Arts and Culture

The internationally renowned Stratford Shakespeare Festival is only a ten-minute drive away, and runs from May to November. Nearby Blyth (75 kilometers away) offers a theatre festival that runs every year from June to September. The Grand Theatre in London runs a theatre season every year from September to June.

In the fall, the St. Marys Storytelling Festival takes place, featuring some of Canada's best artists working in oral narrative traditions. The St. Marys Museum, located in a stone mansion constructed more than 150 years ago, is open year round, as is the St. Marys Public Library, which not only houses a wealth of books but also coordinates several book clubs, a chess club, a Philosophers' Cafe, author readings, film screenings, and much more. The Music and Opera Appreciation Company showcases a series of musical programs, each of which is accompanied by guest speakers.

In the winter months, a very public and festive spectacle can be seen in the seasonal lights and displays that made St. Marys the winner in the 2006-2007 national Winterlights competition.