Niagara Falls Fun - Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls Canada

Source: buffalonews.com

Tightrope walker gets OK to cross Niagara Falls
June 22, 2011, 3:47 PM

ALBANY — The walk is on — at least as far state legislators are concerned.

It may be rare for the Legislature to OK something that legitimately can be called death-defying, but final approval was given Wednesday permitting a member of the legendary Flying Wallendas to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

More than 150 years after the “Great Blondin” first walked across the gorge on a tightwire, Nik Wallenda has gotten legislative approval to bypass a longtime state ban on stunts at the Falls to become the first person to try to legally walk a tightrope over the river since 1910.

The measure, which passed the Senate last week and was approved today by the Assembly, says a permit specifically for Wallenda is good for one year, though lawmakers say believe he could make the walk this fall as part of his new Discovery Channel show “Life on a Wire.”(…more)

Harry Houdini’s 137th birthday has been marked by todays Google Doodle
March 24, 2011

The Google Doodle features a vaudeville style banner of the escape artist holding a chain around his neck.

The Hungarian-born magician and illusionist found fame with his sensational escape acts, some of which included stunts and movies set in Niagara Falls!

The Man From Beyond
Below is a harrowing scene from the 1922 movie “The Man From Beyond” which features Harry Houdini coming perilously close to the edge of Niagara Falls in a rescue attempt.

Here is some very rare footage of Harry Houdini suspended 40 feet in the air, escaping from a straight jacket, in front of Niagara Falls.

James Randi straight jacket escape over Niagara Falls
Related to this, here is a video of James Randi, the famous escape artist doing his straight jacket escape while being suspended over Niagara Falls.

The Houdini Magical Hall of Fame – Niagara Falls, Canada
Houdini was also honored with a museum in Niagara Falls by enthusiast: Sidney Radner. In 1968 The Houdini Magical Hall of Fame was opened on Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. At its opening, this museum contained the majority of Houdini’s personal collection of magic paraphernalia. One of Houdini’s death wishes was that his entire collection be given to his brother Theodore (also known as the magician Hardeen) and burned upon Theodore’s death. Against his wishes, forty years after Houdini’s death, the items were taken from storage and sold. Radner and his partner purchased the items and renovated a former meat-packing plant on Clifton Hill, Ontario, Canada, to house the museum. The Hall of Fame was moved in 1972 to its final location on the top of Clifton Hill. Séances were held every year at the museum on October 31, the anniversary of Houdini’s death. A fire destroyed the museum on April 30, 1995. (Source: Wikipedia)

Below is a video tour on the late Houdini Magical Hall of Fame in Niagara Falls, Canada. Shot in 1992.

Magician Tom Interval visited the Museum in 81′ and 85′ and posted his photos here:
Photo gallery of the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame

Courtesy of Tom Interval - http://www.intervalmagic.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Niagara Falls, Ontario Hosts Canada’s Largest Skateboarding Competition
World-class skateboarders, Clifton Hill’s famous Street of Fun by the Falls and DJ duo LA Riots combine for the best in fall entertainment.

September 23, 2010 (Niagara Falls, ON) No stranger to showcasing the talents of daredevils, Niagara Falls welcomes a new generation of thrill-seekers for the West 49 Take the Cake skateboarding competition presented by Schick Xtreme3.

The open-air competition takes place at the foot of Clifton Hill in the Oakes Garden Theatre. It has attracted 14 of the world’s best skaters and will award $100,000 in prize money — the largest cash purse in Canadian skateboarding history. The fun kicks off on Friday, October 1st with the Axe Twist Amateur Open Qualifiers, with the final taking place on Saturday, October 2nd. Afterwards, the pros take center stage in the grand finale West 49 Take the Cake contest.

The event is expected to attract over 7,000 spectators, who will be treated to expert street riding from top skaters such as Paul “P-Rod” Rodriguez, who beat out stiff competition to claim victory at this year’s Tampa Pro competition. Joining him will be teen sensation Chaz Ortiz who won his first tournament at just 14 years old two years ago at the AST Dew Tour, as well as Torey Pudwill who placed third at the Street League DC Pro Tour competition last August.

