Agri Show is a family affair

 

 What’s the difference between a brougham and a barouche?  What’s faster:  a surrey or a spider phaeton?  What’s more romantic:  a vis-à-vis or a democrat?  

You can find out more about the fascinating history of horse-drawn vehicles and get a chance to ride in one yourself at Upper Canada Village’s ‘Riding in Style’ weekend July 19-20.  

This event gives the Village the chance to showcase 19th century transportation at its best with a special selection of carriages from its collection. 

Visitors will be able to catch a ride in the Surrey, Brougham, Low Spring Democrat and the Pommier Carriages.  

Other vehicles that will be in the 11 a.m. parade will include the P. T. Barnum Band Wagon, Barouche, Trap and the High Spring Democrat.  

Various historical vehicles with different uses on display for Riding in Style weekend will include the Hearse, Doctor’s Gig, McLaughlin’s Carriage and Racing Sulky.  

Rides will be offered from in front of Cooks Tavern from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m..

“We have a wonderful collection of carriages, a mix of reproductions and originals that are very representative of transportation during the 1860s,” says Geoff Waycik, manager of Upper Canada Village. “When our guests are able to sit in the carriages and take a ride in one, it really brings them closer to the time period – and enjoy our modern day amenities a bit more.  We welcome the opportunity to share our collection with our visitors.” 

Also participating in the Riding in Style weekend will be the Eastern Ontario Pleasure Driving Society and the Eastern Ontario Miniature Horse Club.  

The Pleasure Drivers will be at the Village on Saturday, July 19 and the Miniature Horse Club will be at the Village on Sunday, July 20 – both from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Members of both groups will perform driving demonstrations, greet visitors and discuss their vehicles, equipment, clothing and horses and will speak with all interested.  

The driving will take place in the large mall area directly in front of the Battle of Crysler’s Farm Monument and National Historic Site (just west of the main parking lot) . Displays will be situated beside the front entrance to Upper Canada Village.

With the Reciprocal Program all visitors who purchase an admission will receive a complimentary pass to return on another day or to use to visit Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada.  It’s Ontario’s Best Vacation Deal!

[…]

 

MORRISBURG– Upper Canada Village’s new fall event Pumpkinferno, poised to open on Friday, October 4, has been nominated as one of three finalists in the ‘Tourism Event of the Year’ category by TIAO (Tourism Industry Association of Ontario) in preparation for the annual Ontario Tourism Summit, where winners will be announced at the Gala Evening Event in Toronto, on November 14, 2013.

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario is the umbrella organization for leading associations, destination marketing organizations and regional tourism organizations serving Ontario’s diverse tourism industry.  

TIAO collectively represents 147,000 businesses and the 608,000 employees that are dedicated to promoting and operating the Province’s tourism infrastructure.  

The Ontario Tourism Summit is an annual event that brings together hundreds of tourism professionals from across Ontario to learn the latest in industry trends and forecasts, share best practices, network with colleagues, and recognize industry leaders at the Tourism Awards.

“Receiving Provincial recognition from our industry peers for this inaugural, out-of-the-box event is like receiving an Emmy nomination!” said Darren Dalgleish, GM and CEO of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission.  “Having set an attendance record for any new first year event; gaining the wide-spread media notoriety last year and already capturing the “Best New Event” award from Festivals and Events Ontario, strongly indicates that we’re bang on track with aligning event programming with our visiting guests.”  

“We are honoured and humbled to be in such great competitive company in this category.”

“What a proud moment for Upper Canada Village – being named a finalist in the ‘Tourism Event of the Year’ category at the Tourism Summit,” says Upper Canada Village Manger, Geoff Waycik.  “Their creative energies have translated into endless accolades and position it as Ontario’s most unique and largest event of its kind!” 

“We are diligent in changing the face of this event each year to keep our guests interested and returning,” says Waycik. “Pumpkinferno is a very unique type of event and we look forward to launching our redesigned, second season with the new ‘House of Horoscopes’ display on October 4.”

Earlier this year, Pumpkinferno was honoured by Festivals & Events Ontario when it was named 2012 Best New Event in Ontario.  

It was also a finalist in the 2012 Ottawa Tourism Awards for Tourism Event of the Year.

Pumpkinferno will be open on select nights from October 4 through November 2.  

Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended.  

 

[…]

He’s an easy man to talk to.

Despite being forced to stand outside his car, struggling to keep decent local cell phone reception, despite having just pulled into town after a long drive down from Port Dover, Norm Foster handled yet another interview with grace, and with the trademark sense of humour for which he is known.

Foster, one of Canada’s most produced and most beloved playwrights, is in Morrisburg to star in Upper Canada Playhouse’s fourth summer production, On A First Name Basis, opening September 4 and running until the 28th of September.

Foster also wrote the play.

“Actually, I find it easier to act in my own plays than in someone else’s. I know the material well, and I can certainly interpret my character the way the ‘author’ sees him,” Foster laughed. “But I will say that I set high standards for myself as an actor because I want the show to be the best it can be for the audience.”

On A First Name Basis is a ‘two-hander’, staged with a cast of only two. Foster’s character, David Kilbride, is a very successful, well-to-do author – and a rather less successful human being. 

“It’s not so much that (David) means to be a jerk,” Foster explained. “The reality is that he has no social skills whatsoever. He speaks his mind without any regard to anyone else’s feelings.”

Enter Lucy Hopperstaad, Kilbride’s housekeeper of two decades, performed by noted actress of stage and television, Patricia Vanstone. Her Lucy has been with this man for more than 20 years, Yet, in the course of an evening, it becomes very clear that David knows absolutely nothing about the woman who has, for all intents and purposes, been closer to him than any other human being. 

“I’ve know Patricia since 1984, when she played in my Melville Boys,” Foster said. “We have done a lot of projects together over the years. When I asked Patricia to  take on the role of Lucy, it was because I thought she was perfect to play the wise-cracking, clever maid. Lucy has to show David that he can’t say the things he says, act the way he does. She helps him work on being a ‘human being’.”

As in all Foster plays, there is witty, hilarious, unexpected dialogue in On A First Name Basis. But, as is also a characteristic of Foster’s work, there are “tender moments” between these two very unique individuals as well. 

Foster is acclaimed for his ability to create ‘people’ on the stage that audiences understand.

“My characters are based on people I know, real, everyday people. Audiences may know someone like them, may even see themselves up there,” Foster explained. “I have a certain comfort level writing about those people because I feel that I understand them.”

Where do his ideas for plays come from?

“A lot of times a piece of music will put me in the mood to write. I may even be in the middle of writing one play when another play idea springs out at me. On very rare occasions, people may make suggestions to me that intrigue me, and I may develop a play from those conversations. And,” he added laughing, “those people get absolutely no credit whatever for the finished play!”

Foster often speaks his lines aloud as he writes them. 

“I want a natural flow of words  in my dialogues. Basically, I like to make an audience feel as though they are eaves-dropping on a conversation between two people. This is particularly true with On A First Name Basis, where audiences share two hours, in real time, of the exchanges between David and Lucy.”

Norm Foster also staged the premiere of The Ladies Foursome this summer at Upper Canada Playhouse, where it proved to be  an enormous success.

“I like the Playhouse,” Foster said, “It’s great to have the big crowds, and to have audiences which appreciate theatre. Donnie (Bowes) is also an old friend, and I enjoy bringing a show to him.The Playhouse is simply a great place to work.”

On A First Name Basis is directed by David Nairn, “who is the only director Patricia and I have had since we began touring this production three years ago,” Foster said. The set for the show has been designed by the Playhouse’s John Thompson, to adapt the blocking to the wider stage area at the Playhouse.

Audiences can look forward to a wonderful production as Upper Canada Playhouse welcomes Norm Foster and Patricia Vanstone, starring in Foster’s On A First Name Basis running from September 4-28. Contact the Playhouse at 1-613-543-3713.

[…]