Wingfest

[SteelTown]

City Log

Compiled Mark McNeil
The Hamilton Spectator
(Nov 26, 2007)

Bring napkins

Hamilton is known for many things -- steel, the Ticats, one-way streets and coffee shops on every corner.

But chicken wings?

According to Councillor Sam Merulla, we do have claim to this most sticky of delicacies. He says the Waterfront Trust is exploring the idea of a Wingfest -- like Burlington's Ribfest -- on our Bayfront to honour this tradition.

Citylog asked Merulla to elaborate on Hamilton's credibility as a centre of wings.

"Outside of Buffalo, Hamilton was one of the first, if not the first, Canadian cities to offer Buffalo wings. Obviously, our proximity to Buffalo had a great deal to do with this fact," he said in an e-mail.

"Having said that, even one of the most famous Buffalo wing restaurants, Honey's, opened for business in Hamilton briefly. To have a (Buffalonian) wingery open in Hamilton speaks volumes of the Hamilton history to Buffalo wings in Canada."

[raisethehammer]

I'd love that. we need more events and festivals here. especially downtown and at the waterfront, which is beautiful and WAY underused.

[DC83]

I think it would be an awesome idea!
I think I'd rather see it in the Core, and bring AquaFest back to the Waterfront... but regardless, a) I LOVE wings, and b) well wings are awesome!!

There are so many places in Hamilton that makes GREAT wings: Squires, Red Rockets, Honest Lawyer... so on. So this would be a huge event if they actually went through w/ it (and actually advertised it).

The poll on 900chml.com was "Would a Waterfront WingFest do well?" It was like 23% YES, 77% NO. People in this city have no optimism!

[raisethehammer]

yea, I saw that poll.
They should have asked "would a wingfest in the Walmart parking lot do well?" The results would have been reversed for sure.
Hamiltonians are such deadbeats.

[DC83]

I think this is a good place to discuss the city's best wings!!

What's everyone's favourite place? Mine's Squires (Ye Olde Squire) at Upper Wentworth/Fennell!

[rousseau]

"Outside of Buffalo, Hamilton was one of the first, if not the first, Canadian cities to offer Buffalo wings. Obviously, our proximity to Buffalo had a great deal to do with this fact," he said in an e-mail.
This is lame. "One of the first, if not the first..."? Jeezus.

Buffalo wings started in Buffalo, end of story. Why are Canadians so freakin' pathetic?

[SteelTown]

Wingfest could be city's claim to fame

Relationships with events in place now must remain steadfast say organizers

Gilroy California had the stomach to launch its world renown Garlic Festival.

But can a Wingfest take flight in Hamilton?

"We are the first Canadian city to offer chicken wings," said Ward 4 councillor Sam Merulla, who argued the Steel City, just like Buffalo, has some claim to fame for serving wings.

But before Hamilton creates a new festival, it needs to improve its relationships with already establish local event organizers who say they are "frustrated" and "exasperated" over the city's lack of funding, marketing, and other leadership help for such unique events as Mustard Festive, Winona Peach Festival, and Buskerfest in Dundas.

"There is confusion and angst about the city's role," acknowledged Ward 1 councillor Brian McHattie.

He said, for example, the organizers of the Mustard Festival in downtown Hamilton are "frustrated" by their inability to expand the event, and are hamstrung by the city's "haphazard" role.

Anna Bradford, manager of culture for Hamilton, told members of the emergency and community services committee Hamilton is losing out on hosting events because "we don't have the structure" in place.

For instance, she said, the city quickly organized the Brian Melo concert at Hamilton Place, but the city doesn't have the ability to continue the momentum.

"I think we are losing out on opportunities," she said.

Yet small U.S. communities such as Pacifica, located south of San Francisco, and Gilroy, California, have created festivals out of what would seem to be negative aspects of their communities.

Pacifica has hosted the Pacific Coast Fog Festival since 1986, which celebrates their ever present fog. The festival includes arts and crafts, a world sandcastle building championships, and music. Gilroy residents have taken their local garlic product and transformed it into a world famous event, that has raised $7.5 million for charity since 1979, and offers garlic in everything, including ice cream. And the Olean Testicle Festival in Missouri promotes their local delicacy as a tasty fast food. There is also another testicle festival - although more risque - held every year in Montana.

There have been attempts in Hamilton to generated enthusiasm for a home-grown festival such as Soundwaves along the waterfront, said Ms. Bradford. And Hamilton has a host of other popular suburban events, such as the Winona Peach Festival, Cactus Festival in Dundas, and Ancaster's Heritage Days.

Mr. Merulla say there is currently an effort to create a Wingfest in Hamilton to be held along the waterfront. It would be similar to Burlington's successfully-staged Ribfest, he said.

"We could compete with Buffalo," said Mr. Merulla.

