January 5th, 2025

Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region!

Bit heartbreaking to see Canada lose last night in the World Junior semi-finals. They gave it a good run, but ran into a tough and determined Czech team.

On a more positive note... we're officially one day closer to spring.

In today's email:

• a great local brewery
• some fun upcoming local events
• why you don't normally see your own nose
• two special community highlights
• & more

Let's dive in 👇

-Ross at Grand River Buzz

WHAT'S HAPPENING

General

​Ontario Men's & Women's Curling Championships | Woolwich Memorial Centre, Elmira | Sun, Jan. 4th to Sun, Jan. 11th | "The Elmira & District Curling Club is excited to once again present the Ontario curling championships. Kids 12 and under are free! Full event, weekend, single day and single draw passes available."

​Shrek: The Musical | Hamilton Family Theatre, Cambridge | Shows everyday through Sun, Jan. 11th | "The greatest fairy tale never told comes to life in this fun-filled and hilarious musical comedy based on the hit animated movie."

​Cinderella: The Panto | St. Jacob's Country Playhouse | Shows everyday through Sun, Jan. 11th | "Pantos are a popular form of family theatre in the UK based on fairy or folk tales, and encourage audience participation."

Tuesday, January 6th

​Winter Wonderland Dot-Painting Workshop | Pickle Barrel, Waterloo | 6pm | "Under step-by-step guidance at your own pace, you’ll learn easy dot-painting techniques that bring your winter designs to life."

​Paint Nite | EVO Kitchen & Bar, Cambridge | 6:30pm | "Join us for a night filled with creativity, laughter, and delicious food. No painting experience is necessary as Elle will guide you step-by-step in creating your own masterpiece."

​Plaster Painting | Ernie's Roadhouse, Cambridge | 7pm | "Learn the art of plaster painting in this hands-on workshop where you’ll create a textured mountain diptych on two 16x12 wood canvases!"

​Tuesday Night Trivia | Kelsey's, Cambridge | 7pm | "Join Host Liz Coppins for a fun-filled evening of brain-teasing questions and great company. A unique visual trivia game that is shown on all the TVs in the venue."

​Jack's Trivia Night | Jack Astor's, Kitchener | 7:30pm

Wednesday, January 7th

​Skate Night | Waterloo Public Square | 6pm | "Ice skating, a local DJ, food trucks & more. The music theme for this week is 'Way Back Wednesday' & the first 50 visitors each night at the Hissing Goose Coffee Roasters will also receive a complimentary hot drink."

​Paint Night | Bobby O'Brien's, Kitchener | 6:30pm | "Unleash your creative side with a paintbrush in hand and a canvas in front of you. Our experienced artist will guide you in creating a beautiful masterpiece to take home as a lasting memory of your paint and sip night out."

​Rusty Nail Comedy: PRO AM Night | TWH Social, Kitchener | 7:30pm

Thursday, January 8th

​Musical Bingo: Best of 2010s | EVO Kitchen & Bar, Cambridge | 7pm

​Thursday Soul Show: Joshua Pascua | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 8pm | "A blend of Pop, Funk, RnB and Soul. With training in jazz and contemporary vocals, Joshua brings depth and emotion to every performance, connecting with listeners through catchy hooks and personal storytelling."

Upcoming Events

​Blue Rodeo: Lost Together - The 40th Anniversary Tour | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | Fri, Jan. 9th & Sat, Jan. 10th at 8pm | "Blue Rodeo has defined the sound of Canadian roots rock with their signature blend of folk, country, and rock, earning a devoted fanbase, 12 JUNO Awards, and a permanent place in Canadian music history."

​Drum Tao | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | Sat, Jan. 17th at 7pm | "A captivating performance full of flash and fire! Renowned for powerful and athletic drumming, their newest show, The Best, blends traditional “Wadaiko” (Japanese Drums) with modern energy and theatrical flair."

​Harlem Globetrotters | Kitchener Auditorium | Thu, Jan. 29th at 7pm | "From gravity-defying dunks to game-changing tricks, fans will feel the history, the joy, and the fun that only the Globetrotters can deliver."​

* none of these events are sponsored. that will always be made obvious if so.

