A popular Ontario swan parade that’s been a tradition for three decades is being cancelled this year.
Each first Sunday of April, The Swan Parade Celebration ushers a procession of swans led by a bagpipe band through downtown Stratford. Crowds of people watch on as they’re eventually released into the warm waters of the Avon River, after spending the cold months in their winter quarters.
Although it’s a spectacle that many look forward to, the big reason the city is axing it is to reduce the stress on its swans. In a statement made by the City of Stratford, they’ll be “taking a different approach to its annual swan release going forward” by returning them to Lake Victoria.
But in years to come, the city will be making assessments based on a number of factors.
“The determination will be made each year based on factors like water levels, weather and mating patterns,” the statement read. “The goal is to reduce the stress on the swans as much as possible as they make their seasonal return to the open water.”
The swans of Stratford have been owned by the city since 1918, when they first received swans as gifts from J.C. Garden, a machinist who donated a pair he originally bought in Battle Creek, Michigan. They’ve been an iconic fixture in town ever since — in the late ’60s, a prima ballerina from the National Ballet even led the swans down to the river.
While the procession of swans down to the river at the arrival of spring has been happening for decades, Stratford turned the tradition into an official parade as of 1984.
In previous years, the Swan Parade has turned into quite the community event, with past festivities including photo ops and horse-drawn carriage tours.
For those who are hoping to watch the release of the swans, the city says they’ll be providing more updates as soon as they’re available.
