What’s open and closed, things to do, over the Easter long weekend

By Patricia D'Cunha and Samantha Knight

Long weekends are great, aren’t they? Especially when you get to eat a lot of chocolate, which will be all around us over the Easter break.

But aside from all the sweets, this weekend is also a holy one for Christians marking Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and for those of the Jewish faith who are observing Passover. Passover starts Friday evening and ends the evening of April 7.

If you are planning Easter, Passover, or other celebrations, below is a list of what’s open and closed over the long weekend.

For those who are looking for something to do, we have some suggestions for you as well. If you plan to drive around the city, road closures will be in effect for events.


What’s open and closed

Transit
The TTC is running on holiday service on Good Friday. However, there will be no subway service on Line 1 between Finch West and Wilson stations from Good Friday until Easter Sunday due to signal upgrades. Shuttle buses will run.

GO Transit is on a Sunday schedule on Good Friday and a weekend schedule on Saturday and Easter Sunday.

Government offices and other services
Government offices, including municipal buildings like Toronto City Hall, are closed from Friday to Easter Monday. Also, mail won’t be delivered on Good Friday and Monday.

Banks will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

All Toronto Public Library branches will be closed Friday, Sunday and Monday, but are open on Saturday.

In Toronto, daytime curbside residential collection will take place on Good Friday. Click here for more details.

Food and drink
All LCBO and Beer Store locations will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Most grocery stores will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The Loblaws on Carlton Street is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Sunday.

Shopping centres
Most malls will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Below is a list of the open ones:

  • Eaton Centre: Open on Good Friday (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Easter Sunday (noon to 5 p.m.)
  • Promenade: Open on Good Friday (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and closed Easter Sunday
  • Toronto Premium Outlets: Open on Good Friday (9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Easter Sunday (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
  • Upper Canada Mall: Open on Good Friday (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and closed Easter Sunday

 

Tourist attractions
Several tourist attractions will be open over the Easter weekend, including the Art Gallery of Ontario, Casa Loma, CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame, Ontario Science Centre, Ripley’s Aquarium, Royal Ontario Museum, and the Toronto Zoo.

 

Events

Let’s go Blue Jays!
Blue Jays fans will be flocking to Rogers Centre for the team’s first homestand of the 2018 season. The Jays will be in the city for seven days, with the home opener on Thursday at 3:37 p.m. against the New York Yankees. The first 45,000 fans to enter Rogers Centre will receive a Blue Jays T-shirt, and 20,000 fans at Saturday’s game will be treated to a Justin Smoak bobblehead giveaway. After a four-game series with New York, the Jays will face the Chicago White Sox for three games next Monday through Wednesday. Click here for full coverage from Sportsnet.

‘Egg-cellent’ Easter at the Toronto Zoo
Hop on over to the Toronto Zoo this long weekend for some Easter family fun. Guests can have their photo taken with the Easter Bunny on Friday and Saturday, or they can strike a pose with Hatchimals on Sunday and Monday at the courtyard stage. Visitors can also check out animals and learn about their “egg-cellent” enrichment. The Easter events are included with zoo admission Friday through Monday.

Hunting for Easter eggs
Fill your Easter baskets to the brim this Good Friday at Kidnetix’s annual Easter egg hunt in North York. Children will be able to hunt for treats in the indoor playground, meet Hunny the Easter Bunny, decorate cookies and enter to win Easter baskets. There will also be a mini petting zoo, face painting and crafts. There are four hunts to choose from starting at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Kidnetix is located at 100 Bridgeland Ave. near Dufferin Street.

Easter egg hunt for service dogs
Treat your pup to an outdoor Easter egg hunt at Coronation Park along the Martin Goodman Trail this weekend. National Service Dogs is hosting its 20th annual Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs and Their Families on Good Friday, with hundreds expected to take part. All proceeds will help get specially trained Certified Service Dogs to the people who need them most. The hunt gets underway at 11 a.m.

Getting into the mood of spring
One of the largest craft shows in North America has once again taken over the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place. The One of a Kind Spring Show & Sale kicks off on Thursday and will wrap up on Easter Sunday. The event showcases over 500 local artisans, selling unique, handmade crafts. Special features include Bonjour Quebec, the One of a Kind Craft Drinks section and the One of a Kind Marketplace. The show will run until 9 p.m. on Good Friday and Saturday, and 6 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

Road closures

Roads in the College Street and Dundas Street West area, between Bathurst Street and Ossington Avenue, will be closed for St. Francis of Assisi Church’s Good Friday procession. The procession starts and ends around 6 p.m. Click here for the route. Drivers can expected delays in the area and the College and Dundas streetcars will be diverted.

On Sunday, Queen Street East will be shut down between Fallingbrook Road and Woodbine Avenue from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the Toronto Beaches Lions Club Easter Parade. Then from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Woodbine will be closed from Queen to Lake Shore Boulevard East, and Lake Shore will be closed from Woodbine to Coxwell Avenue.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today