LOCAL HEADLINES

Last week was an exiting time for staff at the Stratford House of Blessing food bank, when it got unprecedently large donations organized by two local couples.

After numerous Stratford city councillors spoke out against the Province of Ontario’s strong mayor powers, council has followed through and filed a legal challenge against them.

Local singers are getting the chance to take their voices from southwestern Ontario to the world stage through the Karaoke World Championships

Businesses across Perth County are continuing to show confidence in the local economy, with many planning for change or growth in the coming years, according to the county’s latest business retention and expansion (BR+E) survey.

My friend, Diane Sims, was the unwavering author of her own life, and she wouldn’t let anyone – not family, not doctors, not her illness – tell her how her story would come to an end.

Perth County council has endorsed planning staff’s comments on the province’s latest round of proposed planning and development legislation, raising concerns about the impact Bill 98 could have on local decision-making, rural planning and municipal flexibility.

Students from all three Stratford high schools, Nancy Campbell Academy, St. Michael Catholic Secondary School and Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS), recently met at the Stratford city hall auditorium for the second annual Stratford Regional Model United Nations (MUN).

There was a fundraising dinner at Tavistock’s Mennonite Church recently, and besides enjoying a menu that included Syrian cuisine that delighted everyone, all those in attendance were proud to be raising money for their church’s Syrian cause.

A new pedestrian crossover is coming to Downie Street to improve walkability in the downtown core.

On May 4, the Stratford 18U Nationals opened their regular season against the Hamilton Cardinals at National Stadium.

On May 3 and 5, the Stratford 15U Nationals began preparing for the 2026 season at National Stadium.

Students from all three Stratford high schools, Nancy Campbell Academy, St. Michael Catholic Secondary School and Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS), once again met at the Stratford City Hall auditorium for the second annual Regional Model United Nations (MUN).

Stratford Cinemas hopes more people will come out and support the local independent theatre amid its re-opening on Mondays.

For over 50 years, Art in the Park (AITP) has enticed art enthusiasts to visit along the banks of the Avon River where artists congregate to exhibit their work for sale. The juried artwork is on display with their creators often working en plein air, offering direct access to immerse yourself into the piece.

A longtime Stratford church variety sale is returning this month under a new name as Holy Trinity Anglican Church hosts its first spring variety sale since the amalgamation of three local Anglican congregations.

In 1980, Dame Maggie Smith performed in a Stratford Festival production of Much Ado About Nothing. Monica Viani, a teenaged Stratford resident at the time, was in the audience, though it wasn’t until after that she fell in love with what the theatre could do.

INNERchamber will close out one of its most successful seasons to date later this month with a concert that blends music and storytelling to shine a light on a largely overlooked composer.

There is probably only one man in Stratford who has the ability and know-how to get the much-coveted Stanley Cup to the Festival City without being a member of that year’s champions.

About a decade ago, Michael Fine was dealing with a bad bout of food poisoning that took a turn for the worst – though he didn’t know just how bad a turn it was at the time.

An upcoming author talk at the Local Community Food Centre is bringing together literature, community conversation and fundraising efforts in support of the food centre.