From Billionaires to Backpacks

In any industry one often seeks out a like-minded business to compare successes and failures to, as a yardstick for growth. The not-for-profit sector is no different. Finding an “apples to apples” comparator to Burlington’s Downtown is not as easy as one might think.

Neighbouring downtowns in Halton Region have a number of great assets. We hear often from patrons about the positive experiences they’ve had in Downtown Oakville or Georgetown. They are keen to suggest that we should research a certain store or festival or marketing campaign.

We have a kinship with many neighbouring BIA’s and we share our experiences regularly but we have yet to find one with enough similarities to us that we would call them a peer – until now.

I recently travelled further afield with our General Manager to the Region of Waterloo. We were the guests of UpTown Waterloo, a fellow BIA in the urban heart of the city. Upon stepping out of the car the similarities with our downtown became obvious: tree-lines streets fronted by unique architecture, a welcoming mix of retail, services and eateries boasting the spirit of independent business, and, a walkable community designed with the pedestrian in mind.

Further research revealed that the size and scope of their Downtown bears a remarkable similarity to our own with a comparable mix of commercial offerings.

Perhaps the fact that UpTown Waterloo is branded as a knowledge-based economy (witness Wilfrid Laurier University and Research in Motion) is the reason that it is keen to innovate at every turn. They reach a diverse audience from billionaires to backpackers. A close relationship between the city and downtown association has produced cutting edge programming that propels both organizations forward.

In my view, they have succeeded in achieving a sense of place in which future growth develops in harmony with all partners. The sense of momentum in Waterloo is infectious and inspiring; It will serve us well as we enter a new phase of planning with the City of Burlington.

A new Downtown Task Group is being formed to better engage the community in reviewing the vision for Downtown Burlington. We will bring to the discussion some teachings from UpTown Waterloo in hopes of capturing the same success.

Your input is valuable as well. Would you like to share some ideas about memorable experiences you’ve had in other downtowns? Your thoughts are welcome, kindly contact us at brian@burlingtondowntown.ca.

Walkable is workable

Stroll down almost any street in Venice and you begin to truly understand what La Dolce Vita (Italian for “the sweet life”) means for the soul.  Walk the main drag, sit in the incredible square of Siena, sip a cafe (Espresso), have a pizza (Margherita) or simply watch the people and you begin to understand why Italians typically rank life by the quality of food and family.  Shop, eat and walk your way through Cinque Terra; Bellissimo! Fantastico! 

Now can you guess what is missing from all of these picture perfect settings – CARS.

Ask anyone who has been, and they’ll tell you they couldn’t imagine putting cars back on those streets.  Canvass the business owners, and you will receive the exact same response.  If you have not had the  good fortune to visit an Italian square, or the pedestrian-only streets of Copenhagen, (and yes even New York, New York), I can understand why one might be sceptical.  Believe it or not, downtown Manhattan closes streets across the city to all vehicles on multiple days throughout the year, and has been doing so for years.  Surprised?

Recently, Mayor Rick Goldring hosted an Inspire Burlington series, featuring Gil Penalosa of 8-80 cities (planning cities for eight to eighty year olds).  Gil’s passionate presentation served to inspire us to think about street closures in Burlington as a regular affair.

Burlington’s City Council was ready for the challenge.  In late June it endorsed a community building opportunity for social engagement and recreational activity by investigating the implementation of one Car-Free Sunday event in Burlington this autumn.

In spite of the numerous examples around the globe of how and why it works, there continues to be people opposed to this idea.  In 1962 they removed cars from the centre of Copenhagen, against huge opposition, now it is a massive success! Since then they have continued to close streets to cars and convert parking lots to public spaces. 

My experience and research gives me the confidence that this can be a great thing for businesses and pedestrians. It requires little more than closing the street and simply letting people enjoy the rare freedom to walk and cycle unencumbered by cars.

I welcome the staff direction that’s designed to get the ball rolling and see what it would take to make this a reality in Burlington. Let’s make this a success together.

