Nuit Blanche on Toronto’s Waterfront – 2024
Nuit Blanche is returning to Toronto this year on Saturday, October 5. From 7 PM on October 5 to 7 AM on October 6, the city will come to life with thought-provoking art and creativity.
This year’s edition promises an unforgettable experience, blending urban culture with the natural beauty of Lake Ontario. While Nuit Blanche will have art exhibits across the city, there will be a hub of art exhibits along Toronto’s waterfront. Over 32+ art exhibits can be visited between Bathurst and Sherbourne Commons.
Along the stretch of Queens Quay will be food trucks and live entertainment. Also, a Nuit Blanche hub will be located at Harbour Square Park, providing information, music, live performances, and more.
What to Expect at Nuit Blanche on Toronto's Waterfront in 2024
Walking Queens Quay:
The stretch of Queens Quay is approximately 4km and can take the average person an hour to walk it entirely. And on Nuit Blanche, there will be non-stop sites and views from Sherbourne Commons to Little Norway Park.
Dining Options:
Excitingly, many local waterfront restaurants will stay open into the late evening and early morning. Visitors can enjoy the incredible art exhibits and take a break to dine on delicious foods and drinks throughout the night.
Art and Exhibits:
Toronto’s waterfront will have three distinct exhibits across the waterfront, dividing the waterfront into three major sections by esteemed curators.
Themes and Exhibitions On Toronto's Waterfront
Across the entirety of the waterfront will be more than 30 art exhibits that visitors can immerse themselves in.
There are three distinct exhibitions developed by esteemed local curators Danica Pinteric, Su-Ying Lee, and Dr. Syrus Marcus Ware,
The eastern waterfront will feature the ‘Cat’s Cradle’ exhibition curated by Danica Pinteric. The central waterfront features the ‘And the Spaces Between Us Smiled’ exhibition Dr. Syrus Marcus Ware curated. Lastly, the western waterfront features the exhibition ‘The Weight of Levity’, curated by Su-Ying Lee.
Eastern Waterfront, ‘Cat’s Cradle’:
Sherbourne Commons and the Sugar Beach area will feature 10+ art exhibits curated by Danica Pinteric. Artists featured in this exhibition explore themes of collectivity, flux and interdependence along Toronto’s changing waterfront. Inspired by the popular string game, ‘Cat’s Cradle’ seven artists echo the game’s fluid nature with performance, interactive sound work and sculptural installations.
Central Waterfront, ‘And the Spaces Between Us Smiled’:
Situated around HTO Park, Harbourfront Centre and Harbour Square Park West, the exhibitions curated by Dr. Syrus Marcus Ware, honours the land, water and incredible resistance movements in T’karonto. Artists celebrate bridging across distance and difference, the practice of uniting and building a new world together.
- October 6, 1 AM – 1:45 AM | Making Process Public: Artist Talk with Mishann Lau & Shannon Garden-Smith: Zoom in on the processes of Nuit Blanche artists Mishann Lau and Shannon Garden-Smith as they share their curiosities and considerations of land, distance, participation and public space. Learn more here.
Western Waterfront, ‘The Weight of Levity’:
Located around the revitalized Canada Malting Company Silos, Billy Bishop Airport, and the Toronto Music Gardens are exhibitions curated by Su-Ling Yee that explore the relationships between opposing physical and emotional positions.
- October 6, 2:30 AM – 3:15 AM | Getting Closer: Artist Talk At Harbour Square Park: Get an in-depth look at artists, Anique Jorda, Coryn Kempster and Julia Jamrozik creative processes during this artist talk. Learn more here.
Waterfront Businesses Open During Nuit Blanche:
Whether you’re looking for a casual bite, a cozy café, or a sit-down dinner, there are many options available to enhance your Nuit Blanche experience. To secure your dinner plans, make sure to book a reservation in advance.
Eastern Waterfront:
- GLB Brewpub – 11 Lower Jarvis St: The GLB Brewpub will be open until 2 AM, offering high-quality craft beer and delicious bites.
- Irene – 24 Dockside Dr: Irene will be open until 2 AM, offering delicious bites and cocktails. Irene will also feature a DJ and easy takeout in case you’re hungry on the go!
- Simona – 59 Merchant’s Warf: Simona is steps away from Sugar Beach and Sherbourne Commons, offering easy access to the art exhibits and great food. Simona will be open until 2 AM.
- Cuckoo Cakery – 39 Merchant’s Warf: If you’re craving something sweet then you have to stop by Cuckoo Cakery, a local patisserie specializing in chiffon cakes. Cuckoo will be open until 12 AM on October 5.
- Osmow’s Shawarma – 215 Queens Quay East: If you’re looking to grab a quick bite then stop by Osmow’s Shawarma. Open until 2 AM, you can enjoy a delicious taste of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours.
- Blackbox Barber – 45 Merchants’ Wharf: If you are looking for a quick trim, shave, or haircut stop by Blackbox Barber who will be open until 10 PM on Nuit Blanche
- MomoLoco – 15 Merchant’s Wharf: Stop by MomoLoco for some delicious dumplings. They will be open til 4 AM for Nuit Blanche.
Central Waterfront:
- NBA Courtside Restaurant – 15 Queens Quay E: The NBA Courtside Restaurant will be open until 1:30 AM, allowing basketball enthusiasts to enjoy chef-curated courtside meals while on the Nuit Blanche route.
