Partners with
NOTL News is Niagara-on-the-Lake's premium weekly newsletter, delivering the stories, events, and local updates that matter most to our community every Friday morning. With 6,000 subscribers and growing, we're proud to be the town's go-to source for what's happening in NOTL.
TODAY IN NOTL
🌧️ Weather
May 1st and we're still hovering around 8°C with a chance of showers. Spring is here in theory, just not in practice yet. Keep the layers close, but at least the sun is trying.
I've started doing that thing where I leave the house without a jacket, immediately regret it, but refuse to go back inside because I've already committed. If you see someone speed-walking down Queen Street with their arms crossed, that's me. Say hi.
Everyone's got one of these. That seasonal habit you know is dumb but keep doing anyway. Mine is the jacket thing. What's yours? Sandals too early? Shorts in single digits? Putting the winter tires off until it's embarrassing?
Send it over to [email protected]. We might share the best ones next week.
Lets get into the news👇
👀 Know Someone Always Asking "What's Going On?"
We all have that friend. The one who texts you every Thursday asking what's happening this weekend. The one who shows up to things two days late saying "wait, that was this weekend?"
This is their fix.
NOTL News lands in your inbox every Friday morning with everything worth knowing about in town. Events, local news, hidden gems, and the occasional cereal debate.
If you know someone who'd get something out of it, send them our way. It takes 10 seconds and saves you from being their personal event coordinator.
🚣 Niagara City Cruises Is Back
The boats are officially back on the water. Niagara City Cruises kicked off its 2026 season yesterday after a delayed opening caused by one of the iciest winters in recent memory. Heavy ice buildup on Lake Erie pushed the usual March launch all the way to May.
Voyage to the Falls tours are now running daily, departing every half hour from 9:30am to 6:30pm, with expanded hours starting May 15. If you haven't done the boat tour in a while (or ever), this might be the weekend to finally check it off the list.
🥤 Sip and Sizzle Starts This Weekend
The Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake are kicking off Sip and Sizzle this weekend, running every weekend through May. Over 20 wineries, each with a grilled food and VQA wine pairing. Grab a pass and make a day of it.
Start Planning Mother's Day
Mother's Day is next Sunday, May 10, and if you haven't thought about it yet, consider this your friendly nudge.
A few spots around town are already taking reservations. Treadwell Cuisine is doing a three course prix fixe brunch ($85/person, 9am to 2pm). NOTL Bar & Restaurant has their own three course brunch ($65/person, 10am to 2pm). And if you want the view to do the heavy lifting, Queenston Heights Restaurant has seatings at 11am and 1:30pm overlooking the river.
These fill up. If you're planning to take Mom out, book this weekend before the good times are gone.
🇲🇽 Sombra Opens on Queen Street
There's a new spot on Queen Street worth knowing about. Sombra has officially opened at 10 Queen Street, bringing elevated Mexican cuisine and a tequila bar atmosphere to Niagara-on-the-Lake.
It's the kind of addition that fills a gap on the dining scene in town. If you've been looking for something different on your next night out, this one is worth a visit while it's still fresh and new.
We'll be keeping an eye on it and will share more once we've had a chance to stop in.
📍 10 Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake
NOTL In Bloom Festival
Mark this one down. The 2nd annual Niagara-on-the-Lake In Bloom Festival is taking over Old Town from May 8 to 11, and this year's theme is "All Creatures BIG and Small."
Expect 30 animal inspired floral installations scattered throughout Old Town, all free to explore on foot or by trolley. The festival kicks off Thursday with the Bonnet Luncheon hosted by Kiss 98.5's Sue O'Neil, and runs through the weekend with garden workshops, a Garden Fair with boutique vendors and expert talks, and a gala dinner.
It also happens to fall on Mother's Day weekend, so if you're still looking for plans, this might be the move.
Thanks for reading today’s issue.
If you enjoyed it, pass it along to someone who always asks, “What’s going on in town?”
And while your at it go catch up on last weeks’ article! 👉 ☀️ Things Are Changing!
— Matthew Habinski, Editor @ NOTL News
