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KIWANIS FESTIVAL OF THE PERFORMING ARTS

SEASON: Spring

LOCATION: Various venues around the city of Stratford

WEBSITE: www.kiwanisfestivalstratford.com/

HIGHLIGHT: See and support local future performing arts stars

Spring, the time of renewal and growth, is the perfect season for young performers to sharpen their skills and receive encouragement to persevere with their talents and dreams. The Kiwanis Festival of the Performing Arts hosts thousands of amateur performers, of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, on various stages around Stratford. For the budding artists, the exposure to competition and feedback from adjudicators is priceless. There are trophies and cash awards, and for those who perform exceptionally, there is the opportunity to go to provincial, even national championships.

Competition categories reflect the latest trends in music, dance, and drama, from musical instruments to school choirs, musical theatre, composition, and speech. On performance days, you’ll see teachers and accompanists arriving for warm-ups. Young artists dressed in concert attire stand nervously in the wings while parents and supporters wait eagerly out front. Local newspaper pages are filled with photos and results in every category. Stratford residents volunteer, attend events, and billet competitors. The large local involvement ensures that the city’s arts scene will continue to flourish.

The Kiwanis Festival is the longest running festival in the city. It began in 1926. During World War II, when organizers considered discontinuing the festival for the duration of the war, word arrived that the festivals in Brighton, England, were not cancelling. The local organizers decided that if the most vulnerable area in England was continuing their performances, so would Stratford.