Norseman Festival & Norseman Memorabilia Time!

🎤🎼 It's the most wonderful time of the year.... Norseman days are upon us and we've got an action packed festival in store for all this year!

It all kicks off on Thursday July 21st with a BBQ cooking competition and a Ribfest. There is something for everyone on Friday July 22nd. A movie night with the wildly entertaining movie: Zootopia is going on at the Red Lake Heritage Centre Museum while downtown, a Fish Fry, a Slow Pitch ball tournament and Beer Gardens with dazzling DJ Ironwill are also going on.

On to Saturday July 23...  A full day of entertainment awaits you at Centennial Park. Live music, magic, acrobats, games for the entire family, Norseman Sightseeing trips, food booths, the Norseman Vendor Village, Slow Pitch Tournament and so much more.... The beer gardens at night will feature DJ and live local music and will be highlighted with the annual Norseman fireworks display over Howey Bay.

Last but definitely not least, Sunday July 24th is Family Day at Centennial Park and will feature more music, games, Norseman sightseeing trips, vendor booth? Corn Roast and much more! As a grand finale at 5pm, the Bush Plane Fly Past will feature Otters,  Beavers, Beech 18 and of course our two local Norduyn Norsemans KAO and JIN plus a third Norseman to crown the occasion. Get more info about the festival here: Norsesman Festival

COLLECTOR'S MEMORABILIA KIT
FESTIVAL SPECIAL $100

Speaking of Norseman Aircraft, if you are a Norseman and Bush Plane fan, a brand new Norseman Shop has opened on the Norseman Festival website and features all kinds of Norseman Memorabilia! 

You have the option of buying memorabilia online or you can buy at our booth in Centennial Park on Saturday or Sunday. Actually, we are having a Show Special. For only $100 you can own the Collectors Edition and decide which of these artistic and detailed posters you would like to frame for your home or camp. Get more details here: Norseman Shop

Red Lake: Where Aviation Runs Through Our Blood

by Sophie Castonguay

Is there a more beautiful sight than a float plane coming in for a landing in crystal clear waters? And how awesome is it when the aerodrome is downtown where everyone can enjoy the daily show of planes including the many historic Norseman planes, Beavers and Otters taking off and landing in Howey Bay! From the moment I saw the nonstop buzz of planes of all types flying in and around Red Lake, I was hooked. I knew Red Lake was where I belonged...and I also knew I had to get up there and get a pilot license of my own.

Aviation has played a major role in Red Lake's history and definitely still plays a big role in the identity of the community. The freedom of float plane flying is the ultimate in adventure flying and allows one to capture the breathtaking beauty of our numerous lakes.  Northwestern Ontario has approximately 100,000 bodies of water from small to one million acres in size. On these lakes are some of the highest quality wilderness resorts that vary from complete housekeeping packages to complete privacy on your own lake with no neighbors. There are so many lakes in and around Red Lake that you could spend every summer in the area and never fish the same lake!

The Red Lake Airport is also a hub of activity for aviation in Canada. Even though our town has a population of slightly under 5000, it is actually one of the busiest small airports in Canada. According to a study by Statistics Canada in October 2014, take offs and landings at 116 Canadian airports without traffic control towers reached a total of 47, 773 movements. Red Lake was the third busiest of these 3 behind Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador and Peterborough, Ontario.

From its early beginnings in 1926, commercial air service in the Red Lake area using Howey Bay as a float and sea plane base has been instrumental in developing the gold mines and the community. Howey Bay was indeed recognized as the busiest airport in the world during 1936 and 1937. The Red Lake Heritage Center Museum does an excellent job of featuring the Golden Age of Aviation at the museum and on their website here: Red Lake Regional Heritage Center.

If aviation thrills you like it does me and you want to get your very own pilot license, you are in luck! As of August 2014, we have our very own flight school in Red Lake. The Huron Flight Centre provides some of the highest quality training available in the market today. Whether you simply want a recreational permit, a private license or a commercial license, Jason Brent, the chief flight instructor can make your dream a reality. If you want a float rating or a commercial multi IFR program, Huron Flight School can help you achieve your goal.

Every summer, the Norseman Festival features aviation in all its glory in Red Lake. This annual celebration is full of activities for everyone. The first celebration: Rock the Runway will combine Canada Day and the love of aviation this year on July 1st. The airport will be rocking with a night time concert, mini Norseman rides on the Norseman Xpress for kids, static displays during the day and a whole lot more. Then on July 21-24th, the Norseman Family Weekend is happening. Come fly in a Norseman floatplane from the town docks, check out the booths, the entertainment the static displays, the traditional Norseman Fly-By and much much more... Save the dates- July 21-24th is when it's all happening this year!

Here is an exerpt from the Norseman Festival Website to give you a taste of what Red Lake is all about...
"Red Lake and the Norseman were made for each other. The town was and is an end-of-the-road community, supplying many smaller communities further north with goods and services. It is located within reasonable distance of almost countless small lakes boasting excellent fish and wildlife populations. It is also home to some of Canada’s richest and most long lived gold mines and some of the most promising mineral opportunities in the country. The Norseman, with its reputation for hard work and low maintenance, was the aircraft of choice for many. Eventually people looked around and realized that there were more Noorduyn Norsemans flying there than anywhere else – and Red Lake became known as the Norseman Capital of the World."

