Although the theatre may be dark preparing for a spectacular 2011 season, Stratford buzzes with musical concerts, theatrical and spoken word performances right into spring.
Recognized as a great year-round place for all things cultural, resident artists, as well as those on tour, keep the city hopping with intimate pop, rock and folk shows, classical music concerts, edgy plays and the St. Marys Storytelling Festival’s Winter series of spoken word events.
What’s your style? Choose from bars and restaurants on the weekends packed with up and coming musical acts or expand your theatre experience with plays taking place in cool warehouse spaces. There are symphonic, chamber and choral concerts of a classical bent or come to enjoy the subtlety of spoken-word performances.
Why not make a weekend of it with a great package, add a Saturday afternoon tasting and choose from some exciting entertainment.

Check out the highlights below or visit our What’s On section:

Folk, Pop and Rock:

• All weekend long Molly Bloom’s rocks the town with local and touring bands in a hot club atmosphere
• Friday nights hit both Bentley’s and the Queen’s Inn, where the locals gather to relax with friends taking in Stratford’s local rock and folk scene
• Foster's presents their Dinner and Concert Sessions every first and third Thursday of the month with artists ranging from the aural poetry of Craig Cardiff and Rob Szabo to songstress Catherine MacLellan to Lynn Miles’ country-folk-pop
• Live at City Hall offers headliners such as Stephen Fearing, Harry Manx and Lennie Gallant in intimate concerts in the historic concert venue of City Hall

Symphonic, Chamber and Choral Concerts:

• Stratford Symphony Orchestra presents Flight to Italy on February 18th and Operamania on April 16th
• Factory Arts Ensemble offers chamber recitals with period instruments at the converted 19th century warehouse space of Factory 163 on February 6th with a Baroque Playlist and Serenade on April 3rd
• Famed U.K. organist James O’Donnell of Westminster Abbey makes a rare Canadian performance on February 20th

Theatre:

• Canadian playwright David Fennario’s gritty dead serious one-man show, Bolsheviki, starring Robert King is performed from February 8th to the 12th at Factory 163

Spoken Word:

• St. Marys Storytelling Festival, is a unique celebration of the spoken word and their winter season is expected to be very special with Brad Woods The Lost Art of Listening on February 13th, Dan Yashinsky and Brian Katz on March 13th and Stephanie Beneteau’s Tristan and Iseult on April 10th