Wednesday, October 9, 2013

BY DOING THEY LEARN

Last week as I walked along the river, I came upon a hands-on science lesson in progress – a mother enabling her children at a young age to develop a love of nature.

Apparently she brings the kids down to the river about once a week to feed grain to the ducks. 


And they obviously love it! All of them! As you can see, the excitement of the ducks soon attracted the geese, at which point the baby was lifted to mom’s knee.     






When the swans decided to join the party, it was time for the little ones to leave.

         
The joy on the faces of these three, and the delighted murmuring of appreciation 
from their feathered friends was truly a wonderful addition to my morning stroll. 
To see the next generation being groomed to respect their world, awesome! 


WOW!

  
Wonderful!  Outstanding!  Way to go, Stratford Symphony!

Recently I had the privilege of attending the opening night of this year’s season presented by the Stratford Symphony Orchestra. The evening, directed by the legendary Howard Cable, took us on a trip down memory lane.  At 93, Cable was delightfully quick-witted in his commentary as he introduced each of his renditions of the musical greats of the big band era.

The music was great and the memories pleasant, but what amazed me the most was the skill of the musicians that make up our symphony. To leap from their normal mode of classical orchestra into the free flowing, rhythmic swing that had the audience (and some of the orchestra members) bouncing in our seats – all I can say is WOW!

We are privileged in Stratford to have an abundance of musical experiences available to us. From October until June there is a wide variety of options for us to expand our horizons through the vehicle of music. The Stratford Symphony Orchestra, The Stratford Concert Band, Music & Opera, The Stratford Concert Choir, Inner Chamber, to name a few – all of these have a whole season prepared for our enjoyment. Details are available on their websites or you can pick up their brochures at the Tourism office across from City Hall.


We have a gold mine of cultural experiences right on our doorstep for very reasonable rates, many offering further reductions if you purchase tickets for the entire season. Why travel out of town, when this is available right in our backyard? It is only by our continued support that we are able to these experiences available in our community. Why not give yourself a cultural treat this year? Think about inviting your out-of-town relatives and friends to come and experience this different side of Stratford. A season’s pass makes a great holiday gift! Hope to see you there. 

Monday, July 15, 2013

CELEBRATING CANADA


July 1 found the citizens of Stratford out in full force to celebrate the fact that we are proud Canadians.

After stopping to listen to buskers in the park by Pazzo's, I headed to Market Square behind City Hall. It had been transformed into a tent city, bustling with activities for young and old alike.
Clowns and and bouncy castles entertained the young,


while Happy Hands -made of wax attracted the attention of adolescents.  

           

After the annual presentation of the bronze stars that will be placed in the downtown area, local performers were given 20 minute segments to strut their stuff.  

It was a special treat for us to welcome Yeager back to the stage as he continues to make his recovery following a horrific accident in March 2012. 



With a variety of vendors tantalizing our taste buds and plying their wares and  information, the City Centre Committee once again treated us to a fantastic Canada Day celebration, which we all enjoyed....including the canine attendees!
The annual evening parade and fireworks display were the icing on the cake, so to speak. This is just a sample of what makes us proud to be Canadian, and especially proud to live in Stratford!
















Sunday, July 14, 2013

WE LIKE TO PARTY!


                  Stratford is definitely a town that likes to party.

On June 21-23, we enjoyed the 4th annual Stratford Blues and Ribfest, where 15,000 were expected to descend on the riverside to enjoy a good time. 

People had a choice of locales to enjoy the tunes echoing off the water. Offering a mix of international, national and local talent with not only blues but rock and country as well, the concerts were all free, thanks to a Celebrate Ontario grant. 


The only exception was the Friday evening show which featured the return of Blue Rodeo, who attracted a big crowd of fans and helped to raise funds for Cash for Splash – the campaign aiming to raise the money needed to install a splash pad in the south end of the city. 


I attended the venue set up outside of the Allman Arena. A tented concert area, the street lined with vendors, the scent of grilled ribs, chicken, fries, ice cream and lots of other goodies all contributed to a great time.

It seems when there is an event like this, inhibitions are dropped and people are freer to chat with strangers sitting across the table. We met two delightful ladies who had driven into town for the event.

That`s one of the things I love about Stratford, the sense of community where people work together to make dreams happen. Kudos to Stew Laing, Nathan Mckay and their team for dreaming big and organizing such an outstanding event!


Friday, June 7, 2013

SATURDAY MORNING AT THE FARMERS MARKET

“To market, to market, to buy a fat pig…”




To tell the truth, I have never seen a pig at the Stratford Farmers Market,  but there is a vast array of goods to tantalize the palette.


As you arrive a visual bouquet of colour assails the eye.

Flowers ready for 
hanging or planting,

or fresh cut flowers to adorn your table.





Bright, cheery canopies shade 
fresh fruits and vegetables 
of all kinds and colours.



If you grow hungry, 
the Agricultural Society 
provides delicious 
bacon on a bun,


And to top it off there are fresh apple fritters or a fried Mars Bar!                                                        


A gathering place of citizens;
A chance to fill the larder with fresh food;
Saturday mornings, the Stratford Market is the place to be!

