EPIC is ON at Ontario's Celebration Zone this Summer! All the Best of Ontario. All in One Place.

TORONTO, June 16, 2015 /CNW/ - The countdown to EPIC is ON!

In less than one month, Ontario's Celebration Zone will welcome visitors to experience the 'Best of Ontario', all in one place, for 38 fun-filled days during the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. Taking place on the waterfront at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, visitors can experience an EPIC celebration daily from July 10 to August 16, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

An amazing part of Ontario's Celebration Zone will be the daily FREE entertainment. Some of Ontario's most exciting live music artists will take to the stage for a series of nightly outdoor concerts. The lineup will showcase Ontario as a global live music destination, featuring both up-and-coming artists and homegrown superstars including:

Ain't No Love, Big Sugar, Bruce Cockburn, Cowboy Junkies, Digging Roots, Divine Brown, Down With Webster, Elliott Brood, Fefe Dobson, Grand Analog, Great Lake Swimmers, Hannah Georgas, Hollerado, Jarvis Church, Jesse Cook, JJ and The Pillars, k-os, Le Groupe Swing, Lindi Ortega, Rebel Coast, Ron Sexsmith, The Glorious Sons, The Strumbellas, Tim Hicks and so many more!

In addition to nightly concerts, Ontario's Celebration Zone will offer entertainment throughout the day, including additional live music, theatre, dance, Aboriginal, Francophone and ethno-cultural community showcases, book readings, art installations and comedy performances to entertain audiences of all ages and interests. 

Adventure seekers can view Toronto's iconic skyline from a 400-foot zipline, scale a 40-foot rock climbing wall or try the adrenaline jump. Sports enthusiasts can start their day with a morning workout, try their hand at virtual sports like soccer and archery, or watch fly-boarding demonstrations on the weekends. And fans can gather and share the hype for their favourite team or player as they watch the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games live on the big screen.

Mouth-watering culinary features, including celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, a weekly Ontario Fresh Market, and tastings and pairings will showcase Ontario's regional cuisines and locally-grown products. Also on tap at Ontario's Celebration Zone, which includes a beautiful waterfront patio, will be a rotating selection of Ontario's award-winning craft beers, ciders and wines.

For families seeking kid-friendly activities, Ontario's Celebration Zone has a jam-packed schedule of circus acrobats and buskers, children's theatre and hands-on science adventures. Kids of all ages can try out the coolest toys from Ontario's digital media sector or take part in multi-player gaming tournaments featuring Ontario's latest video games.   

Services at Ontario's Celebration Zone will be barrier-free, and include accessible and inclusive programming so that visitors and performers of all abilities can participate. 

Visit Ontario's Celebration Zone to be inspired to plan your next Ontario adventure. Almost all activities are free to the public and take place at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre in an architecturally-striking temporary structure, the Harbourfront Centre theatre or on the WestJet Stage.

For more information about Ontario's Celebration Zone and for programming updates, please visit: www.ontariotravel.net and follow on twitter @EpicIsON.

QUOTES

"‎Ontario's Celebration Zone will provide an amazing array of activities and entertainment that will showcase our province as one of the best places to visit in the world. I encourage everyone to come out and enjoy all it has to offer as we celebrate sport, culture and our great province."

-       Honourable Michael Coteau, Minister Responsible for the Pan/Parapan American Games

"The Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation is pleased to be presenting Ontario's Celebration Zone. Working with our tourism partners from across the province, the Best of Ontario will be offered for 38 consecutive days during the Games. The daily free concerts alone will be sure to offer an experience of why Ontario is an astounding global tourism destination."

-       Ronald Holgerson, President and CEO, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation

QUICK FACTS

• The Games are expected to attract as many as a quarter million visitors who will see great shows and attractions, dine in restaurants and shop in local stores.
• Tourism is an important economic driver. 2012 figures indicate that tourism supported over 359,400 jobs and generated $28 billion for Ontario's economy.
• Ontario's Celebration Zone at Harbourfront Centre is presented by the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC), an agency of the Government of Ontario with a vision to position Ontario as a preferred global destination.

LEARN MORE

• Visit www.ontariotravel.net for more information about Ontario's Celebration Zone.
• For a listing of the 38 nightly concerts, click here.
• Follow on twitter @EpicIsON for programming updates.
• Learn more about OTMPC, its programs and partnership opportunities at www.tourismpartners.com.
• Discover more about Ontario activities and destinations at www.ontariotravel.net.

If you do not wish to receive electronic messages regarding OTMPC news, please e-mail [email protected] indicating "unsubscribe".

SOURCE Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation

Image with caption: "Ontario’s Celebration Zone (CNW Group/Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150616_C7943_PHOTO_EN_18131.jpg

Lydia McCourt, Corporate Communications Manager, OTMPC, 416-314-6590, [email protected], 10 Dundas Street East, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario M7A 2A1