WEATHER

🌨️ Mon, Jan. 5th | HIGH -1° | NIGHT -6° | 90% POP | 1-3cm ❄️

🌨️ Tue, Jan. 6th | HIGH 0° | NIGHT -1° | 90% POP | 1cm ❄️ | 2-4mm 💧

☁️ Wed, Jan. 7th | HIGH 1° | NIGHT 0° | 30% POP

⛅️ Thu, Jan. 8th | HIGH 3° | NIGHT 1° | 60% POP | <1cm ❄️ | 1-3mm 💧

SPORTS

🥅 Kitchener Rangers | 5th overall | 2nd in Western Conference

• 1/02: Barrie at Kitchener | Highlights​
  • Rangers lost a tight game via penalty shootout after tying 2-2 in regulation time/OT
• Next Game:
  • Friday, Jan. 9th | Oshawa at Kitchener | 7pm | Tickets​

🏀 KW Titans

• 1/04: Montreal at Kitchener
  • Titans won the game 102-90
  • #20 Tyshon Pickett had a huge game for KW - 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block
• Next Game:
  • Friday, Jan. 9th | KW Titans at Montreal Toundra | 7:30pm

​

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

​Great Food Sorting Challenge​

"On January 22, 23, and 26, 30 teams will step into the ring and go head-to-head in an action-packed showdown to fight hunger and sort the most non-perishable food for people in need.

But the fight against hunger doesn’t stop there - teams are also competing to win the coveted Most Meals Raised title, which combines the total amount of food sorted with funds raised.

You can help your favourite team climb the leaderboard by supporting their fundraising page today. For every $1 you contribute, The Food Bank can provide two nourishing meals to someone facing hunger."

Tap here to learn more about how you can get involved and follow along.

​Whisky Night Social​

"We’re excited to introduce the Whisky Night Social, a new community experience that celebrates fine whisky, warm company, and meaningful connections - all in support of Hospice Waterloo Region.

Hosted at the beautiful Hacienda Serada, this social format opens the door to exploring remarkable whiskies from around the world - while keeping the warmth and camaraderie guests will love."

You can find out more info here - there will also be live music, trivia, prizes and a silent auction.

Do you know of any great causes or organizations doing impactful things throughout our community? Make sure to reply & share so I can feature them in an upcoming newsletter!

FOOD & DRINK IN THE REGION

​Rural Roots Brewery | 21B Industrial Rd, Elmira

I absolutely love Rural Roots! Definitely a 'hidden gem' in the region - they offer a variety of delicious craft beers and they've got excellent food as well. Lots of events on offer too, ranging from live music to trivia nights to bingo.

Their patio is dog friendly so you can bring your pup along. And it's also enclosed/heated throughout the winter so it's comfortable year-round.

What makes them really stand out though is their service! The owner and staff are incredibly kind, and you always feel so welcome.

Plus... if you order food you get a cool toy animal for your table so they know where to bring it. (it's fun, trust me)

As always though, don't just take my word. Here's an excellent 5-star review from Brittany a few months ago:

"Love this local spot, even if I’m not a local. I live in Cambridge but I’ll make the hike out to this brewery. It’s worth the drive when not all breweries can offer quality pints. I’ve had multiple flights here and struggled to pick the beer I liked most to get a pint of or take a can home since they’re all great. Service is excellent and the food items I’ve tried have all been delish!! The owner is often there and has always been great to chat with. If you like good beer, go here!"

I'd encourage you to check out their menus and event page below, highly recommend!

• ​Beer Menu​
• ​Food Menu​
• ​Events​

* this is not a sponsored placement, just a favourite of mine. ads will always be made obvious if so.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

"As we head into 2026, what is the one local business in the region you’re determined to visit more often in the new year?" 🎉

Hit reply to this message to let me know and I'll share some of the best responses next week!

RANDOM FACTS OF THE DAY

The Hawaiian Pizza was invented in Canada. Despite the name, the pineapple & ham pizza was created by a Greek immigrant named Sam Panopoulos in Chatham, Ontario Canada, in 1962. He named it "Hawaiian" after the brand of canned pineapple he used.

Your brain "edits out" your own nose. Even though your nose is always in your field of vision, your brain uses a process called unconscious selective attention to ignore it so it doesn't distract you.

Footprints on the moon will stay there for millions of years: Since the moon has no atmosphere, there is no wind to blow them away and no water to wash them off. The only way they’ll disappear is if they get hit by a meteorite.

THANK YOU!

Hope you have an excellent week and we'll be back Thursday. 🐝

​

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