Two violinists, a harpist and a bass player assemble in Port Colborne for music and fantastic food … bet U haven’t heard that one before. Made possible by connecting many ‘players’ a selection of artists from the Niagara Symphony will be performing an assortment of rock and pop hits on September 17 at San Marco’s Italian Ristorante.
As Director of Strategic partnerships, my role typically involves looking for large scale allies for Nova Mutual, but sometimes I come across something so cool, we MUST get involved. Such was the case when I attended a recent networking event.
I learned that:
- There even was a Niagara Symphony Orchestra (NSO)! The orchestra has been around for over seventy years, since 1948. Their goal is to enrich the quality of life in the Niagara area by entertaining and educating with “imaginative and diverse concert programming and a broad range of educational programs.”
- They can and often do play styles other than classical music. They have classical events of course, but also boast a variety of events. Their upcoming concert list includes 70’s rock, pop and even a collaboration with Steven Page, formerly of the Barenaked Ladies.
- Thanks to funding granted by Summer in Niagara to assist with reopening, the NSO was looking for local venues to host a small selection of players for concerts in the area. They have pop-ups booked in various places such as the Farmers’ Market in Welland, downtown St. Catharines and the Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls.
As Steve Jobs says “Ideas without action aren’t ideas. They’re regrets.” So, I picked up the phone and called one of our Niagara-based Broker Partners Mark Guilbeault, of Mark Guilbeault and Associates to brainstorm how we could make this happen. Luckily Mark was equally as enthusiastic as I was and immediately recommended Monica Carusetta, and her husband Fred Davies, owners of San Marco’s Ristorante in Port Colborne as hosts.
San Marco’s is entering their 20th year in downtown Port Colborne! Known for their outstanding food, and excellent service, they boast eighty-three (83!) 5★ reviews online. They “offer (their) take on both classical and contemporary Italian fare, from precious family recipes passed down through many generations, to new and exciting dishes from … travels around the Mediterranean.”
If you’re as excited as we are about this – due to limited seating, please call the restaurant directly for availability at (905) 834-1345. Members of the Symphony will be playing from 6- 9 pm on Friday September 17th. If U can’t get a spot- I recommend the restaurant regardless – they’re open Wednesday- Sunday from 4pm. If your heart is set on a Symphonic event, a schedule of their upcoming concerts can be found here.
Written by blog contributor, Jessica Lymburner, Director of Strategic Partnerships
