It’s here! Finally here! Long days, warm nights, and being outside enjoying this glorious season.
I know there’s an office supply company that claims September is “the most wonderful time of year” in good fun, and of course, the Christmas song that celebrates that season, but we all know summer truly IS the most wonderful time of the year!
Before I get into details about all of the great things happening, I do want to extend my sincerest apologies to the Artistic Director of the Port Stanley Festival Theatre, Liz Gilroy. In the last Issue of Lifestyle, I had the wrong surname. So very sorry, Liz, it won’t happen again!
Speaking of the Port Stanley Festival Theatre, the level of talent that they have this year is amazing. The production of Sugar Road (July 8–25) is directed by Lee MacDougall, a multi-talented actor, playwright, screenwriter and director. He was in the original Broadway cast of Come From Away, and after directing in Port Stanley, he will play Felix in the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse production of The Odd Couple in August.
Sugar Road is written by playwright and actor Kristen Da Silva. She will be acting in the Festival’s world premiere of Deadly Memories (July 29–August 15), a fantastic thriller/comedy by Steven Gallagher. psft.ca
Local author Jean Ramer has recently published her second book, Around the World with a Spare Pair of Jeans. In the travel memoir, Ramer describes her backpacking trek across Europe and Asia 50 years ago. From bustling cities to remote landscapes, it captures what it truly means to step outside your comfort zone and discover both the world — and yourself.
Ramer’s earlier publication, Old South Tales…Historical Stories of Wortley Village & Old South London has recently been reprinted and can be picked up at Tuckey Home Hardware in Old South.
Jean will be reading from Around the World with a Spare Pair of Jeans at Lake House Books in Port Stanley (302 Bridge Street) on Thursday, August 6, at 7 pm and will have books available for sale and signing.
London actor, director, playwright and columnist Jeff Culbert is releasing his first book, Theatre Boom Town: London, Ontario at the Turn of the Millennium (2002–2015), a selection of the many columns Culbert wrote during that period.
“There was a boom of new companies, festivals, performance spaces, theatre awards, and the work of London playwrights was being produced at an unprecedented rate. It was spontaneous grassroots creation at its best,” says Culbert. “As the different facets of the theatre scene of the time are illuminated, the reader will get a sense of what a remarkable, creative period it was.”
Culbert will be having his book release on Thursday, July 16, at Manor Park Memorial Hall. The event will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the TheatreInLondon.ca website, which Culbert helped launch. The evening will showcase and feature excerpts from some of the plays during the past 25 years, readings of reviews from the website, and Jeff will be reading some of his columns.
There were over 250 locally written and produced plays during that period, and the evening promises to be a wonderful way to revisit and remember this exciting theatrical time! Tickets are available at alvegoroottheatre.com.
Summer music festivals are plentiful at this time of year. One that I plan on attending is the Railway City Music & Arts Festival in St. Thomas, from August 13–16. This festival began as the Iron Horse Festival of St. Thomas in 1994, and after a Covid hiatus, was relaunched in 2021. The festival is held in Pinafore Park, the crown jewel of green space in St. Thomas, which provides an amazing environment for a music and arts festival.
“While Live Music continues to be the cornerstone of the festival, there is so much more to do than just sit and listen,” says Rick Nemett, one of the organizers. “There’s a Children’s Arts Activity Centre, lots of food trucks and dozens of artisans and vendors to browse.”
This is a free, family-friendly event that celebrates local artistic talent from St. Thomas and the surrounding areas. This year they will program three different stages, with some of the favourites performing — the Doug Varty Band, Sweetwood Mac (a Fleetwood Mac cover band), Justin Maki and many more. Over 60 bands are performing during this year’s event. Beer gardens at the Main Stage and the Emerging Artist Stage will feature beverages from local craft breweries and distilleries.
Organizers are anticipating 20,000+ will attend this year. If you haven’t been before, maybe this is the summer to see what this festival is all about. railwaycitymusicandartsfestival.ca
Stratford is well known for the Stratford Festival, but there are other significant events that you may want to put on your radar.
Stratford Summer Music runs for almost a month from July 9 to August 2. This year’s lineup of concerts and special events brings over 100 artists in a variety of genres to both indoor and outdoor venues. Familiar names to Londoners are Holly Cole, Janina Fialkowska, the National Youth Orchestra, and many, many more.
There are coffee chats, ticketed concerts, and free Music on the Barge concerts. The range of musicians presented is outstanding — classical, jazz, contemporary, choral — definitely worth exploring this summer. stratfordsummermusic.ca
Here For Now Theatre, founded in 2012, is “the little theatre company that can.” Initially, performances were held in pop-up venues throughout Stratford — both indoors and outside. They took a 15-year lease on a historic building that was slated for demolition, and after extensive renovations, now operate a small theatre with year-round programming. Their mandate to “create space for stories that might otherwise go unheard” has not changed. Artistic Director Fiona Mongillo states, “The 2026 season is all about curiosity, courage and the artistic thrill of taking big swings.”
The line-up of new work and exclusive premieres includes familiar names from Canadian stages, TV and film. Steve Ross’s new work, Early Genius, is directed by Sheila McCarthy. Running from July 29 to August 9, this is the story of four youngsters with genius IQs and a substitute teacher. This play was the smash hit of the 2025 reading series, and this is the world premiere.
Nobel Laureate Jon Fosse’s (Norway’s master playwright, poet and novelist) play Suzannah is an intimate portrait of Henrik Ibsen’s remarkable wife. This is an exploration of love, art and the cost of genius. This is the Canadian premiere of the production, a real coup for Here For Now. August 19–30. Not to be missed!
The theatre is intimate (in other words, small), and tickets sell fast. Don’t delay if something piques your interest. herefornowtheatre.com
Arty-Facts
A London summer is always filled with music festivals, including the big ones: Sunfest in Victoria Park (July 9–12, a free event); Rock the Park in Harris Park (July 15–18, a ticketed event); and Home County Music & Art Festival in Victoria Park (July 24–25, a free event). There are also some under the radar events that are worth your time.
The Jazz Association of London runs free jazz concerts in Market Lane on Sunday afternoons from 2–4 pm, from now until August 16. The musicians play from the theatre space at Fanshawe’s Downtown Campus, and this is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Grab an ice cream from the Market and enjoy. There are some chairs provided, so no need to bring anything. Visit their website for lineup details: jazzassociationlondon.ca
Also on Sundays, 2-4 pm, the Springbank Garden Concert Series is held at the Guy Lombardo Pavilion in Springbank Gardens from June 21 to September 6. These free outdoor concerts feature a wide variety of music genres: swing, country, pop, New Orleans jazz, and so much more. There are some chairs available if you arrive early, but if you bring your own, you are guaranteed a seat. These concerts are very popular. Their website has the updated list of performances, springbankgarden.com
The Wortley Jazz & Blues Festival runs from 2–6 pm on Sunday, August 23. Held along Wortley Road in Old South, this event is a highlight of the activities in this little community. They encourage you to bring your own chair. Get details for this year’s event at oldsouthba.com/wortleyjazzandbluesfestival.
KATHY NAVACKAS has spent over 30 years creating and managing arts and culture events, festivals and experiences. Her career has focused on supporting and promoting the arts and the artists that bring inspiration and creativity to our everyday lives.