You can share my inspiration by logging on to www.8-80cities.org.

Country & Blues riding in! Friday July 8 to Sunday July 10, 2011

Spencer Smith Park & The Waterfront at Downtown Burlington

“Welcome to the Burlington Country & Blues Bar B Que…

The Burlington Country & Blues Bar B Que is a non-profit organization, with this year’s benefactor being, Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital–with proceeds going to the
Surgical Ambulatory Care Unit. This event is made possible through the generous support of its sponsors and the community of Burlington.

Located on the Waterfront, throughout Spencer Smith Park,
the Burlington Country & Blues Bar B Que is a unique addition to Burlington’s summertime events.

Look for easily identifiable volunteers wearing cowboy hats, savour the aromas of summertime-Country barbeque foods, & dig in… and enjoy the sensational sounds of some of the best local and North American entertainers and musicians.

This is an event not to be missed, mark your calendar for July 8, 9, 10, 2011.”
- Burlington Country & Blues Bar B Que Organizers

The Country & Blues Bar B Que: A unique experience, also including:

* Ontario’s Longest Country Line Dance!
* The Old Corral Vendors’ Market Place
* Children’s Western Round-Up Corral with loads of fun activities to keep the young’uns busy

* Hee Haw Games for Adults: Hillbilly Hubcap Toss, Mechanical Bull, Bobbin’ for Pigsfeet, Hillbilly Horseshoes, Watermelon Seed Spittin Contest, Country Bingo

* Licensed Saloon.

***

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Gordie Tapp is this year’s Country & Blues Bar B Que Festival Ambassador.

www.burlingtoncountryandbluesbbq.com/the-music/artists : See www.burlingtoncountryandbluesbbq.com – The Music – The Artists, for all the info on the bands and musicians announced, also including,

- Bo Bice, of American Idol and continued fame

- Jack de Keyzer

- Russell deCarle

- Tribute to Eric Clapton with Mike Daley

- The Brad James Band

- Amberley Beattie – Tribute to Loretta Lynn

- The Man In Black – A Tribute to Johnny Cash and June Carter

- Melissa Bel

- and Many many more top rate Country and Blues performing artists throughout the weekend.

PLUS: The Burlington Lions Club presents a 2-day Classic Car Show at the Burlington Country & Blues Bar B Que. This event is known as a ‘Show & Shine’. Invited cars are parked and on display. The cars will be on display Saturday July 9th and Sunday July 10th only, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
***

Burlington Country & Blues Bar B Que:
Burlington’s newest Festival on the Waterfront.
Festival Hotline: 289-242-3490

www.burlingtoncountryandbluesbbq.ca

See y’all at the Lake and throughout Downtown Burlington!

With June just around the corner the downtown business community has its eyes firmly fixed on festival season.

The downtown and waterfront are the preferred venues for many event organizers in the city and this year’s calendar is shaping up to be a memorable one.

Father’s Day weekend (June 16-19) ushers in Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival. Tourists flock from far and wide to take in the free music festival and locals have come to enjoy the worldclass entertainment in their own backyard. This year we ask you to consider a “staycation” in your downtown and celebrate the best that our community has to offer.

As a feature sponsor of Downtown Streetfest again this year, we are proud to welcome aboard our co-presenter the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Together we have cooked up a stellar menu of music, dance and family fun in five performance areas across the downtown.

If you’re looking for an intimate street level experience, then we invite you to meet us on Brant Street for our sixth annual Downtown Streetfest. You’ll have a front row seat to all of the action including performances and free dance lessons by danceScape, licensed patios right on the street, great sidewalk sales and belly dancing on Father’s Day Sunday.

Been there, done that? We’ve planned some new features this year that are sure to get your toes tapping.

This summer you can party on the patio of the Burlington Performing Arts Centre as Downtown Streetfest moves west. Officially opening its doors this fall, the centre will host outdoor musical performances on Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18.

