Holiday Lights Trail of Niagara Falls

The Holiday Lights Trail of Niagara kicks off on November 27th at 5:30 PM in the parking lot of Sal Maglie Stadium in Hyde Park in Niagara Falls. This year’s opening ceremonies will feature entertainment, Santa Claus and fireworks along with local VIP’s and dignitaries. The annual event is put on by the United Way of Niagara and this year there will be over 60 displays in Hyde Park, lights and holiday displays on Old Falls Street and holiday displays along the historic Erie Canal in Lockport.

The City of Niagara Falls, Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, Niagara County Legislature and the City of Lockport have been the main sponsors of the Holiday Lights of Niagara Trail providing the labor and dollars to maintain the annual display.

History of Holiday Lights Trail of Niagara Falls

After the Niagara Falls USA Festival of Lights ceased operations in 2002, the Holiday Lights Trail of Niagara was created by the United Way of Niagara in 2004 and lit displays were set up in Oppenheim Park in Wheatfield. After three years  the displays were moved to Hyde Park in Niagara Falls in partnership with the City.

United Way of Niagara President Carol Houwaart-Diez

Once the displays were moved to the City of Niagara Falls the project has grown and now features over 60 LED lit displays in Hyde Park. In 2012 there were lights and displays added along Old Falls Street and the Erie Canal in Lockport. Businesses have been encouraged to decorate their store fronts in order to make the City of Niagara Falls and Lockport holiday destinations for families to enjoy.

United Way of Greater Niagara President Carol Houwaart-Diez and Jerry Wolfgang have been the organizers behind the Holiday Lights Trail from the beginning.  Jerry Wolfgang was also the Chairman of the Festival of Lights that drew thousands of visitors to downtown Niagara Falls for some 20 years before it ended in 2001 and chaired the annual Christmas Parade in the South End on the opening festival weekend.

Over $140,000 has been raised by the United Way through the Holiday Lights Trail and proceeds have gone back into the community as well as purchasing new LED lights for the displays.

Jerry Wolfgang, Wayne Newton and NF Mayor Paul Dyster on Old Falls St. in 2012

The Maid of The Mist has officially moved operations down river to the site of the former Schoellkopf Power Plant. The Maid of the Mist VI and Maid of the Mist VII were lifted from the Niagara River and placed on their newly-built dry dock on the banks of the Niagara at the site of the former Schoellkopf Power Station.

The removal of the two vessels was witnessed by the Maid owners, employees, state and city officials. The Glynn family has owned the Maid of the Mist since 1971, but was outbid by the Hornblower Cruises and Entertainment of California in 2012 and the new contract was to begin in 2014.

The Glynn’s were given a reprieve by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo when he amended the Maid’s existing 40-year contract that would see the state take in an additional $105 million over the course of agreement and see the Maid spend an additional $32 million to convert the historic Schoellkopf Power Station site into a dry dock facility for the boats and “enhance” the historic aspects of the site to create another attraction for visitors.

In the summer of 2014 there will be competing tour boats taking turns approaching the Horseshoe Falls filled with tourists. Yet, owner James Glynn is happy that his family will retain ownership on the American side of the border. “It’s very gratifying that we’re here and everything’s in place,” Glynn said. “We’ll be ready to start in the spring from the American side.”

In addition to the dry dock, the contractors will construct a maintenance building and will restore a historic elevator shaft from the power plant.

The 78-foot-tall marine crane used to lift the Maid vessels out of the Niagara was delivered in mid-September, coming in parts from Germany and England, passing through Canada before coming over the Peace Bridge in Buffalo. The towering 157 ton crane took about a month to lower into the gorge and assemble.

Buffalo based Hanes Supply Company manufactured the special “Twin Path Lifting Slings” used to lift the large vessels from the river up on to the dock.

Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster was on hand and happy that the new site will be ready for the next tourist season.”I think at the end of the day what we’re going to end up with here is something that serves a very practical purpose, but that also is going to become a focus now for our tourism industry,” Dyster said.