Winter Festival of Lights festivities are going to be spectacular this year. Mark your calendars opening ceremonies kick off the season starting November 9th! http://www.niagarafallstourism.com/play/festivals-events/winter-festival-of-lights/
Looking for a place to stay view us on: http://www.niagara-on-the-lake-cottagerental.com/ or call is at 905-980-0346 to make a reservation.
By Corey Larocque, Niagara Falls Review
Wirewalker Jay Cochrane stands atop the Hilton Hotel in Niagara Falls with the Skylon Tower in the background in this 2012 file photo. (MIKE DIBATTISTA/NIAGARA News
“Just a note aside, I had the pleasure of viewing Jay Cochrane live in Niagara Falls, what a showman”!! Maria Rekrut
Jay Cochrane, the highwire performer known as the Prince of the Air, was a great friend to Niagara Falls over the years. News of his death Wednesday saddened a town he came to love and whose people came to love him – even though, by many accounts, he was a difficult man to get to know.
Since 2002, Cochrane’s blue, sequined jumpsuit and platinum blonde hair, were fixtures in Niagara Falls. He was a colourful entertainer who constantly pushed the boundaries of his art to new heights. In the summer of 2012, he thrilled spectators daily by walking a tightrope from the top of the Skylon Tower to the rooftop of the Hilton hotel.
When news broke that he lost his battle to cancer at the age of 69, it prompted a well deserved outpouring of tributes from the thousands of people who witnessed his hundreds of highwire performances or who dealt with him through the children’s charities for whom he devotedly raised money.
Journalists at The Review who interviewed and photographed him over the years got to know him as the consummate professional. Charming, but aloof. A brilliant showman despite some eccentricities. (The trumpet fanfare from the Superman theme song announced he was about to begin his show).
He adopted us. And we embraced him. He didn’t just breeze into town for a one-night stand and then move on to the next spectacle.
He’ll always be one of the lingering “what-ifs” in Niagara Falls history. What if the Niagara Parks Commission had dropped its longstanding opposition to stunting when Cochrane asked 10 years ago, instead of when Nik Wallenda got the green light in 2012?
But Cochrane has earned a rightful place in the legion of endearing colourful characters whose exploits make Niagara Falls history the thrilling, unique place it is.
Where else but in Niagara Falls could you look 750 feet up in the sky, see a man walking a tightrope between two skyscrapers and say, “Oh yeah, that’s Jay… It must be 7 o’clock.”
He was so good you could set your watch to his performances. He often said he had to be perfect in his line of work.
Cochrane was a class act, a thrill to watch and a delight to know.
Corey Larocque
Widely considered Canada’s most haunted town, Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) is the place to be on Hallowe’en. You’ll be in good company: Famous ghosts include Captain Colin Swayze, a Canadian militia officer killed in 1813 at the Angel Inn, where reports of eerie nighttime shenanigans date back to the 1820s. In Queen’s Royal Park, the ethereal “Woman in White” is said to linger nightly at the gorgeous gazebo, still longing for her lost love after almost a century. And at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, the cemetery is the final home of many War of 1812 casualties, some of whom do not reportedly rest in peace.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory staff show off their Hallowe’en treats, which include a full-sized chocolate skull.
Ghost tours and antics
For a more formal introduction to the spirits, you can sign up for a number of different ghost tours.
Fort George is hosting special Hallowe’en ghost tours on October 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 30 and 31. They start at 7, 7:15, 7:30, 10, 10:15 and 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 and you must buy them in advance by calling 905-468-6621.
The guides from Ghost Walks and Dark History Tours will regale you with stories on an entertaining jaunt to the haunted parts of town. Extra tours around Hallowe’en make sure everyone gets a shot at meeting some spectres. Tickets are $13 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for kids 13 and under.
The Haunted Shop on Queen Street will give you the shivers as you browse for creepy gifts and treats. Be sure to ask about the resident apparition.
On my last Hallowe’en visit to NOTL, my Niagara B&B hosts lent me their book, Ghosts of Niagara-on-the-Lake by Maria Da Silva and Andrew Hind. This is a comprehensive and fascinating look into the NOTL spirit world. And of course, Niagara B&B owners know all the stories—some even have phantom guests.
