Stratford Arts + Culture Festival Is This Weekend

Via the Town of Stratford: STRATFORD, CT — The Town of Stratford and the nonprofit Stratford Forward proudly announce the inaugural Stratford Arts + Culture Festival, themed The Phoenix Season: Arts from the Ashes. It will take place Sept. 6 to Sept. 8 on Stratford’s bucolic Shakespeare property and Paradise Green.

In the aftermath of the Jan. 13 fire, which destroyed the Shakespeare Festival Theater, the town questioned what would happen to the historic property. Stratford Forward, Celebrate Stratford and Mayor Laura R. Hoydick have joined forces to produce this festival.

The three-day event begins on Friday evening, Sept. 6, with an Alpaca Gnomes concert on Paradise Green. The event kicks into high gear on Sept. 7, when the Shakespeare property will be transformed into a multimedia theater, arts and community festival, all with focus on local Stratford culture. On Sept. 8 the theatrical festivities continue, wrapping up Sunday night.

Festival events include a total of three stages. The Midsummer Mainstage will host theater, dance and music presentations, with performers ranging from local talent to Broadway artists. Additional performers and some of the hottest bands in Connecticut can be enjoyed at the Sound + Fury Stage. A third stage will be erected within an Arts + Artisans Market, featuring a Make Music Day showcase.

“This festival will be the first step in the rebuilding process. If you’ve spent time in the Shakespeare Theater or in the beautiful park where it once stood, you know how special this place really is. We hope to harness that energy, and continue to make the arts a pillar of Stratford culture,” Executive Director Sib Law said.

The Arts + Artisans Market, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7, will feature over 30 local artists, selling a variety of goods, such as clothing and accessories, artwork, home goods and artisanal foods. The market will also host demonstrations including muralists, a mini-cinema and large-format art installations.

“As artists, we aspire to showcase Stratford’s unique assets,” said Margaret Bodell, Arts + Artisans Market producer. “We want festival guests to participate in creating a new culture in Stratford and experience the transformative power of the arts.”

The festival is rounded out with morning yoga sessions, historical walking tours, food trucks and even “Will’s Pub,” a tavern hosted by Stratford VFW Post 9460.

“The Town of Stratford is committed to the Stratford Arts + Culture Festival. We are so fortunate to partner with so many talents to produce and support this event,” said Hoydick. “We hope to see a great crowd in September.”

The Celebrate Stratford festival is sponsored by Paradise Pizza, the Aquarion Water Company of CT and Berchem Moses PC. For more information, including schedule and parking details, visit www.StratfordPhoenix.com or go to Facebook @StratfordPhoenix.