The GO-2 Spot

Ontario has some great GO-2 Spots this summer, from beaches to clubs, festivals to concerts….go grab your pen…and record some of these great ideas each month!

Have some GO-2 Spots to share? Maybe some to avoid? Email us at info@mainstreetmagazine.net- type GO-2 in the subject line!

Check out these TOP Festivals!

These Ontario festivals and events represent the best of the best and should be considered as a must to visit. I know that as we Travel Ontario we will be looking to visit these great festivals and events.

Winnie's Hometown Festival (White River)
August 20 - 22
Winona Peach Festival (Winona)
August 27 - 29
World Heritage Sunset Ceremonies (Fort Henry - Kingston) July

Aug

TD Canada Trust Kitchener Blues Festival (Kitchener)
August 5 - 8

TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival (Ottawa)

June 24 - July 4
TD Canada Trust Sunfest '10 (London)
July 8 -11
TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival (Toronto)
June 25 - July 4
Tecumseh Corn Festival (Tecumseh)
August 26 - 29
Toronto Fringe Festival (Toronto)
June 30 - July 11
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (Toronto)
July 9 - 11
White Pines Cultural Festival (Blind River)
July 8 - 11

Alliston Potato Festival (Alliston)
August 6 - 8
Brantford International Villages Cultural Festival (Brantford)

July 7 - 10
Buckhorn Fine Art Festival (Buckhorn)
August 12 - 15
Burlington's Sound of Music Festival (Burlington)
June 17 - 20
Canada Day C elebrations (Ottawa)

July 1
Canadian International Military Tattoo (Hamilton)
June 12 - 13
Canadian National Exhibition (Toronto)
August 20 - September 6
Canadian Redneck Games (Minto)
June 25 - 27
Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival (Port Colborne)
July 30 - August 2
Carrousel of the Nations 2010 (Windsor)
June 11 - 13 June 18 - 20 June 25 - 27
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest (Ottawa)
July 7 - 18
Cobourg San dcastle Festival (Cobourg)
July 31 - August 1
Collingwood Elvis Festival (Collingwood)
July 22 - 25
Dundas Cactus Festival (Dundas)
August 20 -22
Dundas International Buskerfest (Dundas)
June 4 -6
Dunnville's 35th Annual Mudcat Festival (Dunnville)
June 5 - 13

Essex Fun Fest (Essex)
July 8 - 11
Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games (Fergus)
August 13 - 15
Festival of Fire (Toronto)
July 1 - 10
Friendship Festival (The) (Fort Erie)
July 1 - 4
Glengarry Highland Games (Maxville)
July 30 - 31
Guelph & District Multicultural Festival (Guelph)
June 11 - 13
Hanover Sights & Sounds Festival (Hanover)
July 22 - 25
Hillside Festival (Guelph)
July 23 -25
Holstein Rodeo Weekend (Holstein)
July 8 - 11
Home County Folk Festival (London)
July 16 - 18
Huntsville Festival of the Arts (Huntsville)
July 3 - 24
IlluminAqua (Welland)
May 21 - September 9
It's Your Festival (Hamilton)
July 1 - 4
Kapuskasing Annual Lumberjack Heritage Festival
July 23 - 25
Kempenfest 2010 (Barrie)
July 30 - August 2
Kingston Sheep Dog Trials (Kingston)
August 6 - 8
Luminato- Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity (Toronto)
June 11 - 20
Mattawa Voyageur Days (Mattawa)
July 22 - 25
Mississauga Waterfront Festival (Port Credit)
June 18 - 20
Mount Forest Fireworks Festival (Mount Forest)
July 16 - 18
Muslim Fest 2010 (Mississauga)
July 31 - August 1
Niagara Italian Festival (Thorold)
June 17 - 19
Ottawa Folk Festival (Ottawa)
August 13 - 15
Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival (Ottawa)
July 24 - August 7
Peak to Shore Music & Art Fest (Blue Mountains)
August 20 - 22
Peterborough Little Lake Musicfest (Peterborough)
June 26 - August 28
Porquis Blues Festival (Iroquois Falls)
July 9 - 11
Pride Toronto (Toronto)
June 24 - July 4
Re-Enactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek (Stoney Creek)

June 5 - 6
Rideau Canal Festival (Ottawa)
July 30 - August 2
Rockhound Gemboree (Bancroft)
July 29 - August 1
Rogers Bayfest (Sarnia)
July 8 - 17
Rogers Cup presented by National Bank (Toronto)
August 7 - 5
SALSA at Blue Mountain (Blue Mountains)
June 26 - 27
Scotiabank Caribana Festival (Toronto)
July 14 - August 2
Scotiabank Toronto International BuskerFest (Toronto)
August 26 - 29
Shoppers Drug Mart Sandfest (Sauble Beach)
August 6 - 8
Simcoe Rotary Friendship Festival (Simcoe)
July 31 - August 2

As seen in the May Issue of Main Street Magazine. Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM go to www.mainstreetmagazine.net

The Entrepreneur

Three Biggest Business Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

So you own a small business, or are your own boss at home, huh? Congratulations! You are in very good company. According to a US Census Bureau, over 16 million people worked at home….in 2001. We can only imagine what the number is now.

So many small business owners have been happy to claim the title of being their own boss for years now. And of course, like all professionals, they haven’t always done everything right by their business. Marketing, advertising, elevator pitches, websites, blogs, the whole bit, should be a piece of cake for those who own their own business, right?

Actually no, that’s not the case at all. The fact is, marketing your business is and will be, an ever evolving project, you will always be working on something related to that. Read on for some common mistakes most small business owners make, and what you can do to avoid them.

#1. Not Letting Anyone Know You Are There

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not telling anyone about your business. Oh you can tell people that you are a seamstress, but if that’s as far as you go, you are in trouble. If you never bother to tell people that they could hire you to sew, write, build, etc. for them, or that you are available for any of their projects, you won’t get any clients.

The simple way to avoid this–tell everyone about your business. Not simply friends and family, and the obvious people. For example if you are a plumber, talk to your local home improvement store, local business owners, contractors, new businesses, etc. You never know when someone might be looking for, or know of someone who needs, someone who does what you do.

#2. Not Using Your Name

Especially if you are a freelancer, your name is your business. You might be tempted to use a nickname, or pen name as a user-name for websites that showcase your projects. Please realize that if people are going to Google, or look you up, they will probably type in your whole name.

The simple way to avoid this–Use your, or your business’ entire name. For example, don’t just advertise your daycare as the Corner Daycare Center, but Little Tykes Corner Daycare Center (if that’s the full name). Give as many details about your business as you can.

#3. Not Establishing An Online Presence

Most small business owners are perfectionists (don’t worry that’s a compliment), and want things to look exactly right, so for they are always looking for that next “better” website, blog, marketing ploy, etc… That has kept some small business owners from getting online at all. This can hurt your business, because a lot of people will look for your business online, instead of calling and speaking to you directly.

The simple way to avoid this–Get thee online! Start a blog, sign up for an inexpensive website, get on Facebook and Twitter. Put something online that says what you do, and how people can contact you. You can even list your business for free with Yahoo, so that you can be found locally.

There you have it, the top small business mistakes and how to avoid them. Now we all have no excuses for not getting our business up and running. Except for well, maybe, that whole economy thing. But even that has never stopped the entrepreneurial spirit before.

~Helen Heard~

As seen in the May Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to recieve your free copy of MSM go to www.mainstreetmagazine/net