Deck the Falls wraps for holidays
While the weather outside may have been frightful on Friday, it certainly put people in the holiday spirit for the Deck the Falls walking tour.
“We thought there would be less people because it was not the best weather but attendance was surprisingly good,” said Tina Myers, executive director of the Ontario Power Generation Winter Festival of Lights.
“The illuminations and the fresh snow looked stunning.”
The self-guided tour wrapped up Saturday. Over the first three weekends in December, 17 venues were “decked out” for the holidays, including Casino Niagara, the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Tower Hotel.
Each location on the tour offered a different holiday-themed activity, including gourmet food sampling, photo opportunities, games, live entertainment and craft workshops.
Scotiabank Convention Centre, for example, offered a photo booth featuring a 360-degree holiday photo.
At the Old Stone Inn, guests could enjoy a toasted marshmallow shooter or a S’more-tini at an outdoor fire pit lounge.
“It has been fantastic this year,” said Jason Baumgartner, food and beverage manager at Old Stone Inn.
“It’s a great partnership for us because it allows us to showcase our beautiful property to numerous visitors.”
The Winter Festival of Lights added the holiday walking tour in 2016 and hundreds of people checked out the various elaborately designed venues. Additional venues were added this year.
“It has been going great,” Myers said. “We’re really excited about the new locations that have come on board.”
Also new this year, and very popular with visitors, were horsedrawn carriage rides from Table Rock to the Floral Showhouse.
“It’s so romantic,” said Kylee Shepard after she enjoyed the ride along the Niagara Parkway. “And, you can’t beat the view.”
While final figures have yet to be tallied, Myers said attendance is higher than last year.
The Winter Festival of Lights runs until Jan. 31. The eight-kilometre festival illumination route travels along the Niagara Parkway, past the falls, into Dufferin Islands and the surrounding districts of Fallsview Boulevard, Victoria Centre, Clifton Hill and Lundy’s Lane.