Young Canadian rap artist, SHAD and DJ New Money from Montreal will treat attendees to live performances on Saturday between finals. The fun continues along Clifton Hill’s world-famous Street of Fun by the Falls, which features many exciting Niagara Falls attractions like the 175-foot tall Niagara SkyWheel, Casino Niagara, Maid of the Mist, Niagara Parks, and the Great Canadian Midway—a 70,000 square-foot entertainment complex featuring over 300 games.

Clifton Hill also offers some of the best Niagara Falls restaurants, including the Boston Pizza/Strike Rock N’ Bowl entertainment centre, where attendees can sample great cuisine and relax before heading out to the official West 49 Take the Cake AfterParty hosted by Coors Light. It takes place at Rumours Night Club, located just up the hill from the Take the Cake competition.

The after party will feature the deejay duo LA Riots who have produced and remixed for high-profile artists such as Kylie Minogue and DJ Tiësto. LA Riots is fast becoming known for their live DJ sets that showcase a fusion of house, techno and indie electro. Doors to the Coors Light AfterParty open at 9 p.m.

Source: Push.ca
Sheckler’s Coming: W49 Take the Cake
Posted On Aug 25 2010, 11:35 AM by asayer

Add Ryan Sheckler and Tom Asta to the already stacked list of P-Rod, Chaz Ortiz, Alex Olson, Torey Pudwill, Sierra Fellers, Matt Miller, Corey Duffel, Darrell Stanton, Chima Ferguson, Paul Trep, Grant Patterson, Shuriken Shannon, Brandon Westgate, and many, many more that are all confirmed to compete in the West 49 Take the Cake event coming Oct 1st and 2nd to Niagara Falls, Ontario.

West 49 Take the Cake is Canada’s largest cash purse event in Canadian skateboarding history with $100,000.00 CDN in prize money being awarded. Thirteen of the worlds best international skaters will descend on Niagara Falls Oct 1-2, 2010 to showcase their tricks on a best trick stair set up. The excitement begins on Friday, October 1st with the Axe Twist Amateur Open Qualifiers – which will give one skater the pass to ride with the worlds best in Saturday’s final feature. Saturday, October 2nd will play host to the Axe Twist Amateur Open Finals and the highly anticipated WEST 49 TAKE THE CAKE presented by Schick X3 contest.

There is more information available on PUSH.ca and head over to the West 49 Take the Cake website for more information on registering, winning prizes, parties, and more.

Continue reading

Ryan Sheckler

Tom Asta

Source: Push.ca

West 49 Take The Cake Niagara Falls Skater List

P-Rod, Chaz Ortiz, Alex Olson, Torey Pudwill, Sierra Fellers, Matt Miller, Corey Duffel, Darrell Stanton, Chima Ferguson, Paul Trep, Grant Patterson, Shuriken Shannon, Brandon Westgate, and many, many more are all confirmed to compete in the West 49 Take the Cake event coming Oct 1st and 2nd to Niagara Falls, Ontario.

West 49 Take the Cake is Canada’s largest cash purse event in Canadian skateboarding history with $100,000.00 CDN in prize money being awarded. Thirteen of the worlds best international skaters will descend on Niagara Falls Oct 1-2, 2010 to showcase their tricks on a best trick stair set up.

The excitement begins on Friday, October 1st with the Axe Twist Amateur Open Qualifiers – which will give one skater the pass to ride with the worlds best in Saturday’s final feature. Saturday, October 2nd will play host to the Axe Twist Amateur Open Finals and the highly anticipated WEST 49 TAKE THE CAKE presented by Schick X3 contest. The two day event takes place in the open air with Niagara Falls in the backdrop and showcases a live performance from the artist SHAD.

Plan to celebrate with us at the official warm up and wrap up parties. The Push.ca Skate Park will be open all day so bring your skate, and helmet, to join in the fun as well as hang out with the skate brands in the sponsor village.

There is more information available on PUSH.ca and head over to the West 49 Take the Cake website for more information on registering, winning prizes, parties, and more.

Become a fan of Push.ca on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date.