- Goodman Pub – 207 Queens Quay W: Until midnight, you can enjoy some delicious pub food and drinks at the Goodman Pub.
- The Second City – 110 Harbour St: Start your night off with a hilarious dinner and a show at the Second City and end the night with a walk through all of the incredible art exhibits on Toronto’s Waterfront. On September 5, The Second City show will start at 10 PM. Get tickets here.
- Ice Creamonology – 250 Queens Quay W: If you are craving something sweet and delicious, stop by Ice Creamonology. Located right across Harbourfront Centre, you can enjoy all of the art exhibits and a tasty treat until 5 AM.
- Amsterdam Brewhouse – 245 Queens Quay W – The Amsterdam Brewhouse will be open until 1 AM and will also have a live DJ and graffiti artists!
- Bubble Baby – 258 Queens Quay W: Grab some bubble tea and sweet treats from Bubble Baby all night long while enjoying a night of creativity and art.
- Joe Bird – 207 Queens Quay W: Joe Bird will be open until 11:30 PM, serving up delicious food and drinks.
After Nuit Blanche – Public Art Tours
Get an in-depth look at the artist’s process during Nuit Blanche walks, talks, and tours.
October 10 – Touch Tour of “The Probability Engine: Atlantic Overturning”:
Experience “The Probability Engine: Atlantic Overturning” through facilitated touch, visual description, poetry and guided conversation.
- Time: 4 PM – 5 PM
- Location: 339 Queens Quay W
- Learn More
October 10 – Touch Tour of “Snail work (for the lake)”
Move through the coloured sands of Shannon Garden-Smith’s “Snail work (for the lake)”, gently interacting with the pattern by disrupting, unmaking and remaking it.
- Time: 2 PM – 3 PM
- Location: 155 Queens Quay E #125
- Learn More
October 10 – Love Park to Bathurst St Art Projects Tour:
Gain insight into the art projects between Love Park and Bathurst St. with Artistic Director Laura Nanni.
- Time: 5 PM – 7 PM
- Location: Love Park to Bathurst St
- Learn More
October 10 – Sherbourne Common to Bay St Art Projects Tour
Gain insight into the art projects between Love Park and Bathurst St. with Artistic Director Laura Nanni.
- Time: 2 PM – 4 PM
Location: Sherbourne Common to Bay St - Learn More
- Time: 2 PM – 4 PM
After Nuit Blanche – Extended Art Projects
If you’re unable to visit the art exhibits on October 5, there will be 10 featured exhibits that will be extended an extra week until October 13th.
Closer Together
With no stage or field, the spectators become the spectacle when two grandstands are positioned face‐ to‐face.
Location: 659 Queens Quay W
Artist(s): Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster
Arguing Signs
Two large traffic signs have reached their capacity to tolerate each other and are arguing.
Location: 539 Queens Quay W
Artist(s): Jon McCurley
The Probability Engine: Atlantic Overturning
A sculptural installation, capturing the Atlantic Ocean’s intricate and interconnected climate system. This art project also has a walking tour on October 10, learn more here.
Location: 339 Queens Quay W
Artist(s): micha cárdenas and the Critical Realities Studio, Marcelo Diaz Viana Neto, Tamara Duplantis, Ryan Li Dahlstrom, Star Hagen-Esquerra, Ian Costello
Bashment and Lime
Glimpse through a window into Tkaronto’s thriving Caribbean and Black diaspora home life.
Location: 10 Bay St
Artist(s):Elicser Elliott & Chason Yeboah
Snail Work
Made of unfixed, vibrantly dyed sand, “Snail work (for the lake)” is a floor installation that recreates historical marbling patterns at an immersive scale. This art project also has a walking tour on October 10, learn more here.
Location: 125 Queens Quay East
Artist(s):Shannon Garden-Smith
星星 (Sing Sing) Starfield
An immersive sound and visual art installation where audiences are invited to activate sonic constellations in an ever-morphing virtual starfield.
Location: 51 Dockside Drive
Artist(s): Germaine Liu
Humans Build The Biggest Nests
“Humans Build the Biggest Nests” is a giant ecological flipbook. Visitors brush their hands along the pages to animate interconnected pathways.
Location: 15 Merchants’ Wharf
Artist(s): Isaac King
The Home I Never Knew
Experience the distant landscapes of Venezuela through the colourful abstract video projections.
Location: 3 Lower Jarvis St
Artist(s): Sara Vargas Nessi
I’ve Come To Find This Place
Where is the Black surreal? This sound-based sculptural installation explores the relationship between Surrealism, spirituality and sites of folklore across the Caribbean and its diaspora.
Location: 61 Dockside Drive
Artist(s): Anique Jordan
Getting Here
The waterfront will have some major road closures and it’s recommended to take the TTC or walk to get to the waterfront to avoid potential traffic.
Road Closures:
There will be 3 major road closures on the Waterfront to be aware of:
- Queens Quay West: Partial Closure – All Eastbound Lanes between Bathurst St. to Spadina Ave.
- Queens Quay East: Partial Closure – All Eastbound lanes between Yonge St. to Sherbourne St.
- Dockside Drive: Full Closure from Knapp Lane West to Queens Quay East Parking Lot access maintained.