BuzzFest gets stung by heavy rain; event postponed to next month

An event focused on pollination and the importance of bees was postponed due to weather on Sunday morning, but there was still a small swarm of people involved to talk about it on site.

BuzzFest, hosted by not-for-profit organization Niagara Bee Group, was set to take place at The Grove, a new public space on Erie Road maintained by the Crystal Beach BIA.

Many vendors either cancelled or decide to pack up after arriving Sunday morning, said Sandra Ozkur, a board member of the group who also handles communications.

A point she and executive director George Scott stressed while chatting with Fort Erie Radio Sunday morning was the importance of native species of plants, ones that bees have an easier time pollinating with.

“They won’t be able to forage on that pot of flowers,” she said while pointing to a hanging basket along Erie Road.

Scott said people should be spending their money on plants that are non-ornamental, but they need to be made aware of the benefits first.

“There’s no market for it because people haven’t read about how they’re not contributing to the overall wellbeing of their community,” he said.

“They don’t have that knowledge,” added Ozkur.

“Everyone is willing to protect bees, but they don’t know how,” she continued.

Ozkur said they are aiming for a rescheduled event in September, one that feels like a “festival” with many vendors.

Honey extraction and birds of prey demonstrations were part of the plan Sunday but were cancelled due to the rain.

Jolene Drouin is a beekeeper in charge of Niagara Bee Group’s honey-making endeavours.

With several jars on her table for sale, she said last year’s harvest was “abundant” because of weather, one of the biggest factors in bee behaviour.

She noted that bees will not fly when it’s windy and rainy.

“Their wings can break and it’s stressful for them,” she explained.

Drouin doesn’t wear a suit when it’s production time, and said that she’s “used to it” when asked about how many times she has been stung.

She also said there are many health benefits in bee venom people are “starting to learn about.”

The Town of Fort Erie was recently designated a “bee city,” joining a growing network of communities across the country committed to protecting pollinators and promoting biodiversity.

“As part of the Bee City Canada program, our town is taking meaningful steps to support bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other essential pollinators through education, habitat creation, and community engagement,” the town says on its website.

BuzzFest was planned to coincide with the farmers market hosted at The Grove on Sundays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

It has been taking place since May and runs until Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

BIA member Robin Bannerman said it attracts between 15 and 20 vendors each week and that it has “higher visibility” to people in Crystal Beach compared to previous market locations like Queens Circle and the parking lot of the Crystal Chandelier.

The Grove also hosts live music, volleyball courts, and more.

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