North York Guide Local Events · August 2026
★ Year one of five · August 14–16

The Honda Indy moved to Markham — and Friday is free.

The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy runs August 14–16, 2026 on a new 12-turn street circuit in Markham Centre. Friday general admission costs nothing, and the GO combo adds two days of round-trip train travel for $5.

📌 Updated July 30, 2026 By the editors 7 min read
First cars on track
Free Fan Friday opens Aug 14, 9 a.m.
--
Days
:
--
Hrs
:
--
Min
Aug 14–16
Friday to Sunday, 2026
$0
Friday general admission
3.52 km
12-turn street circuit
90 laps
Sunday, green at 12:22 p.m.

The 30-second answer

The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham runs Friday, August 14 through Sunday, August 16, 2026. The circuit is a 12-turn, 3.52 km (2.19 mi) temporary street course laid through Markham Centre's eastern precinct — bounded by Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, the Unionville GO tracks, and Highway 407. The main event, 90 laps of the NTT IndyCar Series, goes green on Sunday at 12:22 p.m.

Three numbers decide most people's weekend. Friday general admission is free. Two-day general admission is $90. And the GO Transit combo that bundles two days of round-trip train travel with that same two-day pass is $95 — five dollars more, total, for the train. Kids 12 and under get in free with a ticketed adult and ride GO free as well.

This is the first running of the race outside Toronto. It had been held at Exhibition Place in some form since 1986; the City of Markham, Green Savoree Toronto ULC and IndyCar signed a five-year agreement to move it, and 2026 is year one of five.

Four decades of Indy weekends ended at the Ex. The new address is a train platform in Markham.— North York Guide

The weekend, session by session

Five racing series share the circuit across the three days: the NTT IndyCar Series, the NASCAR Canada Series, USF Pro 2000, USF2000, and Radical Cup Canada. All times below are Eastern, and the official schedule lists them as subject to change. Gate opening times had not been posted as of July 30, 2026.

Friday, August 14 — free admission

Friday's card is the free day, and it ends with a charity ride on the racing surface.
TimeSession
9:00–9:30 a.m.USF2000 Championship Practice
10:00–10:30 a.m.USF Pro 2000 Practice
11:00–11:30 a.m.Radical Cup Canada Practice
12:00–12:30 p.m.USF2000 Championship Qualifying
12:30–1:30 p.m.NTT INDYCAR SERIES Autograph Session
1:00–1:30 p.m.USF Pro 2000 Qualifying
2:00–2:30 p.m.Radical Cup Canada Qualifying
3:05–4:30 p.m.NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1
5:00–6:00 p.m.NASCAR Canada Series Practice & Qualifying
6:30–8:00 p.m.The Children's Breakfast Clubs Ride The Track — charity cycling

Saturday, August 15

Saturday carries IndyCar qualifying and the stock cars — the busiest day for wheel-to-wheel racing.
TimeSession
8:50–9:35 a.m.USF2000 Championship Race 1
10:05–11:30 a.m.NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2
11:55 a.m.–12:35 p.m.Radical Cup Canada Race 1
1:05–1:50 p.m.USF Pro 2000 Race 1
2:25–4:00 p.m.NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying
4:45–6:05 p.m.NASCAR Canada Series Race

Sunday, August 16 — race day

The main race is the fourth item on Sunday's card, not the first — arrive before mid-morning.
TimeSession
8:40–9:10 a.m.NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup
9:25–10:10 a.m.USF2000 Championship Race 2
10:25–11:10 a.m.USF Pro 2000 Race 2
11:30 a.m.NTT INDYCAR SERIES Driver Introductions
12:22 p.m.Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham — 90 laps
3:00–3:40 p.m.Radical Cup Canada Race 2

Tickets, and what each one actually buys

General admission gets you inside the fence with no assigned seat; the grandstand tiers buy a specific view. Grandstands sit at Pit Lane, Turn 3, Remington Turn 5, and Turn 8. Every price below includes taxes.

2026 ticket prices, taxes included. Gold is sold as a two-day pass only.
Ticket2-DaySundaySaturdayWhat it gets you
General Admission$90$75$50Entry, no assigned seat.
Grandstand — Bronze$120$105$75Lower rows of a grandstand.
Grandstand — Silver$180$140$100Middle rows.
Grandstand — Gold$240Top row, Paddock Pass included.

Getting there: the five-dollar math

Start with the number that settles the argument. Two-day general admission alone is $90. The GO combo — the same two-day admission plus round-trip train travel on both days — is $95. The train costs five dollars.

That is not a one-off. Every GO combo package for this event is priced at exactly $5 above the matching admission ticket bought on its own, which makes the decision the same on any day you go.

GO combo packages versus the same admission bought alone.
PackageCombo priceAdmission aloneCost of the train
Saturday — round trip + GA$55$50$5
Sunday — round trip + GA$80$75$5
2-day — round trips + 2-Day GA$95$90$5

Kids 12 and under ride GO free and get free general admission with a ticketed adult, so a parent-and-child Sunday is $80 all-in for travel and entry. GO is running special service on the Stouffville Line for the event, and the destination is Unionville GO Station, which sits steps from the circuit.

