Stratford is a city on the Avon River in southwest Ontario, Canada. Victorian buildings dot the city, including Stratford City Hall and the Perth County Courthouse. The city’s many parks and gardens include the Shakespearean Gardens, with plants mentioned in the playwright’s works.

Stratford is a success story: As the story goes, in 1952, upon hearing that the Canadian National Railways (the region’s largest employer) was closing the doors of its Stratford facility, a young journalist by the name of Tom Patterson approached his council for a loan. His plan was to attract a troupe of actors to capitalize on the town’s namesake: Shakespeare’s birthplace. It worked. In 1953 the first performance of what has become the Stratford Festival (the largest of its kind) was born, creating a whole new industry, which continues to support the town today.

Today, one can walk the streets of this beautiful town and discover the colours, flavours, and sounds that make a visit to Stratford a getaway to savour any time of year. Taking in such amenities as the Stratford Chefs School, where the best chefs train. Or visit attractions such as the Stratford Perth Museum which features the start of Justin Bieber in his hometown and beyond; stories of Stratford’s rail history; the beginnings of the Stratford Festival; and Woodstock 1969 Stratford-connection exhibitions. And of course the Stratford Festival presents invigorating musicals, definitive classics, modern drama and timeless Shakespearean productions April to October. Then there is the Gallery Stratford, public art gallery contributing to the cultural heart of Southwest Ontario since 1967. Focusing on regional and Canadian contemporary art, offering unique opportunities for education, exploration and interaction. Other highlights include the Castle Kilbride, where one can marvel at the lavish décor in this 1877 National Treasure. Or celebrate Canada’s baseball heritage at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in the town of St. Marys, nearby.

Resources:
• https://www.stratford.ca
• https://visitstratford.ca
• https://www.theparlour.ca