Muskoka Heritage Place’s (MHP) Portage Flyer Christmas event has been chosen by Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) as one the province’s top 100 events to attend.

According to Teri Souter, MHP’s general manager, she submitted an application to the FEO back in the fall describing the event and what makes it one of a kind. Less than two weeks ago, she was delighted to learn that the Portage Flyer Christmas had been selected by the FEO for an award that recognizes the event as being among Ontario’s top 100.

“We are completely thrilled,” she said, adding that around 3,000 applications were filed for inclusion in the top 100. “The Portage Flyer Christmas receives special listings and attention and improves exposure for the town.”

The Top 100 Ontario Festivals, which were recently unveiled at FEO’s annual conference in London, will be represented in the 2008 Festivals and Events in Ontario Guide set to be distributed by mid-March. FEO, in partnership with the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, produce the guide, which has a distribution of 250,000 and a readership of 750,000.

The Top 100 Ontario Festivals represent excellence for the province's festivals and events industry, with events competing annually for inclusion in the top 100. Festivals were selected through a nomination process that included a pre-determined set of criteria.     

There are over 3,000 annual festivals and community events staged each year in Ontario, ranging from one-day street fairs to internationally acclaimed, multi-day celebrations.  

In its fourth year of operation, the mastermind behind the Portage Flyer Christmas, which has become the highly-anticipated event of the festive season, is MHP operations manager Ron Gostlin. With his creative flair and a desire to bring something new to MHP, the Portage Flyer Christmas was born and continues to attract hundreds of people from near and far for a unique pre-Christmas experience.

“It’s really unique because no other town has a nighttime train that takes you to see Santa,” stated Souter. “We make a point of having it the Saturday before Christmas because it’s impossible to maintain that level of excitement in children. It’s their last chance to see Santa before Christmas.”

Souter noted that this year’s Portage Flyer Christmas event was a huge success, with anywhere between 700 to 1,000 people riding the train along the Muskoka River.

“I heard a lot of people commenting, ‘It feels like Christmas now.’ It’s become something very unique to this town. And it’s not just for kids. It can be a very romantic experience for couples. Whether they’re 16, 60 or 80. It’s at night, the lights are sparking. It’s a nice, romantic thing to do. ”

Souter also indicated that the success of the Portage Flyer Christmas has been made possible due to the support of the media communicating the event.

“If you haven’t been, you really should go this Christmas.”