Toronto Renames Yonge Street 'BTS Boulevard,' Proclaims BTS Weekend as Fans Line Up for Merch

Toronto installed 20 black-and-red 'BTS Boulevard' signs along Yonge Street in North York, between North York Boulevard and Finch Avenue, temporarily co-naming the strip through September 23 to welcome ARMY ahead of BTS's two sold-out Rogers Stadium concerts (Aug 22-23) — the group's first Toronto shows in over a decade. City Council, acting on a motion by Councillor Lily Cheng, asked Mayor Olivia Chow to proclaim August 22-23 'BTS Weekend,' inviting fans to wear purple; the Toronto Sign at Nathan Phillips Square was set to be illuminated in purple for the occasion. The designation coincides with the Toronto Korean Festival (Aug 21-23) at nearby Mel Lastman Square, billed as Canada's largest Korean cultural festival. Separately, thousands of fans lined up outside Rogers Stadium for official tour merchandise (ranging $85-$369), with one fan, Ella, describing arriving before 6 a.m. to a line stretching 'down to Downsview Station.' The TTC added extra Line 1 subway service and buses on routes 84, 984, and 101 for concertgoers.