Port Stanley Calipso Festival

06/04/2026

HE'S BACK!

One of the landmarks of CALIPSO Festival is returning to Port Stanley.

Captain Thom Bedlam's Magic Show has become one of the attractions that people of all ages look forward to year after year. For many families, seeing Captain Thom perform has become part of their CALIPSO tradition, creating memories that last long after the festival is over.

Incredible card tricks. Mind-blowing illusions. Big smiles. Plenty of laughs. A touch of pirate adventure.

From children experiencing magic for the first time to grandparents who have been cheering him on for years, Captain Thom continues to be a festival favourite and one of the most recognizable faces of CALIPSO.

Join us and experience the wonder for yourself.

Who remembers seeing Captain Thom at a previous CALIPSO Festival? Share your favourite memory below.

06/03/2026

🌿 BIG NEWS! CALIPSO IS GOING GREEN! 🌿

We're thrilled to introduce the first-ever CALIPSO Regional Shuttle Service, making it easier than ever to get from St. Thomas to Port Stanley while reducing traffic, parking congestion, and our environmental footprint.

A huge thank you to the Port Stanley BIA for their incredible $5,000 sponsorship, helping bring this exciting new initiative to life!

Why ride the shuttle?

☀️ No parking headaches
☀️ No traffic stress on Sunset Road
☀️ No long walk carrying beach gear
☀️ Enjoy a cold drink responsibly
☀️ Save on gas and parking costs
☀️ Travel with friends and family
☀️ More time enjoying the festival
☀️ Better for the environment
☀️ Easy access to all the festival fun
☀️ A relaxing trip to the beach without the hassle

Whether you're coming for the music, food, village-wide treasure hunt, shopping, beach fun, or simply a beautiful day by Lake Erie, the shuttle is the easiest way to experience CALIPSO.

How it works:

☀️ Hop on in St. Thomas
Stops include Elgin Centre and Memorial Arena

☀️ Hop off in Port Stanley
Stops include Port Stanley Arena, Visitor Tourism Centre, and Little Beach

☀️ Enjoy the festival!

The shuttle is free to ride. Donations are welcome and will help support this environmentally friendly initiative for years to come.

Leave the car at home. Ride, relax, and enjoy the coast.

Because this year, CALIPSO is going green.

06/03/2026

Thank You, IDA Pharmacy Port Stanley!

For many years, IDA Pharmacy has been more than just a pharmacy. It has been a trusted part of the Port Stanley community.

As the village's pharmacy, they are always there when residents need professional advice, compassionate care, prescriptions, health products, and a friendly face. Their dedication to helping people stay healthy and supported makes a real difference in the lives of so many in our community.

We are incredibly grateful for their continued support, generosity, and commitment to Port Stanley. Businesses like IDA Pharmacy help make our town the special place it is.

Please join us in thanking the amazing team at IDA Pharmacy for everything they do for our community, every single day.

Thank you for your years of support, your community spirit, and your commitment to keeping Port Stanley healthy. We appreciate you!

05/24/2026

✨ Long-Time CALIPSO Sponsor Spotlight ✨

We are incredibly thankful to once again welcome back one of our long-time CALIPSO supporters — Karen Chapman Hutton! 💙🌊

As many of you know, CALIPSO stands for “Come And Live In Port Stanley” ☀️🏡

And if you’ve ever dreamed about making Port Stanley your home, finding the perfect cottage, or starting your next chapter by the lake… Karen is your girl.
https://www.facebook.com/karenhuttonrealtor
Phone: +1 519-709-8274

Karen has been a wonderful supporter of CALIPSO and our community for years, always helping showcase the beauty, charm, and lifestyle that make Port Stanley such a magical place to call home. 🌅

From beach-town living to cozy lakeside dreams, her passion for this community truly shines through in everything she does.

A huge THANK YOU to Karen Chapman Hutton for continuing to support CALIPSO Festival 2026 and helping us keep the magic growing year after year!
Karen Hutton-Royal LePage-Realtor

05/24/2026

🌊✨ GIVEAWAY TIME! ✨🌊

Did you know many locals lovingly call the lake “Lady Erie”?

This original painting is titled "Lady Erie & Lord Stanley," inspired by the romance between Lake Erie and the beautiful Port Stanley, where they meet in perfect harmony.
Created by artist Maria Valentino, this stunning textured interior artwork won the 🏆 Patron’s Choice Award at the Port Stanley Art Guild Show in 2024.

Now YOU have a chance to take this magical piece home!

TO ENTER:
1️⃣ Follow our page
2️⃣ Comment: Who would you bring to the CALIPSO Festival?
3️⃣ Share this post for an extra entry

The winner will be randomly selected by the app and announced on July 31 — the day before CALIPSO Festival begins! 🎉

Good luck, everyone! 💙

05/20/2026

Need a place for your canoe, kayak, seasonal gear, business inventory, or the things you cannot part with — but just don’t need right now?

We are incredibly thankful for the support of our amazing CALIPSO Festival sponsor, St. Thomas Self Storage

Their support brings the magic of CALIPSO to life and helps our community create more space for adventures, memories, and everyday life.

Secure, clean, convenient storage with friendly local service — whether you are storing summer toys, moving, downsizing, or making room for something new.

Thank you for supporting CALIPSO Festival and our local community!
https://stthomasselfstorage.com/

05/18/2026

📢 HUGE NEWS FOR CALIPSO FESTIVAL 2026! 🚢🌊

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that the Port Stanley BIA has officially come on board as a major corporate sponsor for this year’s festival with a massive $5,000 contribution! 🍾✨

Thanks to their incredible generosity and dedication to our community, CALIPSO 2026 is receiving two major festival upgrades:

🚌 The CALIPSO Regional Shuttle Service
Skip the traffic on Sunset Road and the holiday parking hunt! This year, our shuttle will connect St. Thomas straight to Port Stanley all weekend long, with stops at the Elgin Centre, Memorial Arena, Port Stanley Arena, Visitor Tourism Centre, and Little Beach.

🏴‍☠️ The Village-Wide Treasure Hunt
Get ready to explore! This funding allows us to transform our Marketplace into a legendary treasure hunt featuring your favourite local shops, boutiques, and eateries. Grab your passport map, collect stamps, and enter to win incredible prize baskets filled with goodies from local merchants!

A massive thank you to the Port Stanley BIA Board and all our fantastic local businesses for investing in our community and helping make CALIPSO 2026 our biggest and best year yet. ❤️

Stay tuned — official shuttle schedules and treasure hunt business sign-up forms are coming very soon! 🗺️👇
https://portstanley.net/

05/17/2026

Meet the new face of CALIPSO. 🌊✨

Because our CALIPSO Mermaid became such a beloved highlight of the festival for visitors of all ages, we decided it was time for our logo to evolve too.

Inspired by sunsets over Lake Erie, waterfront waves, vintage beach-town charm, and the magical spirit of Port Stanley summers, our refreshed logo captures the energy, colour, and personality of the festival we are building together.

Same CALIPSO spirit — now with a bold new look. 🧜‍♀️☀️

What do you think of our new mermaid?

07/28/2025

PLEASE JOIN OUR NEW GROUP!

🎵 Friendly & Fun
Stay in tune with the vibe! 🎶
Join our group for updates, behind-the-scenes, and event highlights you won’t want to miss.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1027722781170793

07/28/2025