Canvas & Culture: A Night That Brought Strathroy Together-EDCO Award Winners: The Deep Dive. S3. E3.

In this episode of the Hyper Local EDCO Awards Series: A Deep Dive, host Mason Ainsworth (  / mason-ainsworth-30643161  ) sits down with Kait Topham (  / kaitlynd-topham  ) (Events Coordinator for the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc) and Lauren Huston (  / laurennhustonn  ) (The Wright Family Performing Arts & Entertainment Centre Foundation) to talk about their Canvas & Culture Night Market, which won them the Visitor Attraction & Tourism Product Development - Rural award. This rural visitor attraction initiative brought thousands of people into downtown Strathroy for a night that mixed local business, food, art, music, and community. Kait shares how the event was built with the Downtown Strathroy BIA, The Wright Place, and a wide range of community partners. It speaks to why inclusion, participation, and a strong sense of belonging were just as important as the numbers. From sold-out restaurants and packed vendor spaces to drum circles, live mural painting, and cultural performances, this conversation looks at how a small-town night market can become both an economic driver and a celebration of the people who make the community. This series was made in partnership with the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) (  / economic-developers-council-of-ontario  ) . Thank you to the incredible staff and the Board of Directors for making this series possible. Thank you to our Series Sponsor: A special thank you to Peacock Tariff Consulting (  / peacock-tariff-consulting  ) for sponsoring the Hyper Local EDCO Awards Series. With deep expertise in tariff strategy, customs compliance, and international trade, Peacock Tariff Consulting helps businesses navigate complex global trade challenges with clarity and confidence. We’re grateful for their support of conversations that strengthen Ontario’s economic development community. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gQes432e (https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go/?u...) . Thank you to our Podcast Partner, Michelle Samson, MAES, Ec.D. (  / michelleasamson  ) of Storied Places Media (  / storied-places-media  ) . Storied Places Media specializes in producing audio and video podcasts for economic development organizations. It's long-form content that busy people will actually consume. They can support your vision or take care of the whole process: hosting, interviewing, editing, and distribution on all major streaming platforms. They also advise on strategy and promotion to help it reach as much of your audience as possible. Learn more at storiedplaces.ca (https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go/?u...) #EDCO (https://www.linkedin.com/search/resul...) #EconomicDevelopment (https://www.linkedin.com/search/resul...) #EcDev (https://www.linkedin.com/search/resul...) #Ontario (https://www.linkedin.com/search/resul...) #HyperLocalPod (https://www.linkedin.com/search/resul...)