Celebrate Canada’s 156th birthday with fun events and activities. Here is a list of fun activities taking place in and around St. Marys & Stratford this long weekend.
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I. Canada Day Celebrations
St. Marys Commemorates Canada Day
Join us in beautiful Cadzow Park as we celebrate our community’s creativity and reflect on what it means to be a Canadian today. Details
Saturday, July 1, 2023 | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Parade | 11:00 AM
Cadzow Park, 177 Church St. S. St. Marys
Free
Canada Day in Stratford
Join us for Stratford’s Ultimate Canada Day celebration. Our festival will feature family-friendly programming, entertainment and activities in Market Square at City Hall.
Live performances on the main stage include Full House Brass, Lauren Neilson, Stella & Carter, Sarah Smith, and Maggie’s Wake.
Food trucks and vendors will be located on Downie Street and Market Place. Details
Saturday, July 1, 2023 | 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Free Swim at the Stratford Lions Pool | 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Parade | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Canada Day Fireworks at SERC | Dusk
Market Square at City Hall, Stratford
Parade will start 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.
Fireworks at Stratford Education & Recreation Centre
Free; Donations accepted for the fireworks display.
Stratford Road closures: 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
You might like: City of Stratford Holiday Schedule
II. Things to do on Canada Day
Canada Day Family Frenzy
Come join us this Saturday, July 1st from 10:00am-4:00pm for our Canada Day “Family Frenzy”. There will be printmaking, Canadian trivia, indoor and outdoor scavenger hunts, an international flag hunt, bird feeding activities, wood burning, Canada karaoke, and Young @ Art activities. Details
Saturday, July 1, 2023 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Stratford Perth Museum, 4275 Huron St, Stratford
Free admission
Good Morning Canada Story Hike
Enjoy a Canada Day morning hike to say hello to some of Canada’s favourite habitats and animals. Details
Saturday, July 1, 2023 | 10:00 AM
Wildwood Conservation Area – Campground B Parking lot
Free for all campers and season pass holders. Our regular day use fee of $15 per vehicle applies for others to enter the park.
Canada Day Rooftop Live Music
Join the Canada Day celebration at The HUB Rooftop Patio in Stratford! Enjoy amazing drink specials all evening long, from refreshing cocktails to ice-cold brews. Quench your thirst with our Canadian-inspired concoctions! Details
Saturday, July 1, 2023 | 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
The Hub, 31 Market Place, Stratford
Canada Day Party ft. Sivle
Saturday, July 1, 2023 | 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Heritage Hops Brew Co. Taproom & Flats, 21 Market Pl, Stratford
No Cover Charge
III. Things to do During Canada Day Weekend
St. Marys Quarry
Enjoy a swim at Canada’s largest outdoor freshwater swimming pool. Details
Daily, June 30 – September 4, 2023 | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
St. Marys Quarry, 425 Water Street, St. Marys
$4.75 – $7.25
Super Splash Waterpark
Visitors will be able to climb, jump, swing, bounce and slide their way through the Super Splash inflatable obstacle course at the St. Marys Quarry. Dubbed the “ultimate playground,” this inflatable for ages six and older will include a 14-foot-tall Ice Tower for free climbing and a 12-foot-tall giant slide. Details
Daily, June 30 – September 4, 2023 | 11:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Super Splash Waterpark, St. Marys Quarry, 425 Water Street, St. Marys
Splash Pass: $20 – $25; Plus Admission to St. Marys Quarry: $4.75 – $7.25
St. Marys Lions Club Classic Car Show
Enjoy Farmers’ Market and the Classic Car Show. The St. Marys Farmers’ Market offers a wide range of locally produced products and fresh foods, the finest meats, produce, cheese, and baked goods, by local farmers and craft products by members of the community. Details
Saturday, July 1, 2023 | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Pancake Breakfast | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Hotdogs/Sausage on a bun | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
St. Marys Lions Park/Milt Dunnell Field, Water Street N, Downtown St. Marys
Car show: Spectator entry By Donation
Star Party
Explore the nightscape of our Heritage Trails this summer with Stratford Astronomy Group’s Star Party event. Engage with some experts and telescopes to learn about the twinkle behind our celestial world! Trade in your sunglasses for some nightshades and get a closer look at what illuminates our skies. Details
Friday, June 30, 2023 | 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Stratford Perth Museum, 4275 Huron St, Stratford
$12.00 plus tax per person – includes the Star Party program, regular admission to the museum, and light refreshments that evening.
