Canada Day

The City of Stratford Canada Day Community celebration will take place on July 1, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Stratford’s Market Square.

Come celebrate Canada Day and participate in some great family friendly activities with community partners.

Community organizations and activities include:

• Stratford Public Library - interactive activities for kids & toddlers

• Family Photo Booth – free photo booth strips

• Gallery Stratford - button & magnet making

• Playmakers Theatre - lantern making for lantern parade

• Stratford Lions Pool and Stratford Day Camp - free Canada Day tattoos, stickers and flags

• Stratford Lakeside Active Adults Association (SLAAA) - information

• Multicultural Association of Perth-Huron - information & supports

• NextStrat – youth esports gaming activities

• Upper Thames Conservation Authority - activities

Join us for musical performances from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Performance lineup coming soon!

While enjoying the Canada Day festivities, don't forget to stop by one of the many food vendors surrounding Market Square offering a wide variety of food & beverages.

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 public swims hosted by the City of Stratford at Stratford Lions Pool at 2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• Canada Day Parade hosted by the Stratford and District Saddle Club and Bethel Pentecostal Church
• Canada Day Concert and Fireworks at SERC (near Matilda Street and Oakdale Avenue), hosted 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:

• 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

Stratford City Hall exterior and interior public washrooms will be open for washroom access. There is a water bottle refill station on the main floor of City Hall.

On July 1 from 6 p.m. to 7 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.

Non-perishable food donations to the House of Blessing Food Bank will be accepted at the parade.

We're inviting community groups, local businesses, clubs, and bands to join the 2026 Canada Day Parade. Whether your showcasing Canadian pride, telling a story, or just bringing the fun - we want you in the parade!

We welcome:

• Fully decorated floats
• Walking groups & performers
• Community clubs, schools, businesses and more!

We're once again hosting a Float Decorating Contest! All registered floats will be automatically entered, and judges will award Best Decorated Float based on creativity, spirit, and how well your float represents this year's theme: The Future is Bright in Red & White! The Best Decorated Group will be awarded free entry into the 2027 Canada Day Parade!  Let's make this years parade the biggest and most vibrant yet. Show off your creativity, engage the community, and be part of a tradition that brings us together. 

Register your float here! (Registration opens May 4, 2026)

We're looking for enthusiastic, community-minded individuals to help make this year's Canada Day Parade a celebration to remember!

Volunteer roles include:

• Assist marshalling floats into starting positions along Lakeside Drive
• Attending barricades at road closures along the parade route
• Walking alongside the parade as it moves ensuring members of the public do not enter the route

Whether you're looking to give back, earn volunteer hours, or just want to be part of the fun, we'd love to have you on board. Let's come together to celebrate Canada's birthday in style - and we can't do it without your help!

Registration opens on May 11, 2026

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

1. Parade floats are permitted to hand out items to attendees along the parade route; however, items must be passed directly to individuals and may not be tossed or thrown.
2. Attendees are strictly prohibited from entering the parade route.

Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in a ban on handing out items.

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 marshalling areas, and at road closures and barricades throughout the entire event, including setup and takedown times.

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, or share a ride with a neighbour or friend.

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 theme of Canada Strong!
4. A maximum of two vehicles per business/organization is permitted.
5. 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.
6. Floats will be invited to setup at designated times between 4 and 5:00 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. Organizers will be on-site to assist floats into marshalling positions.
7. 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.
8. Bands are to marshal on Morenz Drive in front of the William Allman Arena.
9. The front of the parade will start moving at 6pm.
10. Parade floats are permitted to hand out items to attendees along the parade route; however, items must be passed directly to individuals and may not be tossed or thrown. For safety reasons, attendees are strictly prohibited from entering the parade route. Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in a ban on handing out items.
11. This parade may be broadcast on various media, and parade float entries may be interviewed.
12. 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.