Stratford Amplifies its Winter Music Scene with 14 Dynamic Pop-Up Performances
Building on the momentum of the successful 2025 Summer and Fall Music Pop-Up Program, Destination Stratford is excited to announce the selection of 14 dynamic experiences for the 2025/26 Winter Music Pop-Up Program. These innovative projects, created in partnership with local businesses, organizations, and musicians, will introduce fresh winter music experiences that energize the city throughout the colder months. Initiated in 2023 as a strategic extension of the Lights On Stratford Winter Festival of Lights, the Winter Music Pop-Up Program will resume this season to help foster an expanded range of cultural and musical programming throughout Stratford.
The 14 successful recipients include:
• Black Swan Brewery – Slow Sundays | Beginning January 2026: relaxed Sunday afternoons with acoustic sets, local musicians, and small-batch brews.
• Bluebird Restaurant – Sunday Sessions | Local favourites The Bookends perform Sunday afternoons, creating a lively neighbourhood hangout in the front window.
• The Bunker – Songs & Stories Night | Songs and Stories event featuring Rag and Bones Collective.
• Foster’s Inn – Dinner Concert Series | A prix-fixe dinner paired with intimate performances by Canadian musicians
• On Stage Dance Studio – Winter’s Light | A New Year performance of poetry, dance, and music, centred around a participatory Tree of Tomorrow installation.
• The Lost Key Speakeasy – Live Jazz | Offering live jazz performances in an intimate speakeasy setting.
• revel – Radiance: Harp & Poetry | A quiet, intimate performance blending spoken word by Heidi Sander and harp by Elysha Vorstenbosch during Lights On’s opening night.
• Riverwalk Commons – Christmas at Riverwalk Commons | An evening of jazz, 80s hits, ballads, and holiday classics with Emm Gryner and Jaron Camp.
• The Starlight – Queer Music Bingo | A new winter series blending music-themed bingo, community connection, and a dance party, running four times from December to March.
• SpringWorks~PuppetWorks! | A whimsical puppet performance that promises to enchant viewers of all ages with its playful characters and heartfelt creativity.
• Stratford Country Club – Social Sundays| Monthly Sunday gatherings starting January 2026, featuring live music at 53 North Restaurant.
• Stratford Perth Museum – Chalet Shakedown | An après-ski themed winter night with live music from Mutual Mind, hot-chocolate cocktails, and a cozy outdoor fire pit.
• Stratford Public Library – Holiday Happy Hour| An after-hours holiday singalong with live music, cookies, and a hot chocolate bar.
• The Stratford Symphony Orchestra & Stratford Concert Choir – Handel’s Messiah | A full performance featuring Stratford’s concert choir and symphony orchestra.
The above performances are subject to change
The Winter Music Pop-Up Program received applications for musical performances taking place from December through March. Destination Stratford encouraged proposals that showcased innovation, collaboration, and community spirit. Selected businesses and organizations will receive funding of $250, $500, or $1,000 to support their music experiences.
“These 14 creative pop-up musical experiences showcase our incredible local artists and venues during the winter months,” says Zac Gribble, Executive Director of Destination Stratford and Festival Director of Lights On Stratford. “We’re proud to support these performances that help reinforce Stratford’s reputation as a year-round cultural destination.”
The Winter Music Pop-Up adds a vibrant layer to Stratford’s cultural scene while supporting Destination Stratford’s newest initiative, which highlights and energizes Stratford After Dark experiences that keep the city buzzing throughout the year. Stratford Winter Music Pop-Ups will be shared on Destination Stratford’s event calendar and social media platforms.
For more information, contact us.