‘Victim of its own success’: Stratford’s annual swan parade cancelled

Starting this year, Stratford’s annual swan parade won’t be happening, according to the city.

Each year on the first Sunday in April, a parade of swans waddle to the Avon River in Stratford, led by a pipe and drum band. Crowds would gather to watch them as they are released from their winter quarters into the water.

Quin Malott, parks and forestry manager for Stratford, says the release is returning to its traditional roots of a slow, unhindered walk down to the river.

“The swans are going to be released when the water levels, weather and mating patterns are a little more lined up to what’s best for them,” said Malott. 

The swans, which are owned by the city, have been raised in Stratford since 1918. Every spring, they’re guided to the water from their winter quarters behind the William Allman Arena. The event was first formalized by Ted Blowes, a former mayor of Stratford.

Malott says releasing the swans on a formalized date would often cause panic among staff and caregivers about what to do if the conditions weren’t right.

He says sometimes there was still ice on the river or the water levels weren’t high enough. Other years, the release date was often a week too late for when the birds should’ve been released.

“Once they get ready and they want to start, they want to be out on the river because they’re gonna start making nests and finding territory to raise their young. If they’re ready to go and it’s really warm weather and they’re bouncing along the fence line … we know it’s time to go,” said Malott.  

He says the event was also placing stress on the birds and spectators.

“It’s kind of what we call, or I call, a victim of its own success is that the route that they walk isn’t very far. And we’ve attracted quite large crowds in the past … it’s not really enjoyable if you come all the way down and you can’t see anything anyway,” said Malott.

Amy Thistle is a fifth generation Stratford resident, who used to attend the swan parade. She no longer attends, saying the parade is too crowded. 

“If you’re 15 rows back, which is what happens, you can’t see the swans. And then there’s some pushing and they’re shoving and there’s people getting upset and it doesn’t end up being a very happy community event,” said Thistle.

She believes the public event is too hectic for the swans.

“It’s all about the swans, really. It’s all about their health and their welfare … we’re all stewards, right, of the swans,” Thistle said.

Others in the community feel differently about the swan parade cancellation. LoriAnn Britton tries to attend the swan parade every year with her family, and she says the swan parade is a big deal for the community. 

“It’s really sad because a lot of us have grown up with it our whole lives. And like, my kids are 25, 24 and 23 and they’ve been going their whole lives. It’s kind of sad that their kids won’t get to enjoy it,” said Britton.

Although the event will no longer be “a fun day,” Malott says people will still be able to observe the release of the swans. The City of Stratford will put out a notification of a road closure when the swans will be released. 

Once the swans are in the river, Thistle says they’re at their best.

“You go down and see when they [put] their little heart-shaped heads together. It is quite beautiful to watch them.”