Residents' criticism of the city's festival strategy shocked Ward 6 councillor Tom Jackson.

"I was surprised to learn how the organizers feel," he said.

Ms. Bradford proposed developing an Events Strategy, at a cost of about $120,000, which will provide a guideline on how the city can promote festivals in the community.

It's a proposal that received a warm reception from councillors.


"There are some serious deficiencies," said Flamborough councillor Margaret McCarthy.

"The blueprint is necessary," she said. "But beyond that, I'm not sure."

Added Mr. McHattie: "The $120,000 is not a small number. But to avoid the negativity, it's money well spent."

[DC83]

Residents' criticism of the city's festival strategy shocked Ward 6 councillor Tom Jackson.

"I was surprised to learn how the organizers feel," he said.

prime example of how disconnected council is with it's residents. wow.

[SteelTown]

Hamilton to Buffalo: Our wings will win

By Carli Whitwell, Special to The Hamilton Spectator
Chickens beware: it’s war.

Three Hamilton councillors, with the support of Hamilton’s Waterfront Trust, have challenged the mayor of Buffalo to a chicken wing showdown.

The idea was “hatched” by councillors Sam Merulla and Chad Collins. The two, along with fellow councillor Bernie Morelli, are spearheading the movement.

On Wednesday, Merulla faxed the suggestion to the mayor of Buffalo.

Ideally, he hopes the two cities will co-host annual chicken wing festivals.

Buffalo is historically recognized as the birthplace of the spicy snack.

But Merulla said Hamilton was one of the first cities in Canada to pick up on the trend due to its proximity to Buffalo.

A joint chicken wing festival would increase tourism and generate revenue as well, Merulla said.

“I believe restaurants in Hamilton offer the best chicken wings in the world and I think we need a competitive environment to prove that.”

Drew Cerza, 46, a Buffalo native and creator of the Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival, said he thinks the idea is a great one.

“Chicken wings have definitely gone global, so I welcome any competition from Canada.”

Cerza said he has eaten more than 200,000 wings in his lifetime.

The Hamilton residents Merulla has spoken to say they are behind the concept as well.

“They concur with me that we have better chicken wings.”

Cerza said it’s definitely a possibility. “I never say never.”

He added that he would love to participate in the competition and if the cities did decide to hold the events together, he would probably sign up as a judge.

Peter Cutler, director of communications for Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, said the mayor could not yet comment on the idea.

Still, Merulla is staying positive.

“I look forward to the chicken wing showdown with Buffalo and I can assure you that Hamilton will come out on top.”

[raisethehammer]

great idea! man, Sam is on a roll.
I just finished chowing some wings from Bronzies...amazing. Hamilton can hold it's own to anyone.
I hope this event really takes off.

[Cambridgite]

Maybe this explains the 3rd most obese ranking. :P

[raisethehammer]

as opposed to all the slim, trim people at your Oktoberfest? lol.

[SteelTown]

^ beer guts!

[Cambridgite]

as opposed to all the slim, trim people at your Oktoberfest? lol.

It's on!! :haha:

[block43]

If the wingfest is at the waterfront then at least it is relatively close to the new cardiac research centre at Hamilton General Hospital.

[SteelTown]

And conveniently located near the region's burn unit at the General haha

[DC83]

HAHAHA
I love your avatar, Cambridgite.
But I think he'll be too full to eat that lil girl since he already had kitten for breakfast:
http://torontoist.com/attachments/toronto_karen/2007_03_21HarperCheddar2.jpg
http://torontoist.com/attachments/toronto_karen/2007_03_21HarperCheddar2.jpg

[SteelTown]

Awww look at the little kitty! Poor thang!

[Cambridgite]

HAHAHA
I love your avatar, Cambridgite.
But I think he'll be too full to eat that lil girl since he already had kitten for breakfast:
http://torontoist.com/attachments/toronto_karen/2007_03_21HarperCheddar2.jpg
http://torontoist.com/attachments/toronto_karen/2007_03_21HarperCheddar2.jpg

:haha: :haha:

[SteelTown]

Well we are at it might as well create Bagelfest, MTL vs HAM bagels haha.

Check this link over the bagels lol

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=17770054#post17770054

[DC83]

^^ Oh ya, I read that this AM on thespec.com
What's w/ the City trying to pick fights with all these other cities? I'm sure they're just trying to get our name out there.

[SteelTown]

I don't think it's a case of Hamilton picking on other cities. It was one of Montreal's newspaper that printed off this MTL vs. HAM bagel battle, then the Spec picked it up.

[raisethehammer]

is Loblaws really the group to be claiming "hamilton's bagel"?? what about the Locke St bakery or some place.has anyone had a bagel at fortinos?? is it any good or are we about to be embarassed?

[matt602]

My city is awesome cause of the industry, architecture and geography... not something I put cream cheese on. I could care less.



