The 121st Santa Claus Parade is flying back into Toronto on Sunday and will bring with it season’s greetings and road closures.
The parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. at Christie Pits, on Bloor and Christie streets, before making its way to St. Lawrence Market at Jarvis and Front streets.
It will run for approximately two-and-a-half hours—rain, snow, or shine.
Toronto police have advised all motorists to avoid the parade route altogether or expect “significant delays.”
Vehicles parked along the parade route will begin being towed at 6 a.m. on Sunday, and road closures begin as early as 9:30 a.m.
Before the parade, the 5K Holly Jolly Fun Run will take place along the same route. Police ask that spectators ensure children and all personal belongings are off the roadway as of 11:30 a.m. for the safety of runners and parade attendees.
The run will begin at 11:45 at 625 Bloor Street West between Palmerston and Euclid and the finish line is at Yonge and Wellington.
Santa Claus parade road closures
- Bloor St. W, from Christie St. to Avenue Rd. — 9:30 a.m.
- Spadina Ave., from Lowther Ave. to Willcocks St. — 11 a.m.
- St. George St., from Prince Arthur to College St. — 11a.m.
- Hoskin Ave., from St. George St. to Queen’s Park Cres. — 11 a.m.
- Queen’s Park Cres. from Bloor St. W to College St. — 11 a.m.
- College St. from Beverley St. to Bay St. — 11 a.m.
- University Ave., from College St. to Dundas St. — 11 a.m.
- Dundas St. W, from McCaul St. to Bay St. — 11 a.m.
- University Ave., from Dundas St. W to Front St. — 11 a.m.
- Queen St. W from Duncan St. to Bay St. — 11 a.m.
- Adelaide St. from Duncan St. to University Ave. — 11 a.m.
- King St. W from Simcoe St. to York St. — 11 a.m.
- Front St. W from Simcoe St. to Sherbourne St. — 11 a.m.
- Wellington St. W, from University Ave. to Jarvis St. — 11 a.m.
- Wellington St. W, from Yonge St. to Church St. — 10 a.m.
- Bay St., from King St. to Lakeshore Blvd. W — 11 a.m.
- Yonge St. from King St. to Lakeshore Blvd. — 11 a.m.
- Front St., from Bay St. to Jarvis St. — 11 a.m.
- Jarvis St. from King St. E to Lakeshore Blvd. E — 11:00 a.m.
All road closures for the parade will last until 6 p.m.
TTC changes for the Santa Claus parade
The TTC says it will run extra subway service on Line 1 Yonge-University and Line 2 Bloor-Danforth to accommodate riders travelling to the parade.
Several subway stations are located along or near the parade route, including Bathurst, Spadina, and St. George on Line 2, and Museum, Queen’s Park, St. Patrick, Osgoode, Queen and King stations on Line 1.
Service on streetcar routes, including the 501 Queen, 504 King, 505 Dundas, 506 Carlton, 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina, will be operating through gaps in the parade.
The following bus routes will be diverted during the Santa Claus Parade and the 5K Holly Jolly Fun Run:
- 13 Avenue Road
- 19 Bay
- 75 Sherbourne
- 94 Wellesley
- 97 Yonge
- 114 Queens Quay East
- 121 Esplanade – River
- 126 Christie
- 300 Bloor-Danforth (starting at 7 a.m.)
- 503 Kingston Road
Non-Santa Claus parade TTC service
The TTC says on Saturday, there will be no subway service between St. George and St. Andrew stations along Line 1 Yonge-University due to planned station work.
Museum, Queen’s Park, St. Patrick and Osgoode stations will be closed as a result.
Shuttle buses will not operate and alternative route options can be found here.
Regular subway service will resume the following morning at 8 a.m.
DVP ramp closures
The city says all Don Valley Parkway on- and off-ramps on Bayview Avenue and Bloor Street are closed from 9:30 p.m. on Friday to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The closure is part of the final work on the final rehabilitation of the DVP ramp over the Bayview Avenue Extension and road resurfacing on the Bloor Street ramp between Bayview and the highway, the city says.
