What's open, what's closed, and what to do in Toronto on Family Day

There’s lots going on in Toronto this Family Day weekend so we’ve curated a list of what's open, what's closed, and what to do over the long weekend: 

What's closed on Family Day

• Government offices
• Banks
• Most grocery stores
• The LCBO and Beer Store
• Libraries
• City hall
• Many malls, including Yorkdale and Fairview

What's open on Family Day

• The Eaton Centre and Vaughan Mills are open but operating on reduced hours
• Movie theatres
• Tourist attractions, including the Toronto Zoo, Ripley’s Aquarium, and the AGO
• Admission to the ROM is free on Family Day
• The TTC will operate on a holiday schedule
• GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule

Events

• The Canadian International AutoShow is back and it’s taking place from Feb. 16-25 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The show will include the iconic pink Barbie corvette, and some Hot Wheels replica cars, among other displays. It opens noon on Friday and closes at 10 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday the autoshow will open at 10:30 a.m., and close at 10 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

• Admission will be free at the Art Gallery of Ontario for anyone 25 and under on Feb. 19. This weekend, there are also free drop-in programs beginning at 11 a.m. that include art making, storytelling, dance performances and workshops.

• The Ontario Science Centre will have exhibitions focusing on astronomy and environmentalism.

• The Royal Ontario Museum will be open throughout the long weekend and visitors will be able to check out the gnarly-faced, infamous and armoured Zuul crurivastor dinosaur this weekend, kids activities and exhibitions. In addition, kids activities will take place from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., and include entertainment by Chris McKhool – an award winning children’s entertainer, a lifelike animatronic resembling Utahraptor, a species that roamed North America many decades ago, a wildlife photo gallery, scavenger hunt and interactive chemistry workshop. Admission is free on Feb. 19.

• You can get outside and go ice skating on any of Toronto’s free ice rinks or trails. The city operates more than 50 outdoor winter rinks with all drop-in programs free of charge, and most providing change rooms, lockers and skate rentals in the span of the winter season.

• Eat tacos and drink beer – I Heart Beer and Tacos Tour is on Feb. 17 at the Enercare Centre.

• Watch a musical or play – Disney’s Aladdin the broadway musical will be showing at Mirvish from Feb. 15 to March 17. Six the Musical is also playing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, as is Uncle Vanya at CAA Theatre.

• Visit the Black Creek Pioneer Village – from Feb. 17-18, you can check out the village at 1000 Murray Ross Parkway. Admission is $18 for adults.

• Attend a Taylor Swift trivia themed escape room – the escape room is on until April 13 at 1615 Dunpont Street and tests player’s problem-solving skills with their knowledge of Swift herself.

• Go skiing – Embrace the recent snow by going skiing this weekend at one of Toronto’s ski hills.

• Check out the Winter Stations – Winter Stations will be on display until March 31 at Woodbine Beach.

• Go shopping and check out events at the Family Day Shoppers Marketplace & Family Fun Day – the event will take place on Feb. 18 at 1867 Valley Farm Road in Pickering.

• Visit the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada – the Aquarium is extending its hours this long weekend, with doors opening at 9 a.m.

• Check out Toronto’s Distillery Historic District – the Distillery District Apres Ski Weekends has an outdoor winter lounge on display with fire pits, a food truck, drink stand and a s’mores making station.

Weather

It’s likely to be a flurry-filled weekend in Toronto, with mild to cold temperatures over the coming days. Friday is expected to reach a high of 0 C with lows feeling as cold as -5 during the day.

By Saturday, temperatures will drop to -4 C, feeling like -11 at times. Despite the cold, there will be sunny periods throughout the mainly cloudy day along with light flurries.

It will warm up on Monday to 1 C, feeling like -5 with the wind chill. Bouts of flurries will carry through from Friday and Saturday with sunny breaks throughout the day.

The flurries will stop by Monday and more sun is expected, as temperatures slightly drop to -1 C. It will feel like -5 at times, with some clouds breaking up the mainly sunny day.

Getting around the city

On Feb. 19, all TTC routes will operate on their Sunday service schedules, beginning at approximately 6 a.m. Routes that do not typically operate on Sundays will not operate on the holiday.  

• The 501A Queen streetcars will stop operation between McCaul Loop and Dufferin Gate Loop at 10 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18. After 10 p.m., 501C Queen Street streetcars will only be available between McCaul Loop and Long Branch Loop.

• Starting on Feb. 18, the 63 Ossington will be extended to replace streetcars on King Street between Dufferin Street and Roncesvalles Avenue. Rather than looping back on King Street and Atlantic Avenue, both 63A and 63B Ossington buses will operate both ways along Strachan Avenue, East Liberty Street, Liberty Street, Dufferin Street and King Street to Roncesvalles Avenue. Stops northbound on Atlantic Avenue, eastbound King Street between Atlantic Avenue and Shaw Street will not be served.

• From Feb. 19 to Feb. 22 between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. the 510 and 310 Spadina streetcars will only operate between Queens Quay Loop and Union Station. There will be replacement buses in operation between Queens Quay and Spadina Station.

The TTC is advising customers to check their social media page for updates and to allow for extra travel time in the event of bad weather.