The NPCA is again offering traditional holiday programs for families in December within the heritage Village of Glen Elgin at Ball's Falls Conservation Area, located at 3292 Sixth Avenue in Lincoln.
On Saturday, December 9 and Sunday, December 10, the conservation area will welcome guests to a theme of “Holiday Traditions in the Victorian Village,” running from 9 AM to 5 PM both days. Attendees will travel back in time as the historical village comes to life, decorated for the holidays in Victorian-era styles, while heritage interpreters lead them through life in the early 1800s. Family-friendly activities include a visit with Santa Claus, free face painting, photo and toy stations, holiday crafts and colouring, and s’mores and hot apple cider by the campfire.
General admission for the event is $8, which supports educational programming at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area as well as conservation projects across the Niagara Peninsula watershed. Guests are also encouraged to support the food bank at Community Care by contributing non-perishable food items. Approximate duration: 1 ½ - 2 hours. We kindly ask visitors to limit their around 2 hours to allow others to attend and experience the event throughout the day. Trails are open for self-guided hikes. Parking is limited so guests are encouraged to carpool.
Dogs are permitted at the conservation area but must remain on leash at all times. Dogs are not permitted within heritage buildings or other indoor spaces.
Complete details of the weekend program are available online at https://npca.ca/events/detail/holiday-traditions-in-the-victorian-village.
Ball's Falls was first established as a town in the early 19th century by United Empire Loyalists John and George Ball, who had moved to Canada during the American Revolution. The family received a land grant from the Crown in 1783, and it soon developed into a flourishing community with a cooper, blacksmith, tailor, weaver, and butcher. By 1852, the population of the town, then called Glen Elgin, was 19 inhabitants.
In the late 1850s, the Great Western Railway was established, and many businesses moved away from Glen Elgin to be closer to the railway. In 1962, Manly Ball sold the land to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, and the area became a conservation area.
The park features the Ball's Falls Centre for Conservation to educate visitors about the area's cultural and natural history. The building features permanent and temporary galleries, exhibits and interactive displays, archaeological findings, and the watershed ecosystem of Twenty Mile Creek. Still standing within the park are the original Ball family home, an operating gristmill, a lime kiln, a restored church, a blacksmith shop, and a carriage shed.
