 10:01 p.m. train trip from Union Station to Bradford GO will be extended to stop at Barrie South and Allandale Waterfront stations.
Click here for GO Transit schedules and service updates.
With files from Meredith Bond, CityNews