Illuminated and immersive storytelling at Grand Trunk site to kick off Provocation Ideas

Stratford will be known as the City of Dreamers during the Provocation Ideas Festival this fall, beginning with an event portraying the Grand Trunk site in a new light.

The Provocation Ideas Festival’s City of Dreamers will feature a variety of events in Stratford between Oct. 4 and Nov. 22, starting with the immersive storytelling experience Trophy X Dream Weavers at the Grand Trunk site on Oct. 4 and 5. The event, which also involves the City of Stratford, SpringWorks, Destination Stratford, investStratford, and the local YMCA, will feature illuminated tents with readings of true short stories from local residents, chalk art, games, and puppet making.

“The city's been in the process along with the community of thinking about redevelopment and moving towards redevelopment opportunities,” said Emily Robson, the City of Stratford’s corporate initiatives lead. “So, with the vision for this site being really about a mixed-use vibrant space, one that can support new housing and new public spaces and new community amenities, having these types of events and these placemaking interventions really helps our community to imagine what could be different about that site in our community and get excited for what's possible.”

Robson is also thrilled about the community-driven collaboration between the city, its organizations, and the Provocation Ideas Festival.

"It's really a collaborative effort and this to me is really leaning into the strengths in our community and the organizations and people that really contribute creatively and socially to our community,” she said.

The Provocation Ideas Festival will also include the following events after Trophy X Dream Weavers:

Maker Multiverse: Constructing Futures panel discussion on Oct. 16 at Copperlight/Knox Presbyterian Church, followed by workshops from Oct. 17 to 21 and a showcase of the creations from Oct. 23 to 25.

True Tapestries live storytelling event on Nov. 15 and 22 at the Stratford Perth Museum’s Co-operators Performance Theatre.

Northern Wit: Comedy as the Canadian Shield hosted by CBC Ideas host Nahlah Ayed with dates and locations to be announced.

The Flavours of Home: Stories and Meal that Connects Us series featuring culinary storytelling through Stratford’s newcomers, who will prepare a meal inspired by their region of origin. The series will run from October 2025 to March 2026.

The Provocation Ideas Festival partnered with the Stratford Perth Museum, CBC Ideas and Pathways to Poetry for additional festival events.

The City of Dreamers was built upon three core questions between the years 2024 and 2026: “Why do some dreams take root here—and which unrealized dreams still matter? Who gets to dream—and who’s left out? What binds us—and how do we close the divides to build our best future?” founding director Mark Rosenfeld told the Stratford Times. The Provocation Ideas Festival connects the community together and puts their various dreams on the map.

“We live here now, and Stratford’s story is literally a story of dreamers—from Indigenous presence to railway and other industrial workers, artists, farmers, entrepreneurs, and new arrivals,” Rosenfeld said.

More information about the Stratford events part of the Provocation Ideas Festival can be found at provocation.ca/2025-events--stratford