Beach Party on John Street

Join us on Saturday, June 18 as we transform lower John Street into a tropical getaway with surf music, outdoor patios, island dancing and a spectacular fire performance. Ride the waves on our mechanical surfboard and see how long you can stay afloat. The fun takes place between 1-6 p.m.

The streets also come alive with an outdoor movie screen featuring short films by Movieola and, for the young at heart, skateboard demonstrations and breakdancing.

Whatever your taste, there is a mini-vacation waiting for your family just a stone’s throw away from the waterfront. We welcome all Burlingtonians to come celebrate with us in the heart of the city this summer. Choose the unique over the familiar and you won’t be disappointed downtown.

Peter Andreana is chair of the board of directors for the Burlington Downtown Business Association.

As published in the Burlington Post, May 11, 2011.

Downtown events in ‘high gear’

March 23, 2011,

Burlington Post.

The road to the London Olympics goes through Burlington’s downtown this summer.

With strong support from the downtown business association, city council recently affirmed Burlington will play host to the Canadian National Road Cycling Championships this June.

The centrepiece of this eight-day event is the prestigious twilight criterium. Our downtown business community is the site for the challenging course as the “elite of the cycling elite” pedal through on Friday, July 1.

The success of this year’s event will set the stage for Burlington to host the 2012 championships, a pre-Olympic qualifier. The patriotic enthusiasm we expect will be reminiscent of the Olympic torch relay downtown in December 2009.

As the new chair of the downtown board of management, I am eager to work with all event organizers to highlight the heart of the city and everything we have to offer.  For the past five years we have partnered with Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival to present Downtown Streetfest.  This year is no exception.  We support special events just like these to bring feet to the downtown streets.

What makes the road cycling championships particularly exciting is the scale of the event.  Host cities like Edmonton and Toronto have witnessed crowds in excess of 70,000 over the course of the multi-day event. Organizers expect similar crowds for Burlington with the twilight criterium alone welcoming more than 25,000 attendees. This is a significant opportunity to showcase our city on a national stage.

To ensure our downtown can maximize this opportunity, we’ve sought special permission from the region to allow retailers to open on Canada Day. If approved it means our downtown will be fully open for business for event-goers, tourists and you — our local patrons.

We encourage you to join us downtown for an all-day experience with world class cycling, shopping, dining and waterfront celebrations complete with a fireworks finale.

Most importantly, we ask why wait for a special event? Your downtown is here all year-round and delivers a wealth of unique boutiques, restaurants, products and services. In challenging economic times it is more important than ever to support the local economy.

Choose the unique over the familiar and you won’t be disappointed.

Mark your calendars for a world-class event this Canada Day and we’ll see you downtown.

Peter Andreana is chair of the board of directors for the Burlington Downtown Business Association.

A Taste of Burlington prix-fixe dining is coming back for its Winter 2011 programme. This only happens twice per year! Be sure to check out the updates on the great new elegant website, found at www.tasteofburlington.ca.

Again, presenting sponsor for the programme is Wine Country Ontario. There are so many reasons to learn about culinary adventure in this region, and many reasons to be proud of all things culinary that our city and southern Ontario boast.

There are many fabulous new contests for diners partaking in the A Taste of Burlington Winter 2011 programme; in conjunction with new sponsors Visit Myrtle Beach South Carolina, The Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, and Porter Airline, as well as Hamilton Magazine, Wine Country Ontario, and Balance My Life.  There’s also the Taste of Burlington e-newsletter sign-up contest, just for going onto the website and signing up.

