Niagara Parks
Commission
P.O. Box 150
Niagara Falls, Ontario,
Canada. L2E 6T2
Telephone: (905) 356-2241 Fax:
(905) 354-6041
For immediate release
“Celebration of Nature and Entertainment”
Newly Expanded Niagara Parks Spring Festival
The Canadian and American first long-weekends of the summer will provide the context,
and a wonderful excuse, to get-away and experience first hand the official launch of
several key events and special features comprising the Niagara Parks newly extended
Spring Festival. Each event has been developed with the theme “Nature and Family
Entertainment” in mind.
Nature as entertainment ? Of course ! Gardens, butterflies, and, the Falls
themselves, are three cornerstones that have attracted over 6 million tourists and
neighbourhood families annually to the Niagara Parks for over a century.
This year's Spring Festival has something for everyone on both sides of the border:
grandparents and grandchildren; teenagers; families; young couples; fitness
enthusiasts; gardeners; bird watchers; gourmet cooks; wine connoisseurs as well as
traditional nature lovers.
The Spring Festival begins Saturday, May 18th and runs for a six week period until
June 30, 2002.
Friday, May 17th: Begin your Canadian Victoria Day weekend get-away with the Coca
Cola Concert Series on the Illumination Tower stage at 8 p.m., just outside the
Victoria Park Restaurant across from the American Falls. Enjoy your favourite pop
songs and classics performed by guest bands and singers. End the night with the first
Falls Fireworks Display of the season.
Saturday, May 18th: The annual Maid of the Mist Blossom Festival Parade will kick off
the Spring Festival at 10:00 am with its vibrant marching bands, spectacular floats,
stilt walkers in animal costumes, and one of the largest and most colourful giant
helium filled balloon parades in North America. The parade route will wind its way
down River Road from John Street, following the Parkway to the Falls at Table Rock.
This year's Parade Marshals, the Kratt Brothers, co-hosts of the Emmy award winning
television show “Zoboomafoo” and “Kratts Creatures” will be making their very first
appearance in Canada during these celebrations.
After the parade is over, take the kids to the Illumination Tower stage, just outside
the Victoria Park Restaurant across from the Falls, where a new Family Musical
entitled “Come on Over” will make its debut. Every weekend during the entire Spring
Festival, Niagara Parks dancers and Park Pals Blossom Butterfly, Buddy Bloom, Misty
Yellow and Misty Blue will take you for a walk through the park, while entertaining
you with familiar songs.
Sunday, May 19th: Blossom Festival Road Race. Spring into action and take part in a
5 km or 10 km road race or fitness walk around Dufferin Islands.
Friday, May, 24th: Coca Cola Concert Series continues and will run every Friday and
Sunday until September 1st. The Niagara Parks Fireworks Display will greet our
American visitors celebrating Memorial Day weekend.
Saturday, May 25th: Join us for the official opening of Niagara Parks' newest
attraction: the Mosaiculture Garden, located next to the greenhouse just opposite the
Horseshoe Falls. This is your one and only opportunity to see the larger than life,
“truly spectacular”, award winning floral sculptures in Canada this year. All of the
sculptures were part of the highly successful Mosaiculture International Montreal
exhibit last year, attended by over 1.5 million visitors.
Hundreds of thousands of living plants have been carefully sculpted into thirty-five
“larger than life” sculptures, chosen around the theme “A Naturally Canadian
Experience”.
But the Mosaiculture Garden is much more than a horticultural experience. Special
interactive events have been planned to inspire visitors. Daily interactive sessions
are available on how to create, plant and care for floral sculptures. Every weekend
from June until September, artists and artisans will motivate visitors with their work
and answer any questions. Children will enjoy a visit in the garden with the official
Park Pals Blossom and Buddy. Or, they can make a stop at “Sprout's Corner” for an
opportunity to explore different gardening activities. Adults have the option of
taking either a guided or self-guided tour of the garden. And, don't forget the
wonderful Greenhouse itself. No one will want to miss out on the sight and smell of
our fragrant displays or the delightful sounds made by our free flying Birds of
Paradise. Admission is $4.50 for adults; $2.50 for children. Children under the age
of 5 are always free at Niagara Parks.
Sunday, May 26th: Vineyard Tour and Cycle Challenge: Challenge yourself to a 25, 50
or 65 km bicycle trip around Niagara's beautiful wine country. Then return to
spectacular Queenston Heights Park for a wine tasting recovery. Proceeds from this
event will go to “Heart Niagara”.
Don't forget to capture your long-weekend memories on camera, then send your photos as
entries in the Kodak “Capture the Wonders” Photo Contest. Full entry details are
available on the web-site www.niagaraparks.com. Weekly winners will be announced on
the Niagara Parks web-site beginning in June.
Once the Canadian and American long-weekends are over, come back to the Falls for
other events that continue the celebration of the newly expanded Spring Festival.
Join us and take part in the very first International Food Fest at the Falls, taking
place Friday, June 7th through to Sunday, June 9th at Kings Bridge Park.
Be sure to visit the new birds of prey show, “SkyHunters”, featuring falcons, hawks,
barn owls. snowy owls and even an American Bald Eagle, on display at the Niagara Glen
starting June 22nd. This interactive shows features live flying demonstrations
three times daily beside the spectacular Niagara River Gorge. Admission for adults
is $4 and $3 for children 6-12 years.
Most of the feature attractions highlighted above have free admission unless otherwise
indicated. For specific show times, please visit the web site at
www.niagaraparks.com.
For additional media information or visual material, please contact Beth Xenarios,
Carmel Communications, 905-342-2220 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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