March 31, 2008
Printed by the Review
Springlicious invites families downtown
Posted By JENNIFER PELLEGRINI
The sweet smells of spring are indescribable – budding leaves, growing grass and spouting hyacinths and daffodils.
Organizers of the Springlicious festival on Queen Street plan to add some of the tastes of spring to downtown Niagara Falls in May in the Springlicious – Culinary Food, Wine and Beer Expo.
“We’ve got about 20 food vendors already, four microbreweries and three wineries confirmed,” said Shane Sargant, one of the organizers with Celebrate Old Downtown which is hosting the event. “And we’ve got more on the bubble. It has been a really good response. But we could use a few more vendors.”
Springlicious is one of several events members of Celebrate Old Downtown and other groups aimed at drawing people back to the city’s traditional downtown core.
Visitors who attend Springlicious will be able to purchase tickets to try sample-sized portions of food from their vendors of choice. (more…)
March 30, 2008
Posted in Tribuneindia.com
Falling for Niagara
They have been around for over 12,000 years yet the lure of the Niagara Falls is as strong as ever. Every year over 20 million people visit the falls, writes Gyan Marwah
WHEN you first see the horseshoe-shaped Niagara Falls, the first two questions that come rushing to the mind of the first-time tourist is: where does so much water come from? When were the falls first discovered? The answers are not far to seek. Any brochure will tell you that this wonder of nature was born out of melting glaciers some 12,000 years ago.
The falls can be viewed from the Canadian side and the American side. Most diehard Niagara watchers, however, prefer the Canadian side where the falls offer a spectacular view with the water cascading from a height of 57 metres (188 feet) at a speed of around 2.3 million litres per second.
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Posted on Business.scotsman.com
Glasgow’s style guru becomes the Falls guy
By Noel Young
TOURISM is king in Niagara Falls, one of America’s most iconic visitor destinations. But behind the spectacular scenery is an industrial hinterland that has hit hard times.
Now they have turned to Eddie Friel, for more than 20 years a key figure in the great Glasgow revival, for advice on fixing the area’s jobs problems. At 66, Friel, whose lasting legacy to his adopted city was the ‘Glasgow, Scotland With Style’ campaign, has a new job as a visiting professor at the University of Niagara in New York state. And he is increasingly in demand as a speaker on his philosophy of tourism driving the economy and how creating a brand for a city-region is a vital step to recovery.
Recently he was a headline speaker at a sell-out conference in Niagara, telling Americans (and Canadians) how the area would do well to take a few lessons from Glasgow.
“Don’t talk to me about retiral,” says Friel, who with his wife has bought a home in Lewiston in upper New York state. “Glasgow has a great story to tell and I love telling it.”
Friel, who was made a freeman of the city in 2004, believes there is a lesson in the Glasgow turnaround for everyone. “What Glasgow did in the years from 1980 on was absolutely amazing. It was phenomenal that the city was able to turn itself round in such a short space of time, bearing in mind the dramatic rundown in industry.
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Printed by the Review
Ball’s Falls new conservation centre focuses on ecology; $4 million project devoted to environmental sustainability
Posted By MATTHEW VAN DONGEN
Posted 18 hours ago
Ball’s Falls’ $4-million, state-of-the-art Centre for Conservation is scheduled to open May 9 at the popular Jordan conservation area.
Inside, visitors will be greeted by 12,000 square feet of show-and-tell space devoted to environmental sustainability.
“We didn’t want to hide anything,” said St. Catharines architect Harald Ensslen. “We wanted a building that teaches people about conservation.” (more…)
March 28, 2008
Printed by the Review
41st Misty nominees announced
Posted By JENNIFER PELLEGRINI
Tourism industry insiders will be dusting off their black ties and shining their shoes soon.
If it’s spring, the Misty Awards can’t be far away.
This year’s ceremony – the 41st – will take place at the Greg Frewin Theatre April 10.
“I absolutely love the Misty Awards because they’re Niagara Falls Tourism’s one chance to thank and appreciate all the wonderful things our members do for this industry,” said the agency’s executive director Anna Pierce. “And this year we have a big surprise for those who attend.”
Seven major awards are handed out during the evening, including the Niagara Falls Review Community Achievement Award, the Murie Misty, the Stella Howlett Award, the Lifetime Contribution and Achievement Recognition Award, the Niagara College Award, the Progressive Development Award and the Grand Misty.
Last year, Tony Zappitelli, former owner of the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel, was presented with the Grand Misty Award, the top honour.
