I was at the Old Falls Street October Fest waiting in line when I was privy to a conversation between two gentlemen in their sixties accompanied by their beautiful wives. They were admiring the culinary school and discussing the tour they just took and the delicious coffee cake samples they received from some welcoming students.
The nature of the conversation was remarkably positive; about the great changes these couples observed in the Old Falls Street area of the city
Bravo! It seems that with all of the backstabbing and ridiculous rumors, the most important voices were lost. The people, like the man with the perplexed face, who enjoyed the Holiday Market and were excited to participate in something positive happening in the city. The vendors, who worked so hard to make the event a success. We sit and wonder why people don’t want to come to the city, or why they don’t want to invest in the city. This is exactly why!
I made several trips there and know many others who did too- and all enjoyed and most made purchases, disappointed to hear it will not be there this year. Not everyone goes to the casino and this certainly pulled people like myself downtown, it was great to have a place families could enjoy and spend as little or as much as they wanted to. I was hoping to see Holiday Market expand to more holidays (Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving–Spring/Easter etc) I still think this is a better investment than one shot one day music concerts (HardRock). and I am not against some of the ‘tacky’ attractions either, I quite enjoyed them during the whole Wallenda event. I really don’t think the ‘high society, cultured billionaires’ are either nor are they arriving in droves to even weigh in on this. Excuse me for my plebeian tastes, I enjoy finger food and yes have licked my fingers after..maybe even the plate or two . lol
Well written article. I really wish the leaders of our city could put their egos and personality conflicts to the side and make the welfare of Niagara Falls the top priority. I thought the Holiday Market was a great concept. Yes the implementation had some problems, yes some of them were major. However none were insurmountable. We have talented people in Niagara Falls who could have built on the first year and made this even more successful. This could have been a great foundation for future holiday events and revenue. Very sad that all the talent and energy of our leaders has been spent on in fighting in our city instead of problem solving for our community.
I was thinking the same thing Andrea. We should have spent this year improving the concept — even if it was to be only on paper. Unfortunately, even if we do have the market, we are going to be faced with the same drawbacks. What a shame for our community to miss a great opportunity to put life on an otherwise, STILL, mostly empty Falls Street during the Holiday Season.
Thank you Mike! I agree with everything you said!
I just returned from visiting family in Niagara Falls and took some time to walk around the new Culinary Institute. Beautiful! Well done by all who were/are involved. I had a few glasses of wine at Wine on 3rd Street – great place, friendly people, and a very good selection of wines reasonably priced. The Sheraton Hotel is comfortable and clean and staffed with courteous and friendly people. A negative – that hideous “Smokin Joe” ……. whatever it is. Move it to the casino if they want it, but it’s trashing the downtown area. For the future, be sure to do the winter market again. Sometimes it takes a few iterations to get a new event on solid feet (don’t let the ongoing negativity of the NF Reporter get in the way. They oppose just about everything and everyone just to be different). It’s a good idea and it will lure people to the area and out of the casino. Eventually shops and restaurants will be encouraged to fill the other retail spaces along the rest of Falls Street. Keep up the good work Niagara Falls. You won’t be the same city I grew up in, but you can be a safe and interesting and vibrant city again.