The 51st annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 4, 2018.
The Parade will commence at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at 9:30 p.m.
According to the Festival Management Committee (FMC), a total of 11 large Mas Bands, 6-8 guest bands, and six Steel Bands will depart from Exhibition Place from British Columbia Road, travel east along Lake Shore Blvd West, and return into Exhibition Place at Canada Blvd.
The bands will pass through the judging area, and then establish individual “Blockorama” style concerts in various locations throughout Exhibition Place and along Lake Shore Boulevard West. The bands will continue to play music until 8:30 p.m., within Exhibition Place Grounds, 8:45 p.m., in the Ontario Place Parking lot and until 9:00 p.m., on Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Paid admission is required for access and viewing within the Exhibition Place Grounds, viewing the parade from Lakeshore Boulevard West is free of charge.
ROAD CLOSURES
The festival will require numerous road closures and restrictions which will lead to delays and congestion in the immediate area of the parade. The traffic conditions in the downtown area, Lake Shore Boulevard West, The Queensway, Queens Quay West and the Fred Gardiner Expressway are expected to be very heavy.
Road closures within Exhibition Place Grounds and Lake Shore Boulevard West for this event take effect Saturday, August 4, at 2 a.m., until Sunday, August 5, at approximately 6 a.m., including:
- Westbound Lake Shore Boulevard West will be closed to traffic from Bathurst Street to Parkside Drive
- Eastbound Lake Shore Boulevard West will be closed from Colborne Lodge to Bathurst Street
- Dufferin Street south of Springhurst Avenue
- Strachan Ave south of Liberty Street
- Vehicle access west of Bathurst St. on Fleet St. may be closed after the parking lot at Exhibition Place and the Gore Lots are full. This closure will be determined by need.
The following Gardiner Expressway ramps will be closed at 2 a.m., on Saturday, August 4, 2018:
- eastbound Gardiner Expressway exit to Jameson Avenue,
- Jameson Avenue and British Columbia entrance ramps to eastbound Gardiner Expressway
- westbound Gardiner Expressway to Dunn Avenue exit ramp.
The Gardiner Expressway is a restricted access highway which will be patrolled to ensure that vehicles are not parked adjacent to the parade route and pedestrians do not enter the highway area. Drivers who choose to stop or drive in a manner that puts other road users at risk will be subject to strict enforcement.
RESTRICTED ACCESS POINTS
In order to assist the safe movement of traffic and to provide for as little disruption as possible to residents, the following streets will have a restricted access, for vehicles:
- 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
Other streets, although not restricted to vehicles, will be strictly enforced for parking infractions. Those streets are bounded by King Street West, east of Colborne Lodge and west of Bathurst Street.
TOWING POLICY
All vehicles including tour buses, parked illegally on the following streets will be tagged and towed:
- Lake Shore Boulevard West (including the grassed area),
- Rememberance Drive,
- Bathurst Street,
- Fleet Street,
- King Street West,
- Queen Street West,
- Roncesvalles Avenue,
- Dufferin Street,
- The Queensway, and
- Gardiner Expressway
Vehicles parked illegally in the Parkdale and Stadium Road areas will be tagged and towed.
It is recommended that you make yourself aware of alternative routes before heading into the downtown or entertainment district areas to avoid delays.
The Toronto Transit Commission will provide additional service to and from the event.
T.T.C. service to and from the east end of the event will be through the Manitoba Drive/Strachan Avenue area of Exhibition Place and it will stop at Strachan Avenue/Fleet Street, to enable any passengers attending the parklands on the south side of Lake Shore Boulevard West to exit at this location.
It is recommended that spectators use public transit to attend this event. Visit www.ttc.ca for more information.
ONTARIO PLACE PARKING ACCESS
Access to Ontario Place will be restricted to Staff and Service vehicles only through Remembrance Drive at 649 Lake Shore Boulevard West., west of Bathurst Street. Vehicles exiting Ontario Place will do so at the same location.
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