Weekend need-to-know: Royal Winter Fair starts and Diwali events continue

The annual Royal Winter Fair kicks off this weekend with two alpacas as the ambassadors while Diwali events continue across the GTA.

Keep in mind, that there is a TTC closure in effect on Line 2 this weekend.

Royal Agriculture Winter Fair

The annual Royal Winter Fair kicks off its festivities at Exhibition Place on Friday and runs until Nov. 10.

The fair is the world’s largest combined indoor agricultural and equestrian show. The event celebrates the best in agriculture, local food, and equestrian competitions from across the country. Its Royal Ambassadors this year are Dawson and Pacey, two charismatic alpacas.

Tickets are available to purchase on their website and the fair runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except Sunday and Monday when it closes at 6 p.m.

Diwali events in the GTA

Brampton will host its Diwali celebration on Friday, November 1 at Sesquicentennial Park. The free, family-friendly event will feature fireworks and main stage performances by both local and international artists, including Gurpreet Maan followed by Punjabi artists G. Sidhu, Chani Nattan and Inderpal Moga.

Meanwhile, downtown Oakville will be transformed into a dazzling wonderland of lights, music, and culture on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Centennial Square.

Good Mourning Festival at Evergreen Brickworks

The second annual Good Mourning Festival at Evergreen Brickworks invites residents to come together and reclaim death as a special part of life. The two-day event is dedicated to exploring and honouring the significance of mourning in public spaces through workshops, food, shopping, art installations and more.

Sunday’s events will feature Day of the Dead celebrations that incorporates Mexican and Latin American traditions and delicious food and drinks.

The event is free to attend. Paid parking is available on site and there will be a shuttle from Broadview station.

First Christmas market of the season

Just days after Halloween, Christmas markets are starting to pop up in Toronto.

The Beaches Artisan Market takes place on Sunday at the Kew Gardens and will feature over 50 independent artists, artisans, makers, and designers.

TTC/GO Closures

Line 2 weekend closure

On Saturday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 3, there will be no subway service on Line 2 between Victoria Park and Kennedy stations for planned track work. Shuttle buses will operate.

Regular service will resume Monday, Oct. 28, by 6 a.m.

Road closures

Gardiner Expressway closure

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 closures

• Intermittent lane closures will be in effect on Wilson Avenue between Dufferin Street and Billy Bishop Way until late November for the replacement of a natural gas pipeline.
• Park Lawn Road is down to a single lane from north of Lake Shore Boulevard to the Gardiner Expressway due to the construction of a proposed GO station in the area.
• 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.
• 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.
• Until mid-October, both eastbound lanes and one westbound lane on Queen Street West will be closed at the York Street intersection for the installation of overhead wiring for the 501 Queen streetcar detour. One westbound lane will remain open.