Kawartha Downs Announces New General Manager and Future Event Details

The ownership and management of Kawartha Downs has introduced the new full-time general manager of Kawartha Downs Daniel D’Ercole at a press conference on Tuesday.

new general manager Daniel D’Ercole. Photo by Felicia Massey.

A Southern Ontario native, D’Ercole brings a strong education in Human Resources, Sports, Entertainment and Marketing that is bolstered by an MBA from Schulich School of Business. Over the last six years, D’Ercole has honed his skills in finance consulting, brand development, customer satisfaction and marketing strategy in a variety of roles.

He has a particular love of sports, notably hockey, and had an impressive career in the Ontario Junior Hockey League before shifting his focus to the business of entertainment.

This summer, Kawartha Downs Events plans to surpass expectations set by last year’s groundbreaking season as a premier event and entertainment centre. On May 20, Kawartha Downs will host its annual opening day celebration. The Lions Club classic car show will begin in the morning of opening day, kids activities in the afternoon and multiple bands will perform before harness racing post time of 7 p.m. The monster truck show June 3-4 will be the largest in the area.

“2022 was a record-breaker for Kawartha Downs and the surrounding community, and we are very proud of our last summer’s events,” said Richard Weldon, president of Kawartha Downs. “We got straight to work planning an evening bigger, more exciting season in 2023.”

The Country Music Festival on Canada Day Weekend has been highly anticipated by locals, and the entire artist lineup will be announced in the near future.

Recently details for the first ever Kawartha County Fair have been solidified. The fair will be a multiple day event consisting of your classic midway experience, a huge tractor pull, demolition derby and a concert featuring at least four local bands and a headliner. Kawartha Downs’ signature fireworks show will be put on every night of the fair.

“It is evident how tight-knit the surrounding community is with Kawartha Downs, and I plan on strengthening that relationship,” says D’Ercole. “As general manger, my priority is to implement strategic initiatives that will create a connection with people and businesses, and a connection to this community.”

“I know this venue has the potential to host some of Ontario’s largest events, and it is my goal to make Kawartha Downs one of the most successful destinations for entertainment in Ontario,” he continued.

For more information visit the website.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.