End of Summer Reflection

Well, I’ve reached the end of the summer and with that, it’s time to return to school. This is my final weekend with Sudbury Tourism, and what a great weekend it’s turning out to be!

Downtown Sudbury is having its annual Ribfest, which is one of the largest festivals of the year! There’s a great turnout of people all wanting some of those delicious ribs. There are six professional rib teams on site, as well as various vendors. I’ve been coming to Ribfest every since it began and each year it gets bigger and better!

I’ve learned a lot about the city I call home this summer, and I’ve decided that Sudbury is an extremely interesting place. It has such a rich history and culture, and the future is looking wonderful. How many places can claim to be more beautiful as the years pass? The re-greening effort has returned Sudbury to its natural, beautiful state. I have traveled to various places but nowhere can touch Sudbury’s natural beauty.

Of all the positions I held this summer, my favourite was working at Market Square. I’m the type of person that needs to be up and about, and the Market offered that. I loved getting to know the vendors and chatting with tourists who had never been to Sudbury. Prior to this job, I had never been to the Market. But now I know it’s a great place for finding unique things and I’m looking forward to see how the move goes.

Working at Tom Davies Square was interesting as well. I’ve always heard people talk about “the city”, but now I feel to have obtained some knowledge about what goes on around city hall. Coming from an arts background, business is quite foreign to me. Nevertheless, I found everybody’s jobs cool.

I really enjoyed this summer job, to the point that it didn’t feel like a job sometimes. I hope future Tourism students take full advantage of the opportunities that this job presents, and most of all have fun!

Wahnapitae First Nations Pow Wow & Rocky’s

Last weekend, I had the chance to return to beautiful Lake Wahnapitae. I was brought up on the lake; my family had a camp there as did many family friends. It gets harder to find the time to get out to the Lake as I get more involved with University and work, so this was a welcomed treat.

I arrived at the Pow Wow just in time for the day’s opening ceremony. It was very interesting to watch, and it was nice to see people of all ages joining in on the tradition. On the grounds, there were various craft vendors selling wonderful creations. From where I was sitting, I had a great view of the large teepee in which the ceremony was taking place.

After leaving the Pow Wow, I went down the street to Rocky's. I remember going to this restaurant by boat when I was younger, and thought it would be a good opportunity to see how time has changed it. Fortunately, Rocky's is just as good as I remembered! The food is excellent and the view from my table was perfect; all you could see was the clean water of the Lake! It’s definitely a restaurant everyone should check out, and if you haven’t gone recently, go treat yourself.

Bell Park Custom Auto Show

Last weekend I made the trip to beautiful Bell Park for different type of car show. I’ve been to many car shows in Sudbury in the past, including the recent Copper Cliff Classic Car Show. But this show was unique because it was one of the first events that younger people could bring out there modern rides and show them off. Sure, there were a few older vehicles, but the day belonged to the 2000s.

The highlight of the show was a stereo contest being held. It was funny to watch the 105.3 SUV participate!

There were a large number of vehicles and spectators on the Bell Park grounds, which was great to see for a first time event. Not only were there cars; automotive enthusiasts brought out there motorcycles and trucks to display. Overall, I found this event to be very well received and I’m certain it will become an annual event!

Spring Awakening

The YES Theatre Company has been getting better and better each year; the productions get bigger and the actors grow. In previous years, they have staged the musicals Hair and Rent, which I had the honor of seeing. So I was excited to see their latest musical, Spring Awakening.

The production far exceeded my expectations and it is by far their best show yet! The fact that a handful of the cast members were fellow Thorneloe students only made it better. Jake McNeil and Richard Barlow, who I have both worked with on stage, were absolutely terrific in their roles. McNeil was the standout of the night, displaying singing and acting talents fit for a Hollywood A-lister. But the whole cast was amazing! The amount of choreography that went into the show is very impressive, and the entire cast made it look effortless.

I’m looking forward to seeing Yes Theatre’s next production, Jesus Christ Superstar, next summer. Spring Awakening runs until August 25^th, so get your tickets!

                          

Market Square

When I’m not helping visitors at the information booth at Tom Davies Square or going to local events, I’m working at Market Square. Along with my co-workers, I’ve been at the visitor booth there every weekend.

The best part of this summer job with Sudbury Tourism is that I get to meet new fascinating people all the time. The Market is where this happens the most, which probably makes it one of my favorite places to work. There are the regulars, who quickly become familiar faces. They are very friendly individuals that love chatting with you. But everyday offers new people from different regions of the world, and it is exciting to meet them. We have had people from America and Europe make inquiries at the booth, who are not only new to Sudbury but Canada as well.

