Niagara Parks Press Release

[Daryan Ranson]

                                                                  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 address@hidden 
_____