Every year from April through November, one of the largest and most critically acclaimed repertory theatre festivals in North America transforms this small Ontario city into a cultural destination that draws half a million patrons from around the world. The Stratford Festival, founded in 1953, stages productions of Shakespeare, contemporary drama, and musicals across four theatres, with the Festival Theatre's thrust stage beneath its signature tent-shaped roof serving as the flagship venue. The Festival's influence radiates through the entire city: dozens of restaurants have opened to serve theatre-goers, and the dining scene is remarkably sophisticated for a city of 33,000 -- chef-driven bistros, modern Italian restaurants, French-inspired kitchens, and cafes with locally sourced menus line the downtown streets, many with pre-theatre and post-theatre seatings timed to the curtain schedule. The Avon River winds through the city centre past a swan-filled lake, formal gardens, and walking paths that provide a pastoral setting for pre-show strolls. The Gallery Stratford hosts visual-arts exhibitions, and the Perth County Courthouse, a Victorian Romanesque landmark, anchors the civic core. Annual events beyond the Festival include the Stratford Summer Music festival, a classical and world-music series, and the Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival. The surrounding Perth County countryside offers farm visits, cheese dairies, and antique shops, and the chocolate and confectionery shops along Ontario Street have become destinations in their own right. Day trips reach the Grand Bend beach communities on Lake Huron in about an hour and the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest and market scene in about 45 minutes.

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Population

33,000

Weather

The Avon River valley in Perth County, southwestern Ontario, produces a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Annual precipitation averages about 1050 mm, distributed fairly evenly across the year. The surrounding agricultural landscape and river valley influence local conditions. Spring (March to May) warms from 0C (32F) in March to 18C (64F) by late May. The Avon River and its surrounding parks bloom with tulips and daffodils in May. Summer (June to August) is warm and pleasant, with daytime highs of 25-28C (77-82F) and overnight lows around 14-16C (57-61F). Fall (September to November) is pleasant, with temperatures declining from 20C (68F) in September to 3C (37F) by November. Winter (December to February) is cold and snowy, with daytime highs of -3 to 0C (27-32F) and overnight lows around -11 to -8C (12-18F). Snowfall averages about 1400 mm per season.

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