Strapped into a Cirrus SR22T, The Lake Report lifted off from Niagara District Airport yesterday to get a preview of the luxury experience coming to Niagara-on-the-Lake this August.
The smooth ride offered a striking aerial view of the town’s vineyards, waterways and the airport’s 5,000-foot runway that gave Niagara 5000 its name.
Dubbed as North America’s most exclusive automotive and aviation showcase, Niagara 5000 touches down Aug. 7 to 9 with supercars, test drives, personal aviation showcases and luxury-focused activities. McMaster Children’s Hospital is this year’s primary charitable partner.
The airport will shut down on Saturday, Aug. 9 and transform into what event founder Alana Hurov describes as an “epic party.”
“It’s the star of the show, really,” she said.
Blending showcases of personal aviation and supercars with sips of Niagara’s top wine, “The Hangar Experience” will run from 1 to 5 p.m. inside a private airport hangar, with a private party in the terminal.
Personal aviation company Cirrus Aircraft — the event’s personal aviation sponsor — will offer a showcase of its SR Series and Vision Jet. Ryan Isaac, regional sales director for Canada, will be on site with the Cirrus team.
Tickets for the airport experience are $350 per person and guests must be 19 or older. Some sponsors will be offered demo rides and others may request one, though spots are limited.
“It’s kind of cool to bring Niagara-on-the-Lake and the specialty that it has — in terms of the hotel business and the tourism business and the wineries — and then bringing the lifestyle of the high-end cars, planes and travel,” said Isaac.
“Just a neat kind of exposure.”
Hurov initially advertised the jet showcase without a specific aviation partner in mind, until Cirrus reached out and the partnership quickly took flight.
Isaac said supercars and private jets are a natural pairing, with similar target audiences. In a town like NOTL, he said, the appeal of personal aviation is all about lifestyle.
“If (NOTL) is your home, you’ve got a great airport here,” he said. “You’ve got all of the facilities, like a modern terminal.”
Cirrus specializes in personal aviation designed for individual or family travel and small business use. The company offers flight training through its Cirrus Approach program.
“You can have your own plane,” said Isaac. “Something that opens up a completely different lifestyle.”
“You can explore and go places on your own.”
Once turned into an upscale lounge, the hangar will be filled with the sounds of live music and entertainment, food and wine pairings from local wineries, breweries and restaurants, and displays of rare hypercars and supercars, with information sessions.
Amongst a cigar lounge and other offerings and lounges at the airport, guests can take part in boutique shopping, view floral displays by top Niagara designers and participate in a golf activation with Peninsula Lakes Golf Club.
A golf cart will take guests from the terminal to the hangar and free shuttle service will run from Hilton and Embassy Suites in Niagara Falls. One shuttle will depart from 124 on Queen. Black car service is also available for a fee through Coventry.
Thursday, Aug. 7 will feature a welcome reception at Margaritaville Cafe in Niagara Falls, a kick-off party at STK Steakhouse, and a lit-up Niagara Falls in Rolls-Royce purple.
The next day will be packed with a supercar and kids festival in support of MacKids, the Hagerty supercar parade and cruise, a “wine and wheels” day-long tour option, and a Casino Royale gala at Fallsview Casino.
The party continues at the Hilton, the event’s official after-party destination, all three nights at 9 p.m.
“Essentially, we’re taking over the whole region,” said Hurov.
Event details, including times, ticket prices and package information, are available at niagara5000.ca. For aviation-related inquiries, contact Isaac at risaac@cirrusaircraft.com.
