Flowers and Cenotaph in NOTL — *The picturesque town of Niagara-on-the-Lake hosts a bonanza of family festivals every year.*

Hello Summertime! We’re now into Cancer season, a time when we want to spend quality time with those we cherish most and establish a healthy balance between work and play. And what better place to create summertime memories than in Niagara-on-the-Lake where a bonanza of family festivals and activities abound.

Festivals are always a sure-fired hit with everyone in the family, and Niagara-on-the-Lake claims the prize when it comes to making up reasons to celebrate.

HONOURING OUR CANADIAN HERITAGE
What better reason for celebration than our Canadian heritage?

Niagara-on-the-Lake is home to Fort George, which served as the headquarters for the Centre Division of the British Army during the War of 1812. It’s also at the centre of our Canada Day celebrations.

On July 1, Fort George is open to all who care to visit the grounds at no cost, providing a perfect opportunity for all ages to learn a little more about Canadian history.

Canada Day celebrations begin with an annual BBQ lunch in Simcoe Park, which includes children’s entertainment, antique cars and live music. At 3 p.m. the annual Cake Parade led by the 41^st Regiment Fife and Drum Corps heads down Queen Street to Simcoe Park, where a gigantic cake from Willow Cakes and Pastries is served to the public, free of charge, of course.

Cold drinks and treats are available inside Fort George from 2 to 4 p.m., followed by food services at 4 p.m. and evening entertainment at 6:30 p.m. It all ends with a spectacular fireworks display at 10 p.m.

Meanwhile, the juried Artistry by the Lak e show displaying the creations of more than 80 artists and artisans takes over the scenic Queen’s Royal Park on the banks of Lake Ontario from June 29 through July 1.

For history buffs, Fort George celebrations continue with more events. Jane Austen fans can celebrate the 210^th anniversary of the author’s novel, Mansfield Park, at a Regency evening at Navy Hall on August 1. Later, on August 17/18, fife and drum corps and infantry units converge on Fort George to showcase the military music and drills of the early 19^th century. Napoleon’s army descends on Fort George on September 14/15 for a weekend of muskets and majesty. And, on October 6, why not join in the festivities at Brock’s Birthday Bash?

LET’S CELEBRATE SHAW
Niagara-on-the-Lake is probably best known for its annual Shaw Festival from April to December. This long-standing tradition – 62 years and counting – draws audiences from around the world.

Live stage performances take place twice a day, Tuesday through Sunday, on three stages, with additional productions happening in the Spiegeltent next to the Festival Theatre. Regular ticket prices start at $40 for most performances, however, there are many ways to save with senior discounts, multi-play packages, special pricing for people under 35 and the under-18 crowd, as well as daily deals.

The Shaw also offers behind-the-scene opportunities to tour the facilities and a chance to hobnob and engage with Shaw professionals, writers and scholars. So, if there is a budding actor, costume or set designer, or playwright in the family, this is something to add to your must-do list.

Kiri Quartet with Music Niagara Festival 2024 — *The Kiri Quartet at Music Niagara*

A MUSICAL EXTRAVANGANZA
Now in its 24^th season, the Music Niagara Festival promises an unforgettable 2024 season featuring international professionals who span the musical spectrum – chamber music, choral, vocal, contemporary, country, folk and jazz.

In addition, on summer weekends during the festival, the Music Niagara Performance Academy provides an innovative mentorship program of specialized performance training for gifted young musicians. The festival’s young Virtuosos Series presents some of Canada’s finest emerging talents.

Behind the scenes, up-and-coming talented violinists might consider a Masterclass with Solomiya Ivakhiv on July 21 when she will share her musical knowledge and expertise. Or why not delve into a Masterclass in Melody with the Kiri Quartet on August 11?

FRUITY JUBILATIONS
If you missed the annual Strawberry Festival on June 22, not to worry. There are many more fruits in the surrounding orchards of Niagara-on-the-Lake to worthy of celebration.

Peach Festival vendors — *Peach Festival delights*

It’s all about the cherry on July 6 when fruit lovers gather to taste the freshest, crispest, most succulent cherries in the region at the annual St. Mark’s Cherry Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Go ahead and indulge in home-baked cherry pies and other delicious treats on offer, and do take time to view the H aute Emporium Catalogue of wonderful items for sale onsite. It’s all for a good cause.

On August 10, the majestic peach takes center stage at the annual Peach Festiva l. This peach of a celebration turns Queen Street in Old Town into a pedestrians-only mall lined with merchant and food vendors and live music and entertainment that’s sure to have crowds dancing in the street. After showing off your best moves, stop by the ‘Sips of Summer’ peach bar to see what tasty beverages are on tap this year.