Posted by E. Lisa Moses
Aerial Image – Old Fort Erie
The muskets are primed and the cannons are loaded for the 27th Annual Siege Weekend at Old Fort Erie. August 10 and 11, witness a cannon-blast-from-the-past as Canada’s largest battle re-enactment weekend displays the excitement and drama of the War of 1812.
This year marks the 199th anniversary of the desperate fight for the fort and the 27th time the reenacting community will bring the events of 1814 back to life.
If you don’t like: loud noises, the roll of the drums, the smell of gun powder smoke, food cooking over an open fire, the crackle of musketry or a whiff of pipe smoke coming from a lone sentry on picket duty – this event is not for you. If you like your story telling for your kids and grandkids to be colourful, dramatic, even poignant and memorable – this is the event to attend.
Since the reenactors volunteer their time and considerable resources, the camps and battles are free for the weekend. However, the candle lit tour on Saturday night will put you in the action and regular admission to the Fort applies.
There are guided tours and demonstrations throughout the fort and the siege lines all weekend long. The serious action gets underway on Saturday morning at 11:00am when the U.S. Army takes over Fort Erie. At 2:00pm there is a battle on the south side of the Fort marking the battles of Chippawa and Lundy’s Lane. Of course at 8:00pm, the big battle of the weekend will be underway and the candle lit tours of the fort start just after 9:00pm from the new visitor centre, showing the effects of Drummond’s assault. Sunday will include the annual commemorative service at 10:30am and the weekend ends with a recreation of the battle known as the Sortie at 1:00pm.
Call us at 905-980-0346 for more information.
http://oreo.itracmediav4.com/
Winter in Niagara Falls
Niagara on the Lake Cottage Rental feels very blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family. This year, was great meeting and hosting so many incredible new guests at our cottage rental. Thank you for being a part of my life and I look forward to a great 2013!! Cheers, Maria
Call us at 1-866-226-4730 to make a reservation over the Christmas Season.
JAZZ.FM91 – Canada’s Premier Jazz Station
JAZZ.FM91, Canada’s only not-for-profit radio station dedicated to jazz and the jazz community at large. Featuring on-air and web only streams, news, program listings, playlists, and more.
Looking for accommodations call 1-866-226-4730 for the Christmas Season.
|
|
|
RiverBrink Art-Museum
Free Admission to RiverBrink Art Museum on October 20-21 in Celebration of Niagara Region as a Cultural Capital of Canada. In celebration of the designation of Niagara Region as a Cultural Capital of Canada for 2012, RiverBrink Art Museum is offering free admission to its popular exhibition RiverBrink’s War of 1812 on Saturday October 20th and Sunday October 21st.
This celebratory event provides an excellent opportunity to view the Portrait of Isaac Brock before it returns to Guernsey, UK in the first week of November. In addition, RiverBrink will host four artists in support of our Accessibility Campaign to fund the construction of a ramp and accessible washrooms.
Free Admission to RiverBrink Art Museum on October 20-21 in Celebration of Niagara Region as a Cultural Capital of Canada. In celebration of the designation of Niagara Region as a Cultural Capital of Canada for 2012, RiverBrink Art Museum is offering free admission to its popular exhibition RiverBrink’s War of 1812 on Saturday October 20th and Sunday October 21st.
This celebratory event provides an excellent opportunity to view the Portrait of Isaac Brock before it returns to Guernsey, UK in the first week of November. In addition, RiverBrink will host four artists in support of our Accessibility Campaign to fund the construction of a ramp and accessible washrooms.These artists will demonstrate in the mediums of origami, pen and ink, watercolours and oils. They will work on site between the hours of 1:30 and 3:30 on each of the days. RiverBrink Art Museum will be open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.RiverBrink Art Museum is located at 116 Queenston Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake (on the Niagara Parkway halfway between Niagara Falls and “Old Town” Niagara-on-the-Lake). For more information, please contact RiverBrink Art Museum by phone at 905-262-4510 or by email at info@riverbrink.org. Looking for Accommodations during your visit? Call us at: 1-866-226-4730
Richard Rodgers