The Stratford Festival and several other Stratford-area theatre, music and arts festivals are set to receive a combined $605,000 through Ontario’s Reconnect Festivals and Events Program, Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece announced Monday.

The $50-million funding program offers support to tourism and cultural organizations across the province, many of which closed during the COVID-19 pandemic-imposed lockdowns, to help them deliver innovative and safe experiences that allow people to reconnect with their communities.

“Tourism and culture are vital in our area,” Pettapiece said in a press release. “Advocating on their behalf has always been a priority of mine. That will continue.”

In Stratford, the Stratford Festival received $250,000 toward its Raising the Tent: 2021 Outdoor Season; Destination Stratford received $197,500 toward its Lights On Stratford festival; the Here For Now Theatre Company’s New Works Festival received $55,000; and Stratford Summer Music got a little more than $26,300.

Elsewhere in the region, Drayton Entertainment was allocated roughly $76,000 for its digital performance series.

In total, roughly 439 events and festivals across the province are benefiting from funding through this program.

“I am very pleased that our government recognizes the importance of the tourism and culture industry in Ontario,” Pettapiece added. “These investments will help revive and reconnect our communities.”

From www.stratfordbeaconherald.com.