Sunday, June 5, 2016

Another weekend packed full of things to do in Niagara...

The first weekend of June is here, and along with the warm weather, there's lots to see and do this weekend and beyond in Niagara.  It's just not possible to be bored in Niagara these days...

Visiting the St. Catharines Farmer's Market at Market Square downtown yesterday, it was nice to see the berries are finally arriving for a new season.  Edible options to suit every taste are there every Saturday until about 2, along with selected vendors Tuesday and Thursday as well.  I picked up a particularly fresh and delicious peach pie from Sweetie Pie's Bakery, for example.

Along with the vendors selling everything from fresh produce to local honey, baked goods and flowers, there is always musical entertainment on the adjacent stage in the parking lot, and yesterday when I happened by local musician Tim Atherton was keeping the crowds entertained as he always does.

Market Square is the venue of choice today from 11 to 6 for the annual Niagara Vegfest, a one-stop culinary experience for those who choose a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.  My wife is a devoted vegan; myself I am gravitating that way but not quite there yet.  I do have an open mind, though and will be attending today along with Sophie to see what's in store.

Some of the local vegan purveyors on site today include Beechwood Doughnuts and Rescue Dogs Vegan Street Fare.  There will be others, of course, but these two alone will make the trip worthwhile.

The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre played host to the St. Catharines Arts Awards ceremony last evening, with local artists in almost every medium imaginable being honoured for their creative work and vision in helping to further a thriving arts scene in Niagara.

I personally know several of the local artists who attended last evening, and each and every one of the award recipients is exceptionally worthy of the honour.  We have a vibrant and varied local arts scene in Niagara, and this annual event highlights the great work done by our local artists.

The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre will be hosting a very special memorial concert this afternoon at 3 pm honouring local musician and teacher Paul van Dongen, who along with Steven Pettes helped to found what is now known as the Niagara Youth Orchestra.  In those days it was known as the St. Catharines Junior Symphony, and nurtured many a young aspiring musician over the years.

Paul passed away last December at the age of 88, not long after attending his first and only concert at the new FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.  If anyone would have loved the moment after being so involved in nurturing young Niagara musicians for so many years, it was him.

I had the pleasure and honour of hosting the 50th anniversary concert for the Niagara Youth Orchestra last May, with almost all the conductors of the orchestra in attendance, including Paul, who did conduct the orchestra that day.

The event was held at the Holiday Inn & Suites in St. Catharines in one of the large ballrooms.  It served its purpose that day, but you could not help but think how much nicer it would have been had the new PAC been open for the event, but the completion date was still several months away.

I chatted briefly with Paul and his wife Edith after the concert, and both were thrilled to see such a wonderful turnout of musicians both past and present at the 50th anniversary concert.  Paul would love today's concert even more, I suspect.

More than 100 musicians including Niagara Youth Orchestra members past and present will perform everything from Bach to the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony, with soloist Lynne Honsberger and NSO Music Director Bradley Thachuk conducting.

The concert will be hosted by former CBC radio host Barbara Budd, along with former youth orchestra members.

The concert at Partridge Hall is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance by calling the PAC box office at 905-688-0722.

The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre also announced the lineup for their second season this week,  incidentally, and it looks like another varied season of great entertainment for the new venue.  The first season saw ticket sales average about 75%, which is pretty darn good.  Some of those ticket sales might have reflected people just curious to see the new digs, of course, but I'm sure once people got to see the new venue they would be impressed and back for more.

The PAC will also be hosting a number of the upcoming screenings for the annual Niagara Integrated Film Festival, which begins later this week and runs through to June 19th this year.  Both the Film House and the Cairns Recital Hall will be utilized for the festival, along with the Seneca Queen Theatre in downtown Niagara Falls.

I'll be writing more about the film festival, the upcoming PAC season and of course, the first annual Foster Festival to launch at the PAC this summer as well, in this space next week.

So, still think the new performing arts centre was a risky venture?  Not when you see how much activity is happening downtown either directly or indirectly connected to it, and the spin-off effects the new venue is having on our downtown core.

There is always something to do in Niagara, and especially right here in St. Catharines.  All you have to do is look around and take it all in.

Have a great weekend!

June 5th, 2016.

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