For the first time in three years, Toronto streets will once again be transformed by contemporary art installations for the popular overnight festival Nuit Blanche.
Taking place from sunset on October 1 to sunrise on October 2, Torontonians can expect to see work from more than 150 different artists placed throughout the city.
The downtown core will be where most of the art projects are featured, with additional exhibitions heading for Scarborough, North York, and Etobicoke. For those interested in seeing the most amount of art in the shortest amount of time, they'll want to head to Yonge Street where the heart of Nuit Blanche will be. Beginning at Yonge-Dundas square and heading down towards Harbourfront, attendees can take in 35 different installations.
Interesting art pieces can be found at the ArtworxTO South Hub at Union Station and Harbourfront Centre, but there are three larger-than-life installations that art enthusiasts will want to keep an eye out for. The Deloitte building, located at 8 Adelaide Street West, is expected to have a massive installation wrapping the side of it, and over at Nathan Phillips Square, there will be a 200-ft, illuminated tipi. Down at the foot of Yonge Street, a 60-ft-wide water screen will be set up.
Over in Scarborough, 15 installations will be located in and around the Scarborough Civic Centre and Scarborough Town Centre. In North York, there will be 10 art projects to discover near North York City Centre, Mel Lastman Square, and the Meridian Centre for the Performing Arts. Etobicoke will see 14 pieces located around the Humber College Lakeshore Campus and Samuel Smith Park.
A map of all the exhibitions is available online, but physical copies can be picked up at event centres located at 160 Yonge Street, 88 Queens Quay West, 11 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive, Mel Lastman Square, and Albert Campbell Square.
As to be expected, the city will close a number of streets to make way for the festival, including partial closures to major downtown roads like Bay Street, Queen Street, Yonge Street and the eastbound Yonge Street off-ramp from the Gardiner Expressway. Some of the closures will begin as early as Thursday evening.
The City of Toronto is encouraging those who wish to attend Nuit Blanche to take public transit. In addition to regular overnight service, the TTC will run subway service all night on lines 1, 2, 3, and 4, and day passes purchased on October 1 will be valid until 7 a.m. the following morning.
A full list of road closures is as follows:
- Temperance Street between Yonge Street and Bay Street, and Colborne Street between Yonge Street and Scott Street, will have local traffic only along a portion of the roadways from Thursday, September 29 at 9 p.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 2 p.m.
- Yonge Street will be closed between Dundas Street and Queens Quay from Friday, September 30 at 9 p.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 11 a.m. but east-west traffic will be maintained at major intersections
- Queen Street will be closed between York Street and Bay Street and between Bay Street and Victoria Street from Friday, September 30 at 9 p.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 11 a.m.
- Westbound Gardiner Expressway exit 154 to Yonge Street will be closed from Friday, September 30 at 6 p.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 11 a.m.
- Esplanade Street will be closed between Yonge Street and Scott Street, with local traffic only along a portion of the road from Friday, September 30 at 6 p.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 11 a.m.
- Road closures and restrictions along Bay Street between Dundas Street West and Richmond Street West, including Albert Street and James Street from Saturday, October 1 at 10 a.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 10 a.m.
- Hagerman Street will be closed from Saturday, October 1 at 10 a.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 10 a.m.
- Queens Quay West will be closed between York Street and Bay Street, with local traffic only along a portion of the road from Saturday, October 1 at 10 a.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 10 a.m.