Of the twenty-four participating restaurants in A Taste of Burlington, sixteen are located in the Downtown Burlington Business Association area. They are: Beaver & Bulldog Neighbourhood Taps & Grille, Downtown Bistro & Grille, Eatalia, Elgin Terrace Restaurant, Honey West Restaurant & Lounge, La Costa Nuova, Latitude, The Martini House Bistro, Paradiso, Pepperwood Bistro, Red Canoe Bistro, The Rude Native Bistro & Lounge, SB Prime, Siam Dish, The Alex Restaurant, and The Water Street Cooker. Whew! This is a great time to zone in on even two or three that you have never been to before. A Taste of Burlington means that set-price menus are available at all these restaurants. Be sure to check out the TasteofBurlington.ca website in advance, see the lunch or dinner options, pricing for that restaurant, and the exquisite, memorable three-course dining meal that you get for that amazing price. Mention when you make reservations that you would like to take part in A  Taste of Burlington and have something from that menu. The restaurants have come up with these special Taste of Burlington menus that are available for the duration of the programme only: Monday February 21 through to Sunday March 13, 2011.

Bon appétit. Grab your date or your co-workers and get out on the town. Our extremely talented local chefs would love to show off to you what they create!

A Taste of Burlington is proudly sponsored by Burlington Downtown.

*

Here is an excerpt from a Taste of Burlington Restaurant Review article, pertaining to a couple of Downtown restaurants highlighted, By JOHN KERNAGHAN

March 2011

Burlington, ON – Bold tastes and good value could be the mission statement of Burlington’s winter food festival, A Taste of Burlington.

The city’s growing reputation as a dining destination is showcased as the fixed-price plates program hits its third year.

The three-week 2011 version running to March 13 has 24 restaurants on board, up from 17 in 2009 when it was introduced.

And that means many, many innovative tastes, as chefs fashion fixed-price menus that cover a wide range of budgets and culinary styles.

It is well-timed, too, coming as winter is wearing out its welcome and bright new tastes hold the promise of spring.

For 2011, A Taste of Burlington teamed up with Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on a promotion which gives diners a chance to win a week’s holiday, airfare included, at the popular destination for Canadians. Entry forms for the contest are available at all participating restaurants.

And some of those spots picked up on the southern theme with the Taste of Burlington items they are offering. Others simply let their imaginations run with three- and four-course combinations running from $15 lunches to $40 dinners.

And with Wine Country Ontario as the program’s presenter, many of the restaurants are pairing dishes with local wines from award-winning vineyards.

Here are (two) of the 24 dining options available in the 2011 program which illustrate the range in food and pricing:

- The Alex, 480 Brant Street  905-220-0520

www.thealexrestaurant.com

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday.

The Alex is a sleek and stylish newcomer to Burlington which has drawn excellent reviews with a small-plates philosophy and plenty of imagination in the kitchen.

Chef Matthew Kershaw’s mission is spelled out on the restaurant’s website. It says “If you love chain restaurants, you probably won’t love us. And that’s OK.”

But it’s love at first bite for many. And the $40 Taste of Burlington dinner we checked out delivered with virtually every forkful.

And The Alex is kind on the eyes as well, with deep-wine banquettes, dark wood tables in long narrow space that seats thirty. Big windows on to sides let the room breathe and the dark brown walls feature bold art for sale.

Kershaw didn’t make the choosing easy with the opening options of pheasant truffle espresso with wild mushroom cigars, shrimp done a la Grecque, with avocado salad and bacon-wrapped or the Kitchen Sink Salad.

We love a mystery and the first listing was revealed as a small cup of a vibrant pheasant and truffle broth with choice chunks of the game bird loitering at the bottom.

The ‘cigars’, meantime, were two crispy wraps filled with sautéed mushrooms. They sat on a little salad of baby greens and julienne of zucchini treated to a mild vinaigrette.

The wraps came with a server’s suggestion they could be dipped in the lovely and sharp broth.  That worked just fine.

This right-sized starter featured lots of textures and tastes at work and was followed by sparking cranberry Sambuca as a palate cleanser. It proved a light and fruity interlude as preparation for the next course.

I opted for the pan-roasted skate wing dish, despite heavy competition from the petite tenderloin of beef, which came with Cambazola cheese potato gratin, French beans and truffle jus, and the roast Muscovy duck. It boasted an accompaniment of braised duck and mushroom  risotto with roast garlic broccolini.

