Weekend need to know: Christmas weekend, Disney Animation Immersive Experience; road closures/TTC updates
The Christmas weekend is among us but with the winter storm on GTA’s doorstep, we may not be able to enjoy the events taking place over the holidays until the weather system moves out.
The storm has hampered some holiday plans, especially at the airport. Environment Canada is cautioning travel will be “hazardous” due to snow and damaging winds moving in on Friday.
There is also an extreme cold weather alert in place in Toronto from Friday into at least Saturday.
In anticipation of the storm, the TTC says it will take 41 bus stops out of service as of Friday “until further notice.” The transit agency says this is to prevent buses from getting stuck on known icy trouble spots on hills.
The TTC has also canceled subway service, for at least Friday, on Line 3 Scarborough SRT with shuttle busses running instead.
Here’s what’s going on this weekend:
Top events
Disney Animation Immersive Experience
The Disney Immersive Experience has arrived at the Lighthouse Artspace located at 1 Yonge St.
The event is an immersive projection experience preceded by a multi-room exhibit, created by Oscar-winning producer J. Miles Dale, who was also behind the films Nightmare Alley and Shape of Water.
The experience takes people through the history of Disney Animation Studios featuring 600,000 cubic feet of projections.
There’s also interactive elements including responsive projections that move with the audience and twinkling bracelets that light up in sync with the show.
WATCH Renna Pispidikis take a sneak peak of the world of Disney at the Animation Immersive Experience:
Casa Loma Christmas at the Castle
Casa Loma is hosting a bunch of activities and performances for Christmas at the Castle.
The castle turned winter wonderland will include a 40 foot tall Christmas tree in the Great Hall and eight other signature trees by Canadian designers.
Families are also welcome to visit Santa Claus in his workshop at the castle.
Event tickets include access to tour inside Casa Loma during the daytime.
Christmas at the Castle runs until Jan. 2 but is closed on Christmas Day.
Glow Christmas in support of SickKids
Glow Christmas is taking place at Toronto’s Congress Centre in Etobicoke, where people can enjoy holiday inspired beverages, shop for last minute gifts, decorate cookies with Mrs. Claus, and then visit with Santa himself.
Coat check sales will be donated to SickKids, supporting the hospital’s highest priority needs.
Due to weather conditions, the event will be closed for at least this Friday. However, the event runs for the entire holiday season until Dec. 31.
Toronto Zoo Holiday Enrichment
The zoo is open for the Christmas weekend including Boxing Day, except for at least this Friday due to weather conditions.
Attendees can view animals enjoying special holiday enrichment from Christmas Day to Jan. 7, including paper mache Christmas trees, boxes for Boxing Day, carcass feeds with the carnivores, and browse feeds with the herbivores.
Toronto Christmas Market
Hundreds of people have been visiting the the annual Christmas Market at the Distillery Historic District all month long, and they can still go until Saturday.
The market is free all day between Mondays and Thursdays until 4 p.m.
In order to access the winter village after 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays up until Dec. 23, you’ll need to buy tickets on their website.
The cost is $11 plus HST (free for children nine and younger). The same policy applies between Dec. 27 and 31.
The market is closed on Christmas Day.
Road closures
Ongoing closures
- Southbound University Avenue from Armoury Street to Queen Street West will be reduced to one shared lane for people driving and cycling due to the construction of the future Ontario Line.
- Richmond Street between Parliament and Sherbourne streets is reduced to two lanes, and the dedicated bike lane is closed.
- Adelaide Street is down to a single lane in sections between Spadina Avenue and Bay Street. The work, which is expected to be completed in spring 2023, is taking place ahead of the Ontario Line subway construction.
- Bloor Street is impacted by long-term construction, which is behind schedule, between Parliament and Sherbourne streets.