⚠ Read the closure notice backwards

"Unionville GO is closed" does not mean the trains stop running.

The platform stays open and trains keep serving Unionville. What closes is everything to do with cars — Parking Lots 1 and 2 from August 9, full station access on August 12 at 8 p.m., and no pick-up, drop-off or bus loop access during race weekend. The station notice reads like a reason to avoid transit. It is the opposite: driving is the thing that breaks.

The station being "closed" is an argument for the train, not against it.— North York Guide

What closes on the road side

The major closure runs from Wednesday, August 12 at 9 p.m. to Monday, August 17 at 6 a.m. It covers Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, University Boulevard, YMCA Boulevard, Main Street Unionville, and the Highway 407 interchange ramps. Overnight track-build closures ran from July 19 to August 12, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Parking is offered west of the grounds, but as of July 30, 2026 the official listing still described the location and payment details as forthcoming. If you drive, you are driving toward closed 407 ramps and a shut street grid with parking arrangements that have not been published.

Planning your own trip

The Stouffville Line runs Union → Kennedy → Agincourt → Milliken → Unionville, so no North York station sits on it directly — a rider from North York has to reach the line first, and Milliken GO and Centennial GO are the two alternative stations on it. Weekend Stouffville-line frequency for August 15–16, and what GO means by "special service," had not been published as of July 30, 2026.

Because of that, the honest advice is to plan from your own front door rather than a generic route: put your address and your arrival time into the GO trip planner and let it price the connection. Temporary GO bus service for the event runs from Birchmount Road and Enterprise Boulevard.

What costs nothing

An Indy weekend has a genuinely free version, and it is not a consolation prize — Friday's card includes the first NTT IndyCar Series practice.

If you are pacing out an August of local events, this lands the weekend after Taste of the Danforth on August 7–9.

Frequently asked

Where is the Honda Indy in 2026?

Markham. The race runs on a 12-turn, 3.52 km temporary street circuit in Markham Centre's eastern precinct, bounded by Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, the Unionville GO tracks and Highway 407. It is the first edition held outside Toronto after running at Exhibition Place in some form since 1986.

When is the Honda Indy at Markham 2026?

Friday, August 14 to Sunday, August 16, 2026. The first session on Friday starts at 9 a.m., and the 90-lap NTT IndyCar Series main race starts Sunday at 12:22 p.m.

Is the Honda Indy free on Friday?

Yes. Friday, August 14 is Free Fan Friday, presented by the Ontario Honda Dealers, with a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish Canada. It is not a ticketed day — seating is first-come, first-served, with priority to weekend ticket holders. Friday includes NTT IndyCar Series Practice 1 from 3:05 to 4:30 p.m.

How much are Honda Indy Markham tickets?

All prices include taxes. General admission is $90 for two days, $75 for Sunday alone and $50 for Saturday alone. Bronze grandstand is $120 for two days, Silver $180, and Gold — top row with a Paddock Pass included — is $240 for two days. A 3-day Pit & Paddock Pass is $230; a standalone Paddock Pass is $85 for the weekend or $60 for a single day.

Can I take GO Transit to the Markham Indy?

Yes, and it's the cheapest way in. GO sells combo packages bundling round-trip train travel with admission: $55 Saturday, $80 Sunday, $95 for the two-day package. Each is exactly $5 more than the matching admission ticket alone. Take the Stouffville Line to Unionville GO Station, steps from the circuit.

Is Unionville GO Station closed for the Indy?

The platform stays open and trains keep running. What closes is everything to do with cars: Parking Lots 1 and 2 from August 9, full station access on August 12 at 8 p.m., and no pick-up, drop-off or bus loop access during race weekend. Temporary GO bus service runs from Birchmount Road and Enterprise Boulevard. Milliken GO and Centennial GO, both on the Stouffville Line, are the alternative stations.

What roads are closed for the Markham Indy?

The major closure runs August 12 at 9 p.m. to August 17 at 6 a.m. and covers Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, University Boulevard, YMCA Boulevard, Main Street Unionville and the Highway 407 interchange ramps. Overnight track-build closures ran July 19 to August 12, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Why did the Honda Indy leave Exhibition Place?

The City of Markham, Green Savoree Toronto ULC and IndyCar signed a five-year agreement to move the race to Markham. 2026 is year one of five. The race had been held at Exhibition Place in some form since 1986.

Do kids get in free?

Yes. Children 12 and under get free general admission and NTT IndyCar Series paddock access when attending with a ticketed adult. Kids 12 and under also ride GO free.

Where do I park?

Parking is offered west of the grounds, but as of July 30, 2026 the official listing still described the location and payment details as forthcoming. Unionville GO's own lots close from August 9, and the roads around the circuit — including the 407 interchange ramps — are shut from August 12 to August 17.

Don't miss the next one

Local plans, every Friday morning.

One email a week: what's on in North York, what's free, and what's worth the trip.

No spam. Privacy Policy

Reviewed by the North York Guide editorial team on July 30, 2026. Session times, gate hours and parking arrangements are set by the event organizer and can change — we update this page as details are confirmed.