Opening Ceremonies Set For War Of 1812 Bicentennial

A Submission from the Niagara 1812 Legacy Council

(As opening ceremonies are set to begin this June 16, 17 & 18, Niagara At Large is pleased to post this submission from the Niagara 1812 Legacy Council that provides information on events the public can attend in the days ahead. We are also posting a link for the Legacy Council at the end of this post that you can visit for more information on War of 1812 Bicentennial events taking place through the spring and summer.) 

NIAGARA REGION, ON (June 11, 2012)– The Niagara 1812 Legacy Council will be commemorating the official “Declaration of the War of 1812” during their Opening Ceremonies Weekend, June 16-18th.  Almost 20 events both hosted and showcased by the Legacy Council all across Niagara make up the Opening Ceremonies weekend.

On Saturday June 16th, at 10:00 a.m., the public is invited to gather at Queenston Heights, to commemorate the
Declaration of War, and reflect on the beginning of the conflict that helped shape Canada. His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, will lead the historic ceremony amongst other dignitaries. Join community leaders for this historic occasion under the shadow of Sir Isaac Brock’s monument, with a presentation by the Six Nations Legacy Consortium to follow. Standing on guard will be the Queen’s York Rangers, the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Band and the Niagara Regional Police Colour Guard.

Also on June 16th at Queenston Heights, there will be a Heritage Fair from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with historical vendors and merchants and free entertainment all day.
From 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. on June 16th will also see a re-dedication of the Grimsby 1812 Peace Garden will take place, launching a commemorative series 1812 peace garden dedications across Ontario and New York state, and as far away at St. Mary’s Georgia.

On Sunday, June 17th, a multi-denominational church service will be held at the Chippewa Battlefield in Niagara Falls at 1:00 p.m. Plans are also still in the works for a musical event at Fort George for early evening.

Then enemies clash in a war that ended with “200 years of friendship.” Illustration by the late Canadian artist Charles William Jefferys

Later in the evening on Sunday at 9:00 p.m., a special viewing of WNED’s documentary The War of 1812 will be shown on an outdoor HD cinema at Oaks Garden in Niagara Falls, followed by the bursting, brilliant fireworks over the falls.

Monday, June 18th, the 200th anniversary of the Official Declaration of War, a special Canadian Citizenship Ceremony will take place at 11:00 a.m. at Mather Arch in Fort Erie. That evening, Parks Canada will showcase their blockbuster event at Fort George featuring three new interactive exhibits.

 Niagara’s 2012 Cultural Capital of Canada funding from the Federal Government and Niagara Region is helping to ensure an action-packed Opening Ceremonies, bringing the weekend to life and showcasing the bicentennial across the region. The assistance of partners like The Niagara Parks Commission and Parks Canada are instrumental in the success of the many activities of the Declaration weekend.


Activities in Western New York during the Opening Weekend also add to the schedule of events for Niagara’s 1812 Legacy Council, including an event at Old Fort Niagara to commemorate Betsy Doyle; the heroine counterpart to Laura Secord.

The three 1st place winners of the Legacy Council’s colouring contest will be the “VIPs” at Opening Ceremonies, and presented with a certificate in the presence of the Governor General. The contest started May 8th, with submissions due May 25th for grades 4-6 students. 



A complete schedule of events, with times and locations is on the LC’s website and will be in local newspapers on June 12th.

The Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council is a bi-national not-for-profit organization established to commemorate the War of 1812 and celebrate the 200 years of peace between Canada and the United States.

For more information, visit   http://www.discover1812.com/ .

For information on what is happening on the New York side of the border visit  http://oldfortniagara.org/events/.