Adedokun Waliyu 
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicked off on Thursday, which included a scoreless draw between Nigeria and Canada.
Matches between different countries are happening all weekend, and several bars and restaurants are hosting viewing parties. Many of those bars will offer liquor service as early as 7 a.m. because of the time difference involved.
A bunch of cultural festivals are also happening in the GTA, including a new festival at Ontario Place.
There are no scheduled subway closures this weekend, but there is a late opening on Line 2. Also, GO trains won’t be running on the Lakeshore East line starting on Friday night.
Road closures due to construction and events will also be in effect, in particular, closures on a section of the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway for the Toronto Triathlon Festival on Sunday. Scroll below for more details.
Here’s what to do this weekend:
Women’s World Cup
Canada opened their FIFA Women’s World Cup run in Australia with a scoreless draw against Nigeria on Thursday.
Canada’s next group stage match is against Ireland next week.
But people can join viewing parties all weekend at Cafe Diplomatico to catch Vietnam vs. United States, Denmark vs. China, France vs. Jamaica and more.
The restaurant will have extended liquor service for the early games, and will be showing regularly scheduled games, as well as reruns.
People can also check out bars like Elephant & Castle and The Aviary to catch the matches.
Those in Brampton can check out matches at Garden Square and Shoppers World.
Canada will play two more matches in the group stage over the next couple weeks.
On July 26 Canada will play against Ireland and on July 31 Canada will take on Australia.
Christine SinclairCanada’s Christine Sinclair competes for the ball against Nigeria during second half Group B soccer action at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, on July 21, 2023.
The Panamerican Food & Music Festival is a two-day event running Saturday and Sunday at Nathan Phillips Square.
Festival-goers can enjoy the diverse traditions, folklore, music, recipes, chefs, and dancers from 30 countries in the Americas.
This year’s event features the International Ceviche Competition, chocolate and coffee tastings, an empanada eating contest, a salsa dance competition and more.
The festival is a community gathering, focused on celebrating Black joy through three days of music, art, wellness, and food.
The first, annual festival is happening all weekend from Friday to Sunday.
Day One (Friday) 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The first day features a film screening showcasing the latest work by Black film Director, Clement Virgo, Brother 2022, that speaks to Black representation.
Day Two (Saturday) 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The second day features an evening of musical performances from Black artists from Toronto and abroad.
Artists will perform on the Trillium Park Stage located within Ontario Place, with headliner Mereba.
Other notable performers include Adria Kain, Desiire, Terrell Morris and M.I. Blue.
Day Three (Sunday) 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The third day is hosted by Jaded Cultur, a wellness brand for Toronto creatives and entrepreneurs of colour.
Jaded Cultur will be hosting the next installment of their movement and meditation event series called “VESSEL”.
Fun Philippines Festival
Fun Philippines is a festival that celebrates Filipino culture through food, entertainment, and huge gatherings.
The festival aims to spread cultural education through fun programs and installations.
The free event takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue.
Dream in High Park – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Dream in High Park is one of Canada’s largest and longest running outdoor professional theatre events, taking place at the High Park Amphitheatre.
The event runs throughout the summer and offers pay-what-you-wish pricing.
The Shakespearean love story A Midsummer Night’s Dream is being performed at the High Park Amphitheatre starting on Friday and runs until September 3.
The play is 90 minutes long with no intermission.
Most seating is on the grass, and blankets and pillows welcome. Accessible seating is also available.
Audience members can bring along picnics, snacks, or enjoy concessions on site.
Subway service on Line 2 between St George and Broadview stations will start by 12 p.m. on Sunday.
Line 2 shuttle buses will operate, stopping at all subway stations along the route.
Starting at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, shuttle buses will be running instead of trains on the entire line due to construction and maintenance work between Danforth and Rouge Hill stations.
Shuttle buses won’t be stopping at Rouge Hill, Guildwood, Eglinton, Scarborough or Danforth GO stations. Transit riders can take the TTC from these locations instead.
Regular GO train service on that line is expected to resume on Monday morning.
Toronto Triathlon Festival – All eastbound lanes of the Gardiner Expressway will be closed from the Humber River to the DVP from 2 a.m. to noon on Sunday. The northbound lanes of the DVP will also be closed from the Gardiner to Eglinton Avenue East.
Fun Philippines Festival – Road closures will begin on Saturday at 12 a.m. until Monday at 12 a.m. on Bathurst Street from Laurelcrest Avenue to Wilson Avenue.
Dream Wheels on Eglinton Vintage Car Show – On Saturday, roads will be closed to vehicle traffic from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Eglinton Avenue West, from Elmsthorpe Avenue to Russell Hill Road.
Annual Fusion of Taste Festival – Albion Road, from Islington Avenue to Thistle Down Boulevard, will be closed from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Saturday.
OssFest – Ossington Avenue, from Dundas Street West to Queen Street West, will be closed from 6 a.m. on Saturday until 4 a.m. on Sunday.
Junior Carnival Parade – McLevin Avenue, from Sewells Road to Neilson Road, and Neilson Road, from McLevin Avenue to Finch Avenue East, will be closed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Youth Day 2023 – Yonge Street, from Dundas Street to Queen Street West, and Dundas Square, from Yonge Street to O’Keefe Lane, will be closed from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
Construction road closures:
Richmond Street, from Portland Street to Bathurst Street, will be closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Weston Road at Park Street will be reduced to one southbound lane between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Wellesley Street West, from Bay Street to Queen’s Park Crescent East, will be closed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
There will be a full closure of Niagara-bound traffic on the QEW Burlington Skyway for critical repairs, beginning Saturday at 10 p.m. to Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
Ongoing closures:
The southbound lane of the Dufferin Street Bridge is closed to vehicle traffic to due emergency repair work on the bridge. Repair work is expected to last into the fall.
Broadview Avenue, between Gerrard Street East and Danforth Avenue, will be closed to southbound traffic and reduced to one northbound lane until November to replace TTC streetcar tracks.
Brimley Road northbound access to the 401 westbound collectors is closed until 5 a.m. on July 24, for bridge work.
Teston Road in Vaughan will be closed between Pine Valley Drive and Weston Road until the end of the year for road reconstruction and bridge work.
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 for at least four-and-a-half years, until 2027.
Lake Shore Boulevard West, from Rees Street to Spadina Avenue, is reduced to two lanes until May 31, 2024, for Enwave construction.
Bathurst Street is down to a single lane each way at Laurelcrest Avenue for construction until the middle of August.
Military Trail is closed from Ellesmere Road to Highcastle Road for road rehabilitation and slope stabilization. The project completion date has been delayed to the summer.
Keele Street is reduced to a single lane about 100 metres north of Langstaff in Vaughan. Construction work is scheduled to finish later this year.
Northbound Yonge Street is reduced to one lane between Wellington and King Streets for TTC construction. The project is scheduled to continue into 2024.
