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Stratford On The Avon
Discover the Small Community of Stratford in Ontario, Canada
By Julia Rosien
The Avon theatre on Downie St. is one block to the south of City Hall. Part of the festival since 1967, it originally opened in 1901 as Theatre Albert for community productions and was later converted to a movie theatre and called The Majestic.
The Tom Patterson Theatre is named after the founder of The Stratford Shakespearean Festival. In 1952 Tom Patterson appeared before the local Chamber of Commerce to request $100 to go to New York to discuss his concept with Laurence Olivier. One alderman offered to increase this to $120. Eventually Tom left Stratford, for New York with only $125. He returned to found the Stratford Festival.
After your performance, indulge in one of the city's fine dinning spots – Elizabethan Restaurant, Rundles, or Queens Hotel. Take your pick among new or old restaurants. Most cater to theatre crowds and plan their menus around show times.
If you want something different, try the Church Restaurant. It's housed in a historic building that dates back to 1874 when the congregation held its first service in the newly completed church. In February 1975, the Church Restaurant opened. The facade and interior decor have been maintained in their original design.
Festival season runs from May until November. Restaurants, bed and breakfasts, hotels and theatres fill up early. Plan ahead, and make reservations so you won't be disappointed. Begin your day on the shores of the Avon, watching the mist rise, and end it on the same shores, watching the mist fall heavily upon the banks.