Alicia,
It is Grape & Wine Festival time again which got me wondering about the history of this popular local festival. Do you have more information on how this tradition got started?
Thanks,
Candace
Hi Candace,
Thanks for your question. The inaugural year of the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival was 1952. The idea was conceived by George Hostetter, Order of Canada recipient and past researcher for Bright’s Wine’s Ltd. Hostetter believed that he needed to help put the grape and wine industry of Niagara on the map. With the help of agricultural journalist Bevis C. Walters he wrote a proposal and gained endorsement by the Ontario Grape Growers Marketing Board in July 1952, giving them only two months to plan the big event.

The first festival served as a venue for local grape farmers to celebrate the grape harvest. The day included a parade which had 27 floats, 14 bands and lasted 40 minutes. There was folk dancing at the armouries directly after the parade. There was also a dance in the evening with music provided by “Czarda” Hungarian Gypsy Band and later Bruce Anthony’s band. The dance included a spot dance and prizes. The night would end with a celebration that included noise makers and streamers! It was mostly grape growers and their families who attended the festival. The event planners were unable to obtain a liquor license so attendees were not permitted to drink wine, however after a few years, with many individuals sneaking a sip or two, the Liquor Board agreed to issue the license.
The first festival was planned by a board of governors and advisors which was made up of all of the mayors and reeves of the local towns and townships. Mr. A.C. John Franklin was mayor of St. Catharines at the time. There was also a committee of 53 individuals and ten sub-committees that helped plan the event, which included a ladies’ committee.

Each year Grape Royalty were chosen to preside over the festival. Beginning in 1952 a Grape Queen was chosen. Any woman in attendance was eligible and the Queen would be elected by popular applause at 10:00 p.m. following the dance. The winner was awarded $500.00. The first Grape Queen was Jeanette Lakowska, age 18, from Toronto. In later years women were nominated from participating local social and service clubs.
It wasn’t until 1956 that the festival included a Grape

King. The Grape King (or Grape Grower of the year) is chosen to preside over the festival, attending many of the events. Individuals are nominated by fellow growers and the honour is awarded to the nominee who most demonstrates excellence in their field. The first Grape King was Tom Davis Sr.
What would a royal family be without a Prince and Princess? The Grape Prince was chosen from among the 4-H Gape Clubs in the Niagara area. At that time there were more than 50 4-H Grape Club members – mostly men but also a few women were members of the program. The first Grape Prince, Brian Stouck, was chosen in 1959. The Grape Prince or Princess was chosen on the basis of field work and academic work related to grape growing. For each aspect of the work, those participating in the contest were awarded points based on the quality of their work. Points were awarded for tending a plot of grapes, exhibiting a basket of grapes, writing an essay, and passing an exam on the grape industry. The contestant with the most points was the winner. In 1960, the winner was the first Grape Princess – Janet Whitty. Janet Whitty was a 4-H Grape Club member and was 17 years old when she won the award.
None of the festival events could begin until the Grape King was chosen and crowned.
In 1954 the event was moved to Niagara Falls but it was later moved back to St. Catharines. Also, the festival name has changed multiple times over the years, from “Niagara Grape and Wine Festival” to “The Niagara Grape and Vintage Festival” and finally settling on the current name; “The Niagara Wine Festival”.
Another interesting fact is that 1971 Grape King Bill Vaughn had travelled to the Port of Spain, Trinidad with his wife to represent the Niagara Region as reigning King. During his visit Vaughn made many great connections and was surprised by how widely recognized he was as the Grape King of Niagara. Port of Spain and St. Catharines were twinned in 1968, under Vaughan’s reign, thus starting the long relationship that still exists today. This is one of the main reasons you still see Trinidadian steel drums and calypso performances in the parade.
The first Mayor’s Invitational Grape Stomp was held in 1974 with Mayor Joseph Reid who sported a toga. Reid did not win the Grape Stomp until the 1976 competition. This portion of the festival was the idea of Merritton alderman Dave Lewis and still continues with Mayor Walter Sendzik vying for victory. This year Sendzik has added a charitable spin, challenging his opponents and members of the public to “Help Stomp Out Poverty” by making food donations for local charities.
As you know, the Niagara Wine Festival has grown over the years to become a ten day event at the end of September that includes everything from the traditional grand parade as well as the Pied Piper parade for children, to food and wine tastings, tours of wineries, specialty lunches and dinners with celebrity speakers and many musical performances and more.

