If your weekend is still a blank space on the calendar, here's one that costs nothing and wears your kids out beautifully. Two free days on the Niagara Parkway, and we'll be there both days with a prize wheel.
On September 12 and 13, the Niagara River Parkway closes to cars and turns into a dance floor. Noon to 10:00 PM both days, and you don't pay a cent to walk in.
We're exhibiting. Our booth is at Clifton Hill and the Niagara River Parkway, and we'd love you to stop by with your child. Tutoring doesn't have to have crossed your mind.
So what's actually happening?
More than you'd guess from the name. Over the two days there are 300-plus performers across two stages, the TLN Stage and the Univision Canada Stage.
- Live music both nights. Frankie Negrón headlines Sunday, 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM. Andy Rubal takes Saturday at the same time, with Yani Borrell and Aiona Santana also playing.
- Free dance lessons. Salsa, bachata, rueda cubana and Afro-Cuban, running both days. Total beginners welcome, which is most of us.
- Social dancing zones along the Parkway and at Oakes Garden Theatre, for when you'd rather just dance than take a class.
- A Latin food market running the length of the site.
- Live karaoke, if your family is that kind of family. You know if you are.
- Fireworks at 10:00 PM both nights, set to salsa music, over the falls. Your kids will talk about this part.
The festival is produced by the Canadian Salsa Festivals Project with Niagara Falls Tourism, the Niagara Parks Commission, Fallsview Casino Resort and TLN Media Group.
How do you get there?
There's paid parking at the Rapidsview Lot with a free shuttle to the site. You can also take GO Transit to Niagara Falls and connect on WEGO. The Parkway itself is closed, so the shuttle or transit will save you circling for an hour with a restless kid in the back seat.
Come say hi, and spin the wheel
- A prize wheel, and everyone spins. Your child gets a turn, you get a turn, nobody walks away empty-handed. Snacks, stickers, mouse pads and Connect Education merch.
- Real certified teachers you can just ask things. Our founder Marilyn Solano is there both days, with our Teacher Ambassadors and the rest of the team.
How to find us
We're in Queen Victoria Park, right on the Niagara Parkway, in the vendor row. Look for the cobalt blue tent with a tall feather flag beside it and a cluster of blue and white balloons on the front leg. The sign across the front reads "Find the best tutor for your child", so you'll know it when you see it.
If you're coming up from the falls viewing area, the vendor row runs along the path with the picnic tables on your right. We're partway along it.
Bringing your kids? A few things worth knowing
- Early afternoon is the calm bit. Gates open at noon and it stays manageable for a few hours. It fills up as the evening sets get closer.
- The fireworks are right at the end. If that's the part your child is counting on, 10:00 PM shapes your whole day. Plan the nap accordingly.
- Bring water and sun cover. Most of the site is open pavement.
- The dance lessons really are for beginners.
Questions you might have
Is it actually free?
Yes. Both days, both stages, the dance lessons, the social dancing and the fireworks. You'll pay for food, drinks and anything you buy from the market, and that's it.
What time are the fireworks?
10:00 PM both nights, choreographed to salsa music. They close the night out, so you'll want to still be there rather than heading home after the headline set.
Is it kid friendly?
Yes. It starts at noon, and that early stretch is easiest with younger children. Plenty of booths, ours included, have free things for kids to do.
Do you need to know how to dance?
Not at all. The free lessons assume you've never done it before. If you'd rather watch first, the social dancing zones are perfect for exactly that.
Where do you park?
Rapidsview Lot with a free shuttle, or GO Transit connecting on WEGO. The Parkway's closed for the event, so driving right up to it isn't an option.
What if you can't make it this weekend?
No problem. You can book a free 15-minute assessment whenever suits you and have the same conversation from your kitchen table, minus the churros.
