Andrew Hawlitzky, Author at Niagara Now

Sandtrap raises hundreds at Super Bowl party for Red Roof Retreat

It was a full house at the Sandtrap Pub and Grill on Sunday night, with football fans’ eyes glued to the screens above the bar as the biggest night in American football unfolded.

Icebreakers Comedy Festival returns to Prince of Wales

The Icebreakers Comedy Festival returned to the Royal Cambridge Hotel last weekend, bringing nationally known comics back to a venue residents may have remembered from the festival’s early years.

Inside the last days of the Royal George, Niagara-on-the-Lake’s century-old theatre

On Saturday, the front doors opened for the last public entry into the Royal George before the careful work begins of taking apart the little theatre occupying a big place in the town’s heart

History meets hilarity in War of 1812 improv show at Navy Hall

A sold-out improv comedy show set during the War of 1812 brought a different kind of history lesson to Navy Hall in Niagara-on-the-Lake during the Icewine Festival weekend.

Joseph’s Estate Wines warms up winter with first annual icewine soiree

Joseph’s Estate Wines’ first icewine soiree brought a steady flow of visitors indoors during a cold January weekend, offering icewine tastings and comfort food as a warm alternative to Niagara-on-the-Lake’s outdoor winter festivals.

Queenston Pottery icewine workshop offers hands-on break from screens

There’s a charm to homemade pottery that many of its enthusiasts enjoy. For Melissa Triefstra, the appeal was getting to take home something personal, rather than buying something on Amazon.

Sports: Volunteers rally as U9 Wolves tackle first full-ice test

The kids start the year playing on only half the ice but in January — and last weekend’s tournament — they move to full ice, which adds new rules (including offside, icing and penalties) plus a lot more room to skate and move around.

Icewine Festival pours in hundreds for busy weekend on Queen Street

The festival’s business development manager said that while she sees icewine as an opportunity for people to buy local and support Canadian businesses, they also welcome all visitors.

Diggin’ through the crates: U.S. tariffs push Niagara vinyl lovers to NOTL pop-up record show

For Simon Vaughn, a vendor and DJ who lives three blocks from the Legion, the event reflected a hard shift in how he makes sales, directly affected by the ongoing U.S.–Canada trade war.

Step back in time to a Regency-era Christmas at Fort George

The free weekend open house ran Dec. 13 and 14 at Fort George National Historic Site, showcasing British-influenced Christmas customs adapted to Upper Canada through traditional music, food, crafts and guided tours by staff.

Christmas Parade spreads cheer to NOTL with biggest lineup in years

Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Christmas Parade returned Dec. 13 at near pre-pandemic scale, organizers say, drawing residents and visitors to Old Town as 102 entries moved through the historic core in clear winter weather.

Christmas tree shoppers flock to Lions Club’s greener pastures

Many Canadian Christmas tree farmers are facing significant financial pressure after American buyers pulled back due to the ongoing U.S.–Canada trade war.

Rotary Holiday House Tour opens NOTL homes to raise $200,000 for charity

The Holiday House Tour has raised more than $1.5 million since it began, including $260,000 in ticket sales last year, with $230,000 going directly to charity.

Nearly 1,000 shoppers support local on first day of Pumphouse holiday market

Running from Dec. 5 to 14, the market raises money for children’s and seniors’ programs in Niagara-on-the-Lake while offering an expanded selection of handmade work.

Doc launch at NOTL Museum brings Mennonite migration stories into public view

Stories of war, migration and peach orchards took centre stage as the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum launched its Mennonites of Niagara oral history project Saturday.

Volunteer holiday sale backs Niagara shelters amid increasing pet abandonments

A Niagara-on-the-Lake Christmas fundraiser is helping local shelters cope with a surge in abandoned pets driven by rising costs that many owners can no longer manage.

Beauty in the eye of the beholder: Brett Sherlock on working with extravagant jewels and women

A boy from Niagara-on-the-Lake who later found himself in Kensington Palace returned home Saturday, now a man, to tell Willowbank guests how three remarkable women showed him the human stories hidden inside great jewels.

Grace United’s holiday market signals ‘Christmas is here’

Many at the sale on Saturday say market has become a regular stop at this time of the year. The church aims to raise between $10,000 and $12,000 from the market.

Queenston Pottery invites guests for hands on holiday weekend

For Rick Mlcak, handmade pottery carries the kind of meaning people can feel as soon as they pick it up: “You have a different sense of connection to the piece than if it’s something you just bought.”

Bottle drive helps send NOTL Wolves to Kinsmen Cup tournament

A bottle and can drive in Virgil is helping the NOTL Wolves U13 team cover the cost of its only tournament this season and giving families a simple way to support young players.

Holiday tastes across NOTL wineries warm weekend tour groups

The pass gives visitors a way to explore seasonal flavours while sampling from 24 of NOTL’s wineries as they head into the holidays.

Veterans honoured at Legion dinner with reflection on service and sacrifice

For Niagara-on-the-Lake’s British Army veteran Peter Warrack, remembrance is not only a day on the calendar but a daily duty: “Without our forces and our peacekeepers, we wouldn’t have the life that we live, which is a very privileged one.”

Carvers find joy and purpose at Wonders of Wood in NOTL

Carvers from across Ontario gathered at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Centre last weekend for Wonders of Wood, where intricate creations and heartfelt stories revealed how carving continues to inspire creativity, connection and healing across generations.

Indigenous veterans honoured at Valour and Victory ceremony in Queenston

When it comes to the role that Indigenous peoples had in some of Canada’s most significant battles, Crystal Haverstock says many Canadians are only beginning now to grasp the depth of their military service.

Art in the abandoned: Photographers bring unseen urban beauty to Ironwood gallery

The show gathered urban photographers and explorers from Niagara and beyond who capture the forgotten corners of cities and give artgoers a look at worlds they rarely see.

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