NO Niagara Falls concert on Dec.7-2014
 

AS I reported months ago there will be NO Niagara Falls concert on Dec.7 this year. SOmoeone at that time mentioned she was taking a bus trip to see him and since I'd not heard anything I checked with his office and was told that he wasn't booked for that concert.. - The report is here:http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/201...-st-catharines It promises to be a year of change for the Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights, and a new home for its former concert series is the first sign.

After taking last year off, shows offered by the newly-named Pathway Concert Promotions will move out of Niagara Falls into the new Meridian Centre arena in downtown St. Catharines.

"The guy that's managing it (Ken Noakes) has been around the business a long time," said Pathway owner Bob VanKleek, who is looking for stability after a few turbulent years with the festival.

The Winter Festival of Lights is still finalizing plans for its upcoming season after the departure of general manager Dino Fazio, who held the job for ten years.

After moving from the old Niagara Falls Arena to the 2,000-seat Gale Centre in 2010, the concert series jumped from the Scotiabank Convention Centre in 2011 to the Niagara Falls Centre for the Arts in 2012. Last year, faced with a weak line-up and a move to Welland, the series was canceled.

The concerts cater to veteran country and pop acts, and have been part of the Festival of Lights since 2001 when they moved from Niagara Falls, N.Y. For nearly 20 years they operated out of the Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Centre, which became the Seneca Niagara Casino in 2002. Johnny Cash, Anne Murray and Kenny Rogers were among the singers booked.

After 9/11 forced the cancellation (and eventual demise) of the Niagara Falls, N.Y. Festival of Lights, the concerts found a new home on the Canadian side.

It was a success operating out of the Niagara Falls Memorial Arena, catering to coach bus tourists. But moving to the Scotiabank Convention Centre was a "disaster," says VanKleek.

Bringing this year's concerts out of Niagara Falls is a step toward making them more regional, says VanKleek.

Shows will take place between Dec. 7 and 10, and include Daniel O'Donnell, The Oak Ridge Boys and Mary Duff.

Gordon Lightfoot was originally booked but his Dec. 7 show has been canceled.

Final line-up and dates are expected to be announced in early September. www.pathwayconcertpromotions.com

john.law@sunmedia.ca