The best part about working at the Market is getting to know the vendors. They are all very interesting individuals, who make wonderful food and items. Everything is unique to the Market, and therefore makes for great birthday and Christmas gifts. Perogy Princess sells delicious food that you can eat right at the Market, and Sweet Nothings offers some of the best baked goods I’ve ever tasted! Heavenly Sweets does very cool things with chocolate; I tried a bar of white chocolate that had full blueberries baked inside!

It’s not just the vendors that bring people out though. We have incredible musicians at the Market performing on the deck. Last weekend, the duo Chicks With Pics performed. During the Blueberry festival in July, the Sud-berry bear was on location making children smile with its goofy antics. We also had face-painting and balloon animals. But just because the Blueberry festival is over doesn’t mean the fun’s over. Sudbury RibFest takes place August 31-September 2, and it is the biggest weekend for the Market! So if you’re planning on getting some of those tasty ribs, drop by the Market and say hello!

Sudbury Classic Cruisers Car Show

Today was the Sudbury Classic Cruisers car show in Copper Cliff, and the weather couldn't stop the event from being a success. I arrived at Copper Cliff park around 11:30 and it was already packed with cars! I have gone to many of the cruise nights at the Rio Can Centre, which is held every Sunday night. I was expecting to see alot of familiar vehicles, but to my surprise many of them were new to me!

 Everyone that brought their cars out were having a great time getting together with other car lovers and chatting about their rides. It was hard to ignore the weather, which wasn't exactly amazing, but it didn't stop us from enjoying such a large turnout.

This is an excellent event for anyone who likes to remember the good old days, or the younger generation to be a apart of vintage Canaian car culture. Another car show will be held at Bell Park on August 12th, and is sure to be just as great! Come September, Sudbury has another great car show as part of the annual Rib Fest festival. This is sure to be a spectular time, so come on out!

Mamma Mia!

Greater Sudbury keeps getting better and better. Need proof? Just look at the amazing talent we’re bringing in! Every year it seems the acts get larger and more spectacular! The smash Broadway hit Mamma Mia is one of the most extravagant shows around, and it came to Sudbury last night.

Mamma Mia is a musical based on the hit songs of 1970’s pop band Abba. The creators of the show have used the lyrics of the song to create a funny story about a young girl who wants to find her real father before getting married. Her mother, a free spirit, is not very keen on the concept. Both mother and daughter learn a great deal about themselves as the big day approaches.

It was a great show and I had a lot of fun being a part of the audience! Everyone was clapping and singing along with the performers. It was a full house; everyone wanted to be a part of such a large event. It seems as though Mamma Mia has started a trend here in Sudbury, because Beauty & the Beast is coming to the Arena in February! You can get your tickets on the Greater Sudbury website. See you there!

Copper Cliff Reunion- "Vera Wulff"

Yesterday I traveled to the Italian Club in Copper Cliff to take part in the Copper Cliff Reunion. The event that I was attending was a brunch and a play. The play was about women from Sudbury and their experiences during the second world war. The main character, Vera Wulff, was a Copper Cliff resident who served as a cipher for Canada. The play focuses on her stay in Paris during Christmas leave.

 The play was a great success and everyone loved it. Close to 160 people were there! It was very well written and directed by Kelsey Rutledge, a graduate of Thorneloe University (where I am currently studying). She kept the small town atmosphere of Copper Cliff within the play, which made it very true feeling. The actors performed excellently! Brittany McNamara played her role perfectly as a woman working in the mines during that era. When she is informed that INCO no longer requires the assistance of women in the mines, you can tell she is heartbroken. Cassandra Grenier plays a German immigrant in Sudbury, who recalls her first Christmas in Sudbury. It was a touching performance, and reminds everyone of how immigrants were treated in the past.

Joanna McNab plays the part of Vera Wulff, and provides the energetic portion of the show. Her character expresses herself at a thousand miles per second, and informs us that there was another side to the war that doesn't get talked about much. McNab truly impressed the entire audience, including the godchild of the actual Vera Wulff.

 Following the play, there was a terrific brunch that everyone couldn't get enough of. It was a great time and I'm looking forward to more Sudbury history-based entertainment!

Encore Theatre Presents "Closer"

I was privileged to be a part of the preview showing of Encore Theatre’s production of “Closer”. The Encore Theatre Company is still in its first season, but it has garnered a lot of publicity from its edgy productions. As a theatre student at Laurentian University, I feel that they are producing some of the best shows in Sudbury.

 “Closer” is set in London, and deals with the love lives of four people over four years. These are not your regular relationships; it is a tangled web of make-ups and break-ups. The show reflects a more realistic take on how love really works. It really pulls you in too; by the end you’re captivated.

 The actors performed tremendously, and I was pleased that many of them were of Sudbury origin. Callam Rodya, the director, handled the material very well. His strength as an actor is being matched by his strength in the directing chair. It was a beautiful show, and I am looking forward to what comes next!

Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival in Sudbury has grown to be one of the most popular events during the summertime. It is truly phenomenal that so many people turn out for the races. It’s great to see a community gather together in such large numbers, and Sudbury really delivers.