Chaz Ortiz

Matt Miller

P-Rod

(more…)

Originally printed by Ran.org

Posted by joshua kahn russell in Freedom from Oil on September 15th, 2009

Rainforest Action Network drops Seventy-Foot Banner Over Niagara Falls to Welcome Prime Minister Harper to the U.S.
Banner: “Canadian Tar Sands Oil Undermines North America’s Clean Energy Future”

Before dawn this morning, a small team of climate activists rappelled from the US observation deck at Niagara Falls. Dangling hundreds of feet above the ground, they sent a special welcome message to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper ahead of his first official visit to the White House to push dirty Tar Sands oil.

Not that he’s feeling so welcome anyway. Obama limited the meeting to just one hour. While some have called it a slap in the face, Aides say Harper will turn the other cheek. “The economy, and the clean-energy dialogue,” one aide told the Globe and Mail, “will dominate the discussions.” Obama needed to dodge controversy over oil imports from Canada’s tar sands in the midst of the Climate Legislation debate. Harper needed a story to go with his photo-op. (more…)

Originally Printed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Niagara Falls: Canadian side overflows with kitsch kitsch
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Stories by Dennis Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

NIAGARA FALLS, Canada — Niagara Falls spills 750,000 gallons of water per second down a 167-foot drop in a roar that began when glaciers melted 10,000 years ago.

Tourists come by the millions, stare into the white mist, and marvel at one of the wonders of the world. Then they have wonders of their own: What to do next?

As Nick Ramunno, who oversees a hall full of wax rock stars there for the staring at, puts it: “You need something else besides the Falls. You can only look at the Falls so long.”

That’s when it’s time to climb Clifton Hill.

There is no compromising with Clifton Hill. Either you recoil in horror at the noise, lights, crowds, smells, outsize waffle cones and howling fright houses or you give yourself over to the Great Spirit of Kitsch that has pervaded since the days hotel owners shanghaied each other’s guests at the train station and shook them down for trips to the bottom of the Falls. (Read more…)

Originally printed by EnvironmentalGraffiti.com

The Daredevils of Niagara Falls

Daredevils, lunatics, call them what you will; there’s one thing that unites those folks who attempted the tightrope-walking or barrel-riding stunts that got them dicing with the Grim Reaper: an irrepressible urge to stand out from the crowd. Niagara Falls was their stage, and they intended to fill the show with rapturous applause, even if it meant bringing the curtain down for the final time. These were no pseudo-mystical David Blaine types either; they were regular guys and gals with old school style, their feats now frozen in hues of black and white. Let’s turn our gaze on five of the most legendary daredevils who braved the dangers of these famous American falls.

Click here to continue reading and to see some great historical daredevil photos

Originally printed by Examiner.com

On this day in NY history: Daredevil crossed Niagara Falls by tightrope, considered a trailblazer

June 30, 1859

One hundred and fifty years ago today, Niagara Falls was jammed with people. The excited crowd of 5,000 waited to see an astonishing feat. A French acrobat, “The Great Blondin,” was about to attempt to be the first man to cross the Falls by tightrope. Blondin, a slightly built man, appeared. He wore a bright purple velvet tunic, white silk pantaloons and white shoes. He carried a long, narrow pole. The crowd held its breath as he stepped out onto the rope (more…)

As reported in the Review

MAN SURVIVES PLUNGE OVER FALLS: CLICK TO SEE VIDEO
Firefighters and helicopter pilot bring man to shore
Posted By Corey Larocque

After surviving the 188-foot plunge over the Horseshoe Falls, an unidentified man swam in the icy water of the Niagara River for about 30 minutes while rescuers raced against the clock to get him out.

“If it had gone on a couple minutes more, he would have sunk beneath the water,” said Niagara Parks Police Sgt. Chris Gallagher.

It’s believed to be the third time a person has survived going over the falls without some kind of protection, like a barrel.

Police, firefighters, paramedics and a private helicopter pilot worked for about 45 minutes to save the man who went into the water above the falls but stayed afloat in the lower river. He clung to a log at times, and was swimming in the near-freezing water while rescuers prepared on shore.

Click here to watch video of the rescue and continue reading