Toronto’s ninth annual Nuit Blanche outdoor art festival got underway at 6:53 p.m. Saturday and goes until sunrise on Sunday morning.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re hitting the streets to get your culture on overnight.
1. It’s cold and wet out there.
The weather forecast is for rain all night and it’s expected to drop to 3 C (around 2 a.m.), so you’ll need an umbrella, a warm jacket, and maybe even mittens. Keep in mind there are some indoor exhibits where you can warm your cheeks.
2. You should charge up your smartphone.
The best way to navigate around is with a smartphone. In your web browser, just type in snbto.ca to access a GPS-integrated map that can help you navigate from one installation to the next.
If you need a paper map, pick one up at one of the four information centres. They’re located at the Chinatown Centre (222 Spadina Avenue), on Bremner Boulevard at Navy Wharf Court, at the Fort York Visitor Centre, and at Nathan Phillips Square (Queen Street and Bay Street).
3. Transit is the way to go.
Many streets are closed to accommodate the crowds, so public transit is the better way. Parts of the TTC subway are open all night. The extended service runs from Keele Station to Woodbine on the Bloor-Danforth line, and from St. Clair West Station south to Union and north to Eglinton on the Yonge-University-Spadina line. The rest of the trains stop running at approximately 1 a.m., as usual, and don’t start again until around 9 a.m.
The 501 Queen Streetcar is diverting south onto King between Spadina Avenue and Church Street.
Keep in mind that the crowds mean above ground transit could move slowly throughout downtown.
For those who live in the suburbs, GO Transit is running extra trains, including two along the Lakeshore West line leaving Union Station for Aldershot at 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., as well as two on the Lakeshore East line leaving Union for Oshawa at 1:50 a.m. and 3:50 a.m. GO is also offering one train each in the wee hours on the Milton, Kitchener, Barrie, Stouffville and Richmond Hill GO. More info can be found here.
4. Bring cash for the food trucks.
Most restaurants are closed, but there will be plenty of food trucks offering refreshments, including Smoke’s Poutinerie and Tiny Tom Donuts.
A list of places to grab a snack or drink is available here.
5. Don’t forget to share your photos.
Nuit Blanche was the top Twitter trend in the city as the event got underway. Many Twitter and Instagram users are using #snbto or simply #NuitBlanche.
Here are a few shared early in the evening:
Which door would you choose? #NuitBlanche #Toronto at Fort York #SNBTO pic.twitter.com/Ty1yjjgdM6
— Meaghan Elizabeth (@m_lizzy) October 5, 2014
Nuit blanche #NuitBlanche pic.twitter.com/4hNfIpr9Qw
— Jay White (@Jhullwhite) October 5, 2014
Nuit Blanche so far: interesting, but confusing. pic.twitter.com/x5DaFITucN
— Krishn R. (@KrishnRamesh) October 5, 2014
Nuit Blanche is pretty cool so far pic.twitter.com/Z6cqQVuMGJ
— Ryuko Matoi. (@ThatTorontoGirl) October 5, 2014
#8thwonder #nuitblanche http://t.co/kIW4KVmwlF pic.twitter.com/E9Qt7p1vUV
— Elvin Kao (@ElvinKao) October 5, 2014
It's a ladder. (Said in the voice of Patsy) "But is it art sweetie?" @scout101 #snbto #NuitBlanche pic.twitter.com/hcaBcJQodb
— Mike Lamore-Robins (@shaychguy) October 5, 2014
Went to the end of the rainbow but there wasn't any gold. #NuitBlanche pic.twitter.com/Rnppn2355t
— Danielle Kaftarian (@DaniKaftarian) October 5, 2014
Night time outdoor teashop #NuitBlanche pic.twitter.com/vYS63g3Nbb
— Miguel Sternberg (@spookysquid) October 5, 2014