FAMILY-PERFECT ACCOMMODATIONS
Need someplace to accommodate your family in comfort? Look no further than STAY Niagara-on-the-Lak e.

For some families, self-catering options are preferred. For you, STAY Niagara-on-the-Lake offers a variety of cottages, villas and apartments perfectly suited to your needs. On the other hand, having someone else prepare breakfast for your family may resonate, in which case a bed and breakfast or charming inn is the better choice. There’s something for everyone.

A QUICK PEEK AT WHAT’S IN STORE
Can’t make one of the festivals? No problem. Something is always happening in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Here is a quick summary of what’s scheduled for the coming months:
June 29, 30 & July 1: Artistry by the Lake
June 30: Sip and Paint Night at Peller Estates Winery
July 6: St. Mark’s Cherry Festival
July 4: Angela Seeger Summer Concert Series at Corks Wine Bar & Eatery
July 14: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Jackson-Triggs Estate Winery
July 28: Sip and Paint Night at Peller Estates Winery
August 5: The Past is Present Heritage Festival
August 9: July 4: Angela Seeger Summer Concert Series at Corks Wine Bar & Eatery
August 10: Peach Festival
August 11: Shades of Rose Dinner
August 3 & 4: Juried original art show and sale at the Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre
August 18 to 25: 2024 World Rowing Championships in St. Catharines
August 25 & September 29: Sip and Paint Night at Peller Estates Winery
September 13: Heritage Garden Party
September 14: Niagara Polo at The Commons
October 4: Shaw Guild Autumn Soirée at Château des Charmes
October 5: Mom Market Niagara at Jackson-Triggs Estate Winery
October 5 & 6: NOTL Beer/Harvest Festival
December 6: Candlelight Stroll
December 6 & 7: Rotary Club House Tour
December 14: Christmas Parade

HELPFUL TIPS
Lost & Found: Did you lose something while you were in Niagara-on-the-Lake? Contact the lost and found centre at the NOTL Chamber of Commerce located at 26 Queen Street in the lower level of the building. Or call 1-905-468-1950 or email tourism@niagaraonthelake.com for more information.

Drive Safely: As part of Niagara Region’s Vision Zero program, automated speed enforcement cameras have been installed in school zones. Please pay attention to the speed limits posted throughout Niagara-on-the-Lake as more cameras are planned.

Metered Parking: General information on metered parking in Niagara-on-the-Lake is found here. Remember, you don’t pay after 8 p.m. Your STAY Niagara-on-the-Lake hosts feature complimentary on-site parking for guests and are happy to advise you on where to park for free in and around Old Town.

Accessible Parking: Several accessible parking spaces are located throughout the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, both on the street and in municipal parking lots. All vehicles parking in the accessible zone must display an original and current accessible permit. Any vehicle found parked in an accessible zone without the valid accessible permit will be ticketed. The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has approved the use of accessible parking permits in the following areas only:

Designated accessible zones/spaces; and
At any meter free of charge, including municipal lots governed by pay-and-display parking meters. In these locations, a pay-and-display permit is not required if the vehicle is displaying a valid accessible permit.

Battle re-enactment

For many Indigenous peoples, the Niagara Region has been a powerful spiritual site since melting glaciers revealed the great lakes of Erie and Ontario and the mighty Niagara River approximately 13,000 years.

A Sacred Place
Considered a sacred place of great power and healing, the Niagara Region was used for religious ceremonies and rituals as well as for hunting and fishing. The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) believed the Thunderer, a powerful spirit associated with thunder and lightning, resided in the Niagara Region, and that the Falls were created by the Thunderer’s voice.

Niagara Falls at night

The region was also an important meeting place for Indigenous nations, who gathered here to discuss matters of trade diplomacy and war. It was considered a neutral zone, where conflicts could be resolved peacefully. However, if conflicts broke out between the Huron and Iroquois, warring tribes often brought their women and children to the resident Neutral Nation for safekeeping during such dangerous times.

The Neutral Nation was a highly developed culture with sophisticated agricultural techniques, which included the use of irrigation and terracing to cultivate crops like tobacco. They had extensive trade networks throughout the Great Lakes region and were known for their highly valued pottery as well as their tobacco trade. They also had a complex social and political structure, with distinct clans and a council of leaders who made decisions on behalf of the ten tribes of the Iroquois Nation.

