EXPERIENCE NOTL
Icewine Village 2025 - An experience to remember
Ask any of the 49 volunteers
on the Ambassador Team to describe their experience at the 2025 NOTL Icewine
Festival and they’ll tell you they had fun – not without a share of “hiccups”
to be sorted out for 2026 – but a great start to the vision of a Reimagined Village.
From the Preview Reception on
Friday evening January 17, hosted by the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake, to
the soggy first Saturday, to the chilly winter weather that followed, to the
evening IceHaus party and cocktail competition on the second Saturday, there were
a lot of very happy visitors on Queen Street.
They strolled among the vendors, tasted the culinary treats, or relaxed
in the heated Snow Globes. There were
craft activities for the younger guests in the Fun Igloo until Mother Nature
stepped in on the final Sunday with high winds that meant it had to close.
Ambassadors, draped in our colourful
blue and white scarves, filled many roles from Shuttle Bus Welcome Station at
Niagara College, to Guest Services in the VIP Lounge, the Concierge Stations,
the Snow Globes, to our more traditional role of greeting visitors as they
entered the Village.
In total, we engaged with a
WHOPPING 8802 visitors. While we don’t have financial results yet, all initial
indicators point to a highly successful event.
It was a pleasure to work with
the staff at Niagara Grape and Wine Festival and team up with their volunteers
and students from Niagara University and Niagara College on our shifts. As volunteers, you made a lasting impression
on the event organizers.
To quote Craig Swanson, Senior Regional
Manager Eastern Estates for Arterra Wines Canada:
"The NOTL Ambassador
group are not only a kind, friendly group of people that worked as the first
point of contact for the NOTL Icewine Festival, but they were an engaged,
communicative partner in the planning process. They represented the guest
during the planning cycle and ensured we were focusing on the areas and
interest of guests, bringing the insight they've gathered through thousands of
interactions to date. When it came to
execution, they were on time, professional and ready to work. Our festival
would not have been the success it was without the amazing NOTL Ambassador
team, and we are fortunate for their partnership and continued support."
YOU ARE OUR “DREAM TEAM”.