There are long lists of places families can take their moms for brunch (or dinner) Sunday, but here are a few additional options for families this Mother’s Day weekend. Either alongside your mom, or, in the event they want some quality alone or friend-time, some ways to get you out of the house.
Bonus: the province is offering free fishing all weekend if you want to enjoy the sunshine down by the water. Afterwards, you can go home and make your mom dinner — don’t forget to clean.
Niagara Folks Arts Festival
The second weekend of the month-long celebration of Niagara culture heads over to Ukraine as the Ukrainian Canadian Congress hosts its open house Saturday afternoon. The community is invited to learn and celebrate Ukrainian culture and heritage.
Enjoy homemade food prepared by St. John Ukrainian Church (91 Lakeshore Rd. in St. Catharines) kitchen volunteers, as well as cultural displays and Ukrainian vendors. The open house runs 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., with live shows featuring traditional dancing and music at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Pelham Art Festival
More than 75 artists from across Ontario are taking part in this weekend’s three-day Mother’s Day event. The festival began in a backyard in 1986 to raise money for a new Fonthill public library, and it now draws thousands of visitors from around the province.
Proceeds benefit Lincoln Pelham Library, as well as funding scholarships for graduating students pursuing post-secondary education in the fine arts. The festival runs May 12 to 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Accipiter Arena at Meridian Community Centre.
Firemen’s Park Mother Earth Day
Organized and hosted by the Park in the City Committee, Saturday’s event is called a celebration of the environment. From a free tree giveaway for Niagara Falls residents, live demonstrations and dozens of environmental vendors (full list can be found online) to food concessions and a visit from Niagara Region Water Wagon, there’s something for everyone.
A full list of demonstrations and start times can be found online, but includes Birds of Prey, Indigenous performances, Qi-gong and bee hives. Free youth activities and children’s crafts — plus the Heartland Forest mobile train — start at 10 a.m.
For more information visit: https://niagarafalls.ca/city-hall/committees/park-in-the-city/mother-earth-day/default.aspx.
Rowing
If you want to enjoy the warm weather and watch some rowing along the water, you’re in luck this weekend as both rowing courses are set to be filled with club and high school activity.
On Saturday, rowers from 21 crews (five from Niagara) will be racing 2,000-metre sprints in one- and two-person shells at the RowOn Small Boat Regatta at South Niagara Rowing Club in Welland. Qualifying heats in men’s singles get underway at 9 a.m., with the final event set for 3:38 p.m.
And on Sunday, it’s the annual Mother’s Day Regatta on Martindale Pond — the host of the 139th Canadian Henley Regatta later this summer. The daylong St. Catharines event will include medals in 42 separate categories.
Mother’s Day birding walk
Fort Erie’s Marcie Jacklin, a former librarian and researcher for Brock University, is bringing her passion for nature and birding to a Sunday morning Mother’s Day birding walk.
The spring warbler walk gets underway at 8 a.m. at Port Weller East pier (the end of Seaway Rd Road by the yellow gate). The easy 5K walk will take participants from Niagara’s three nature clubs to the lighthouse, looking for spring arrivals.
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