…and we haven’t even entered the building yet! That is for another entry. Keep posted.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

CARING FOR OUR OWN

On Saturday, May 25, 2013, a crowd gathered at 101 Brunswick Street to mark the opening of PAL Place Stratford.
According to their website, Performing Arts Lodge is a volunteer-based Canadian charitable organization dedicated to the provision of affordable housing, social assistance and other services to local members and associates of Canada’s professional and performing arts community who are in need of assistance by reason of low income, age or disability. It provides a sanctuary, a home, and a community for professionals of the theatre who find themselves in times of need during and at the end of their careers, times that can be uncertain and insecure. “PAL is a proven success story in several other locales nationwide. We heartily endorse and look forward to the same success story becoming reality here in Stratford.”

During the opening ceremonies one of the speakers read a note written by the beloved Canadian actor, Cedric Smith. He wrote of visiting an old friend from his days on stage who was living in a nursing home. Cedric was able to understand and communicate with this aging actor in a language that they both understood – the language of the theatre – which the caregivers at the home did not comprehend. How wonderful that the citizens of Stratford have had the foresight to want to “care for our own”, those members of the theatre who have contributed to the life of Stratford in so many ways. PAL will provide care not only in practical terms but also by creating an environment where they can continue to enjoy the ambiance and language of theatre.

Christopher Plummer,  honorary patron of PAL Stratford, made the trip to town in order to cut the ribbon during the official opening 



Glen Dias, who already lives at the lodge, sang a moving a cappella rendition of 'Bring Him Home' from Les Miserables.   How appropriate!
PAL Stratford was established as a non-profit organization in 2002 and in 2005 was registered as a Charitable Organization (86363 2881 RR0001). We are still looking to pay off $400,000 on the mortgage. If you wish to contribute to this wonderful addition to Stratford, please check out the website at http://palstratford.org

Friday, May 10, 2013

SPRING IS IN THE WORKS...that is...SPRINGWORKS!


On Thursday evening I had the privilege of attending the opening night of the third annual SpringWorks Indie Theatre and Arts Festival which runs in Stratford from May 9 – 19, 2013.

SpringWorks is a juried multi-disciplinary arts festival providing high-quality programs in a friendly welcoming atmosphere. There will be cabarets, dance, comedy, dinner theatre, shows for the younger set, visual arts, coffee houses, poetry and dramatic readings of several new plays. More than 100 artists will be featured in over 50 events in a variety of venues in Stratford, St. Mary's and Listowel. Companies come to take part in this festival from as far away as Kingston, and even from Nova Scotia!

If last night's presentation of Three Little Maids, Musical Revue, featuring Stratford resident Barbara Dunn-Prosser and her equally talented friends Debora Joy, and Janet Martin is any indication, we are in for a fabulous two weeks of entertainment. These singers, all very busy with careers as performers and vocal teachers, came together in a hilarious jaunt through the intertwining lives of three good friends. Starting off as carefree children, they then took us into the melodramatic period of adolescence with a vocal swing through the 70's. A visit to the Kiwanis Music Festival competitions had us almost rolling in the aisles as we savoured memories of our own efforts to please the almighty adjudicator! We cruised along with the maids through snippets of many Broadway hits as they became young women and pondered the theme of love and the stress of auditions. Adding their own lyrics to familiar Gilbert and Sullivan tunes provided quite the spoof on their early career days touring with the Stratford Theatre. Growing up they all found love, a time of life that was beautifully expressed with an intertwining of three separate love songs. Along with love came children, who grew into teenagers, once again bringing the house down with new lyrics to a well-known medley from musical theatre. Eventually they took us into the 21st century with cell phones and emails, and life that was just too, too busy to keep contact. That is - unless  they got together to write a show! Three Little Maids is definitely worth the $20 for admission when it plays again at City Hall on Sunday May 19 at 8 p.m.

After the concert I spoke with artistic producer Eileen Smith, who birthed the idea of such a festival in 2011. I was surprised to learn that the artists do not receive a set fee. Because this is a designated “festival”, they come and perform for love of their craft and are rewarded with 70% of the ticket sales, however high or low that may be. The festival itself runs on 30% of the take plus whatever they have been are able to garner from the generous sponsors who have stepped up to the plate.

The city hall auditorium was not full last night. As the festival progresses I hope that Stratfordites and tourists alike will realize what a gem we have here. I trust that you will make an effort to support these artists and take in the wealth of culture that is made available to us through SpringWorks!

For tickets contact www.springworksfestival.ca or 1-888-559-5077.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

ARE THEY JUMPING?


Every April the Avon River is stocked with trout for the annual      
Optimist Trout Derby. 









This year it was held on April 27 from 8:00 am to noon. 


  It is geared for children, 
but there were lots of families there to add to the fun.




And this year the weather co-operated. A beautiful sunny day! The fish were biting well. What more could you ask?





This is just another sign that Spring really IS coming to Stratford!

Saturday, April 27, 2013

ODE TO A STRATFORD SPRING


Back in March, a tiny bloom
Spring would surely be here soon









Then cold winds began to blow    
Bringing lots more piles of snow 

                                   


Patters on my window panes
April brought the warming rains



Bulbs pushed up their growing stalks


And citizens went out for walks






Spring at last? Oh no, not so!
Freezing rain and pelting snow.

                        


The daffodils have braved the cold
Spring is here…


         or so I’m told!