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Twainiacs celebrate

Shania fans salute singer at the start of fifth-annual convention.

The Daily Press
August 10, 2007
Scott Paradis

Shania Twain fans attending the fifth-annual fan convention reach for plastic
cutlery Thursday to help them devour their Chez Nous poutines at the Shania
Twain Centre on Thursday. Fans gathered for the annual meet and greet, the
kickoff to many activities fans will be involved with during their stay in the city.

For Twainiacs, Timmins is a city that has to be seen more than once.

More than 40 Shania fans filled the city’s Shania Twain Centre Thursday evening for the fan convention’s annual meet and greet. In the room were a number of fans who were seeing the city for the first time, however, alongside them were people who continue to return to the city year after year.

Teresa and Phil Cornwell, a husband and wife who have been married for 30 years, are in Timmins for their fourth visit. They travelled three times through the fan convention and once on their own to see Twain’s homecoming concert.

The Cornwells aren’t travelling short distances to come to Timmins either — making the voyage across the big pond from Cambridge, England.

“It’s just such a beautiful country,” Teresa told The Daily Press.

“We always have a warm welcome in Timmins.”

Teresa and Phil said they have had a love for Shania’s music since 1994.

Back then, Teresa said she would often line dance to Twain’s music — a hobby not popular in the United Kingdom.

But line dancing is popular where the Cornwells live because there’s an American air base nearby.

And the line-dancing-loving Americans have exported their cowboy culture to that area of the United Kingdom.

While line dancing isn’t necessarily popular in England, Shania certainly is, Teresa said.

Phil and Teresa can quickly count off at least 10 Shania concerts that have taken place in their country.

“And they all seem to be sellouts as far as I can tell,” said Phil.

Of course the fan convention is about more than just the music.

“A lot of people have been in town early,” said Tracy Hautanen, Shania Twain Centre facility manager.

“They like to come up on their own and do some shopping and site seeing.”

The returning participants of the convention may have originally came because of the music, however, now friendship has a lot to do with the visits.

“They all show the same interest in Shania,” Hautanen said.

“But now they have more in common, they’ve established friendships.”

The local economy gets a bit of a boost as well. Many of the fans who attend the convention love to devour local treats, literally.

On Thursday evening a batch of Chez Nous poutines were served up at the Shania Twain Centre.

A known favourite of Twain’s, her fans poked at gravy-soaked fries with their plastic forks before twirling it into some of the melted cheese.

The fan convention continues today with the backstage tour at the Shania Twain Centre and a celebrity dunk tank in the afternoon.

Before the convention concludes, participating Twain fans will be involved with karaoke, a pig roast, a tour of the city, a MuchMusic video dance party and a farewell breakfast.

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