The eyes of the world are focused on far-off Beijing, but the mysteries and marvels of China are as close as Ontario Place.

That's the site of the 2008 Rogers Chinese Lantern Festival, a magical array of 32 massive, lantern-lit sets constructed from 280,000 metres of silk, 95 tonnes of steel framing and 120,000 lights.

The sets depict a fantastic world of enormous dinosaurs, luminous peacocks, Russian cathedrals, exotic animals, undulating seagrasses, fiery dragons and world landmarks such as the towers of Eiffel and Pisa. Sixty master craftsmen from the China Colour Lantern Museum in Zigong worked all summer to create the lantern sets.

For food-lovers, there's a Mandarin Food Market with food samplings and demonstrations of such arts as fruit carving, curry preparation and dumpling and noodle making. Acrobats, dancers, musicians and martial artists will entertain nightly on two stages over the duration of the festival, which ends Oct. 12.

The festival is open nightly from 7 to 11 p.m. until Sept. 1, and after Labour Day on Thursdays and Fridays from 6 to 10 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 5 to 10 p.m. Admission prices range from free for children under four to $25 for guests 13 to 64.

The Fairmont Royal York, official hotel for the festival, is offering a Chinese Lantern Package priced from $249 per room per night. It includes a one-night stay at the landmark hotel, two adult tickets to the lantern festival and breakfast for two in the hotel.

Call 1-800-441-1414 or visit fairmont.com. Details on the festival are at chineselanternfestival.ca.

The jazz singer

There can't be many singers in the world who would qualify as the legendary Ella Fitzgerald's "equal."

But that's how she once referred to Mark Murphy, the headliner at next weekend's 7th annual Historic Lewiston Jazz Festival in New York state.

Murphy's name may not ring as many bells as, say, Mel Torme's or Frank Sinatra's, but he's been kicking around the jazz biz for the better part of his 76 years. He's earned six Grammy nominations and the admiration of contemporary Liza Minelli, who said "There's a party goin' on in Mark's head and I want to go to it."

Now he's coming to Lewiston's party, which starts Friday, Aug. 22, in the historic village just across the river from Queenston. More than 140 musicians will stage 35 performances over the weekend.

On Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., they'll perform in local pubs and restaurants and in a variety of indoor and outdoor sites along Center Street. On Sunday, the action moves to the riverfront. All performances are free.

A classic car show of vintage British autos and European collector cars is being presented by Jag Buffalo. A complete schedule of performances and activities can be found at lewistonjazz.com.

Pass the muster please

The sound of cannon fire will echo across the Niagara River this weekend, but it's a peaceful pursuit.

Fife and drum corps and soldiers from historic sites across North America will gather at historic Fort George for a fife and drum muster and soldiers' field day.

Events include competitions of drill squads, the music corps and military skills of the infantry and artillery from Fort George and other historic sites.

Contact Parks Canada at 905-468-6614 or visit pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/on/fortgeorge.

Opa!

Crack open the ouzo -- it's Greekfest in Ottawa.

From now through Aug. 24, the capital will celebrate the land of bouzoukis and baklava at sites around and in the Hellenic Centre on Prince of Wales Drive.

The program is packed with events such as language lessons, Greek dancing, the Zorba show, an arts and culture courts, special theme days, cooking demonstrations, children's activities, a Greek dessert cafe, live music, tours of the Orthodox Church and a fashion show of traditional costumes.

Check out the schedule at ottawagreekfest.com.

An apple in a day

Gianpaul Granata's bus tours are becoming the talk of the town.

He's the guy who loads people onto a charter coach on Friday nights, drops them in New York City early (but not necessarily bright) on Saturday morning and heads out of town at 10 that night for the overnight bus trip home. All reports indicate that the flying visits are well organized, a ton of fun and reasonably priced at $109 per person return. There's no itinerary upon arrival in the Big Apple -- visitors can do the museums, shop, eat, sightsee and whatever else they can fit in.

There's another daytrip going on Friday, Sept. 12, but in the meantime, Gianpaul is trying something new -- an overnight getaway.

It departs Hamilton and Burlington on Friday, Aug. 22, but participants will stay overnight in New York on Saturday and leave early Sunday afternoon for the trip home.

A choice of accommodations is offered: the Hotel Thirty Thirty (thirtythirty-nyc.com), a smart boutique hotel in the Gramercy Park-Union Square area, where rates range from $269 per person with two in a room to $209 a person with five per room; and the new Meadowlands Hampton Inn (meadowlandshampton.com) in Carlstadt, N.J., which offers transit bus pickup into Manhattan. Rates there include breakfast and range from $219 per person with two to a room, and $169 for each of four people in the room.

To book, contact Gianpaul at ultimategetaways@cogeco.ca or Bravo Travel in Hamilton at 905-318-9897.

Under Elmwood

The American Planning Association considers Buffalo's Elmwood Village one of the 10 best neighbourhoods in the U.S. Could it be the festival?

The annual Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts, returning next weekend for its ninth year, stretches three full blocks along the street, from Lafayette Avenue through West Ferry Street.

It has just about everything a summer festival should have: more than 50 music and dance performances on three stages, 170 artists selling works in 16 different media, food vendors flogging everything from battered veggies to juice made in solar-powered blenders, a kidsfest and parade, a cultural row featuring 30 community organizations and environmental row with booths promoting ways to help the planet.

The festival takes place Saturday, Aug. 23, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There's no charge for admission.

For information and directions, see elmwoodartfest.org.

Pret-a-Porter

Flights between Toronto City Centre Airport and Quebec City were so popular this summer that Porter Airlines will continue the service after the summer schedule ends Sept. 2.

Roundtrip flights will continue to operate every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with daily service resuming next summer. Special holiday flights will be added daily between Dec. 7 and Jan. 7.

Porter, a regional passenger carrier based at the island airport, currently serves Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Quebec City and New York City.

Visit flyporter.com, contact a travel agent, or call 1-888-619-8622.

mnolan@thespec.com

905-526-4689

Talk back to Mary K. Nolan on her Internet blog by going to the Traveller site and clicking on Roaming: the travel blog