Tag Archives: Ontario

HOPS AND GRAPES IN NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ONTARIO

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Oast House Brewery

Hops and grapes in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Beer lovers rejoice! Niagara-on-the-Lake’s first craft brewery is about to open.

Brewery partners Mike Berlis, Cian MacNeill and Kevin Somerville—all from Niagara region—expect to open the doors of Niagara Oast House Brewers within the next few weeks. “Our approach complements the area’s wine and gourmet tradition while adding a whole new dimension,” says MacNeill, the brewery’s marketing manager. “Craft beer consumers have a lot in common with fine wine consumers, so Oast House is using the winery model by offering tours, tastings, and special events—including brewmaster’s dinners.”

 

MacNeill tells me the brewery has enlisted local farmers to grow its hops. “Like the terroir wines whose tastes vary with different soils, we plant hops in three different locations—on the bench, in the interior and by the lake,” he says. Brewmaster Kevin Somerville brings credentials from North American and European schools, and has worked at the Niagara College Brewing Program. You can follow Oast House Brewers on Facebook and Twitter.

For your Accommodation needs call 1-866-226-4730.

Drummond Hill Cemetery Tours

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Drummond Hill Cemetery Tours

The City of Niagara Falls Museums will again be offering our popular walking tours of Drummond Hill Cemetery during weekends in the month of October. These tours offer visitors a unique opportunity to discover another side of Niagara Falls’ history.

These night-time tours take visitors through one of the most historic cemeteries in Canada. The guides will lead performances that provide a glimpse into the lives of some of the famous and not so famous people from the history of Niagara Falls. The tours include music, theatrical scenes, costumed performers and vignettes of people who are buried in the cemetery.

Assistant Curator of the Niagara Falls Museums, Sara Byers says, “This theatrical experience is a good introduction to the worlds of community and professional theatre as well as the field of living history.”

The museum makes every attempt to provide appropriate period costumes but assistance from the volunteers is always appreciated. Tours run October 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 & 27 at 7pm, 8pm & 9pm. The tours depart from the cemetery gates located on Buchner Place off of Drummond Road.

 

The tour cost is $12.00 per person. Tickets are available by reservation only, by visiting the Niagara Falls History Museum at 5810 Ferry Street or by calling 905-358-5082. Space is limited, and tickets will not be sold at the door.

Photos from previous years’ events and of this year’s cast are available to media upon request.

A Walk Through History is a project of the Niagara Cultural Capital Of Canada 2012 program and funding support from the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Region of Niagara is gratefully acknowledged.

WAR OF 1812 COMES TO WOODLAND

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WAR OF 1812 COMES TO WOODLAND

 

 BRANTFORD, ON –– The Woodland Cultural Centre, in conjunction with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, is elated and honoured to announce the arrival and exhibition of the 200 year old wool cloth British flag believed to be given to Tecumseh during the War of 1812. This artifact will be featured in the upcoming exhibition entitled War Clubs & Wampum Belts: Haudenosaunee Experiences of the War of 1812, and will run from October 29 – December 24, 2012, with an opening reception taking place October 29 at 7:00pm.

Tecumseh, of Shawnee decent, was a distinguished warrior and orator who founded an alliance with Sir General Isaac Brock. Initially, Tecumseh fought to protect First Nations’ territory, and with the assistance of his respected friend and British ally Brock, Tecumseh led a war against the Americans on the Detroit frontier. With their ability to mobilize a large band of Native nations to fight against the Americans, they quickly became a feared enemy.

 

Shortly after the siege of Detroit, Brock bestowed Tecumseh with the title of Brigadier General and bestowed him with a wool British flag. Due to the fragile state of the flag, this will be the first exhibition of this important cultural and historical artifact. Through a partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the flag will be on loan through the duration of the exhibit.

 

Curated by Rick Hill, a Tuscarora of the Six Nations of the Grand River, this exhibit seeks to draw attention to the relatively unknown and significant contributions Native warriors played in the War of 1812. These contributions caused great strife within the Six Nations Confederacy, and caused the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Council to became separated by the actions of our allies. The war not only brought death, but also caused families to bring up arms against one another, which went against the governing principles of the Great Law of Peace.

 

The Woodland Cultural Centre will be hosting a special opening for the exhibit, Monday October 29 at 7:00pm. There will be a brief introduction by the Executive Director of the Woodland Cultural Centre, and special introduction by Rick Hill, curator of the exhibit and Coordinator of the Indigenous Knowledge Centre. Woodland is pleased to be able to showcase and utilize his expertise in bringing this exhibit to life. In addition to the exhibit, the Woodland Cultural Centre will be developing and providing educational kits as a teacher resource to incorporate the War of 1812 into their classrooms.

