Two things are fairly certain come mid-July in these parts: The temperature will reach scorching highs, and the year-long wait for the annual North Tonawanda Canal Fest to come back around will finally be over. The week-long festival features a History Weekend, July 22-23 at Gratwick-Riverside Park. Live music, Civil War history demonstrations, face painting, dance performances, street entertainment and book signings by local authors are all on the bill. Cinderella carriage rides along the Niagara River shore will be offered from 11am to 6pm, and the always popular Canal Fest Craft Show and Clinton Park Flea Market will be open throughout the weekend (a shuttle bus will provide transportation between the two). This year there will also be a visit from the historic tugboat Urger. Urger is one of the oldest working vessels in the country that is still afloat, and she has cruised the waters of the Erie Canal since the 1920s. Canal Fest culminates with a fireworks show from the shores of the Niagara River on Sunday night that should rival even the best of the Fourth of July shows. Remember, once the fireworks are over you’ll be spending the whole rest of your year waiting for Canal Fest to be back, so enjoy it while it’s here.

—michael a. colucci

Saturday, 9am-dark; Sunday, 9am-5pm. Gratwick-Riverside Park, North Tonawada. Call the North Tonawanda History Museum (213-0554) or visit www.nthistorymuseum.org. Free