Summer in Niagara Falls, Ontario is not nearly as warm as summer in southern Missouri. Just ask the record crowd that attended the annual CFA summer meeting held from July 26th through the 28th at the Sheraton Fallsview in Niagara Falls, Ontario. There were no complaints about the heat. The hotel offered some magnificent views of the falls which were just across the road.

The event opened Thursday night with a record thirty-eight exhibitors (watch out World of Concrete). One hundred forty registered for the full conference along with 70 spouses or guests. The variety of topics were presented during the educational segment of the program including sessions on concrete homes, economics of concrete placement, managing credit, tools for testing, the CFA web site, and concrete basics.

Activities included a picnic at the Chateau des Charmes, a delightful winery in the Niagara wine region (I didn’t think Canada produced anything other than Moosehead and Lablatts). The better wines compared with those of California and a special wine called “Ice Wein” was garnering special attention by many in the sample room.

The Saturday night event was a picnic at historic Queenston heights, where the Canadians repulsed an American invasion attempt sometime in the 1800’s. A bus tour of Niagara Falls attractions was also well attended. Unfortunately we had to compete for space with the thousands of tourists who descend on this area in the summer.

Next year promises to be a totally new experience in a place most CFA members have never visited. The only crowds next year will be CFA members because we have reserved all of the sleeping rooms of the resort for the three days of our event.