Hamilton Haunts: Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

I'm embarrassed to admit that it's taken me so long to visit the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, located just outside Hamilton in Mount Hope. A few weeks ago my dad and I finally made it there, exploring the museum's more than 40 aircraft. Read more about the museum and its mandate here. 

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's current exhibition is The Wildman Collection: The Art of Recruitment. It features a unique collection of Canadian and British recruitment posters that urged men and women to join the war effort in a variety of ways. 

We had a fantastic volunteer tour guide who shared with us stories of the aircraft and the museum itself, including telling us about the 1993 fire that destroyed five museum aircraft and narrowly missed the Lancaster. We were also lucky enough to see the Lancaster outside of the hangar. The Lancaster owned by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is one of only two Lancaster bombers capable of flight. Just last year, the pair met after Hamilton's Lancaster flew across the Atlantic to England. A documentary about the two-month tour called Reunion of Giants will premiere on select Cineplex screens across the country, including SilverCity Hamilton Mountain, on Remembrance Day. Read more about the free screening here. 

The Fairchild Cornell MK II

 Also a Fairchild Cornell MK II

A de Havilland DH.82C Tiger Moth (and my dad who is the best museum partner because he doesn't rush me as I nerd out).

Supermarine Spitfire MK. XVIE alongside a statue of George Beurling, who shot down 24 enemy aircraft over Malta, between June and October 1942.

The famous Avro Lancaster 

North American B-25J Mitchell MK. III

de Havilland Canada DHC-5A Buffalo (Exterior and Interior)

 Nose of a McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo

 The Lancaster returns to the hangar.

I think this is the North American Yale, but don't quote me on that one! 

Beechcraft Musketeer

From the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's website: "The Museum's Bolingbroke Mk IVT is currently being rebuilt from the remains of eight aircraft, salvaged from Manitoba, in the mid 1980s. When the long restoration process is complete, the aircraft will be painted in the colours and markings of RCAF No. 119 City of Hamilton."

Supercrawl 2015: Day One

There's something in the air in the days and hours that lead up to Supercrawl, and I'm happy that this year Supercrawl and the Ottawa Folk Festival don't coincide, so I'm home for the fun. As expected, a little rain didn't keep Hamiltonians away from Supercrawl on a very soggy Day One. 

Read (or listen) local at Supercrawl at these listening hubs put on by the Hamilton Arts Council's Literary Arts Committee. 

Hamilton Haunts: Collective Arts Brew Store (Opening Day)

It's here! Yesterday marked opening day for Collective Arts Brewing's retail store in Hamilton. The brewery has partnered with Nickel Brook Brewery to create Arts & Science Ltd., operating out of the space formerly occupied by Lakeport. The site, located in the West Harbour hood, will eventually house a gallery and live music space. For now, it's the perfect place to grab growlers, six packs, cases, and kegs of Collective Arts' amazing beer. Finally Hamilton has somewhere with a kick-ass atmosphere to buy beer. Judging from the abundance of bearded, flannel-wearing (It's 30 degrees out there, dudes!), Collective Arts had a busy opening day. I can't wait to see what's next.

Downton Downtown

Admittedly, I've never seen Downton Abbey, but as a sucker for Hamilton history, and a sucker for Whitehern (as evidenced here, here, and here), I couldn't pass up Downton Downtown, the difficult to pronounce garden party inspired by the hit British period drama. This year, Downton Downtown expanded it's reach to another favourite Hamilton landmark, St. Paul's Presbyterian. If you haven't had the chance, ringing the bells of St. Paul's is an experience of bucket list proportion.

As part of Downton Downtown, Mary Anderson read from her book about Whitehern's McQuesten family, Tragedy and Triumph: Ruby and Thomas B. McQuesten, a part of the event I sadly missed. It is, however, a wonderful book brimming with Hamilton history that I'd definitely recommend.

Spring is Springing

Hamilton WinterFest

Hamilton WinterFest kicked off today at Pier 8. The festival, which is in its 37th year, runs February 7-16 at galleries, museums, and parks across the city. Today's WinterFest Kick-Off event included live music (notably Hamilton's Wax Mannequin), art installations, crafts, and a mini film festival, featuring two of my all-time favourite bits of Canadiana — The Sweater and The Log Driver's Waltz. The Brain was also there serving up one of my new favourite beers, Sawdust City's S'more Stout. (Seriously, that's a thing). 

Check out the full WinterFest 2015 event listing here. 

Before making it to WinterFest, I wandered James Street North. My favourite find was a copy of Lambert The Sheepish Lion at Newold's (240 James Street North). I don't remember the book, but the cartoon was one of my favourites growing up. If you don't know it, don't waste any time! It's on YouTube.