Stratford Farmer’s Market
Shop farm fresh veggies, cheese, meats, baking, flowers, crafts, handmade gifts and more. Details
Saturday, July 1, 2023 | 7:00 PM – 12:00 PM
Burnside Agriplex, 357 McCarthy Road, Stratford
Free
Stratford Festival
The 2023 season will run from mid-April through October, featuring four Shakespeare plays, King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard II and Love’s Labour’s Lost, and two musicals, Rent and Monty Python’s Spamalot, along with Les Belles-Soeurs, A Wrinkle in Time, Frankenstein Revived, Wedding Band, Grand Magic, Casey and Diana and Women of the Fur Trade. Details
Various dates
Queen Street, Stratford
Varies
Stratford Garden Tour
Self Guided Garden Tour of eight private gardens. Details
Sunday, July 2, 2023 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Various locations, Stratford
$15 passes or 2 for $25; Purchase advance tickets at Sebringville Garden Center or Cozyn’s Garden Gallery. On the day of the tour, you can get tickets at City Hall or Cozyn’s between 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Art in the Park
Stratford Art In the Park is a Juried show and sale of a diverse selection of contemporary visual arts. Details
Saturday & Sunday, July 1 – 2, 2023 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Lakeside Drive, Stratford
Free
IV. More Things to Do:
Summer in Stratford and Perth County
This area beckons with its fresh farm produce, bakery delights and Chocolate Trail, amid natural areas and wonderful facilities to cool off or enjoy the arts. — 25 of the Best Things to Do During Summer in Stratford and Perth County
See a Lavender Farm
Enjoy a calming, meditative walk amongst lavender flowers.
You might like: Lavender Farms in Ontario for a Day Trip
Hike or Discover Nature Attractions
Explore beautiful and down-to-earth nature areas, parks, conservation areas, trails, and more. Hike the 3.2 kilometre Grand Trunk Trail and 13-kilometre Loop Trail.
- Parks and Trails in St. Mary’s
- Explore the Waterways
- 25 Fabulous Scenic Lookouts to Visit in Ontario
- Top Bicycle Tours to Explore Ontario
- Where to Stargaze in Ontario: Dark Sky Areas and Observatories
Explore Wildwood Conservation Area
Wildwood Conservation Area is open for seasonal & nightly camping and day-use recreational activities! Enjoy boating, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, hiking, or cycling in the natural area. Details
Wildwood Conservation Area, 3995 Line 9, St. Marys
Enjoy Lazy River Floating or Tubing
With the weather turning warm, it’s time to head outside and enjoy the waters. And if you haven’t tried tubing in calm waters, this is the time to do it! Rent tubes and prepare for a day of careless floating! For more information see, 9 Places to Go Lazy River Floating or Tubing in Ontario.
Visit Ontario Parks
Be it to enjoy a walk or just relax in the outdoors, fish, or enjoy boating, provincial parks are great places to spend your time.
- Exploring Ontario Provincial Parks
- 100 Adventures in Ontario Provincial Parks
- Ontario Road Trip: Discover 11 Islands on the Long Sault Parkway
Go Camping
Experience nature and camp outside!
You might like:
- 25 Places to Go Camping Near Toronto
- 25 Places to Go Backcountry Camping in Ontario
- 25 of the Best Ontario Parks to go Camping
More Activities to do
- Enjoy fishing – Free Fishing Days in Ontario from July 1 – 9, 2023
- Go on a self-guided tour