The land along the Niagara River continues to have rich ties to Indigenous history and culture. The Indigenous Niagara Living Museum Tours features animated encounters and engagements with Indigenous peoples, cultural interpreters, historians, food specialists and artisans. Tours explore the geology of the Niagara Escarpment and include Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Willowbank School of Restoration and Indigenous Community Love Garden and the Landscape of Nations Commemorative Memorial in Queenston, the Niagara Glen Nature Centre, and many more.

Walking Tour of NOTL

Our Home on Native Land
Sadly, the arrival of European explorers and settlers in the 17^th century brought diseases that devastated the population of the Neutral Nation and other tribes, and their way of life was disrupted by the fur trade and conflicts.

In the 18^th century, the British established Fort George, a military outpost in Niagara-on-the-Lake. During the War of 1812, Fort George played a crucial role in the defence of Upper Canada against American invasion. It was the site of several battles, including the Battle of Fort George in May 1813, when American forces captured the fort and burned down much of the town.

Following the war, the fort was rebuilt and used as a military base until the mid-19^th century. Today, Fort George is a National Historic Site of Canada and a popular tourist attraction. Visitors can explore the fort’s barracks, officers’ quarters and other buildings, as well as view historical demonstrations and re-enactments of military life during the War of 1812. Fort George is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays until May 19, daily from May 20 to September 3, and Wednesday to Sunday from September 4 to October 31. By the way, entrance fees are waived on July 1, Canada Day!

Niagara on the Lake Museum tour guide

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum features 9,000 years of history ranging from Indigenous history to the tourism boom of the 1970s. Its gallery contains such significant artefacts as a powder horn belonging to Chief Joseph Brant, the Indian Department Coatee worn by Daniel Servos during the American Revolutionary War, uniforms from the War of 1812 and much more.

Black Canadian History
Niagara’s role in the Underground Railroad is legendary. Between 1796 and 1949, the Underground Railroad led an estimated 40,000 African American slaves to their ultimate freedom in Canada. Fort Erie, Ontario became a popular crossing for freedom seekers because of its proximity to Buffalo, New York.

Niagara Parks features some of Canada’s most poignant stories of freedom and courage among its extensive collection of displays and monuments honouring Black Canadian history. As you drive, cycle or walk along the 56-kilometre (35-mile) Niagara River Recreation Trail between Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake, you’ll come across a number of plaques and displays highlighting some of Canada’s most historic moments right here in Niagara.

Mackenzie Printery Museum

Among the interesting sites to visit along this trail is the Mackenzie Printery in Queenston, home to the Louis Roy press, the oldest wooden press in Canada, and one of only seven left in the world today. It was used to print Ontario’s first newspaper, The Upper Canada Gazette, as well as the 1793 Act Against Slavery, which prevented further introduction of enslaved people into Upper Canada and gradually allowed for the abolition of slavery.

A little further down the Parkway in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Navy Hall is a collection of buildings that served as the first seat of government for the Executive Council of Upper Canada, where John Graves Simcoe took the first legislative steps in the Act Against Slavery in 1793.

Situated at Regent and Johnson in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Voices of Freedom Park commemorates the silenced and forgotten stories of people of African descent, whose sacrifices, labour, skills and talents contributed to the development of our town.

Ambassadors of the Past
You might be delighted to learn that some STAY Niagara-on-the-Lake member properties claim a direct link to colourful, historical figures from the past, some of whom are rumoured to roam their halls. However, we’ll keep those tales under wraps for a more appropriate time.

Many of our short-term rental property owners in Niagara-on-the-Lake are born storytellers who have made it their business to study the history of the Niagara Region and are happy to share their version(s) with anyone who will listen. So, ask away. You never know what history lesson you might uncover at the breakfast table or over a glass of wine.

History comes alive in Niagara. Isn’t it time you created a little history of your own for your travel albums?

Comin’ Up
It’s never too early to plan your trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Here’s a sampling of what’s to come:

Garden Tour

April 29 – Queens of the Vineyard at Caroline Cellars
May Weekends – Sip & Sizzle at various Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries
May 6 – TD Niagara Jazz Festival Spring 2023 Fundraising Event at The Hare Wine Co.
June 9 – White Effect Dinner at Peller Estates Winery
June 9 – September 15 – Summer Concert Series at Jackson-Triggs Winery Estate
June 17 & 18 – Juried Art Show at the Riverbank Art Museum
June 24 – Shaw Guild Garden Tour
July 1-3 – Artistry by the Lake
July 8 – Cherry Festival
August 12 – Peach Festival
August 12 – Sip, Savour & Stroll
August 13 – Shades of Summer Dinner

Tag: Cherry Festival

A Bonanza of Family Festivals in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake History: A Land of Many Legends