 

Established in 1972, the Woodland Cultural Centre has been an integral cultural and educational centre within the Brantford and Six Nations communities. Its goal is to protect, promote, interpret, and present the history, language, intellect and cultural heritage of the Anishinaabe and Onkwehon:we people. Providing several permanent and short-term exhibits, the Woodland Cultural Centre also focuses on language and cultural preservation that includes several special events such as arts and crafts workshops, Snowsnake tournaments, and much more! For more information, please visit www.woodland-centre.on.ca.

For more information please contact:

Paula Whitlow

Museum Director

519-759-2650       ext. 244

pwhitlow@woodland-centre.on.ca

PEACH FESTIVAL, AUGUST 12 FROM 10AM TO 3:30PM -AT ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH

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Time to celebrate the peach!

PEACH FESTIVAL, AUGUST 12 FROM 10AM TO 3:30PM AT ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH ON PICTON STREET, NIAGARA ON THE LAKE, ONTARIO, CANADA 

Time to celebrate the peach! – Related Image.

Did you know that Ontario leads Canada in peach and nectarine production? According to the Ontario Tenderfruit Producers Marketing Board, the province is responsible for 82 per cent of the national production — and most of those peaches/nectarines are grown right here in Niagara.

This weekend, Niagara-on-the-Lake will be celebrating this year’s peach harvest. The annual festivities include not one but two festivals honouring the juicy fruit. On Saturday there’s the Peach of a Celebration taking place on Queen Street. There will be farmers on hand selling peaches by the basket, local restaurants offering peach-inspired cuisine and several vendors offering non-peach gear. You can check out antique farm equipment, grab some steamed corn on the cob, or take in the Town Crier’s Peach Pie contest (drop off your entry to the Chamber of Commerce before 11:45). There will, as always, be lots of live music too! Sunday will see St. Vincent de Paul’s annual festival return to the church’s grounds. From peach treats to pulled pork sandwiches, it’s a great spot to grab lunch. There will also be lots for the kids to do in the awesome kid’s corner that includes balloon animals and a reptile guy.

There are other ways to celebrate all things peach related as well. The Niagara-on-the-Lake Farmers’ Market @ The Village will have several vendors offering up peach treats, there are countless roadside stands dispensing fresh-picked peaches or jam. Swing by Kurtz Orchards Farm and Marketplace on the Niagara Parkway where you can even take a tour of the orchard! McFarland House’s tea room may even have some peach-infused tea up for grabs.

Farmers in Niagara have had a tough growing season so far. Weird winter weather has altered their crops and this weekend is a great opportunity to show your support (and enjoy the ‘fruits’ of their labour while you’re at it).

See what’s Happening at the Shaw Festival in August

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Shaw Festival Theatre – Great theatre in the heart of Niagara Wine Country

Shaw Festival Theatre – Great theatre in the heart of Niagara Wine Country”

Check out what’s happening on the Shaw Festival & Winery for this  weekend: http://www.shawfest.com

“Last year we celebrated our 50th birthday to huge acclaim and, looking ahead, I like to think that we are now embarking on the first season of our next 50 years.

And what does this mean? Well, while Shaw’s compelling quest for the truth will remain at the heart of what we do, it means that we must now, more than ever, continue to move forward – embracing new writers, revealing new worlds, exploring new approaches to our classic plays.

We aim to showcase the best in contemporary theatrical thought – past, present and future – still celebrating what Shaw and we so passionately believe in: provocative, challenging stores told with humanity and wit.

We are primed and ready to go. Come and be a part of the conversation!”see

Flames of War an 1812 – Summer Event

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Flames of War  an 1812 Son et Lumiere Starting July 7, 2012 Friday, Saturday &  Monday at 9 pm at Fort George, National Historic Site.  A new and unique attraction, interpreting  the War Starting July 7, 2012  of 1812 through  a spectacular video projected on a heritage  blockhouse inside Fort  George.

NIAGARA FALLS – 2012- SKYWALK

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Skywalk 2012 Press Release

Jay Cochrane above Niagara Falls nears the top of The Skylon Tower in 2005
Jay Cochrane above Niagara Falls nears the top of The Skylon Tower in 2005

June 18, 2012 (Niagara Falls) – In an awe-inspiring event, Jay Cochrane, Canada’s Prince of the Air, continues the “Summer of Skywalks” in the Niagara region.

