TORONTO – As 2020 draws to a close, Torontonians who want to sound like New Year’s Eve in 2021 are looking forward to a treat at Nathan Philips Square.
The free admission event will feature DJ skating parties, live music performances and of course a massive fireworks show at midnight.
Here’s what you need to know:
Schedule
The party starts at nine in the evening with a DJ set organized by Nana Zen, where you are invited to dance or skate.
The FireGuy is on at 9:30 p.m., where it will juggle, eat fire and spin LED light rods, all while on skates.
At 10 pm, the cellist nominated for Juno Cris Derksen will take to the stage mixing his traditional and contemporary roots to perform “music that defies the genre”.
Just after 11pm, Zaki Ibrahim will perform retro R&B music until the last minutes of the decade.
At 12 in the morning, a fireworks display by the Fiatlux Ampleman Group’s pyrotechnics specialist will illuminate the sky.
Public transport
Nathan Phillips Square is located at 100 Queen Street West and is easily accessible by public transport. It is within walking distance of Queen Station or Osgoode Station, on the TTC’s Yonge-University line. In addition, the TTC is free from 7 pm on Tuesday until 7 am on Wednesday.
If you take GO Transit, get off at Union Station, walk north on Bay Street to Queen Street and you’re there.
Parking and road closures
Due to the large volume of visitors that the city expects, several streets in the area will remain closed from 5 pm on Tuesday and will reopen at 2 am on January 1, 2021:
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Queen Street from Yonge Street to University Avenue
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Bay Street from Dundas Street West to Richmond Street West
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Elizabeth Street from Foster Place to Hagerman Street
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Hagerman Street from Elizabeth Street to Bay Street
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Albert Street from James Street to Bay Street
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York Street from Queen Street West and Richmond Street West
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James Street from Queen Street West to Albert Street
There will be limited parking on University Avenue.
Other events happening in the city
The Royal Ontario Museum will host its New Year’s Eve party where guests can party alongside prehistoric fossils and live bands, counting down to the new year.
The city of Mississauga will host a party in Celebration Square from 8 to midnight where there will be food trucks, live music performances and fireworks.
Brampton residents will also be able to enjoy New Year’s Eve in Garden Square from 6.30pm