Ruedi Hafen, owner of Niagara Helicopters on Victoria Avenue, was the first winner of the Niagara Falls Review Community Achievement Award for his rescue efforts.
Two of his staff: Kathy Goodman and Aneta Fleming were recognized: Goodman with the Life Contribution and Recognition award, while Fleming, the company’s marketing manager, received the 2007 Stella Howlett Award, honouring the individual who best exemplifies hospitality in the city’s tourism industry. (more…)
Printed by the Review
Get out to the Niagara Outdoor Show
Angling for something to do next weekend?
The Niagara Outdoor Show will be held Sunday, April 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Optimist Club on Morrison Street.
“If you hunt, fish or boat, this show offers something for everyone of all ages,” said Bill Whitehead, event organizer.
Formerly held in Fort Erie, this will be the first time the event has come to Niagara Falls.
Vendors will offer a variety of merchandise for the outdoor enthusiast including boats, all terrain vehicles, rifles and shotguns, rods, reels and thousands of lures.
Canadian author Paul Brisco will offer free appraisals on old lures, decoys and rods and reels.
Brisco is a member of the Canadian Antique Fishing Tackle Association and the National Fishing Lure Collectors Club. (more…)
Printed by the Review
‘Secure document’ date set; Homeland Security says June 1, 2009 is firm target date
Posted By JENNIFER PELLEGRINI
It’s official. Travellers entering the United States by land, sea and air will require a passport “or other secure document” as identification in order to be permitted into the Land of the Free.
“We are on course to implement and enforce the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative which is an important step forward in securing the homeland,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Limiting and standardizing the types of documents presented will result in a more secure and efficient border. We will continue to encourage cross-border travel and trade while at the same time decreasing identity theft and fraud.”
That’s good news to Arlene White, executive director of the Binational Tourism Alliance. (more…)
March 27, 2008
Mar 27, 2008 15:57 ET
Niagara Entertainment in 2008 Includes Vegas-Style Magic, Bird Shows & Live Music All Around the Ontario Vacation Destination
Niagara attractions draw famous international performances in 2008, from Singer Gladys Knight to Magician Greg Frewin
NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – March 27, 2008) – Spring is around the corner in Niagara Falls, and this season Niagara entertainment is heating up with world-renowned musicians, magicians, and more. The impressive list of live entertainment venues and events around Niagara Falls includes Avalon Ballroom at the Fallsview Casino, Greg Frewin Theatre, Bird Kingdom, Spring in Bloom Concert, and the Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show.
Fallsview Casino concerts at the Avalon Ballroom are attracting increasingly popular acts in 2008. This Spring, visitors to the newest Niagara casino can see Gary Sinise and The Lt. Dan Band (March 28 & 29), Gladys Knight (April 3 & 4), Ray Charles (April 7-13), Chicago (May 8 & 9), Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band (June 6 & 7) and Grand Funk Railroad (June 27 & 28), among many more. In addition to live music, Avalon Theatre also hosts Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show (April 25 & 26) and Le Grande Cirque (May 12-25).
The Greg Frewin Theatre is a Niagara entertainment must-see for a family night out. One of the most celebrated magicians in the world, Greg Frewin presents “Beyond Belief,” a Las Vegas Style Magical Review, right in the heart of town. A favourite sightseeing attraction on a Niagara Falls vacation is the Bird Kingdom which also features daily live entertainment. From Lorikeet Feeding and Bat Feeding to Interactive Reptile Encounters and the Wings of the World Bird Show, Bird Kingdom offers an engaging and educational experience for adults and children. (more…)
Posted by CNW
Attention News Editors:
VIA Rail Takes You Down the Garden Path
VIA’s Garden Route now includes Communities in Bloom destinations
TORONTO, March 25 /CNW/ – It’s an arrangement that makes perfect sense.
Garden enthusiasts and admirers alike can explore Canada and marvel at its
splendid scenery while travelling by train along VIA Rail’s Garden Route. Use
a number of VIA services to visit any of the 15 spectacular gardens stretching
from Vancouver Island to Halifax. To celebrate the third season for what has
become particularly popular for travellers in Eastern Canada, VIA is pleased (more…)
Printed by the Review
Next artist selected for Queen St. showcase
Welland’s Katie Webb is the second artist to be showcased by the new 4555 Queen St. gallery downtown.
Webb’s show opened this week and continues until next weekend. Different artists will be rotating at the gallery/cafe every two weeks in an effort to bring more art and culture to the Queen Street area. The huge venue, formerly a night club, offers large walls for displays, a workshop area for artists, a stage for live music and – opening soon – a used book shop.
Article ID# 959000 (more…)
