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Correction notice: this newsletter includes an updated link under our Join Durham in celebrating Canada 150 article.
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Greetings from Durham Tourism
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Welcome to the June issue of Industry Insights! Summer is just around the corner, and the events calendar in Durham is filling up quickly.
This issue is packed with information--awards, surveys, business features--we've got it all! As we head into the high tourism season in the region, there are several items of interest for Durham business owners and attractions.
Our new
Durham150.ca
website officially launched on
June 7--read the article below for more information on how you can be a part of it.
Also taking place this month is the Central Counties Annual General Meeting on June 21. The meeting takes place at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel and Suites in Richmond Hill. The AGM is open to stakeholders and businesses in the Central Counties regions of York, Durham and Headwaters. Visit the Central Counties Tourism website
centralcounties.ca
to register.
If you are hosting an upcoming event in Durham Region, remember to visit the events section at www.durhamtourism.ca, to register and submit your event to our free, online calendar.
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Tourism Industry Highlights
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Join Durham in celebrating Canada 150
Join Durham in celebrating Canada 150 through
www.durham150.ca
! This new site gives you a way to share not only your Canada 150 events and initiatives, but also the stories behind them.
Durham150.ca is a valuable resource for local tourism stakeholders and businesses, as it
highlights your events and initiatives happening in celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary as a nation.
Features of the site include both
a Canada Day-specific event listing, as well as a full listing of all the activities taking place throughout the region this year in support of Canada 150. Our
Durham150 blog highlights some of the larger events happening throughout our eight municipalities.
We encourage you to submit your Canada150 events and initiatives at
http://durham150.ca/submit-event
in the weeks leading up to July 1st and throughout the remainder of the year. A special edition of our monthly Tourism e-newsletter, dedicated to Durham150.ca and Canada 150 celebrations in Durham, is coming to inboxes the week of
June 19.
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Raise a glass to the Old Flame Brewery
Congratulations to Port Perry's
Old Flame Brewing Co. The craft brewery recently won awards for each of their three brands. This trio of awards comes as the brewery celebrated their third anniversary on
June 10.
- Old Flame "Brunette", a Munich Dunkel style lager, won a gold medal in the North American Dark Style Amber Lager category at the Canadian Brewing Awards on May 27.
- Old Flame "Blonde", a Helles style lager, won a silver medal in the Standard Lager category at the Ontario Brewing Awards in April.
- Old Flame "Red", a Vienna lager, won a bronze medal in the Amber category at the 2017 Australian International Brewing Awards.
Cheers to Jack and the team at Old Flame!
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Business Spotlight: Lavender-Blu
Lavender-Blu Lavender Artisan Studio & Farm
is a small family run lavender farm located in Seagrave, on the shores of Lake Scugog. The farm's focus is on unique hand-made products and education on the beauty and benefits of lavender. The farm attracts artists and artisans, photographers and lavender lovers alike.
The farm currently grows five varieties of lavender and has 800 plants. In co-operation with Hiveshare, Lavender-Blu has four beehives on site, and incorporates honey into many of the products created in the studio.
The studio features more than 50 hand-crafted lavender-inspired products, many of which are made by owner Mila Haynos-Owen. It also offers artisanal items from local artists that blend well with lavender, such as local pottery, wood work, and cement planters and bowls.
Education is also an important aspect of Lavender-Blu. Mila promotes the beauty of lavender through a number of workshops and community-based activities.
This July, the farm celebrates its 10th anniversary, as well as the Lavender Blossom Festival. The festival showcases
lavender in full bloom, and the farm and studio are open Fridays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the month. The "golden hours" of early morning and late afternoon are also open to artists and photographers.
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Film Durham highlights reel: our locations, your next film!
Film Durham's new
promotional video
puts the spotlight on the region's film-making industry with its unique locations, creative cinematography and filmmaker interviews. This highlights reel proudly focuses on Durham as a key player in all aspects of Ontario's film and television industry.
With its choice settings and close proximity to Toronto, the second largest production centre in North America, film production activity in Durham has been growing steadily, increasing in value from $19.7 million (2012) to $29.8 million (2015). Due to the growing need for diverse settings, as well as a decrease in the availability of film locations in Toronto, the region provides location managers with a vast number of ideal sites for filming.
This video was created in collaboration with Central Counties Tourism and Durham Region's Economic Development and Tourism Division. It will be used to market Durham's existing natural and cultural heritage assets, as well as local film talent, to grow film production in the region and enhance film tourism.
If you are interested in showcasing your place to production companies please contact Eileen Kennedy, Film Durham Liaison at 905-668-4113 ext. 2617 or 289-927-7119.
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Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF) film submission deadlines have been extended
To meet filmmakers demand, the regular deadline for DRIFF film submissions has been extended to June 15, and the late deadline to June 30.
DRIFF celebrates interesting films from around the world. The festival's focus provides a platform for filmmakers to showcase your creative work, excite audiences and receive recognition for excellence in the arts. Features, shorts, documentaries, animation, comedies and student film projects are all invited for submission.
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Business Count returns to Durham this summer
The Region's Planning and Economic Development Department is conducting its sixth
Business Count--a survey of local businesses that gathers statistics about their operations. Businesses in Durham, including farm operations and home-based businesses, should expect a knock on their door this summer, as part of an annual Regional project to gather employment statistics and build a stronger local economy.
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Ontarians believe arts contribute to community well-being
Highlights from the report include:
- 90 per cent of Ontarians say that the arts are important to improving the quality of life in their communities.
- 88 per cent agree that participating in arts activities builds a shared sense of community identity.
- 90 per cent agree that an active local arts scene helps make a community a better place to live.
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2017 Discovery Guide now available
in Mandarin
Durham Tourism's 2017 Discovery Guide is now available in Mandarin--both online and in print.
The guide provides Durham Region residents and visitors with an in-depth look at our spectacular tourism attractions, a calendar of events and insider information on where to eat, what to do, and where to stay in beautiful Durham Region.
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What's new in Sport Tourism?
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Keep these upcoming sport events on your radar!
Events are heating up as we head into the summer months. Ensure that your business is prepared to welcome incoming athletes and visitors to Durham Region during key sport events.
Keep the following events on your radar for this month:
- Spartan Races, June 24 and 25, 5km+, Super 13km+, and Junior races; Brimacombe, Orono; with an expected participation of approximately 7,500 racers.
- Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix, July 6 to 9, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge; Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville;expected attendance of approximately 70,000 people over the course of the four-day event.
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Show Your Badge and Save Program
Attention sport event, meeting and conference organizers!
Central Counties Tourism has recently launched its revamped Show Your Badge and Save Program! Thanks to participating businesses, we have a great new set of attraction and restaurant discounts available for sport event, meeting and conference visitors. This is a great way to welcome group travellers and to encourage them to explore the area while they're here! We can provide a printed coupon sheet of Durham offers, and visitors can access the full range of offers across York, Durham and Headwaters by visiting the
Central Counties Tourism website at
http://centralcounties.ca/sybas/
.
Please connect with the Sport Tourism Co-ordinator at 905-668-4113 ext. 2608 or
[email protected]
, or the Central Counties Tourism Business Development Manager at 905-940-9999 ext. 2 or
[email protected]
for more information, and to request coupons for your next event.
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Connect and engage with
Durham Tourism and Sport Durham!
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Connect and engage with Durham Tourism and Sport Durham on our social media pages:
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