It’s time to lace up your trainers, because the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is happening Sunday, October 15, 2023, and there are plenty of amazing spots to catch all the action.

To help you celebrate race weekend, TCS is helping you find your nearest local spots to join in on the fun with #chooseTOcelebrate.

Spanning across more neighbourhoods and city streets than any other event, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon will have 28 official cheer sites along the course that’ll feature various perks like food, entertainment, music, dancing, drummers, and more to help make the marathon route feel like one big party.

Canada Running Series/Greg Henkenhaf

Not only that, you’ll be able to take advantage of offers and promotions at select local businesses along the course and throughout the city, with an interactive map where you can discover what’s going on and help you navigate around road closures.

And to kick it all off, on Friday, October 13, the free TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Expo at  Enercare Centre is where you can check out cool new gear, nutrition and fitness products, ahead of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon's weekend of fun. 

Canada Running Series/Joanna Bell

Whether you want to cheer on the runners at the beginning of their run or want to help them push toward the finish line, here are some of the best places to catch the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Start — the Annex

Starting bright and early on race day at 8:45 a.m. on University Ave. just north of Queen, the marathon will begin with athletes heading northbound. Once the runners hit Bloor St. West, they'll head back down to the waterfront along Bathurst.

The first five cheer zones will be set up at Queen’s Park, Spadina and
Bloor, Bathurst and Bloor, Bathurst and Dundas West, and Bathurst
and Queen.

These cheer zones will be brimming with fun and entertainment. Find the University of Toronto dance team on Hoskin Ave., a carnival-themed celebration happening at The Runners Shop, or Frontrunners Toronto hosting drag queens.

Canada Running Series/Chris Young

Aiming to be a killer dance party, the last two cheer zones will see the one-man band Dylan Hennessy and BlackToe Running spinning some tunes to help runners find their groove.

As the marathon is just starting in this area of the city, you’ll have the opportunity to catch all the runners fresh-faced as they warm up to the first leg of the race. 

Downtown — West

So the marathon has begun, and the runners are just getting into the groove. For some extra early encouragement, there are seven cheer zones on either end of the Lakeshore you can hit.

The first one's located just off Bathurst on Lakeshore, with spots earmarked across the waterfront at British Columbia Road, Roncesvalles, Ellis, and three in Coronation Park.

Canada Running Series/Tyler Anderson

Downtown — Central

If you want to celebrate the runners making it halfway through the marathon, then cheer zones 12 through 18 are for you.

While cheer zones 12 and 13 are closer to the west side, with a DJ and running group Me Versus Me in zone 12 and York Mills Runners taking over 13 — zones 14 through 17 are one big party.

Canada Running Series/Greg Henkenhaf

With zone 14 sporting a construction theme in collaboration with Kardia Athletica, Chix Run The 6ix, and Black Runners of the GTA, the title sponsor Tata Consultancy Services will be putting on a "Belief Booster" DJ event in zone 15.

Don't forget about zone 16, with its own DJ courtesy of the Parkdale Roadrunners. Zone 17 is the Mexico cheer site to help support the hundreds of runners visiting from Mexico, featuring a Mariachi band.

Downtown — East

With seven other cheer zones along the east end of the city, you can root for the runners as they traverse the city streets at eight different spots.

Coming in along King as it turns into Eastern at Front, Bayview, Broadview, Carlaw, Leslie, and Coxwell, you can also catch the tail end in the Beaches along Queen East in Kew Gardens, and the turn at Balsam.

Canada Running Series/Chris Young

Canada Running Series/Tyler Anderson

Closing out the section, cheer zones 26 and 27 will have the Malvern Collegiate Brass Band and Shout the Band, while cheer zone 28 will have a DJ from We Run North York.

This section of the marathon will see the runners hit their last third, which can certainly feel exhausting. Giving those runners extra encouragement as they round into the home stretch will help give them the boost they need to finish the marathon strong.

Finish line — Celebration!

Ending the race strong on Bay Street, just north of Queen, you’ll be empowering racers to push into their last few steps before their race is complete.

If you've hit up any of the cheer zones along Lakeshore leading up to Bay to catch the end of the 5K and half-marathon, it's a short walk to King and Yonge to cheer the runners on as they make their way to the end.

Canada Running Series/Joanna Bell

If you want to join in on the excitement, you can visit these stops and more during the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday, October 15.

And don’t forget to check out the festivities all weekend long at the Enercare Centre during the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Expo.