*with that said, go Hamilton!*

[SteelTown]

It's actually pretty good. It's a big bagel, sticky because the sugar melts. You pratically live right next to this Fortinos on Dundurn so you should know! lol I much rather get bagels from Locke though, it's the right size and has my favourite, cinnamon and rasin.

[raisethehammer]

I get mine from the Locke bakery too. They have a sugar bagel that is incredible. warm and sticky.
I'll have to see what's happening in that Fortino's sometime.

[DC83]

I get mine from the Locke bakery too. They have a sugar bagel that is incredible. warm and sticky.
I'll have to see what's happening in that Fortino's sometime.

That sugar bagel at the LSB *IS* amazing! And I don't generally like sweet foods.

But the Fortino's ones are actually pretty good. LSB kicks their ass' tho.

[markbarbera]

hmmm... sugar-coated bagels... that should improve the margins of pharmaceuticals specializing in insulin....

Hey, how did a wingfest thread get to talking about bagels, anyway?

[raisethehammer]

fricks sake...I just went over to fortino's to check these things out. I was going to buy one, but they look stupid- a bit of icing sugar on top of a bagel. big deal.

[chris k]

hmmm... sugar-coated bagels... that should improve the margins of pharmaceuticals specializing in insulin....

Hey, how did a wingfest thread get to talking about bagels, anyway?

Yeah we should rename it the Hamilton vs. everywhere else food fight.:D

[raisethehammer]

I'll tell you one thing we CAN put up against any other city - veal sandwiches.
Duartes on Barton would kill anyone!

[HAMRetrofit]

Don't mess with the Golden Horseshoe Cities. Your going down MTL. :tup:

[DC83]

I'll tell you one thing we CAN put up against any other city - veal sandwiches.
Duartes on Barton would kill anyone!

Mmmmmmm I used to go there for lunch all the time when I was at cathedral. They make awesome sandwiches in general!

[SteelTown]

Hamilton, Montreal aim to settle the Great Bagel Debate

February 25, 2008
BY STEVE ARNOLD

HAMILTON – Ten discerning palates in Montreal and Hamilton will finally settle the Great Bagel Debate tomorrow.

With precision planning worthy of a military operation, the delightful delicacies will be ferried between the cities with the cooperation of Air Canada to ensure each batch is equally fresh when laid before the worthy judges.

The battle has been brewing since last month when a former visiting Montrealer was horrified to find a “Montreal style” bagel coated in icing sugar in a Fortinos bin.

His cries on the Internet about such a grievous insult to the pride of Montreal ignited a storm of protest.

John Dolbec, with a foot in both camps as CEO of the Hamilton of Commerce and a native Montrealer, has tried soothing troubled waters.

In the end, however, he stands in defence of the Hamilton product.

“We embarked on this with nothing but the most profound respect for the unique qualities of a ‘Montreal Bagel,’” he said. “But, now we have a local entrepreneur who has developed a product I feel is at least similar in taste and texture so we must champion his ability to market it effectively.

“Montrealers have well-earned bragging rights, but they should not judge others so arrogantly unless and until they have at least tasted.”

Montreal’s champions were quick to respond.

“Look bucko, you can sell them as anything you want to call them, but if the baker has never tried a Montreal bagel, and does not make them in the style that Montreal bagels are made, they may as well be made in Taiwan, and labelled as such,” declared Ryk Edelstein, the high tech executive who has kept the oven of debate stoked. “If you are going to cover a bagel in cinnamon sugar, they may taste good (to someone) but nothing is further from a Montreal bagel than this abomination. Labelling a sugar-coated bagel as a Montreal style bagel is both an insult and fraud.”

Thomas Jelonek, who discovered the “Hamilton abomination” during a visit to his mother here, agrees. “To me the ‘Montreal bagel’ should be viewed like a brand that should be protected — and if you don’t protect a brand the implication is that it has no value,” he said. “If I started making ‘Fortino style bagels’ what would be their reaction? Now, which bagel do you think is more deserving of protection? Won’t somebody please think of the bagels?”

To settle this alleged affront to their civic pride, several dozen bagels from Montreal’s famous Fairmount and St. Viateur bakeries will be picked up at 7 a.m. with half then being consigned to the Air Canada flight leaving Montreal at 8:50 a.m. and arriving in Hamilton at 10:08 a.m.

The courier will then exchange them for Hamilton’s entrants and return to Montreal on a flight leaving here at 10:55 a.m. and arriving in Quebec at 12:10 p.m.

A scant 50 minutes later two panels of five judges each will assemble at the offices of the Montreal Gazette and the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce to let their taste buds settle the question.

Hamilton’s judging panel will include political consultant Milt Lewis, Dolbec, Air Canada Hamilton station manager Josie Trlep, Spectator political cartoonist Graeme MacKay and your humble scribe.

