A fresh floral trail is in bloom in Niagara Falls starting today (Sept. 24), running for only 10 days through Oct. 3. Fleurs de Villes Niagara Falls is a one-of-a-kind self-guided, socially spaced, indoor/outdoor floral celebration that joins the newly opened Niagara Parks Power Station attraction to give visitors to the Ontario tourism mecca new opportunities to discover beyond the iconic Falls.
The floral trail features 30-plus installations created by top Niagara and Ontario floral talent. Special programming, including culinary experiences, afternoon tea, floral workshops, and artisan markets will also take place throughout the city.
Free to the public, Fleurs de Villes Niagara Falls Floral Trail runs through the Fallsview Entertainment District and Niagara Parks and features stunning large-scale fresh floral installations, interactive displays, and the famous Fleurs de Villes floral mannequins (banner photo).
“Fleurs de Villes is known for bringing flowers to the people at our public fresh floral shows around the world, including Paris, London, and New York City. Flowers make us all happy and we are delighted to bring this unique experience to Canada’s most iconic destination,” says Fleurs de Villes co-founder Karen Marshall. “There has never been a better time to stop and smell the roses, in a socially safe manner.”
Explore the trail
The Floral Trail follows a 3-km. route with spectacular views of the Falls and local gardens, located near restaurants, shops and attractions.
The route starts at Rambler’s Rest, the famed lookout point along the Niagara Parkway, where visitors will find a fresh floral mannequin inspired by Marilyn Monroe in the 1953 film “Niagara,” which was partially shot right on that spot.
The trail continues along the Parkway to Queen Victoria Place, with a stop to view installations at the Niagara Parks Police building. Continuing down the Parkway, more displays appear near the Illumination Tower and Table Rock Welcome Centre, including an orange floral hoop to honour the children of the Residential School tragedies.
Next up is the Niagara Parks Power Station, a 116-year-old facility recently transformed into Niagara’s newest visitor experience, offering daytime guided and self-guided tours, as well as an immersive nighttime sound and light experience, “Currents: Niagara’s Power Transformed.” (More on this later in the story).
Riding up the Falls Incline Railway, trail explorers can stroll through the entertainment district where, starting at the corner of Livingstone Street and Fallsview Boulevard, the Marriott on the Falls showcases a spectacular floral staircase (indoors) and a floral bench (outdoors). Further north along the boulevard, there are fresh floral mannequins, a bear in a floral garden at the Radisson Hotel, and a floral heart in front of the Fallsview Casino.
Across from the casino, the Hilton features two floral installations (one outside and one inside) and around the corner on Murray Street, visitors will spot the American Falls enroute to the Skylon Tower and across the promenade to Robinson Street for six more beautiful pop-up displays, including a floral replica of the Skylon Tower.
Continuing along to the Old Stone Inn, two impressive floral installations compliment floral-themed culinary and artistry events taking place at the Inn during the Fleurs de Villes festival.
For the most up-to-date Floral Trail map and list of special programming, including culinary experiences and workshops, click HERE.
Chrysanthemum Show
Those who miss the Floral Trail will have another opportunity to stop and smell the, er, chrysanthemums, at the Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse, which is transformed into a lush fall paradise as cascading chrysanthemum blooms adorn every corner of the showroom during the annual Chrysanthemum Show (Oct. 23-Nov. 7) – one of the longest running shows at the venue, featuring stunning hanging baskets and arrangements, as well as individual blooms and bushes, all bursting with bold autumn shades of red, gold, white, and orange.
Niagara Parks Power Station
Meanwhile, Niagara’s newest landmark attraction, the Niagara Parks Power Station, is now open, with guided or self-guided tours available daily and, now at night, an immersive sound and light experience that brings the historic power station back to life through captivating visuals and a breathtaking musical score. “Currents: Niagara’s Power Transformed,” debuted on Sept. 3.
The first major power plant on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, the Niagara station was completed in 1905 to produce hydroelectricity by leveraging the power of the Niagara River. Beyond stunning architectural features and landscape design, the power station was one of the first in the world to undertake a major tunnel project, with water entering through the forebay and dropping 55 m. before being expelled into a 610 m. tunnel that emptied into the lower Niagara River, right at the base of the Horseshoe Falls.
A marvel of engineering and architecture, the station’s generators were the largest of their kind, followed shortly after by those at the Toronto Power Generating Station located a short distance south. In its operation, enough power was generated to service Fort Erie, Ont., and Buffalo, NY, and the plant remained in operation until 2006 when it was decommissioned.
Tours allow visitors to explore the interior of the plant, with repurposed artifacts, interactive exhibits, and interpretive installations. Phase two of the attraction, expected to open in summer 2022, will give guests access to the incredible underground infrastructure via a glass elevator that will take visitors down below the generator floor to explore the tailrace tunnel that empties at the base of the Falls.