Beginning June 29th, Skywalk 2012 will cross a 400 m (quarter mile) distance over 50-stories in the sky as Jay Cochrane performs the greatest building-to-building skywalk in North American history for twelve weeks in Niagara Falls, Canada.

Sponsored by The Tourism Partnership of Niagara and presented by the Fallsview BIA, Skywalk 2012 puts Cochrane into a league of his own. Jay’s highwire will extend 340 m (1,300 feet) from the top of the Niagara Fallsview Hilton Hotel North Tower at a height of 177 m (581 feet) to the top of the Skylon Tower at a height of 160 m (520 feet) in the heart of Niagara Falls.

Cochrane will walk the wire daily at 7 p.m. (weather permitting), traveling a distance well over 20 miles (30 kilometers) between the two structures in his 88 scheduled performances.

Jay Cochrane and the Niagara region have a long and storied history.

In 2005, the “Skylon Tower Skywalk” (see video by clicking here) began atop the 32-story, 110 m (364 feet)Niagara Fallsview Casino, traversing a distance of 380 m (1,250 feet), and finished atop the Skylon Tower at a height of 160 m (520 feet). Jay’s performance was astounding, set to music as he talked to the crowd below, giving the spectators a first-hand experience of what it is like to be on the wire.

Skywalk 2012 performances will be both higher and longer, and once again, Jay will interact with the viewers from above.

“Niagara Falls is the premier venue in the world for Skywalk 2012,” said Cochrane. “This walk approaches the grandeur of my Great China Skywalk across Qutang Gorge above the Yangtze River. I’m excited to give a spectacular performance that will draw attention to my home country of Canada and inspire people to visit Niagara.”

In addition to being home to Niagara Falls, one of the world’s most stunning natural wonders, Niagara Canada offers visitors a host of smaller treasures that inspire on a completely different level. With dozens of wineries, golf courses and heritage sites, endless recreational trails and Great Lake shorelines, world-class dining and theatre, as well as casino excitement, Niagara was recently named Trip Advisor’s #1 Family Holiday destination in Canada. Visit visitniagaracanada.com for trip ideas and special offers to watch Jay’s record breaking Summer of Skywalks.

The “highway in the sky” for Skywalk 2012 will be a part of the skyline for weeks prior to Cochrane’s first performance on June 29, 2012, visible from numerous Niagara attractions and as far away as Buffalo, NY, and St. Catharines, Ontario.

The opening performance of Skywalk 2012 will include two special receptions to meet Jay Cochrane for autographs and photographs at both the Skylon Tower and the Niagara Fallsview Hilton Hotel.

There will be additional opportunities to meet Jay at festivals and events across the Niagara region this summer. Jay will be making appearances with the “Wirewalking Experience,” a mobile wire set a foot off the ground to allow media, special guest and the public to try to walk on the same wire he is walking in the sky. Locations include: Fort Erie Friendship Festival (June 29 to July 2) and Canal Days (August 3-6). Check visitniagaracanada.com for details.

Jay Cochrane is the premier skywalker in the world. Cochrane’s popularity was cemented in 1995 by The Great China Skywalk in Qutang Gorge, viewed in-person by an audience of 250,000, in addition to live China TV coverage viewed in the PRC and around the world by an estimated one-billion people. Jay’s skywalk stretched 2,098 feet (639m) over the Yangtze River at a height of 1,340 feet (408m), the highest and longest highwire walk ever completed.

Jay holds World Records for the longest building-to-building skywalk; longest and highest BLINDFOLDED skywalk; longest and highest nighttime building-to-building skywalk; longest and highest combined skywalk; longest time living on a wire; and the farthest cumulative distance traversed on a highwire.

During the length of the performance schedule, Cochrane will pass several milestones for cumulative distance on a single wire, with celebrations to match. Niagara is your adventure vacation destination during the Summer of Skywalks.

Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours – Celebrating 20 Years in Niagara

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Whirlpool Jet Boats



Join me in Congratulating Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours


They're celebrating 20 years on the Niagara River...


Offering a wet jet and covered jet dome boats, great


for the families.


Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours












Family fun and excitement are in store for you as you speed upriver in a powerful Jet Boat towards the Niagara Gorge – a stone walled canyon – and into the legendary churning waters of the Niagara Whirlpool. History and geography of the river is explained during this fully guided 45-minute cruise. You will see the sites and all the amazing scenery just a short distance from the turbulent water of mighty Niagara Falls – while staying completely dry! Bring aboard your camera. Departure is from our Niagara-on-the-Lake site in Ontario.  http://www.whirlpooljet.com/