Since 1927
The Kiwanis Festival for the Performing Arts (Stratford) began in 1927. The Festival now runs 3 weeks every April and is managed by a small part-time staff and over 100 volunteers. We are a registered charity (887047199 RR0001) supported by donations, sponsorships, and participant registration fees and governed by an Organizing Committee headed by Kiwanians named as Trustees by the Kiwanis Club of Stratford.
Organizing Committee 2025
Ron Bailey* - Chairman and FR Cttee
Barb Schoch* - Treasurer
Bernard Goward - Secretary
Ivan Buchan - Venue Manager
Jane Westmorland - Awards
Wilf Smyth - Door Ambassador Organizer
* Trustee
Executive Director - Pat McKinna (she/her)
Website/Registration - Andrew Rivett, Ciniki.com
Sessions Coordinator - Deb Mountain
Graphic Design - Kaleigh Willock
Kiwanis Club Board
Heather Herman - President
Tom Edge - Past President
Terry Marklevitz- President Elect
David MacLennan - Vice-President
Gerald Cook - Treasurer
Ron Fischer - Secretary
Barrie Beech
Ken DeLaat
Barbara Muir
Mike Jorna
Nora McDonald
Barbara Schoch
Milestones
1927 - Music teachers, led by WB Rothwell, organized the Stratford Music Festival featuring competitions in voice, piano, strings and school choirs.
1941 - The festival, now grown in size and popularity, was one of the few in Canada to remain in operation through the war years.
1952 - Volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Stratford assumed responsibility for Festival administration.
1967 - The "Kiwanis Music Festival of Stratford" was granted Charitable Status.
1980 - The music festival expanded its syllabus to include competitions in dance, guitar, jazz, and rock and roll bands.
2008 - The festival was renamed "Kiwanis Festival of the Performing Arts".
2020 - The festival was cancelled for the first time since 1927 due to COVID pandemic.
2021 - This venerable event showed its resilience by going online!
Today, our festival operates as an independent charity, administered by Executive Director Pat McKinna, managed by a volunteer Organizing Committee headed by Kiwanis Trustees, and generously supported by the local business community and individual donors. Won't you join that family??