Printed from the Niagara Falls Review
Festival of Lights brighter than ever; Night parades cancelled, organizers add $250,000 worth of new lights, displays
JOHN LAW
Wednesday, October 18, 2006 – 02:00
Local News – For its 24th year, the Winter Festival of Lights is doing some adding through subtracting.
Say goodbye to the weekly night parades after eight years. Say hello to $250,000 worth of new lights, displays and events.
The winter tradition, starting Nov. 4, will include more concerts and activities this year as it gears up for a gala 25th edition next year. And it won’t stop until the event is recognized as the top lights festival in Canada, said general manager Dino Fazio.
“We will keep you busy, no question.”
Details for this year’s festival were announced Tuesday and for the first time since 1997, a night parade wasn’t on the agenda. Though still popular, the parades were expensive and extremely tough to organize. Last year was dogged by construction, forcing the parades to use different routes.
“You never want to give up an event, certainly something that has been around for awhile now,” said Fazio. “The board made a tough decision. They said, we won’t do the parade any more, but we’ve got to have more illuminations.”
New this year will be a 26-by-26 foot binational Canadian-American Flag display located near the Horseshoe Falls, along with the festival’s first audio/visual attraction – a walk-though display based on ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, located in front of Queen Victoria Place.
“Ultimately, we want people to get out of their cars,” said Fazio.
There will be 20 more trees illuminated along the Niagara Parkway, as well as a new menorah display (though Fazio stressed the festival is not a religious event).
Among the biggest additions this year is a candlelight stroll Dec. 9, starting at city hall and heading up Queen Street. Candles can be purchased for $2, with proceeds going towards Project SHARE.
On the music front, Niagara trio The Mantini Sisters headline a Dec. 7 Christmas show at the Niagara Fallsview Casino’s Avalon Ballroom, which is also where the Silver Sizzles Revue returns Nov. 27 to 30. At the Niagara Falls Memorial Arena will be Mel Tillis and Gordie Tapp Nov. 18 and 19, and Vicki Lawrence Nov. 19 and 20.
The summer production of Aladdin, Jr. at the Greg Frewin Theatre returns for an encore Dec. 4 to 30.
Niagara Falls Tourism manager Anna Pierce recalls a time when the Festival of Lights board debated how to spend a $25,000 budget. Today, the budget is more than $1 million, attracting 1.2 million visitors and 940 motor coaches per year.
Pierce said there’s a “renewed commitment” between Niagara Falls Tourism and the Festival of Lights this year, resulting in a bigger, brighter event along the Niagara Parkway and Dufferin Islands.
Last year marked a difficult transition for the festival, as it dropped the costly New Year’s Eve concert at Queen Victoria Park. The decision upset several people, Fazio said, but was necessary in order for the festival “to get back to our roots.”
Namely, a festival of lights instead of concerts.
The Niagara Parks Commission stepped in and took over the show, which remains nationally televised across Canada.
“Ultimately, the result was fantastic,” said Fazio. “We were so happy when the Parks Commission came aboard. It would have been a tragic loss for everybody to lose the New Year’s Eve concert.”
Niagara Parks Commission chairman Jim Williams said staff is “working feverishly” putting this year’s New Year’s Eve show together. A lineup should be announced within the next few weeks.
Even before this year’s festival has begun, Fazio has his eye on next year’s event, which is expected to add another $500,000 worth of light displays. Among the biggest ideas being discussed – illuminating the Rainbow Bridge.
To look like a rainbow, of course.
“It’s a do-able thing,” he said. “I’d love to have that. I mean, that alone would be an attraction.”
The festival runs Nov. 4 to Jan. 8. For full details, visit www.wfol.com.
jlaw@nfreview.com
ID- 234593
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Niagara Falls Review acticles reprinted with permission by the authority of Joe Wallace, City Editor of the Niagara Falls Review
For more photos of the Niagara Festival of Lights click on the thumbnails below:
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The parades were always poorly supported. At least this way they keep the focus on the lights. If we actually get some snow this winter the lights will look a lot more impressive than last year. It will be interesting if the rainbow bridge gets the \”neon\” treatment.
Comment by Fitz — October 18, 2006 @ 9:05 pm