Boo! Your weekend is all about Halloween

It’s Halloween! Monday is the frightful night but the fun starts this weekend with events across the city and beyond. As you roam across town, be on guard for those mischievous ghosts and creepy zombies who seem to pop out of nowhere.

If you love a good ghost story, these scary tales of haunted spots in Toronto will make your hair stand on end. Be warned, you may need to keep a light on at night after reading them.

And not to spoil your weekend too much, but a portion of Line 1 (Yonge-University-Spadina) is closed this weekend for TTC work.

---

Halloween events

Toronto Zombie Walks
Don’t be alarmed if you see some creatures of the ‘undead’ roaming your neighbourhood this Saturday, as several Zombie Walks are taking place across the city.

The first walk gets underway in Brockton Village at noon, where zombies, vampires and mummies will invade McCormick Park on Sheridan Avenue, near Dundas Street West.

 

At 1 p.m. zombie and Halloween lovers will band together at Nathan Phillips Square for an ‘undead army’ march. Organizers have built a chariot to be pulled by the undead and there will be a professional photographer on hand.

The St. Clair West Zombie Walk will hit the streets at 2 p.m., starting at Wells Hill Park and make its way across St. Clair West. It will end at Earls Court Park, located at Lansdowne and St. Clair West.

Lastly, a Veggie Lovers walk will kick off at the Exhibition GO Station at 3 p.m. It will head up Bay Street to Nathan Phillips Square, and after stopping to check out each others’ costumes, the veggie zombies will make their way to Hogtown Vegan on Bloor Street West. Vegan, vegetarian and friendly meat eaters are welcome.

‘Thriller’ workshop
“It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark.”

If you grew up in the ’80s, you remember the first time you watched this epic video on your television set. And now, you can learn the zombie-like moves of the dance routine (that is, if you haven’t already done so in front of your mirror in your room).

City Dance Corps on Queen Street West is holding two workshops, one on Friday and another on Saturday. Now, you will be able to show off the routine to your friends and at your workplace party.

Ripley’s Aquarium Gills & Ghouls
Ripley’s Aquarium will be transformed into a creepy cove this Saturday and Sunday for its Gills & Ghouls Halloween event.

Children that “swim by” will receive a “fish”-or-treat bag. There will be giveaway stations throughout the aquarium, with staff handing out items like pencils, crayons, colouring books, and of course, candy.

Live performers, including mermaids, pirates and witches, can be found throughout the entire aquarium, and guests can check out underwater pumpkin carving during one of the live dive shows at 11:15 a.m. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. all weekend. The cost of the event is included with general admission.

Howling Hootenanny
Black Creek Pioneer Village is the perfect setting for you to dabble in some old-fashioned Halloween fun this weekend.

 

You can decorate your own pumpkin, walk through a haunted maze, listen to some scary tales and pioneer superstitions, and glare at creepy creatures.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Halloween fundraiser to support first responders
Having fun for a good cause is at the heart of a charity Halloween-themed walk in support of first responders. Money raised from the event will go towards Mood Disorders Society of Canada. It will specifically be used for peer support for first responders.

The walk starts at the Toronto Police College on Birmingham Street at 1 p.m. on Saturday. After the walk, participants can take part in a Halloween activities that include a pumpkin carving contest, as well as children’s activities and free refreshments.

Twilight Pumpkin Float in High Park
A sea of pumpkins will greet the late-afternoon and early-evening crowd at High Park on Sunday.

 

From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., families and their children will carve their pumpkins and set them afloat in the wading pool, located west of the main entrance of the park at Bloor Street West and High Park Avenue. The cost is $2.50 a pumpkin.

St. Joseph’s Toronto West Halloween Fest
Celebrate Halloween this weekend by dressing up to support a great cause. St. Joseph’s Toronto West Halloween Fest will be taking over Bloor West Village on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event stretches from Jane Street to Runnymede Road, with the main stage set up at Windermere Avenue.

It features a costume parade and live entertainment throughout the day, including two performances by Sharon and Bram, and some DJ dance parties. All proceeds from the event will help St. Joseph’s build a better pediatric emergency department. Last year alone, parents brought their kids to St. Joe’s more than 57,000 times.

Screamwhistle at Steam Whistle Brewing
Adults will be in for a scare this weekend at Steam Whistle Brewing. The Screamwhistle Halloween Bash is back for its 15th annual event. The haunted brewery welcomes DJs Skratch Bastid and Fields McQueen. Tickets are $35 and doors open at 9 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

Other events

Wychwood Vintage Clothing Show
‘Tis the season for vintage. Wychwood Barns will transform into a vintage haven this Sunday for the Fall Vintage Clothing Show. It features 30 top vintage dealers from Toronto and Montreal, selling a wide range of fashion, accessories and textiles. Women’s and men’s clothing will be available, along with shoes, hats, scarves, handbags and jewellery.

Admission is $10, and children under the age of 12 can enter for free. The show gets underway at 10 a.m. and wraps up at 5 p.m.

Art Toronto
Not so abstract: The Metro Convention Centre will be home to modern and contemporary art from Friday until Monday. Art enthusiasts can venture to more than 100 galleries showcasing the work of Canadian and international artists. As part of the Focus: Latin America exhibit, you can also discover galleries and projects from artists in Mexico, Central and South America.

Adult admission is $20 online or $22 at the door. It runs from noon to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday and Monday.

Psychic Fair and Expo
Would you like to know what the future holds for you? Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, the GTA’s biggest psychic event – held at the International Centre in Mississauga from Friday to Sunday – hosts tarot and palm readers, clairvoyants, and mediums.

Admission is $15 but children under 12 can enter for free accompanied with an adult.

TTC and road closures

Partial Line 1 shutdown
TTC work continues this weekend, which means another partial subway shutdown for riders. Subways won’t be running between St George and Lawrence West stations on Line 1 (Yonge-University-Spadina) due to signal upgrades.

Next weekend, track work will lead to a closure on Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) between St. George and Pape stations. Shuttle buses will be running during both shutdowns.

Yonge-Richmond closure
The intersection of Yonge Street and Richmond Street West will be closed from 6 a.m. on Thursday to 7 a.m. on Monday due to road reconstruction sidewalk repairs and TTC track replacement.

Yonge will be closed from north of Queen to Dundas Street from 11 p.m. on Friday to 11 p.m. on Saturday.

Event road closures

Charity Bed Race: Two westbound lanes of Bloor Street West, from Royal York Road to Montgomery Road, will be closed from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Halloween Parade: Bloor Street, from Jane Street to Runnymede Avenue, will be closed in both directions from from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday