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2024 edition of the Grande parade

The Grape and Wine Festival is an annual event that takes place in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, each September, with various activities. The festival starts and concludes with parades.

Festival

The festival started in 1952.[1] It started as a small event and became larger over time.[2] Traditionally the festival held different events each weekend at Montebello Park, such as the "Mayor's Grape Stomp" during the first week of September.[3] Other activities take place as well, such as live music and wine tasting. There is an area for children called Grapeland.[4]

In 2024, all events were condensed into a single weekend.[3] That year's festival was held in Downtown St. Catharines instead of Montebello Park, with operating costs being considered too expensive when 70% of visitor traffic occurs during the concluding parade.[5] A brunch event also took place in Niagara-on-the-Lake.[6] A "grape king", intended as a representative for the local wine industry, is chosen each year.[7] A prince and princess are also chosen and must be younger than seven years old.[8] The Grape and Wine Festival is the largest event for wine in Canada.[9]

The Grape and Wine Festival also holds a separate icewine event in January.[10][11]

Parades

Pied Piper

The festival begins with the Pied Piper Parade. It is less formal than the concluding Grande Parade and the participants involved are mostly children. The 2022 version of the event also included puppies.[12] The event has varying costume themes.[13] The 2023 version of the event raised money for the Ronald McDonald House.[14]

Grande Parade

The parade was part of the festival since its beginning in 1952.[15] About 50 to 65 groups perform in the Grande parade and this procession takes approximately an hour to get through its route. This event concludes the Grape and Wine Festival.[16] Volunteers collect food donations at the parade.[17] Historically, the parade had a Welland Labour Council union float.[18] A Caribbean-themed float was introduced in 1992.[19] The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Association Band performs in the parade each year. In 2023, the Canadian military formed a new policy prohibiting volunteer bands, so the band was renamed.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ Edwards, Luke (September 2022). "Four things to know about Niagara Grape and Wine Festival". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Niagara Grape and Wine Festival: Introduction". Brock University. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b Benner, Allan (29 September 2024). "Niagara Grape and Wine Festival gets supersized: All the 'favourite' events poured into 1 weekend". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  4. ^ Cheevers, Melinda (19 September 2013). "Get your purple on, it's time to celebrate Niagara's grapes and wine". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  5. ^ Walter, Karena (2 July 2024). "Niagara Grape and Wine Festival revamping Montebello Park weekends". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  6. ^ Newman, Mark (3 July 2024). "'It's a brunch battle': Niagara Grape and Wine Festival event returning to Lincoln". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  7. ^ Heslop, Bonnie. "New Grape King will be celebrated today in Niagara". iHeart Radio. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Niagara Grape and Wine Festival: Royalty". Brock University. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  9. ^ Heslop, Bonnie. "Crash Test Dummies and Kim Mitchell will perform at the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival this month". CKTB. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  10. ^ Mitchell, Don. "Niagara's icewine festival welcomes 30-plus operators to 2024 event". Global News. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  11. ^ Pilley, Kevin (30 December 2018). "Niagara ice wine crawl". Times of Malta. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  12. ^ Barker, Matthew (18 September 2022). "Pied piper leads procession to start Niagara Grape and Wine Festival". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  13. ^ Cheevers, Melinda (12 September 2017). "Pied Piper parade Saturday kicks off Niagara wine festival". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  14. ^ Jocsak, Julie (18 September 2023). "Photos of the Pied Piper Parade: Kids get the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival off to a colourful and fun start". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Niagara Grape and Wine Festival: Grande Parade". Brock University. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  16. ^ Jocsak, Julie (25 September 2022). "Niagara Grape and Wine Festival celebrates milestone anniversary with largest parade". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  17. ^ Nicolaou, Victoria (6 November 2023). "It's a Grande Parade weekend in Niagara". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  18. ^ Heron, Craig; Penfold, Steve (2005). The Workers' Festival A History of Labour Day in Canada. University of Toronto Press. p. 321. ISBN 9780802048868.
  19. ^ Green, Abby (22 September 2022). "Caribbean float to return to Grape and Wine in memory of late founder". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  20. ^ Walter, Karena (24 September 2024). "'It almost feels like a divorce — a messy divorce for no reason': Lincoln and Welland band ordered to vacate armoury, lose regiment name". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
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