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Every year, from October through to early April, ACT-CO oversees a Festival of Community Theatre for its members groups within the ACT-CO region (see map for boundaries). Divided into three categories: comedy; drama; and musical, over forty productions are commonly entered annually, representing a vast spectrum of experience, resources and subject matter. Submitted productions can range from well-known commercial playwrights to unique Canadian and foreign perspectives, with many new and original works appearing side-by-side as equals.

To take this wide variety of entertainment and subject matter and interpret it along common themes and achievements, each year ACT-CO hires experienced theatre professionals to assume the roles of adjudicators. These adjudicators bring their wealth of experience and talent to bear in reviewing and analyzing each of the productions entered in the festival. They provide their feedback to the presenting group, as well as their insights on how well the groups acheived both their own and the playwright's objectives for the play in question. The adjudication process is intended to take place in an open forum with the adjudicator and the production's cast and crew as equals and where a positive exchange of observations, questions and suggestions are possible.

In addition to providing the educational experience to each participating member group, ACT-CO's adjudicators are also asked to note and select candidates in a number of categories, who in their view demonstrated exceptional achievement and warrant further recognition and celebration. The adjudicators selections are gathered by the Festival Chairperson in early April and these individuals and groups are honoured at ACT-CO's annual Thea Awards Gala, held later that month.

Information packages and website updates usually become available in July for the upcoming year's festival. Interested member groups then have until early September to submit their applications for inclusion in the Festival. Adjudication dates are confirmed later in September and the Festival commences the beginning of October.