Canada Day

The City of Stratford Canada Day Community celebration will take place on July 1, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Stratford’s Market Square.

Activities to be confirmed. 

• Full House Brass
• Lauren Neilson
• Stelle & Carter
• Sarah Smith
• Maggie's Wake

Event organizers are now receiving applications for Food Vendors to participate in the Canada Day in Market Square event. Food trucks and vendors will be located on Downie Street and Market Place, at the discretion of event organizers. 

Applications are electronic and must be complete otherwise they will be rejected.

• The Food Vendor application does not represent a contract and does not guarantee participation in the event. 
• An award to a food vendor to participate is based solely on need and desired variety, and is at the sole discretion of the event organizers. 
• Vendors approved to participate will receive an email indicating a successful application. At that time, a non-refundable payment will be invoiced to the vendor, indicating a commitment to the vendor to participate. The cost to participate as a food vendor is $150.
• Only those vendors approved to participate will receive correspondence back from event organizers. Unsuccessful applicants won't be contacted. 

The deadline to apply is Friday, May 26, 2023. 

Apply Now

Stratford Transit won't be operating on July 1, Canada Day. We encourage attendees to walk, bike, share a ride with a neighbour or friend.

Bike post and ring parking is available in and around Market Square. 

• Free Swim at the Stratford Lions Pool (2:30 - 4 p.m.)
• Canada Day Parade hosted by the Stratford and District Saddle Club and Bethel Pentecostal Church
• Canada Day Fireworks at SERC provided by the Stratford Kinsmen Club

To support our festival in Market Square, the following road closures will occur from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 1.

• Wellington Street from St. Patrick Street to Downie Street
• Downie Street from Albert Street to George Street West
• Market Place from Wellington Street to Downie Street

Facebook: City of Stratford

Twitter: @cityofstratford

What to Wear

Come decked out in colours of community support

• red and white
• orange as a symbol of solidarity in truth and reconciliation
• rainbow colours to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride

Also, be prepared to enjoy these outdoor events rain or shine. 

On July 1 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., citizens are welcome to attend Stratford's Canada Day parade hosted by the Stratford and District Saddle Club and Bethel Pentecostal Church.  

This year's parade is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. from the corner of Lakeside Drive and Waterloo Street moving north-east from Waterloo Street to Mornington Street, heading west on McCarthy Road West and finishing at the Rotary Complex. Fifty floats are expected to participate.

Organizers encourage those attending to come decked out in colours of community support: red and white for Canadiana, orange as a symbol of solidarity in Truth and Reconciliation, and rainbow colours to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride.

Event Contact and Volunteering

This event is hosted by the Stratford and District Saddle Club, and they would like to invite people who wish to help out to apply as a volunteer. Volunteer roles and responsibilities include:

• Assisting the marshaling floats into starting positions along Lakeside Drive
• Attending barricades at road closures along the parade route
• Walking alongside the parade as it moves to ensure members of the public do not enter the route. 

Apply Now

Event Health and Safety

To ensure the health and safety measures are met, event organizers remind those attending the event that:

1. Parade floats will not hand out any items to attendees along the parade route.
2. Walking into the route, by the public, is strictly prohibited. 

On July 1st from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., road closures and barricades will be installed on adjacent streets to the parade route.

• Floats will be invited to setup at designated times between 4 and 5:30 p.m. There will be two float setup times and event organizers will contact floats prior to the start date to indicate their setup times. Setup will begin on the north lane (Avon River side) of Lakeside Drive from the Tom Patterson Theatre to Front Street.
• From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m, the William Allman Arena parking lot will be made available only to the bands scheduled to be in the parade. The public will not have access to this parking lot during these times. 
• Volunteers will be placed within the float marshaling areas, and at road closures and barricades throughout the entire event, including setup and takedown times. 

We will be releasing an event map in the near future, for the parade route, road closures and barricade placements.  

Patrons will be directed to utilize the Festival Theatre Parking Lot, Cooper Site, Lower Queens Parking, Upper Queens Parking and the Rotary Complex Parking Lot but will be reminded to be mindful of parking in residential areas to not block sidewalks or driveways. Additionally, patrons will be asked to use active transportation such as walking or biking.

Stratford Transit won't be operating on July 1. We encourage attendees to walk, bike, share a ride with a neighbour or friend.

Float Marshalling Instructions

1. The event will be held, rain or shine.
2. Floats will move along the parade route, which is planned to start at Lakeside Drive and Waterloo Street (Tom Patterson Theatre), moving north-east from Waterloo Street to Mornington Street, heading west on McCarthy Road and finishing at the Rotary Complex. 
3. Float hosts are expected to fully decorate their float in the spirit of the holiday (Canadiana).
4. As this is a family event, please be aware that small children will attend the event. The experience MUST NOT be disturbing in any way.
5. Floats are invited to setup starting at 4:00 p.m. on the day of the event and must be complete no later than 5:30 p.m. Setup will begin on the north lane (Avon River side) of Lakeside Drive from the Tom Patterson Theatre to Front Street. Organizers will be on-site to assist floats into marshalling positions.
6. To enter the float marshalling area along Lakeside Drive, please use Lakeside Drive North of Front Street. For larger floats, you may access Lakeside Drive via Romeo Street to Delamere Avenue to Lakeside Drive North to Lakeside Drive. Please be aware that Stratford Festival patrons will be existing the Tom Patterson Theatre and Stratford Festival from 4 – 5:30 p.m.
7. Bands are to marshal on Morenz Drive in front of the William Allman Arena. 
8. The front of the parade will start moving at 6pm.
9. Parade floats are not to hand out any items to attendees along the parade route, and walking into the route, by the public, is strictly prohibited. 
10. This parade may be broadcast on various media, and parade float entries may be interviewed.
11. When the parade ends in at the Rotary Complex, floats are asked to disperse by continuing on McCarthy Road west, or can pull into the Rotary Complex to stop and coordinate a take down. 

2023 Corporate Community Donors

1. Brown Heating & Cooling
2. Sinclair Pharmacy
3. Stratford & District Saddle Club