Stratford is a city on the Avon River within Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, with a 2021[3] population of 33,232 in a land area of 30.02 square kilometres (11.59 sq mi).

[4] Stratford is the seat of Perth County, which was settled by English, Irish, Scottish and German immigrants, in almost equal numbers, starting in the 1820s but primarily in the 1830s and 1840s.

In 1832, the development of an area called "Little Thames" as the market centre for the eastern Huron Tract began.

By 1834 a tavern, sawmill and grist mill had opened, and by 1835 a post office, called Stratford, was operating.

Professions and Trades.—Two physicians and surgeons, one grist and saw mill, one tannery, three stores, one brewery, one distillery, one ashery, two taverns, two blacksmiths, one saddler, two wheelwrights, three shoemakers, two tailors.

[8] Furniture manufacturing and railway locomotive repairs were the most important parts of the local economy by the twentieth century.

[20] Stratford has warm summers that are lengthy by Canadian standards with cool nights and long, cold, and snowy winters.

[23] The city is in a successful agricultural area and has some auto parts manufacturing, but tourism is still the most significant aspect.

For the past few years however, the town has been working to attract more technical industries with former Mayor Dan Mathieson spearheading the effort.

[26][27] The performances during the first four seasons took place in a concrete amphitheatre covered by giant canvas tent on the banks of the River Avon.

The first of many years of Stratford Shakespeare Festival production history started with a six-week season, opening on 13 July 1953, with Richard III and then All's Well That Ends Well both starring Alec Guinness.

The Canadian novelist and playwright Timothy Findley performed in the first season, and had an ongoing relationship with the festival, eventually moving to Stratford in 1997.

[32] The band performs free outdoor concerts at the Kiwanis Pavilion Bandshell in Upper Queen's Park throughout the summer.

The SPCC is a physical space located in downtown Stratford for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to visit during drop-in hours and attend social events.

[35] The SPCC also hosts Stratford's Winter Pride event which takes place in February of each year.

[citation needed] Numerous visitors arrive in Stratford each week during the May to October Festival season.

"During the festival—which stages everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim to new Canadian plays—you can stay in theater-themed B&Bs, hang out with actors post-show at local bars, go on backstage tours, and attend dozens of other events with other theater-mad folk.

[39] Smaller event are held in other months, including winter and the Swan Weekend in April, to attract off-season visitors.

The Warriors have produced notable NHL players such as Ed Olczyk, Craig Hartsburg, Garth Snow, Rob Blake, Chris Pronger, Nelson Emerson, Tim Taylor, Greg de Vries, Jeff Halpern, Rem Murray and Boyd Devereaux and won several Sutherland Cup championships.

Greyhound Canada provided daily service between London and Kitchener but the route was cancelled as of July 2011.

[50] Within the city, Stratford Transit provides the local bus service, which runs every half-hour six days a week.

All bus routes in Stratford begin and end at the transit terminal located on Downie Street, close to the downtown core.