Fish just seemed right this night and the skate wing, a member of the shark and ray family, got the royal treatment with a ball of deep-fried lemon butter at the top of a heap of flavours.

The dish came in a deep bowl with two ‘wings’ of the lightly breaded and delicate fish draped over leeks, French beans, pink fingerling potatoes cloaked in a lobster finish and tiny and pristine green beans.

And that lobster component came with real chunks, by the way.

All told, it met the high standards The Alex has established in ringing up unique taste combinations.

Service was knowledgeable, fun and fast, meaning the apple croissant bread pudding came quickly after the fish dish. The two moist slices were slathered in a warm and decadent butterscotch sauce.

So, ring up another triumph for The Alex.

- Latitude, 390 Brant Street  905-333-3309

www.latituderestaurant.ca

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch Monday to Friday, 5 p.m. to close Monday to Saturday for dinner.

Latitude owner Barry Michael chose to stick with a southern spirit with his Taste of Burlington menu at Latitude, beginning the four-course, $35-dinner offerings with blackened tiger prawn with spicy stewed tomatoes and sour cream, then offering options across the next three stages.

The jumped-up shrimp, which came on the heels of an opening bread basket with thick slices of excellent baguette and room-temperature butter, was a fine start.

The two seafood specimens were large, rich and juicy with slivers of lemon and the spicy tomato and sour cream playing off each other.

Latitude strikes a nice ambiance, embracing folks interested in fine wines, an appetizer or a full meal in a setting with a dark rich decor strategically lit with a soft glow.

Interesting photo art grace the walls, there’s a choice of low or high tables and bar seating and classic pop plays subtly in the background.

For a second course, field greens with southern ranch dressing won out over the house Caesar and was presented as three big cup-shaped radicchio leaves holding a mix of romaine, julienne of carrot and crisp spinach.

The light house-made ranch sidestepped the pitfall of the cloying commercial versions, letting the salad components sing out.

For course No.3 the options included blackened tilapia, chicken-fried steak, linguini with shrimp and a roasted chicken breast with a southern-accented sauce.

I selected the latter and the big boneless chicken breast was treated to a honey and hot red-pepper basting that was memorable.

It was semi-sweet and semi-spicy, not drowning out the protein and came with rich mashed potatoes sitting in the grasp of big leaf of radicchio and a crisp, lightly-buttered bundle of green bean, zucchini and carrot tied with a green-onion band.

The final course was the French Quarter Crème brûlée, a small but vivid conclusion. The burnt-sugar crust gave way to a decadent pudding with the surprise of a blackberry at its centre. An arc of ever smaller blueberries provided an arty garnish flanking the tub of dessert.

Latitude delivered excellent value with four courses, all offered with a flourish. 

***

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead …

It is hard to believe that two years have passed, and that this is my last article for the Burlington Post as Chair of the Burlington Downtown Business Association. I have had the pleasure of working with an incredible volunteer Board and staff team. Collectively we’ve worked hard to help make your downtown one that you can be proud of.

Our primary goal has always been to make Burlington’s downtown a great location to live, work and play.  We take pride in the fact that our city was recently voted by MoneySense Magazine as the third best place in Canada to live.

Over the last few years, our downtown has grown and is stronger than ever. We have seen the Lakeside Festival of Lights expand, Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival grow out from Spencer Smith Park to include Brant Street and newer venues. Our lakefront property remains the envy of many cities around us.

Starbucks, Coffee Culture Café & Eatery, Lakeshore Coffee House, and The Second Cup on Lakeshore at Brant Street are all a-buzz with visitors, residents and office workers. The financial services industry is growing, and we will soon see the medical community opening up a new building to service our city as well.

Burlington’s Performing Arts Centre is going to open this year and will bring people from miles around. Our children will now have a venue to show off their dancing, singing, acting and other skills. New acts that could never before come to Burlington will now have a home. This is exciting.

