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A depressed economy, lousy weather and a general lack of interest were enough to make local organizers of the annual A Festival of Light events give it up for this coming year.
But Canadian promoter Robert van Kleek, who in the past has brought as many as 100 busloads of tourists here to attend shows he puts on at the Niagara Falls Civic and Convention Center during the winter festival, is emphatically not deterred.
His company, Pathway Tours, will stage a musical extravaganza on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17-18, featuring Cataract City crooner Michael Civisca and country music legend Loretta Lynn in the headline roles. Also appearing will be Janie Fricke, Gene Watson, the Ramblin' Lou Family Band and popular Nashville Network and Grand Ole Opry host Ralph Emery.
The shows have been planned as a tribute to the heroic actions of firefighters and policemen in the wake of the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, van Kleek said.
Tickets are being discounted by as much as 65 percent, and are available to area residents for as little as $5.
What's more, all firefighters and police officers from Niagara County, Erie County and Niagara Falls, Ont., along with their spouses and children, will receive complimentary tickets to the shows.
Civisca, who has not appeared in his hometown in more than two years, will perform on Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. A pre-concert dinner is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m.
His recently released album, "Love is Like a Breeze," was recorded in London, England this past spring with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, a bold departure from the intimate style of his earlier work.
Civisca said he plans on performing many of his hits, along with a selection of his favorite Christmas songs.
On Sunday, Loretta Lynn will take the stage at 2 p.m. for a single performance. One of the country's most beloved entertainers, her hits include "Coal Miner's Daughter," "Don't Come Home A' Drinkin' With Lovin' On Your Mind" and many others, too numerous to mention.
Recently, Lynn's appearance on Arts & Entertainment Live broke all records when more than one million fans phoned the cable network with requests for the beloved star. The Niagara Falls show will be one of her last concert appearances as she has announced her retirement at the end of this year.
At 8 p.m. Sunday evening, van Kleek will serve up a heaping helping of country music excitement when Janie Fricke and Gene Watson perform.
Fricke has been named "Female Vocalist of the Year" and "Most Popular International Female Solo Star" by the fan magazines and her hits, such as "She's Single Again" and "It Ain't Easy Being Easy," have topped the country charts.
Watson will be performing "Paper Rosie," a chartbuster actually written in Niagara Falls, along with other favorites like "Fourteen Carat Mind" and "Speak Softly."
All of the concerts will be performed in the round, with a revolving stage, and van Kleek said all seats will provide an excellent view.
Tickets are available for all shows at the Niagara Falls Civic and Convention Center box office, he added.