About
Perth County (not to be confused with the town of Perth in Lanark County / Eastern Ontario) overflows with historical and architecturally relevant picturesque communities and provides a beautiful playground for hikers, cyclists, and paddlers. Whether you’re planning to pack a picnic or visit a local farm store, the local food scene has much to offer. Being surrounded by rich farmland helps specialty producers make eating local a taste adventure.
Perth County is also home to the Stratford Theatre Festival, North America’s largest classical repertory theatre company, producing classics, contemporary dramas and musicals, with special emphasis on the plays of Shakespeare.
To learn more about Perth County’s history, click here.
Quick Links:
Annual Events – Attractions & Entertainment – Outdoors – Eating & Drinking – Shopping – Rest & Relax – Maps – Key Locations – History
Annual Events
The main festivals include:
. March – McCullys Farm Maple Syrup Festival
. March – Paddyfest Parade and Concert Series
. April to November – Stratford Theatre Festival
Attractions & Entertainment
STRATFORD FESTIVAL
Stratford / Perth County
Drama – Indoor – Musical – Theatre Company – Shakespeare
North America’s largest classical repertory theatre company, producing classics, contemporary dramas and musicals, with special emphasis on the plays of Shakespeare. The company presents a dozen or more productions in four distinctive venues.
website
Avon Theatre / google maps
Festival Theatre / google maps
Studio Theatre / google maps
Tom Patterson Theatre / google maps
STRATFORD PERTH MUSEUM
Stratford / Perth County
Museum
Located on a 5 acre complex just west of Stratford, the museum showcases a number of exciting exhibits throughout the year, some in partnership with the Stratford Festival. In the winter months join them for skating on their outdoor rink and snowshoeing the trails.
website / google maps
Outdoors
LISTOWEL GOLF COURSE
Listowel / Perth County
Golf – Restaurant – Patio
Listowel Golf Course has 27 Holes of championship golf and multiple tee decks, as well as a driving range and clubhouse facilities. The course has been the host of many Provincial Championships.
website / google maps
WEST PERTH THAMES NATURE TRAIL & WETLANDS
Listowel / Perth County
Hiking – Bird Watching
A fully accessible trail that is a paradise for walkers, joggers, hikers, bird watchers and photographers alike. Located along the banks of the north branch of the Thames River, the nature trail features over 10 km of varied levels of difficulty. The Wetlands have been reclaimed and restored to create a natural state as wetlands and shorebird habitat. Information and trails map is available at westperth.com.
website / google maps
Eating & Drinking
ANNA MAE’S BAKERY & RESTAURANT
Millbank / Perth East / Perth County
Bakery – Desserts – Restaurant
Featured on The food Network show You Gotta Eat Here! this family run restaurant and bakery offers a delicious selection of home-cooked fare as well as delicious assortment of pies and baked goods.
website / google maps
SHAKESPEARE PIES
Shakespear / Perth County
Bakery – Desserts
Each of their pies is made from scratch with hand formed crusts! Sweet and savoury pies available as well as breads, jams, jellies and more!
website / google maps
STONETOWN CHEESE
St Marys / Perth County
Cheese
Stonetown Artisan Cheese is an on-farm cheese plant where cheese is hand crafted alpine style, low in sodium and made with fresh whole cow’s milk from the family farm. To obtain its great taste, the milk is unpasteurized and has no additives. The cheese making process is very similar to how cheese has been made for centuries in the mountain dairies in the Swiss Alps. Guided group tours are offered for a fee of $5 per person (minimum 15 people). See the complete process of cheese making with our cheese maker, as he explains the stages and answers questions. And enjoy the country feel of our farm and taste the delicious cheeses.The tour lasts about an hour to an hour and a half.
website / google maps
Shopping
MILLBANK FAMILY FURNITURE
Millbank / Perth East / Perth County
Furniture
The furniture here is all handcrafted by the local craftsmen who have had the expertise handed down to them by their ancestors for generations. The wood is all kiln dried professionally to the correct moisture content. Their exceptional craftsmanship process and years of experience makes them one of the most sought after furniture stores in the area.
website / google maps
JILLIAN’S
Mill Ban / Perth East / Perth County
Home Decor – Gifts – Pottery – Children
Located in a beautiful old building that is filled with the charm of original tin ceiling, wood floors, and brick walls, the main part of the store displays decor items such as pottery, candles, prints, clocks, and kitchen items and the “loft” section of the store is home to ‘Jack and Jill children’s loft‘.
website / google maps
THE QUILT PLACE
Shakespeare / Perth County
Quilts – Crafts – Supplies
Located in the picturesque hamlet of Shakespeare, the quilt place carries over 2000 bolts of fabric and hundreds of books and patterns including many by Canadian quilt designers. We have ready-made quilts for sale and also welcome custom quilt orders, and other items such as wall quilts, quilted bags, hot pads, and tea cosies that make great hostess gifts as well as warming your heart and home.
website / google maps
Rest & Relax
THE PARLOUR INN
Stratford / Perth County
Inn
This historic hotel has been a landmark in downtown Stratford since 1871. And while they have kept the charm, character and central location over the last century, The Parlour Inn has added all the luxuries and amenities one expects.
website / google maps
HARDWOOD HAVEN B&B
Listowel / Perth County
B&B
Experience the old world charm of an Italianate style historical home.
website / google maps
Key Locations
City
Stratford
Town
. St. Marys
Municipalities & Townships
. North Perth
. West Perth
. Perth East (including the communities of Amulree, Brocksden, Brunner, Burns, Carthage, Dorking, Fernbank, Gads Hill, Hesson, Kinkora, Kuhryville, Mennonite Corner, Millbank, Milverton, Moserville, Newton, Nithburg, Peffers, Poole, Ratzburg, Rostock, Sebastopol, Shakespeare, Topping, Tralee and Wartburg)
. Perth South
History
Perth County was settled primarily through the efforts of the Canada Company agency which opened a road from the site of Stratford (currently in Perth County) to Goderich (currently in Huron County). This area originally formed part of the Huron District, which was constituted as the United Counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce in 1850. The County of Perth was given its own Provisional Municipal Council at that time, and was separated from the United Counties in 1853.
The Canada Company was a large private chartered British land development company, incorporated in 1826 under an act of British parliament to aid in the colonization of a large part of Upper Canada (now Ontario). The company was successful in populating the area called the Huron Tract an achievement later called “the most important single attempt at settlement in Canadian history.” Settlers came from England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany. They began arriving in the 1820s but the majority arrived in the 1830s and the 1840s. Most became farmers, and even today, the county is known for mixed farming, dairying and hog production.
Visit the Official Regional Site of Perth County
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