🍇 The Burning of Newark

🌧️ Weather

A bit of everything this week in NOTL.

Friday starts us off on the wetter side with steady rain and cooler temps around 5°C. Saturday gives us a break with some sunshine (finally), before clouds and scattered showers return Sunday.

Next week warms up nicely, climbing as high as 20°C by Tuesday, but don’t get too comfortable — rain sticks around on and off through midweek.

Spring is here… just easing into it at its own pace.

I got an air fryer this week.

And I’m not exaggerating when I say this might be one of the most exciting events in my life.

I feel like a child discovering something new… except instead of toys, it’s perfectly crisped potatoes in 12 minutes.

Is this what being an adult is? Getting overly excited about small kitchen appliances?

Because if so… I’m all in.

Now I’m curious—what’s your go-to appliance? The one you swear by, recommend to everyone, or quietly use way more than you expected?

Send me an email and let me know. Always love hearing what’s happening in your kitchens (and what I should probably be buying next).

Lets get into the news👇

If you’re looking for an excuse to spend a little more time winery-hopping this spring… this is it.

Spring Sparkles is back, bringing together some of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s best wineries for a six-day celebration of sparkling wine and thoughtfully paired bites. The idea is simple: pick your pass, map out your route, and sip your way through a curated tasting experience across the region.

Whether you go all in with the Classic Discovery Pass (six pairings), keep it casual with the Mini Pass, or take advantage of the Flex Friday option, there’s a pace for everyone. Even better, Driver’s Passes are available — so no one has to miss out on the experience.

Each stop features a sparkling wine paired with a fresh, spring-inspired dish created just for the event.

Take your time, spread it out, and enjoy NOTL at its best — one glass at a time.

On the night of December 10, 1813, American General George McClure gave the residents of Newark exactly two hours' notice before his troops put the town to the torch.

McClure was retreating. He lacked the men to hold Fort George and knew British forces were closing in. Secretary of War John Armstrong had granted permission to burn Newark if militarily necessary, with the explicit condition that residents be given adequate time to evacuate and not be left destitute. McClure ignored both conditions.

Under a clear, starlit sky, soldiers moved door to door through the town. By morning, every building but three had burned to the ground. Women, children, and the elderly stood in the December snow with almost nothing.

Did you know this? That the town that visitors walk through today, every heritage building on every surveyed street, was built entirely after that night?

You can learn more here!

A notable shift is coming to local government in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

On March 24, Town Council voted to reduce its size from nine members (Lord Mayor + eight councillors) down to seven (Lord Mayor + six councillors), set to take effect in the 2026 municipal election.

The move is being framed, in part, as a proactive step, positioning the town to maintain more local control amid ongoing conversations around potential provincial amalgamation.

Fewer seats at the table could mean more streamlined decision-making… but also raises questions about representation across the community.

As always, these kinds of changes tend to shape how the town operates more than we realize day to day.

We got an email this week that made us laugh.

A reader shared her ongoing mission to bring the “h” back into Port Dalhousie… and the strong reactions that seem to come with it.

It got us thinking.

For a place we all say so confidently, there’s surprisingly little agreement on how it’s actually pronounced. You’ll hear Da-loo-zie. Sometimes De-looze. Rarely Dal-how-see unless someone is new in town or feeling bold.

It’s one of those Niagara things. Everyone has a way of saying it. Everyone is convinced they’re right.

And while it’s not quite NOTL, it feels close enough to home that we had to ask.

What do Notlers think? Are you team Da-loo-zie, Dal-how-see, or something else entirely?

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! 👉 🍇 A Good, Good Friday

— Matthew Habinski, Editor @ NOTL News

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