Street fair promotes Kakabeka Falls as tourist destination

Creating more interest in Northwestern Ontario is a goal an annual festival tries to accomplish, says the spokesperson for the Kakabeka street fair.

Hundreds of people walked up and down the streets for the 13th annual Kakabeka Street Fair. The weekend-long event wrapped up its festivities with rides, concerts and plenty of food on Sunday.

Marlis Bommes-Dudzinski, spokesperson for the street fair, said it is important to promote the area so more tourists can see what the town has to offer.

"I think this event draws more people in every year," Bommes-Dudzinski said. "We’re getting people as far as the southern states and Winnipeg and Toronto because it is something different to do on the weekend. Tourism is one of the most important things northwestern Ontario has to do. I think the fair brings all that together with tourism and economic development.

"I believe tourism is important to the north," she said. "We have been basically struggling for years and this puts us right back on the map."

Bommes-Dudzinski said she credits the warm weather as one of the reasons why so many attended the festival.

She added that the festival is an opportunity for families to be together.