Attendance has also expanded to include people from all over the Niagara Region as well as tourists from anywhere and everywhere. Many visitors attend just to enjoy the food and festivities, but also to gain more knowledge about local wines as well as cooking techniques and recipes.
Just in case you are interested in seeing if you have royalty in your family, here is a list of past Kings and Queens.
Queens
1952 – Jeanette Lastowska
1953 – Rita Bennett
1954 – Barbara Brandon
1955 – Carol Dawson
1956 – Kay Henshaw
1957 – Sylvia Swayze
1958 – Carnis Graham
1959 – Joyce Hull
1960 – Lucy Riley
1961 – Kathi Coons
1962 – Elizabeth Cook
1963 – Patricia Schwenk
1964 – Maria Delhez
1965 – Wendy Bowman
1966 – Lucy Arsenault
1967 – Marguerite Bealieu
1968 – Lorene Cameron
1969 – Kathy MacDonald
1970 – Sonja Laliberte
1971 – Daphne Balthazar
1972 – Susan Smith
1973 – Wendy Cheropita
1974 – Vilte Zubrikas
1975 – Roxanne McDowell
1976 – Rhonda McMillan
1977 – Bonnie Dolizny
1978 – Christine Stevens
1979 – Delia Iafrate
1980 – Robin Crooks
1981 – Sandra Nash
1982 – Carolyn Paliska
1983 – Karen Vine
1984 – Jackie VanGentevoort
1985 – Helmy Duyvestein
1986 – Joanne Barich
1987 – Teresa Donatis
1988 – Cathy Niesink
1989 – Janice Gardner
1990 – Christie Salmon
1991 – Sue-Anne Staff
1992 – Andrea Kaiser
1993 – Ruth Steingart
1994 – Letisa Ball
1995 – Magdelan Krkljus
1996 – Brenda Podetz
Kings
1956 – Tom Davis Sr.
1957 – Henry Stouck
1958 – Norman Blanchard
1959 – Michael Lemick Jr.
1960 – Gord Schwenker
1961 – Len Pharoah
1962 – Steven Lemick
1963 – William Griffiths
1964 – Frank Walsh
1965 – Telvido Ghetti
1966 – Lorne Patterson
1967 – Lavelle Staff
1968 – Wallace Youngblut
1969 – John Myers
1970 – Bob Bowen
1971 – William Vaughn
1972 – Jack Forrer
1973 – Roy Johnson
1974 – Ernie Reimer
1975 – John Boese
1976 – Keith Wiley
1977 – Fred Hernder
1978 – John Marynissen
1979 – Carl Nueman
1980 – John Servos
1981 – Garry Pilliteri
1982 – Bart Huisman
1983 – Rodger Whitty
1984 – Terry Yungblut
1985 – Peter van der Laar
1986 – Leendert Byl
1987 – Peter Buis Jr.
1988 – Paul Bosc Sr.
1989 – John Watson
1990 – Bill Lenko
1991 – Donna Lailey
1992 – Roman Prydatkewycz
1993 – Roger Vail
1994 – Clair Wiley
1995 – Dan Hais
1996 – Howard Staff
1997 – George Lepp
1998 – Albrecht Seeger
1999 – Sal D’Angelo
2000 – Matt Speck
2001 – Bill George Jr.
2002 – Daniel Lenko
2003 – David Johnson
2004 – Livia Sipos
2005 – Doug Hernder
2006 – Matthias Oppenlaender
2007 – Kevin John Watson
2008 – Lou Puglisi
2009 – Bill Schenck
2010 – Debbie Burdza
2011 – Ed Hughes
2012 – Curtis Fielding
2013 – Wes Wiens
2014 – Kevin Buis
2015 – Jamie Slingerland
2016 – Jamie Quai
Thanks to Janet (Whitty) Bishop for her assistance in updating the accuracy of the information related to the Grape Prince and Princess.
This was very entertaining, I have lived here my entire life but didn’t know all these facts on how the festival originated. Funny that the Queen would by chosen by applause. Thanks again for writing such an interesting article Alicia.