CMEDIA: City of Toronto’s New Year’s Eve celebrations would reportedly return at a spectacular celebration on the waterfront, featuring high-altitude fireworks, music and pop-up performances.
As one of the largest shows in Canada, the City will host on Tue, Dec 31, a 10-minute fireworks display with music, lighting up Toronto’s inner harbour at midnight offering stunning views for residents and visitors alike. The event will be livestreamed for those celebrating remotely.
Residents and visitors can catch the show from designated viewing areas:
- Toronto Music Garden, 476 Queens Quay W.
- Sherbourne Common, 61 Dockside Dr.
- Sugar Beach Park, 11 Dockside Dr.
- HTO Park, 339 Queens Quay W.
- HTO Park West, 375 Queens Quay W.
- Harbour Square Park, 25 Queens Quay W.
- Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W.
Access to any of the seven waterfront viewing areas for spectacular views of the fireworks displas can be done by pedestrians by using York Street, Jarvis Street, Spadina Avenue and Bay Street.
New Year’s Eve programming
Featuring up in the City’s New Year’s Eve celebrations would include pop-up performances from 10 p.m. onwards at various locations across Toronto’s waterfront including:
- Sherbourne Common, 61 Dockside Dr.
- Toronto Music Garden, 476 Queens Quay W.
Other performances included are INCIRQUE performers entertaining with DJ sets by Traxx & Feels collective at Bathurst Quay Common and participatory dance sessions at Sherbourne Common, co-produced with The Dance Together Festival, where the public is invited to join in and dance.
Entertaining audiences at various waterfront locations would also include performers, projection of a curated selection of short films from the National Film Board of Canada on the east side of the Canada Malting Silos, visible from the Toronto Music Garden.
Culmination of the festivities will be in a countdown celebration at 11:45 p.m., led by Mayor Olivia Chow and renowned drag entertainer Sanjina DaBish Queen.
For those celebrating from home, the live webcast begins at 11:45 p.m. and features discussions and short performances leading up to the countdown. The webcast includes ASL interpretation and closed captioning and is available on the City’s CultureTO YouTube channel .
Travel and road closures
For New Year’s Eve celebrations riding public transit is strongly recommended . Free service is available on the TTC, GO Transit and UP Express from 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, to 8 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
Although all customers should tap at fare kiosks as usual, they will not be charged during the free service period.
Details about taking public transit are as follows:
- TTC: Subway services will run until 3 a.m., with the last trains leaving Union Station at approximately 2:30 a.m. Overnight buses and streetcar service continue until 8 a.m. For schedules and departures, visit the TTC webpage .
- GO Transit & UP Express: Free service is offered. Details and schedules are available on the GO Transit website .
Starting at midnight, all TTC customers will be redirected to the east side exterior entrance to prevent overcrowding at Union Station following the fireworks.
Bay Street through the Bay Promenade inside the station would maintain accessible entry.
Usage of alternate stations such as King, Queen, St. Andrew and Osgoode should be considered by the TTC riders to avoid crowds at Union Station.
The following road closures are in effect on New Year’s Eve:
- Eastbound traffic on Queens Quay West from 10 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 to 1 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025
- Bay Street from Front Street to Queens Quay West from 10 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 to 1 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
- York Street from Front Street to Queens Quay West from 10 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 to 1 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
Additional road closures may be added at any time if deemed necessary by Toronto Police Services. More information on road closures is available on the City’s website.
Additional reminders
- The full list of viewing areas for the fireworks and performances as well as transit and safety information can be found on the City’s New Year’s Eve event webpage.
- Residents are reminded that fireworks cannot be set off without a permit. More information is available on the City’s fireworks regulations and bylaws webpage.
The City acknowledges the generous support of New Year’s Eve sponsor Waterfront BIA and media partners Toronto Star and Now Toronto.
