Article from Niagara this Week:
Niagara-On-The-Lake Town Crier
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE — This December, Simcoe Park will be alive with the sounds of Christmas.
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has teamed up with the Niagara Jazz Festival to present a concert series in the Old Town park, taking place Sunday afternoons in December. The event kicks off on Dec. 7 with a performance by Laura Secord Secondary School’s Jazz Choir, Frank’s Bus Brass Brand, and the Melissa Shriner Quartet.
On Dec. 14, the lineup includes Ashley St. Pierre Quartet, the Shea D Duo (featuring Peter Shea and Juliet Dunn) and friends. Dec. 21 will feature Duo Nuevo and The Mantini Sisters’ Holiday Show.
Each of the concerts will run from 1-3 p.m. in the bandshell at Simcoe Park. Admission is free and people are asked to bring their chair as there will be limited picnic benches available.
Kevin Turcotte, manager of parks and recreation for the Town said they’re hoping this will give residents one more reason to visit Old Town during December.
“We wanted to put more music in Simcoe Park and get better use of the bandshell there,” he said, adding they thought December — traditionally a slower time in Old Town — was a perfect time to try it out. “We went with the Christmas theme and partnered with the Niagara Jazz Festival to help with organizing the musical acts.”
The free concert series is meant to be family friendly and coincides with other events going on in town, including the Candlelight Stroll this Friday and Christmas Parade next Saturday.
“It’s just another reason for people to come on down to Old Town,” he added.
Turcotte said they decided not have refreshments for sale in the park, with the hope that concert-goers will stop in at Old Town businesses to grab some hot chocolate or coffee instead. He’s hoping area businesses will embrace the series as they plan on having more events in the bandshell in the future.
For more information, contact Turcotte at 905-468-4261 or through email at kturcotte@notl.org.