You know how you find a photographer, and then click through their ENTIRE Instagram, liking each one? Or heading to their website to discover more? When we find such a creative artist that speaks to us, it’s both a lucky occurrence (finding them in the millions of people online) and a life-enhancing moment. From now on, our lives will be enriched by their talent, view, artistry, and sharing of their worldview.

Stratford announces the arrival of spring with a Swan Parade. One of Canada’s most unique events, the annual Swan Parade Celebration, is a weekend of family fun, April 1-2, 2017, culminating with a parade of our iconic feathered friends traveling from their winter quarters to the Avon River on Sunday. They know it’s time to get going when they hear the sounds of the Stratford Police Pipes and Drums who lead the way amid curious on-lookers. 

The anticipation of Canada’s delicious iconic maple syrup is palpable as the first sign of spring. To celebrate, Stratford Tourism Alliance presents the Savour Stratford Maple Trail adventure. This self-guided tasting tour offers 22 unique maple tastings for a tasty culinary experience during the months of March and April. 

Northern British Columbia is a land of mountains and rivers, waterfalls and wonders. The town of Smithers exemplifies the history of the region. From railway expansion across Canada, to mining development, town-building, and agriculture spreading across the Bulkley Valley, it is a slice of humanity surrounded by vast stretches of wilderness.

Shopping in Stratford, Ontario, during the holiday season just got that much better. The SHOP! STRATFORD Christmas Contest kicked off the holiday season on November 15, featuring a grand prize valued at more than $1,200 in gift items and certificates. 

Every fall, approximately 10,000 tourists from around the world descend on “The Polar Bear Capital of the World,” Churchill, Manitoba. This community of about 800 people on Hudson Bay in Northern Canada is home to the annual migration of more than 1,000 hungry polar bears that pass through town as they wait for the Bay ice to return. The new Smithsonian Channel docu-series POLAR BEAR TOWN documents a season in Churchill, following this extraordinary migration of human and four-legged animals as they collide in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways.

A new kind of 21st Century literary festival combining literature, the arts and interactive programming comes to Stratford next month, giving aspiring writers a chance to share their work with established authors and industry professionals.

MThere are many reasons to visit Stratford - the legendary theatre (of course!), the incredible culinary scene, the arts, the beautiful setting, and the kind and interesting people who live there.

For whatever reasons you're visiting Stratford, there's ONE thing you need to do first. We did, and it informed and influenced our entire visit.

Just up the block from Moo Moo's Ice Cream in downtown St. John's, Newfoundland is Bannerman Park (trust me to base directions on ice cream). A wide, expansive park, with a playground, lush grassy areas, and plenty of trees, a visit earlier in the week showed me just that - a park. But once a year in early August, this park transforms into a world-class music venue, as it hosts the Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Festival. 

It was a gorgeous August day - the kind you hope for when planning a trip, smile at your good luck with the weather during, and remember fondly for years afterward.