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!

WE LIKE TO PARTY!

                  Stratford is definitely a town that likes to party.

On June 21-23, we enjoyed the 4^th 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!