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It is hard to believe that it is mid September already. In Niagara-on-the-Lake, every local will tell you that fall is one of their favorite part of the year; beside being harvest season for wine grapes and other local fruits all around the region, the abundant vegetation that surrounds us likes to get our attention one last time by showing us their hidden colors. After all, as Albert Camus said so well: ”Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
September and October is one of the best time to visit our little town as all shops, wineries, theatres and overall attractions are still open but you have a little bit more space on the sidewalks as the town is not overcrowded with people like in the middle of the summer!
In addition to the Shaw Festival Theatre presenting plays until the very end of October, here are a few special events that caught our attention this year and might interest you as well!
From September 23rd to 25th, join the Grand Canadian Steampunk Exposition, A largely-outdoor Steampunk festival of epic proportions within the walls of Fort George, a war-of-1812 Canadian fort, with activities, presentations and workshops for all ages and interests!
On September 23, 24, 30 & October 1st, take a Theatrical Cemetery Tour at St. Mark’s Church! The tours are organized every year by the Niagara Historical Society & Museum. Uncover cryptic tales, truths and local lore buried beneath the ancient trees of St. Mark’s Cemetery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Can there be life after death? The answer may yet be found… in stories of saints, sinners and long-lost heroes revived…
From September 30th to October 3rd, don’t miss the Stonesthrow Festival At Willowbank! A celebration of stone, craft and community including: an artisan market, lectures, short courses, and live music.The Willowbank Stonesthrow Stone Festival will celebrate stone and its influence as one of the first and most basic traditional building materials. This event will bring together carvers, masons, artisans and everyone with a love of stone and traditional building.
On October 8th and 9th, Join the Friends of Fort George and Parks Canada as we commemorate the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Queenston Heights and the death of Major General Sir Isaac Brock. Brock’s Monument National Historic Site will be open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm all weekend. Join us for guided tours of the battle site, climb the 235 steps to the top of Brock’s Monument and enjoy the scenic view of Queenston Heights Park and the Niagara River!
Are you ready for a love affair with Niagara’s most sultry and sexy wine? Back by popular demand: The Pinot Affair! Visit Niagara October 15th & 16th for intimate tastings, lusty food & wine pairings and more. Learn first-hand from those who make the wine why they only have eyes for Pinot Noir…
Ten wineries…All crushing on one deliciously seductive grape!
Last but not least: the Halloween Ghost Tour of Fort George! Some believe that Halloween is the time of year when supernatural forces are most powerful, and the barrier between this world and the next is at its weakest. For others, it’s just the perfect time of year for a good ghost story. Join us for an exploration of the scariest aspects of haunted Fort George on October 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 and, our course, 31! This 2-hour walking tour includes stories too frightening to be told on the summer tours, and opens a building (the Officers’ Quarters) usually off limits to the Ghost Tour.
And after this big scary ending we will enter the more peaceful holiday season..Patience my little, this will surely be another blog! In the meantime, make the most out of your fall season; see you around town!