Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort George

When half of the GTA is on the road to Niagara-on-the-Lake, wineries and the big, famous waterfalls nearby it forces you to take your time getting to the tourist area and contemplate the history of the area. Canada's early history includes a military engagement against the United States during the War of 1812 and a part of that history can be found at historic Fort George.

Soldiers in bright red uniforms put on demonstrations of musket firing and guides around the fort help people learn of the life and times of the soldiers and civilians that were found in the wooden structures, behind wood pole fencing and deep ditches. The fort was built 1796-1802 and troops were involved in the Battle of Queenston Heights and those Americans took the fort during the Battle of Fort George. 

It was during the tour that I found out that the fort was not in the best place to defend the lake and the river so they built another, better fort on the other side of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Now under the 18th hole of the golf course the Fort Mississauga is the unknown brother of Fort George.

You can see the American fort - Old Fort Niagara across the Niagara River. It was a very impressive fort, less woody than our fort. Ironically it used to be British but they lost it as a result of the American War for Independence (1775-1783).

From the friends of Fort George website; "Today, visitors to Fort George National Historic Site can step back in time to experience the early military history of Niagara. Tour through 19th century military architecture including the Blockhouses, Officers' Quarters, Artificers Shop and Guard House. Make sure to visit the powder magazine, which is the only building to have survived the Battle of Fort George and is the oldest military building in Ontario today! Throughout the summer, experience the sounds of the Fife and Drum Corps, witness the training manoeuvres of the 41st Regiment Infantry unit, taste food prepared over an open fire in the Officer's Kitchen, and witness musket and artillery demonstrations."

You can also go through all the stores on Niagara-on-the-Lake before or after your visit.

See more of the fort after the jump.

It's festival season in Toronto

This past weekend the city was full of festivals, many of them street festivals and shutting down streets leads to BlogTO telling us what a nightmare it will be to traverse the city. Add in road construction, TTC shutdowns and accidents and it really is true so I biked! Many of the festivals feature the same old things sometimes it's hard to tell one festival from another. But, a big but, they bring people out to socialize and have fun - escape the ordinary and meet your neighbours. They just need more dunk tanks.

tiff street festival

During the September 9-10 weekend there was VegTO Fest, Cabbagetown Festival, Ossington Summer Send-off Festival, Taste of Kingsway and the creme de la creme - tiff street festival, now featuring fewer celebrities (actor and writer strikes). 

The Ossington Summer Send-off

The mini Oss-Fest was a one day affair. From the Meet me on Ossington website; "Something great is planned for Saturday, September 9th! Get ready to experience a pedestrian takeover of Ossington Avenue between Queen St W and Dundas St W. Many people, visitors, customers, city builders and businesses have always said, "Ossington Avenue would be the perfect street to pedestrianize for a day or two, or better yet, every weekend!". Well those wishes have been granted, for one day anyways! We have been graciously awarded the Main Street Innovation Fund through the City of Toronto, to help make this happen!"

Taste of Kingsway had a lot of amusement rides

From the Taste of the Kingsway website; "From September 8-10, join us for three unforgettable days of food, music, family entertainment, contests, and shows at South Etobicoke's largest street festival, in celebration of its 25th year."

Tall guy making balloons during Cabbagetown Festival

From Cabbagetown's website; "Calling all festival lovers! Get ready to party like it's 1976 because the legendary Cabbagetown Festival is back! After a 3-year hiatus, we're coming back bigger, bolder, and better than ever before! Gather your crew, bring your dancing shoes, and join us for a FREE weekend of pure fun, on September 9th and 10th!"

VegTO Fest at City Hall's Nathan Phillips Square

From VegTO Fest website; "VegTO Fest returns! Toronto’s only free vegan festival kale-bent on making plant-based fun accessible and sensational for everyone. Experience over 200 exhibitors offering food, wares and other wonders. There’s lots to get hyped about."

Next week (September 16-17, 2023) brings a couple of doozies as well such as the Redpath Waterfront Festival (with the big rubber ducky), the Toronto Ukrainian Festival, Roncesvalles Polish Festival.

Lazy river down the Big East in Muskoka

It's fun to kayak downstream when you are on the Big East River, the current does a lot of the work and you pass beautiful, sandy beaches and clean, tea-coloured water flowing out of Algonquin Park, winding through the forests of Muskoka near Huntsville, Ontario. 

The Big Bend in Arrowhead Provincial Park

We stay a few days and split the journey into two sections. Upstream from Arrowhead Provincial Park - putting in at the Williamsport Bridge where there is a small parking area and a trail down to the river. Then travelling down the river to Highway 11 passing by Arrowhead Provincial Park, and the Big Bend, at the halfway point. You really need two vehicles; One you can leave upstream and one you can load the kayaks in when you get downstream.

Pulling over to enjoy the sandy beaches

A cut off former Oxbow Lake remains as a sandy trail through the forest

The river follows the path of least resistance and changes the landscape over time. Sometimes the route of the river changes as the water charges against sand and rock, then breaches the banks and finds a new path. You see this a lot on this river. The top half has more of a drop then the bottom half, especially when it crosses Highway 11 and heads into a marshy, flatter and wider area.