There are still issues to work on, like the pier, consistent hours of business, and parking. But these are issues that are common to any city or town.  We will work hard with Mayor Goldring and City Council to make improvements.

It was a distinct pleasure to work alongside a group of very committed volunteers.  Our  Association continues to represent and work on behalf of the downtown businesses to attract new businesses and patrons to our core, but we need to know what you, the residents of Burlington, are looking for so that we can deliver the best possible to you.

Your suggestions are always welcomed; Email your ideas to info@burlingtondowntown.ca.

I look forward to the next few years as our downtown grows to be even better than it is today!

Debbie

- Debra Schreiber, Burlington Downtown Business Association Board Chair



2010 has come to an end, and what a year it was. Burlington Downtown Business Association hosted many fabulous NEW and established events in Downtown Burlington, with great success. We started off with the annual and anticipated Sidewalk Sale event, with great music performers lining the streets of Downtown. Our next event, the new Downtown Scavenger Extravaganza, sponsored by ThinkSpot Burlington and Village Square, saw well-over 150 attendees racing around Burlington Downtown in and out of stores looking for clues. It was a very successful, unique event that will definitely be back next year, so brush up on your Downtown stores… Back to Basics, in Village Square, tested celebrity, Disney, and Downtown Burlington trivia. Pumpkins & Pancakes, our largest Burlington Downtown Business Association event for 2010, was sponsored by Joelle’s, & Jeff’s GuyShop. It drew over 500 to City Hall’s Civic Square, for fabulous fall pancakes by Red Canoe Bistro, as well as children’s activities and crafts by ArtFelt Craft Boutique & Studio. Watch for the Pumpkins & Pancakes event to return, bigger and better, for fall of 2011! …The Treats in the Streets event had children Trick or Treating at an abundant number of participating Downtown businesses, and watching the hit movie Casper at Civic Square. It was sponsored by Downtown’s Continuum II. Everyone had a great time and can’t wait to get down again next year for more Halloween fun and candy. The new event Reading With… hosted in November, saw readers located throughout the Downtown reading stories to children and their families. The first ever Candle-lit Stroll in Downtown Burlington, sponsored by Continuum II, was an evening full of nostalgia and warm fuzzies; Families came and people purchased keepsake handheld candles with proceeds to United Way of Burlington; We strolled the streets and caroled together. Our final 2010 event, Holidays at the Hall, had carriage rides with Santa, sponsored by Joelle’s, Jeff’s GuyShop, and The Happy Heart. There were exceptional crafts by ArtFelt Boutique & Studio, cupcakes by Sweetness Bakery, and fun games for the children.

I can’t wait to get started on this coming year’s events. Stay tuned to www.burlingtondowntown.ca, Snap Burlington, and the Burlington Post for announcements in the coming months about events.

A BIG thank you to the downtown stores and businesses that participated for 2010, and of course, to the individuals and families who made it all possible and made the events the fun, fabulous successes they were. What a great project to be involved in. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Kimberly Calderbank-Allington, BDBA Event Planner

The Burlington Downtown business community is in full force preparing for the Holiday season.  The next two months promise fun, exciting, novel events for the whole family.

Our newest event Downtown, Candlelit Stroll, is set for the evening of Friday December 3^rd.  Join us at City Hall’s Civic Square at 7 p.m., then stroll the streets of Downtown Burlington together and take in live musicians playing holiday music at various downtown locations. Candle purchases for the Candlelit Stroll support United Way of Burlington. The evening will conclude with holiday treats back at Civic Square.

On Sunday December 5^th, Burlington’s Spencer Smith Park will be aglow at dusk to commence the 15^th Annual Burlington Lakeside Festival of Lights. Take in the whole day’s experiences downtown! Following Burlington’s Christmas Parade, enjoy the Opening Ceremonies for the Lakeside Festival of Lights in Spencer Smith Park starting at 5:00 p.m. There will be complimentary hot chocolate, and the lighting of the CHML Tree of Hope.

