Giant contest returns

The city’s Seven Days with the Giant contest is back and bigger than ever, says Thunder Bay’s tourism manager.

Paul Pepe says while they’ve kept the core of the program intact, they’ve made some additions he’s convinced will attract an even wider range of entrants than ever to a contest that drew 32,000 entries in its first two years of existence.

At the heart of the annual event is a weeklong trip for four to Thunder Bay that celebrates the city’s connection to Lake Superior and the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, weaving the natural environment into the city’s urban, cultural and culinary attractions.

"But this year we’ve expanded the campaign a little bit to include other outdoor activities as well. So we’ve added angling, we’ve added golf, mountain biking and the ability for the winners to sit down with a trip planner once they’ve won and select and customize what they want to do that week," Pepe said.

In addition to airfare from anywhere in North America, the core prizes include accommodation at both the Best Western Norwester hotel and the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. The prize pack also includes camping gear, car rental, a digital camera package, attractions passport that includes entry to places like Fort William Historical Park and meals at some of the city’s best-known and beloved eateries.

Pepe said they’ve evolved the itinerary after listening to previous year’s winners.

"They loved their time here, loved their time in the city, were mesmerized by the scenery around us, but they felt their itinerary was a little too intense in terms of the amount of time they were on the go," Pepe said.

"So we have made it a little more flexible for them. They can sleep in the mornings. They can enjoy things a little more leisurely than the itineraries in the past. And there’s things they want to do that aren’t in the prize package, we can arrange that for them. We can customize it for them. That’s what’s going to make it unique this year."

Al Comeau, superintendent at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, said it’s been his observation that the changes will be welcomed by future winners, who might like a taste of roughing it, but not a full-blown wilderness meal.

"We’ve had two groups come to the park, and although they weren’t rugged campers, they enjoyed the experience of hiking," he said, adding any exposure is good from a marketing viewpoint.

"From my standpoint as park manager of Sleeping Giant, for us this is win-win."

The contest is open to legal Canadian and U.S. residents over the age of 21, except Thunder Bay residents and anyone living within a 50-kilometre radius of the city. To enter online, visit www.VisitThunderBay.com. The contest runs through May 31.