Local Vibe

Late into the summer when some towns are winding things down for the year, Stratford is celebrating the last weekend of the summer by hosting two festivals. Saturday, September 18, 2010 will see the Stratford Rotary Dragon Boat Festival taking place at Lake Victoria while the Stratford Garlic Festival will be at the Old Stratford Fairgrounds.

The Dragon Boat Festival is an annual event in it’s 14th year which draws crowds and participants from all over Ontario. The day long event begins at 8am with a pancake & sausage breakfast hosted by the Festival City Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Mitchell. The complete schedules, team information and event map can be found on the Dragon Boat section of the Stratford Rotary Club website.

The Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Week kicks off with the Stratford Garlic Festival. What you are going to find at the Garlic Festival will include their famous garlic market, presentations and demonstrations, musical entertainment, children’s activities and more. The entire theme of your visit to the area can have a dash of garlic added if you choose. As this town gets behind their events, you can be sure that several of the local restaurants will be featuring specials with the showcased ingredient. Complete information can be found at the Stratford Garlic Festival website.

The Culinary Week celebrations wrap up with the festivities of the Savour Stratford Culinary Festival on September 25th and 26th. This festival includes a two-day outdoor Farmers and Artisans’ Market, Concerts in the park, an old-fashion Pork Roast, a Beer and Wine Pavilion, Children’s Area, Perth County BBQ’s, the Stratford Chefs School Learning Centre, BBQ, Blues and Brews on Saturday night, followed by the Savour Stratford Tasting on Sunday. It all happens in Stratford’s historic downtown shopping and garden district. More information can be found on the Savour Stratford Pert County website.

This is just one week out of the year but it is an example of how things get done in Stratford. There is always something to do, somewhere to go, or something to see! Come on out and ENJOY!