Halloween event at abandoned TTC subway station abruptly cancelled

The string of cancelled events in Toronto continues with the abrupt cancellation of the annual Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Halloween Fest at Bay Lower Station.

An Oct. 22 corporate notice issued by the TTC states that the transit agency is calling off Halloween Fest, noting that, "After careful consideration and several discussions with the planning team, we've made the difficult decision not to move forward with Halloween Fest this year."

The TTC cites the decision on "a combination of factors that meant that we could not be confident Halloween Fest would be safe and inclusive this year, both for attendees as well as volunteers who run the event." 

The notice, which follows a TTC call for volunteers in mid-October, went on to thank those involved in the decision-making process, as well as everyone who signed up to volunteer for the event.

Speaking about the reasons behind this abrupt decision, Stuart Green, TTC Media Relations Representative, tells blogTO, "The issue is primarily around the limited ways to access the venue from street level; it's a narrow and steep staircase. We made this difficult decision after thoughtful internal discussions about that particular element." 

With accessibility as the root cause of the cancellation, the TTC assures the city that the wheels are already in motion to bring the celebrations back to life in 2026. "We will be returning next year in a format that allows for maximum participation from as many people as possible," Green confirms.

Toronto's only abandoned subway station, Lower Bay (as it's more commonly called), is known to host occasional public activities and tours. However, with its escalators long out of service, the platform level is only accessible by stairs, making it inaccessible for those who require mobility accommodations.

Halloween Fest is typically a two-day affair held the weekend before Halloween, where attendees gather to hop aboard the spooky train, filled with scares and haunts, collect free candy and treats, and come together to raise money for United Way Greater Toronto.

Despite the reassurance that this is a temporary disruption and that Halloween Fest will return next year, it's hard to ignore the event cancellations that have plagued the city all year long, with this past summer seeing an unexpected surge of axed events.

Halloween Fest now joins a growing roster of city events that didn't see the light of day for various reasons, including financial constraints and difficulty obtaining city permits.