Central Elgin, ON, November 19, 2012 – Elgin-St. Thomas Tourism is pleased to announce the release of the Elgin County Heritage Guide.

Elgin-St. Thomas Tourism released the guide to promote heritage tourism and attract visitors and residents to experience historic places in Elgin County and St. Thomas. The guide showcases the area’s rich history and encourages travelers to visit historic places and events.

“Interest in Canada’s heritage places is growing,” said Tourism Development Coordinator Kathryn Russell. “As a result tourists are becoming increasingly drawn to heritage attractions. Communities that promote heritage can create popular tourist destinations. Heritage tourism enthusiasts tend to stay longer, spend more money and participate in multiple heritage-related activities while on trips.”

This comprehensive guide includes: museum listings, heritage walking tours, maps, events, heritage buildings and attractions, historical plaques and information on barn quilt tours in the area. A digital copy of the guide will also be available for download on www.elgintourist.com/heritage.

For a copy of the Elgin County Heritage Guide please call (519) 631-1460 ext. 164, email tourism@elgin-county.on.ca or visit Elgin-St. Thomas Tourism at 450 Sunset Dr. St. Thomas.

On Saturday December 8 the music and life of Roy Orbison will be celebrated in “Roy Orbison: Shades of Christmas” a special theatrical show presented at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre. This unique show will mix favourite Orbison hits alongside some Christmas classics including Orbison’s “Pretty Paper”, coupled with some interesting and witty dialogue relating to the music legend.

From Bill Culp Productions:

“Pretty woman, walking down the street…Pretty woman, the kind I’d like to meet…” These song lyrics are familiar to most music fans from Roy Orbison’s 1964 hit song “Pretty Woman”, a timeless tune that was also a hit in the 1980’s when it was covered by Van Halen. In addition to that classic, Roy Orbison had numerous other hits including “Only the Lonely”, “Crying”, “Running Scared”, “In Dreams”, and later chart-toppers including “Handle With Care” (recorded with the Traveling Wilburys) and “You Got It”, a Top Ten smash at the time of Roy’s tragic passing in 1988.

Starring as Roy Orbison will be the incredible Bernie Jessome, widely regarded as one of North America's finest Roy Orbison impersonators. In addition to capturing the trademark look of the music legend, Bernie’s amazing vocal range mirrors the remarkable, unmistakable presence of Orbison himself. Joining Jessome on-stage will be Bill Culp and The Memphis Cats, a group of world-class musicians dedicated to authentically reproducing the sound of legendary artists such as Orbison, Patsy Cline, and Elvis Presley.

Bernie Jessome was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, and the longtime musician now hails from Toronto.  He started off his musical career singing with a Canadian group called “The Esquires” and as his career took off, he found himself opening for his idol Roy Orbison and groups like The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones. In 1991, he formed a Roy Orbison Tribute production called “Shades of Yesterday”.  He then connected with the huge “Legends of Rock and Roll” organization and toured Canada cast in the role of Roy Orbison.  Bernie has performed throughout the United States and spent more than a year with the U.S. based “American Superstars”.  His spellbinding performances as Roy Orbison throughout England in the 1990’s were the talk of the UK theatre circuit.

Today, as he tours the continent performing the tribute to his musical idol, Bernie Jessome is having the time of his life. Jessome comments, "Orbison was, in the eyes of Elvis Presley and many other great musicians, the best singer in the world.  He is a true legend and it is a privilege to sing in the memory of the irreplaceable Roy Orbison. The Port Stanley Festival Theatre is an intimate venue with excellent acoustics, so it truly gives Roy fans an opportunity to enjoy his music!”

Tickets for “Roy Orbison: Shades of Christmas” at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre on Saturday December 8 @ 8pm are only $27 (plus taxes / admin fee) and can be purchased by phone # 519-782-4353 or toll-free # 1-855-782-4353. For more information, visit www.PortStanleyTheatre.ca