Stubbs Falls

The creek running from Stubbs Falls into the Big East River

Not to far upstream of Highway 11 is a smaller tributary leading to Stubbs Falls, a pretty little waterfall, which you can also access from Arrowhead Park.

The second day we start at Highway 11 and kayak down the tributary until you hit the Muskoka River, then take a hard right and cross the large open water, ending at Hutcheson Park where we left the other vehicle in the downstream leg.

Toronto Dragon Festival 2023

I love the dragons and dancing lions which are central to this festival taking place in Nathan Phillips Square over the Labour Day long weekend September 1-3, 2023. Besides the couple of giant dragons there is a square full of vendors and stages full of entertainment during the Toronto Dragon Festival which celebrates 3000 years of Chinese arts and culture - all with free admission.

You can check out the Asian food, live performances, lion and dragon dances as well as martial artist demonstrations. The featured lion dance competition is on Sunday, September 3 from 2 till 6pm.

From the festival's website; "To top last year’s stunning high poles acrobatic lion dance, along with the incredible Kung Fu masters, Walk-On-Water runway fashion show, TDF will present a multicultural performance including Canada’s Inuit throat-singing, Caribbean drumming, Philippine folk dances, not to mention a hundred food and merchandise booths that the Festival will gather for your local Toronto experience."

Toronto Air Show 2023 @CIASToronto

The Canadian International Air Show (CIAS) signifies the closing weekend of the annual Canadian 

National Exhibition, so it's your last chance to go to the EX and also to watch the airs show for another year. Friday, September 1 was practice day, the balance of the weekend from Saturday to Monday, September 2 to 4, 2023 mark the show days with the aircraft taking to centre stage (the fireboat shooting out large quantities of lake water) from noon till 3:45pm. Photo at top from the 2022 Air Show.

Blue Angels - Fat Albert (US Marines)

Part of the Blue Angels acrobatic team

It is estimated that over 1.4 million people watch the show in Toronto every year and I think a few hundred thousand extra only hear the show or catch a peek of the planes through the office towers and condos. The show started in 1948, over what would become Pearson Airport but what was known as the Malton Airport, moving the next year to Exhibition Park. The CIAS name was adopted in 1955 and in 1956 the single day event became a two day airshow on the last two days of the CNE. In 1969 the two day show became the four day air show, then back down to three days in 1989 (not counting the practice day). You know which Canadian plane didn't end up in the show? It was the very famous Avro Arrow which was going to perform in 1958 but was cancelled due to weather.

Heritage Flight - F16 and Mustang

Search and Rescue (SAR) demonstration with the Griffon

2023 performers include the United States Navy Blue Angels, Canadian Forces Snowbirds, Blue Angels Fat Albert C-130T, CF-18 Demonstration Team, Gord Price & the Yak-50, Mike Tryggvason Extra 330, P-51 Mustang Heritage Flight, T-33, Trevor Rafferty Pitts 12, United States Air Force – F-16 Demo Team and the new addition to the show - Royal Canadian Air Force CH-147F Chinook. It's great to see two military jet teams - our Snowbirds and the US Blue Angels which first came to Toronto in 1956 flying Grumman F-9F's. The Snowbirds joined Toronto's show in 1972 and have been back every year since.

Here is the 2023 CIAS Air Show schedule.

Blue Angels – Fat Albert	12:00
Blue Angels Team 1 – 6	12:10
Capt Aimee Fiedler – F-16 Demo	12:50
Capt Fiedler / Jim Beasley-Heritage Flight	13:08
Gordon Price – Yak 50	13:20
Mike Tryggvason – Extra 300	13:31
SAR Demo	13:41
Trevor Rafferty – Pitts 12	13:56
Ken Rieder – RV 8	14:05
Major Steve Pellerin CH-147 Chinook	14:12
Capt Jesse Haggart-Smith – CF-18 Hornet	14:25
CF-18/Heritage Flight	14:43
Robert Mitchell – T-33	14:47
Snowbirds	14:55

Weather was perfect at the beginning of the show, then the clouds moved in and at around 3pm it started raining during the first performance of the weekend. I think the ceiling was reduced and some of the maneuvers might have been changed to accommodate the weather.

See more of the show after the jump.

Back at the EX 2023 @LetsGoToTheEX

You can't live anywhere near Toronto and miss out the excitement of the Canadian National Exhibition, so its siren call sends us back to experience the crowds - and we took advantage of the $11 tickets after 5pm on weekdays (Monday to Thursday evenings, except for Labour Day). Apparently the rest of Toronto was there on the night we went as well, crowds so big and lines so long and I almost forgot, booze and food are extremely expensive. Darn siren call.

Sparkling Symphony Fountain Show

A downside to going at night is that a lot of the events happen up to around 8pm. After that it's just about the rides, games, exhibitions, food and vendors. We did get a chance to check out the Sparkling Symphony Fountain Show at the waterfront behind the bandshell and across Lake Shore on the bailey bridge.

They have the old FLYER roller coaster sign

The best part of going at night is the lights and colours of the midway

See more photos of the EX after the jump.