Spring into action with Earth Hour, Easter egg hunt and Beach food fest

While families and children are sad about heading back from their March Break vacations, there is some happy news: spring arrives on Sunday. So far, it’s been a rainy March, which is right on par for this time of year.

The spring party starts on Saturday with Earth Hour celebrations across Canada, as people will be at one with their environment and Mother Nature. Easter comes early for some with the annual Easter egg hunt in High Park.

 

And as always, keep an eye on the TTC as you make your weekend plans: a portion of Line 1 (Yonge-University-Spadina) will be shut down this weekend for TTC work.

Events

Celebrate spring’s arrival
You have been waiting for this moment since the end of summer last year.

Spring officially arrives at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday. The forecast high of near 2 C may not warm your soul but at least there will be some sunshine.

 

Earth Hour in Toronto
Millions of people around the people will be turning off their lights from 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. local time on Saturday to celebrate Earth Hour.

 

Several events are being held in the city to mark the hour. People are invited to gather at the Roncesvalles Peace Garden and ‘walk along Roncy‘ with lanterns or candlelit jars. Now in its 10th year, the hour is marked with acoustic performances and art installations. The event starts at 8:15 p.m.

If you want hang our near the waterfront, head down to the fourth annual ‘Lights Out‘ at Kew Gardens in the Beach, illuminated by paper lanterns and candlelight. The event, which starts at sunset, features live music and all-around camaraderie.

Weather permitting, those who live in the west end can take a candlelit stroll along the Humber River starting at 7:30 p.m. Green 13, a community group of Ward 13 residents, has teamed up with Heritage York to host the event, which starts starts and ends at Lambton House. There will be light refreshments after the walk and acoustic music. Residents are being asked to power down their home and arrive at the historic home on Old Dundas Street by 7 p.m.

You can also go green at Bullfrog’s Earth Hour Celebration at Evergreen Brick Works from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. There will be live music, games and prize giveaways.

If you are looking for a more spiritual Earth Hour experience, Moksha Yoga on Bloor Street West is holding a silent yoga class by candlelight at 8:30 p.m. Pay what you can and enjoy the meditative hour. Click here to register for the class.

 

Toronto Comicon
The best in sci-fi, comics, pop culture and fantasy take over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Among the celebrities who will be on hand: Will Friedle from “Boy Meets World,” Jonathan Frakes from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” Ernie Hudson from “Ghostbusters” and John O’Hurley, the actor who played J. Peterman on “Seinfeld.”

The show opens Friday and runs through Sunday. Expect to see lots of interesting characters in the downtown core all weekend long. Click here to buy tickets.

 

Toronto Sportsmen’s Show
It’s called “Canada’s outdoor supershow” and it ends Sunday at the International Centre. You’ll see exhibitors featuring everything to do with boating, fishing, hunting, skiing and other outdoor activities. There’s even a “Bird of Prey” show featuring live eagles, falcons, hawks and owls. Tickets are available here, but children 12 and under are free.

Beach-a-licious
The Beach neighourhood is the place for food lovers, with an inaugural restaurant and bar festival that offers mouth-watering dishes at discount prices at participating restaurants in the area. With a ‘beach-a-licious’ passport in hand, earn ballots by eating at select restaurants, which could score you prizes and other freebies. The event ends March 27.

 

Legend of Zelda comes to Toronto
A classic video game franchise comes to life at the Sony Centre on Saturday.

It’s part of a global concert tour of “The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses – Master Quest.” It’s not just a concert but a total multimedia experience, as the music will be accompanied by game play imagery from the past incarnations of the game. The show starts at 8 p.m. and you can buy tickets here.

 

Easter egg hunt starts early
Enjoy a fun family day at High Park with children invited to take part in Sunday’s annual Easter Egg Hunt on the front lawn of Colborne Lodge.

Hunts start every half hour from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. It costs $3 per family, and at the end of the hunt, they trade their eggs in for a loot bag of chocolate eggs. Kids have to be able to walk and pick up things from the ground to participate.

There’s also an egg colouring station, face painting and selfies with the Easter Bunny. Parents are encouraged to take the TTC or to park at the larger lots at the Grenadier Restaurant.

 

TTC closures/diversions

Partial Line 1 closure
Subways won’t be running on Line 1 (Yonge-University) from St. George to Lawrence West stations on Saturday and Sunday due to track work and signal upgrades.

Shuttle buses will stop at all stations except Eglinton West, Glencairn and St. Clair West stations for Metrolinx and TTC work.

Due to the Metrolinx work, the shuttle bus will stop at Eglinton Avenue West and Bathurst Street. Also, the 63/363 Ossington and 109 Ranee buses will also divert in the area. At Glencairn Station, TTC crews will prepare for the upcoming installation of new fare lines.

St. Clair West Station will remain open but shuttle buses will stop at Bathurst Street and St. Clair Avenue West.

 

The TTC is also planning partial subway shutdowns on Line 1 and Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) next month. Click here for a full list of scheduled subway closures.

Temporary service change on 501
The 501/301 Queen streetcar will not be running west of the Sunnyside Loop until 5 a.m. on Monday. TTC crews will be upgrading the overhead wire system at Humber Loop and replace a sub-station transformer on Lake Shore Boulevard West.

Click here for shuttle bus details.