The rules under which the contest is being conducted are strict, declaring “Any submission that resembles a doughnut, is frosted, glazed, injected with filling, is not produced in either Montreal or Hamilton, is made from or with synthetic products, contains any recycled material, glows without any apparent energy source, is not of this world, contains living creatures, emits a foul odour, is capable of spontaneous combustion, has hairy growths, has appendages, is capable of speech, is invisible, is constructed with metal or mineral based components, has a half life, may be deemed a bio-hazard, is capable of self-reproduction, can be considered intelligent, has not been in contact with boiling water, may violate provincial or federal laws, can be considered as a violation of any form of insurance, shall be deemed as inadmissible as a test bagel, and will be disqualified.”

The entire process will be recorded on video to be available on The Spectator website.

Full details of the outcome will be published in the newspaper Thursday. If a winter storm forces a delay, the entire process moves to Thursday.

[HAMRetrofit]

I don't get what this is trying to prove. That a bagel made in Hamilton is 'Montreal Style'?

Who cares call it a Hamilton style bagel if it is somehow unique.

[raisethehammer]

this is so stupid.
Those bagels at Fortinos look so bad I didn't even buy one.
At least use a place like Locke St Bakery to have a bagel war with our best against their best.
Not friggin Loblaws trying to be cool by using 'montreal-style' marketing for a piece of crap bagel.

[SteelTown]

So the Wingfest will be May 30, 31 and June 1.

[beanmedic]

So the Wingfest will be May 30, 31 and June 1.

How did you find out?

[chris k]

I'll be there unless im out of town
:cheers:

[SteelTown]

How did you find out?

There was an ad for it from Waterfront Trust on a local mag, H Magazine.

[raisethehammer]

woohoo! only 1 month to go:

http://www.hamiltonwaterfrontwingfest.com/index.php

[DC83]

http://www.wingfest.ca/images/wingfest_top.jpg
http://www.wingfest.ca/


IT'S THIS WEEKEND!!!!

More Info: http://www.wingfest.ca/

[matt602]

A heads up to those who are interested:

The HSR will be providing a free shuttle using it's "trolley" buses from downtown to the bay. One of the buses will be serving that shuttle, the other will be taking people from various parking lots along the bay to the event. If you're coming downtown, keep this in mind. The downtown shuttle will serve the same stops as the 99 Waterfront Shuttle usually would. I'm not sure about schedule however.

Anyway I'll be there for at least a portion because I fucking love wings.

[DC83]

^^ Wings = best food ever!!

Thanks for the info, Matt. I didn't know it was running yet. I'll prolly take it down. Where are the stops? The city's website isn't updated!?

http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/cityandgovernment/cityservices/transit/shuttles/waterfrontshuttle-route99.htm

[chris k]

If its nice on Sunday count me in.....
Looks good so far
I wonder how many booths will be set up

[matt602]

^^ Wings = best food ever!!

Thanks for the info, Matt. I didn't know it was running yet. I'll prolly take it down. Where are the stops? The city's website isn't updated!?

http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/cityandgovernment/cityservices/transit/shuttles/waterfrontshuttle-route99.htm

You can see the stops and timetable here:

http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/9E54D57E-4D07-47A7-B49F-12DD15C0F6D0/0/2007WaterfrontShuttleTimetable.pdf

I don't know if the timetable will be used, however the stops will. This really hasn't been publicized much though (as usual). I only know of it because of a post on another forum from someone who is in the know. The HSR service isn't even advertised on the website for Wingfest. No wonder nobody uses these services... they don't even know they exist.

[DC83]

^^ No one in this city ever knows what's going on, it's so weird.
Maybe it's b/c we only have one TV station which is, well, nevermind.

In Toronto, everyone gets hyped over the silliest of events sometimes... they also have 4 popular TV stations that actually care about their city.
Considering it's on a Sat & Sun, I doubt CHCH would even bother to mention/cover it.

I forget how I was reminded? Maybe View?

Thanks for the map... for some reason it wouldn't work at the office, but works fine at home! haha

[raisethehammer]

dang...this place was packed tonight! I was shocked.
Does anyone know if the waterfront shuttle replica buses were being used on their route? nothing on HSR website.
I'd like to know for Sunday.

[beanmedic]

dang...this place was packed tonight! I was shocked.
Does anyone know if the waterfront shuttle replica buses were being used on their route? nothing on HSR website.
I'd like to know for Sunday.

yes.

[raisethehammer]

thanks.
Great job advertising the service by HSR....sheesh

[matt602]

Oh yah they were out there. People were also using them, shockingly. Here's the first one I caught during Friday evening on James North (and slightly out of focus. gah!)

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/hsr71.jpg

[raisethehammer]

yea, I saw them yesterday.
wicked fireworks show last night.