What to know
- Taste of Lawrence returns July 3–5, bringing food vendors, live music, cultural performances, and family-friendly entertainment to Scarborough.
- This year’s festival introduces a new Soccer Hub featuring free activities, watch parties, interactive experiences, and giveaways inspired by the World Cup.
- Lawrence Avenue East will be closed between Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road throughout the weekend, with TTC and GO Transit options available for visitors.
- Festivalgoers should prepare for hot and humid weather, with temperatures feeling close to 40°C on Friday and Saturday and possible showers and thunderstorms.
It’s about to feel like a complete summer weekend in Toronto, as a special edition of the largest Scarborough street festival returns, bringing culture, music, and delicious food to Scarborough.
The Taste of Lawrence is kicking off this weekend, featuring all things that make this festival great, along with a brand-new soccer hub, which is bringing new activities, watch parties, giveaways and special programming.
Now Toronto has rounded up all you need to know to enjoy the festival, from time and location to road closures and weather.
What to expect
The Taste of Lawrence is one of those events that make Toronto feel like summer, bringing Scarborough residents and visitors together to have an incredible time, eat delicious food, and dance to live music.
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Toronto’s last World Cup match might have already happened, but the city is still feeling the sports buzz, which is also reflected in this year’s festival.
Besides its usual attractions, this year, the Taste of Lawrence will introduce the TOL Soccer Hub, which will feature free soccer activities, game screenings, interactive experiences, and overall programming inspired by soccer.
In addition, attendees can expect non-stop live entertainment in the main stage, led by local talent, from award-winning DJ Tricky to R&B singer Sean Jones and Band to top-rated dance school J’Danse Studio.
This year’s festival will also feature the Rising Stars Talend Showcase, which will spotlight emerging GTA talent, and The Ultimutts Animal Actors Show, with entertainment for all ages.
Dates and Location
The Taste of Lawrence will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, July 3, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 5.
As the name might hint, the festival takes place along Lawrence Avenue East, between Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road.
Road closures
As a portion of Lawrence Avenue will be closed for the festival, drivers should be aware of road closures in the area this weekend.
Lawrence Avenue East will be closed between Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road from 10 a.m. on Friday to 2 a.m. on Monday. During those dates, road and water infrastructure work will take place on Warden Avenue between Eglinton Avenue East and Ellesmere Road simultaneously with the festival.
Toronto Police Services is warning drivers traffic control measures will be in place during the event, with all four lanes on Warden Avenue between Lawrence Avenue East and Ellesmere Road remaining open and two-way traffic in place south of Lawrence Avenue East.
How to get there
Attendees can access the festival through the 68A bus route, which connects to Warden Station, where they can access the Line 2 subway line.
Those connecting to Line 1 can transfer to Line 2 via Bloor-Yonge Station, then travel to Warden Station to access the bus.
It is also possible to access the festival through the GO Train by travelling to Scarborough GO Station. From there, commuters can take the 9 bus route to Warden Station and then connect to the 68A bus.
Weather forecast
Attendees should also be prepared to manage hot temperatures, as Toronto is still under an orange heat warning, with Environment Canada warning about a long-duration heat event that’s making the city feel close to 40ºC.
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It will be mainly cloudy on Friday, with a 40 per cent of showers and risk of a thunderstorm, and temperatures reaching a high of 32ºC this afternoon, with a humidex index of 40. Also mainly cloudy tonight, with a 60 per cent chance of showers and risk of thunderstorms, and a low of 21ºC.
The weather trend will continue on Saturday, with a mix of sun and cloud expected, with a 40 per cent chance of showers and risk of a thunderstorm in the afternoon, and cloudy periods at night. Forecasts also indicate a high of 31ºC with a humidex index of 39, and a low of 18ºC.
Attendees should expect it to be a bit cooler on Sunday, with an expected high of 26ºC and low of 19ºC, and a mix of sun and cloud throughout the day.