We hope to greet you in Red Lake this summer and share with you the love of aviation and of our gorgeous Boreal Forests and thousands of lakes!

37th ANNUAL SPORTSMAN'S DINNER & DANCE

Join us as we celebrate the history of commercial fishing in Red Lake with great food, live entertainment and donated prizes!

Saturday, May 7, 2016
Tickets cost $70.
Tickets Available @ Forever Green Gift Boutique-Red Lake,ON & Red Lake Airport

Call us at 807-727-3021 or e-mail us at info@tourismredlake.ca

Live Music - Drive Your Crazy

The funds raised at the Sportsman's Dinner and Dance allow the Red Lake Publicity Board to promote Highway 105 - Red Lake District, Ear Falls and Perrault Falls (Adventure Guide & Map, Partnerships, Online Promotion, Sport Show Marketing, Highway Signage and MUCH MORE)

Your attendance and/or contribution is a significant part of the Sportsman's annual success!

A Report From Sport Shows 2016

The 2016 Sport Show season has come to an end for the Red Lake Publicity Board and what a season it was! We attended a grand total of 4 shows this year, 3 of them being All Canada Shows in Minneapolis, Green Bay and Chicago and one mixed show in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The All Canada Shows had a special Red Lake feature where we had a huge booth for people to walk into and discover Red Lake.

Here is a report from Bill & Mary Lou Paryniuk who attended the All Canada Minneapolis Sport Show 2016:

After a hiatus of not having an “All Canada” sport show in Minneapolis, promoters decided to try this area again. The venue was held at the “Canterbury Downs” center which is at the south end of
Minneapolis in a less populated area.This was a four day show with shortened hours. The opening day saw what I would consider a modest turnout, but, increased as the week progressed.

Young & Older attended in great numbers. Here is Dar Wood`s great grandson

The major difference was that a good percentage of the show attendees were actually shopping for a fishing/hunting trip to N.W.Ontario. Being a representative for the Red Lake area and a representative for the members of the Red Lake Publicity Board we conversed with many prospective visitors as they felt we were impartial and would steer them in the right direction or, confirm, their choice of resort/outfitter.  To us, there were a more than normal amount of “”New”” bookings taken on the floor by varied resorts and in general, operators were quite pleased. These days, taking a “new” booking on the floor is rare.

The Prospectors tent, local memorabilia and artifacts were a big hit with people.This booth was a key attractant and provided a location where potential visitors could come and chat about their wants, misconceptions, opinions and expectations of what Red Lake had to offer. This proved to be invaluable environment where we could eliminate some misconceptions people had,

In conclusion, this was a very well run show and brought in a more than normal amount of vacationers who were actually shopping for a trip and some “did” book trips at the show. That was impressive. Great Show and Great Booth…..

Now for Richard & Sophie Castonguay`s report on the Eau Claire, Wisconsin show...

People in Eau Claire love Canada! So many people told us how much they love our country and can`t wait to get back to our lush natural environment! In addition to the general love of Canada, so many people stopped by our booth to chat about their experiences in Red Lake, Perrault Falls and Ear Falls. They spoke of hot summer days fishing on pristine and expansive lakes, shore lunches on untouched islands and the peace of hearing a loon`s chant as the sun sets on another gorgeous Canadian day. Some old timers told us tales of coming up to Red Lake before there was even Highway 105! There are some dedicated Red Lake and area fans in Eau Claire! We absolutely loved chatting with these people who were very interested in coming up to delight in our natural environment this summer..

The show itself was held at the Menard`s Convention Centre and was the perfect location for the show. It was a three day show and all three days saw lots of traffic although Saturday was definitely the busiest. As there were no other camp owners from Hwy 105 region with their own booth, it was so important that we were there to represent our camp owner members.  The show was very well marketed and as a result, people came from all around Eau Claire to attend the event. The weather was ideal and brought people out in droves. 

In conclusion, the show was quite successful due to the fact that we represented Red Lake in a community that otherwise would not have thought of coming to the Hwy 105 community although they were already hooked on the fact that Canada is an awesome area to vacation in. The people were very open to suggestions and we handed out many Adventure guides and individual pamphlets from our members. Eau Claire Wisconsin will definitely be a good area to return in the future due to the openness of the people and their love of our True North Strong & Free!

Finally, let me conclude with a word from one of the organizers of the All Canada Shows, Steve Cegielski....

It was great to have Red Lake tourism a part of the All-Canada Show 2016.  The Red Lake Historical display brought much attention to the Red Lake, Ontario tourism area at the All-Canada Show. Thousands of All-Canada Show guests toured the Red Lake Historical display.  Many artifacts from past generations of mining, fishing, and forestry sparked questions about the Red Lake area from the past to current tourism opportunities that exist today.  

All-Canada Show 2016 has seen a growing interest in Canadian Hunting and Fishing adventures from Americans.  Show guest numbers have been increasing over past 3 years, with 2016 being the best attended shows in over 10 years.   All-Canada Show strives to bring attention to the outdoor adventures Canada has to offer, by offering show features like the Red Lake Area Historical display in 2016.

Thanks for all the support at the 2016 All-Canada Show....looking forward to working with the Red Lake, Ont. area in 2017.