Our final Second Saturday event of the year is on Saturday December 11^th. We are transforming Civic Square into a winter wonderland for Holidays At the Hall. There will be games and activities for children including crafts by Downtown’s ArtFelt Boutique & Studio. Enjoy the views around the downtown from a horse drawn carriage ride. Return back at Civic Square for more refreshing holiday indulgences, and check out some festive accessories to be purchased from Downtown retailers.

You’ll find the holiday decorating spirit throughout the downtown for the Christmas Window Display Competition.  This lively friendly-competition encourages the business community members to decorate to the max for the holidays… And fine presents will come early for five lucky Burlington Post readers – The Find the Lucky Stars contest starts Friday November 26^th. Contenders need to find the lucky Lakeside Festival of Lights red star sign in the front windows of just 5 of the 29 Christmas Window Display Competition businesses…  Find the contest ballot in the Burlington Post. It will be in the Post again on December 1^st and on December 8. Or, pick it up at the Information Centre at Tourism Burlington, 414 Locust Street main floor. Contest closes Friday December 10^th and all entries must be submitted to the Post by mail or directly. See ballot for details. Five winners will receive valuable Christmas prize baskets containing gift certificates from many Downtown businesses.

Enjoy!

See you in Downtown Burlington this very merry holiday season 2010.

-          Debra Schreiber, Burlington Downtown Business Association Chair 2010 , and the BDBA Staff

Come dance & sample exceptional cuisine with us the evening of November 19 at danceScape for Footloose & Fancy Feast III – Ticket sales on NOW. Just $15 each for a fun and lively social evening where you will sample lovely foods from some great Downtown restaurants, and see danceScape in action live — with a dance demo and fun intro lesson, no partner required, it’s all about you! Enjoy DJ music, mix and mingle in a casual Friday-evening atmosphere. Call 905-333-9868 today. Tickets going quickly for this popular event, now available to the public! + Downtown businesses & guests …

Sal·sa

[pronounced sahl-suh; Sp. sahl-sah] –noun

1.

a lively, vigorous type of contemporary Latin American popular music,

2.

Mexican Cookery: a sauce, especially a hot sauce containing chilies.

3.

Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins from Cuba, as the original meeting point of European and African cultures. Its movements originate in Cuban Son, with strong influences from Mambo, Guaguanco, and other Afro-Cuban music.

Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are also, solo forms, line dancing (suelta), and Rueda de Casino where groups of couples exchange partners in a circle. Salsa can be improvised or performed with a routine.

Whichever meaning you choose, a lively time is guaranteed… Friday November 19^th , the Burlington Downtown Business Association presents a showcase of culinary talent infused with an interactive dance lesson:

The third annual Footloose & Fancy Feast event is open to both Downtown business members and to the Public to purchase individual tickets. Footloose III brings together four excellent Downtown eateries & restaurants in a licensed, two-hour event in the majestic BVM Ukrainian Ballroom! The evening promises savory and comfort foods samplings, sweet treats, and a very fun Salsa intro-lesson courtesy of award-winning instructors of downtown’s danceScape.

Only 100 tickets total will be available for pre-purchase. $15.00 flat rate each. Contact Laura at 905-333-9868 to reserve tickets: We need – your name, tel. #, email address if applicable, and how many tickets you are purchasing. Cash or cheque to Burlington Downtown, only – sorry, no CC payments.

Footloose III -

Friday November 19,  6 p.m. – 8 p.m., at the BVM Ukrainian Church Ballroom.

2077 Pine Street at corner of Pearl

Featuring: danceScape, Siam Dish, Red Canoe Bistro, The Piccadilly Café, and Sweetness Bakery, plus, Nickel Brook Better Bitters Brewing Co.

The evening is sure to spice up your weekend! We’ll warm up to winter together – enjoy warming foods and bevies in the winter theme ballroom.  Sit back & relax or rev up & dance, enjoy the company & music DJ, maybe win a cool door prize.