The Toronto Caribbean Carnival will bring its vibrant colours and fun to the streets of Toronto this weekend — but it will also bring road closures and heavy congestion.

For weeks, Toronto Caribbean Carnival events have taken over the city, and will culminate during the August long weekend with its signature parade event.

The 2017 Caribbean Carnival Grande Parade will begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 9:30 p.m.

A total of 11 large Mas bands, six-to-eight guest bands and six steel drum bands will depart from Exhibition Place along British Colombia Road, travel east along Lake Shore Boulevard West and return to the Exhibition at Newfoundland Road.

Saturday's parade typically attracts over one million people, making it one of Canada's largest cultural events.

Road Closures

A host of weekend events, will bring closures, detours and traffic congestion on a number of roads in and around Toronto. (CBC)

The festival will require many road closures and restrictions, which will cause congestion in the immediate and surrounding areas of the parade. Congestion will likely be the heaviest around the Lake Shore, The Queensway, Queen's Quay West and the Gardiner.

From 12:01 a.m. on Saturday to Sunday at 6 a.m., Lake Shore Boulevard West will be closed in both directions from Colborne Lodge Drive to Strachan Avenue.

The Gardiner Expressway's Jameson/Dunn on-ramps and off-ramps will be closed.

Dufferin Street south of Springhurst Avenue will be closed.

Vehicle access to Exhibition Place west of Bathurst Street on Fleet Street may be closed once the parking lot at Exhibition Place and the Gore lots are full. This closure will be determined by demand.

TTC Routes

The TTC is adding extra service to get people to the 2017 Grande Parade. (TTC)

In addition to road closures related to festival events, a significant amount of road work is taking place in Toronto.

City officials are recommending that people take public transit, as the Toronto Transit Commission will be providing additional service.

The following TTC routes are the best options for getting to Exhibition Place for the Grande Parade:

29 Dufferin/29E Dufferin Express buses southbound from Dufferin Station to Dufferin Gate will have extra service from Bloor to the Exhibition Loop.

511 Bathurst streetcar southbound from Bathurst Station to the Exhibition Loop will have extra service.

504 King streetcar westbound from King or St. Andrew stations to the intersection of King Street and Strachan Avenue and walk south.

509 Harbourfront streetcar westbound from Union Station to the Exhibition Loop. Extra service will be provided.

63 Ossington from Ossington Station to Liberty Village. Extra service will be provided.

193 Exhibition Rocket will operate express from Dundas West Station.

Other events

Canadian singer Drake will perform at his annual OVO Fest on Monday, August 7 at the Budweiser Stage. (Joel Ryan/Invision/Associated Press)

Also happening this weekend is the Senhor da Pedra Festival, which will be held Saturday and Sunday.

Grace Street will be closed from Mansfield Avenue to Dundas Street West from 1 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday for the event.

Monday, the Budweiser Stage will play host to Toronto rapper Drake, as he brings his annual OVO Fest back to the city.

Not all bad news

The August long weekend isn't all bad traffic news.

The civic holiday on Monday, August 7, will bring residents and visitors free parking in select areas of the city.

Toronto Police Service Parking Enforcement said in a release it will not be enforcing the following on-street parking bylaws on Monday:

Pay-and-Display/Metered areas

Rush-hour routes

Posted signs indicating Monday-to-Friday regulations

All other areas and parking offences will continue to be enforced.