Several streets in downtown Winnipeg will be shut down this weekend to accommodate two major events. Portage Avenue will be closed in both directions from St. Mary Avenue to Main Street starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday for the annual Santa Claus parade, according to a city news release issued on Thursday.
Various cross streets within the designated area will have restricted access to Portage Avenue during the closure. Additional street closures will include Southbound Main Street between McDermot Avenue and York Avenue, Portage Avenue E. from Westbrook Street to Main Street, Westbound St. Mary Avenue from Edmonton Street to Memorial Blvd, Eastbound York Avenue from Colony Street to Memorial, and Osborne Street N./Memorial/Colony from Broadway to Ellice Avenue.
All closures are scheduled to be lifted by 10 p.m. Northbound Main Street will also experience a brief closure from William Stephenson Way to Portage in the late afternoon to facilitate the parade crossing Main Street, as per city officials.
The city has advised of limited parking lot access and no through traffic on certain streets during the closures, including Fort Street from Graham Avenue to Portage, Garry, Donald, and Carlton streets from Ellice to Portage, Smith, Hargrave, and Edmonton streets from St. Mary Avenue to Portage, and Kennedy and Vaughan streets from Portage to Graham.
The Santa Claus parade is set to begin at 5 p.m., with block parties commencing at 4 p.m.
Concurrently, closures are already in place for the Grey Cup Festival, which began on Monday leading up to the big game at Princess Auto Stadium on Sunday. Eastbound York Avenue is closed between Edmonton and Carlton streets until 9 a.m. on Sunday, Young Street is closed from Portage to Ellice until 9 a.m. on Sunday, and Spence Street is closed from Portage to Ellice until 8 a.m. on Monday.
For more details on road closures, residents can visit the city’s website.