Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fort Erie is great fun for families; a visit will take about two hours.
For 16 days from mid-May through early June, St. Catharines hosts the
Niagara Folk Art
Festival
(St. Catharines,
www.folk-arts.ca
)
. Canada's longest running heritage festival cel-
ebrates diversity by highlighting the numerous cultures that call Ontario home. You'll ex-
perience music, dancing, food, and arts from a spectrum of cultures, including artists from
Africa, Europe, and Asia. Events are hosted throughout St. Catharines, including the open-
ing ceremonies on the front steps of St. Catharines City Hall.
St. Catharines also hosts Canada's largest single-day music festival. Known as
S.C.E.N.E.
(St. Catharines,
www.scenemusicfestival.com
), it draws more than 140 bands
and other musical acts to the city on the second Saturday in June. The Market Square (91
KingSt.)isthehub,withallmusicstagesandvenueswithinwalkingdistanceofeachother.
Music ranges from alternative to rock to folk, and the acts are mostly independent bands
from Canada, although the festival now attracts international artists.
Have a blooming good time throughout June at the
Welland Rose Festival
(Welland,
905/732-7673,
www.wellandrosefestival.on.ca
).Atseveralvenuesthroughoutthecity,vari-
ous events highlight Welland's traditions and talented citizens. Festivities include a baby
contest, grand parade, juried art show, and coronation ball. The
Friendship Festival
(Fort
Erie, 905/871-6454,
www.friendshipfestival.com
) celebrates the 200 years of peace shared
byCanadaandtheUnitedStates,andiscelebratedinbothFortErieandBuffalo.Festivities
are based at the Mather Arch (11 Niagara Pkwy.) in Fort Erie and include a midway with
amusement rides, a kids/family fun zone, an art show, live music, and fireworks. The fest-
ival runs June 28-July 4.
In the first week of August, Port Colborne comes alive during its
Canal Days Festival
(PortColborne, 888/767-8386,
www.portcolborne.ca
).Forfourdays,tall sailing vessels ar-
rive at Port Colborne and become the highlight of the festival. Visitors can board the ships,
learn about maritime history, and go for a sail on Lake Erie. Each year, more than 300,000
visitors travel to Port Colborne to see the ships and other attractions, including a classic car
show, a craft show, and nightly music entertainment.
