Nuit Blanche will be back in Toronto for the first in-person event in three years this Saturday, but the long-awaited return of the all-night contemporary art festival will come with some significant disruptions in traffic.

This year's event is billed as the most expansive Nuit Blanche to date, with projects from more than 150 artists spread across the city to celebrate the finale of ArtworxTO: Toronto's Year of Public Art.

But a series of road closures are required to support what will be the largest Nuit Blanche since the event's inception in 2006, and motorists trying to get around the city on Saturday night can expect to contend with plenty of traffic disruptions along the way.

The city is warning motorists of partial and full road closures in effect all weekend, including parts of major downtown arterials like Bay Street, Queen Street, Yonge Street and the eastbound Yonge Street off-ramp from the Gardiner Expressway to ease what is expected to be a heavy pedestrian flow.

Other weekend road closures include;

Thursday, September 29 at 9 p.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 2 p.m.:

• Temperance Street between Yonge Street and Bay Street and Colborne Street between Yonge Street and Scott Street will have local traffic only along a portion of the roadways

Friday, September 30 at 9 p.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 11 a.m.:

• Yonge Street will be closed between Dundas Street and Queens Quay. East-west traffic will be maintained at major intersections along the stretch
• Queen Street will be closed between York Street and Bay Street and between Bay Street and Victoria Street

Friday, September 30 at 6 p.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 11 a.m.:

• Westbound Gardiner Expressway exit 154 to Yonge Street will be closed
• Esplanade Street will be closed between Yonge Street and Scott Street, with local traffic only along a portion of the road

Saturday, October 1 at 10 a.m. to Sunday, October 2 at 10 a.m.:

• Road closures and restrictions will be in place on Bay Street between Dundas Street West and Richmond Street West, including Albert Street and James Street. Hagerman Street will also be closed
• Queens Quay West will be closed between York Street and Bay Street, with local traffic only along a portion of the road

With so many roads inaccessible to motorists, the city suggests drivers attending Nuit Blanche should make use of public transit or alternative options like cycling or using the Bike Share network.

Transit riders won't have to worry about missing the last train, with the TTC to run subway service all night on Line 1 Yonge-University, Line 2 Bloor-Danforth, Line 3 Scarborough and Line 4 Sheppard, as well as its Blue Night Network bus service.

GO Transit will operate on normal scheduled service, with no additional late-night rail service planned.