 I hadn’t been to the Dragon Boat Festival since I was much younger, so I didn’t know what to expect. When I arrived at Bell Park, I was blown away by how many people were packing the area. It was the busiest I’ve ever seen the boardwalk, even busier than Canada Day.

 The races were very exciting to watch, even from the distance I was at. The Dragon boaters put all of their effort into beating their competition, and it made for an excellent show. The food vendors were out in full force; lemonade stands, kettle corn, ice cream, everything! Even the weather agreed with the occasion, and it remained sunny all day. Overall, it was one of my favourite events of the summer so far.

Italian Festival

Sudburians had the chance to immerse themselves in Italian culture today, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. The festival took place at the Caruso Club, which was the perfect venue for such an event. It is so enriched with Italian tradition and a hot spot for getting great food.

I arrived at the Festival shortly after noon, and there was already a large amount of people participating. The Northern Lights Festival Boreal, another festival Sudbury produces, was happening at the same time. It didn’t matter though because those who are loyal to the Italian Festival wouldn’t miss it for anything!

The live entertainment was really great! The music was very old Italian-like, and fun to listen to. There were food vendors selling some great Italian stuff, to which people enjoyed under a large tent. Everyone was in really great spirits, and I had a blast! Much like everything else in Sudbury, I can’t wait for its return next year!

Canada Day at Science North

Canada Day is a huge event all across our wonderful nation, and Sudbury most definitely participates. We like to throw a huge bash to celebrate our Country's birthday, with amazing fireworks and talented local musicians! Where else could such an event take place but our main tourist attraction, Science North, which overlooks Ramsey Lake.

When I first arrived the weather was perfect for a Canada Day celebration. Food vendors were tending to everyone's stomachs, and companies such as Par-T-Perfect were showing the children a great time. Par-T-Perfect in particular had a large bouncy castle that the kids couldn't get enough of. They were also making balloon animals which looked awesome.

As I made my way to the concert area, the weather took a turn for the worst. Out of nowhere, a massive downpour hit us and we all ran for Science North. Aside from getting drenched, this didn't affect the celebration greatly. It was gone just as quickly as it came and were back outside having a blast.

The entertainer Njacko Backo had excellent audience interaction, especially when he asked children and their parents to come up onstage with him to hammer away at some cool drums. The children really enjoyed his playful performance.

Later in the day, the EZ Rock Talent Show drew a huge crowd as three acts competed to win the grand prize (2 night stay at the Delta Chelsea in Toronto). All three put on terrific shows. Lastly, there was the excellent fireworks show that was quite the spectacle to see, and is the perfect end to a great day!

Northern Ontario Railroad Museum

The Tourism team recently traveled to Capreol to see the Railroad museum for ourselves. It's hard not to find old trains interesting, so we went into the tour excited. The staff at the museum were very friendly and were capable of answering every question we had. While the building at the centre of the musuem was fascinating, the true spectacle is the old trains.

We went into a number of old locomotives, including a school train. These were basically schoolhouses on the rails that taught children. It's quite the novelty to me, considering how different things have become. The condition of this train, along with the others, was beautiful. The museum is doing a great job at restoring these vehicles.

My team and I left very happy and I highly recommend you to check it out too!

Science North and Dynamic Earth

Yesterday was the first excursion for the summer student tourism team. With 2 weeks of training under our belts, it was time to take an adventure to two of Sudbury’s hottest attractions; Science North and Dynamic Earth.

All three of us had been to both places before, but their truly is something new to see every time. At Dynamic Earth, I got a kick out of traveling through a recreation of a late 1800s mine. It’s hard to imagine going underground with nothing but a candle attached to your hard hat!

At Science North, we were dazzled by the Wild Fires 4-D film. It felt like you were actually in the Water Bomber cockpit with the pilots.

To end the day, we toured the Body Worlds Vital exhibit. It is wonderfully put together, and along with the touching music, really emphasizes the beauty of the human body.

Keep checking back for more touring!

First Blog Entry

Hello, my name is Scotty and while this may be my first blog post, I’m beginning my second week of training for Sudbury Tourism. Although I’ve worked summer jobs before, as we all have, none compare to being a Visitor Service Representative.

            Seeing that I was born and raised in Sudbury, I initially expected to know a lot about this job. Being able to tell people where things are and giving a helping hand at Market Square are just a few things I will be doing.

            Needless to say, there’s so much more to Sudbury that I had was unaware of, specifically downtown. Even the arts community, which I feel a part of (Currently completing a second year at Thorneloe University for Theatre) is much larger than I assumed.

            I’m amazed by the variety and culture thriving downtown, and through this blog I’ll be reporting on everything exciting in Sudbury; the food, the nightlife, the festivals, etc. So stay tuned!