February 16th, 2026

Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region!

I smelt spring air.

Walking my maniac golden retriever on Friday... we both smelt it!

We're getting closer.

Believe.

In today's email:

• local events going on this week
• the smallest mammal
• the region's new water infrastructure expert
• a sports update
• & more

Let's dive in 👇

-Ross at Grand River Buzz

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Monday, February 16th

​Felt Iris Floral Wreath Making | Ernie's Roadhouse, Cambridge | 7pm | "In this delightful felt wreath workshop, you'll craft beautiful blooms like iris, hydrangea, thistles, cosmos, and eucalyptus. No experience necessary. Fun for all craftiness levels."

​Music Bingo: Disney & Kids Movie Soundtracks | Pops and Ruby's, Cambridge | 7pm | "The only requirement is that each player must have a device! But this is open to everyone and we will have special prizes for kids and adults. There is no cost to play and also the kids can enjoy our kid's food special as well."

Tuesday, February 17th

​Self Employed Taxes and Tips | Galt Collective, Cambridge | 5:30pm | "A free, practical seminar that helps self-employed individuals stay on top of their tax responsibilities heading into tax season."

​Dried Floral Bouquet Workshop | Metro Restaurant, Kitchener | 7pm | "In this beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll design a dried floral arrangement inside a glass dome, using a curated selection of preserved blooms, grasses, and foliage to build a delicate, long-lasting display."

Wednesday February 18th

​Skate Night Date Night | Waterloo Public Square | 6pm | "Skate along to the amazing tunes spun live by DJ King Kadeem , or get warm with treats from the Hissing Goose Coffee Roasters food truck. The first 50 visitors each night will receive a complimentary hot drink! And this week's theme is the 2000's!"

​Paint Night: Winter Magic | Bobby O'Brien's, Kitchener | 6:30pm | "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. No experience required & all equipment is included!"

​Trivia: Let's Go To The Movies | TWB Brewing, Kitchener | 7pm | "It’s awards season, so we’re rolling out the red carpet for a movie-themed trivia night.Gather your team, grab a pint, and see if you’ve got what it takes to win best picture… in trivia form."

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

Thursday, February 19th

​St. Jacob's Market Food Tour | 9:30am | "Join us for a guided journey through Mennonite food, culture and history, tasting the best local vendors at the famous St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market."

​Paint Night: Open Heart | Fresh Poke, Cambridge | 6:30pm

​Darts Night | TWB Brewing, Kitchener | 7pm | "Come out for a fun and friendly evening of darts. Partners rotate after each game of '501'. All levels are welcome."

​Music Bingo: Back to the 80's | EVO Kitchen & Bar, Cambridge | 7pm | "We’ve packed even more totally awesome tunes from the 80s into three epic playlists for three amazing bingo games! Get ready to jam out to all the top bands of the decade tonight!"

​DTK Sunset Sessions: Winter Edition | Conrad Center, Kitchener | 7:30pm | "Concerts are free to attend, but space is limited. Each show will feature two top secret artists, from different genres, different places, and different styles - everything from funk, to jazz, to rock, blues, soul, pop, r&b… We’ve got you covered."

​Matt Anderson with Mariel Buckley | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 8pm | "The New Brunswick-born powerhouse is known for his soul-stirring voice and heartfelt songs, and his latest album, The Hammer & The Rose, showcases a garden of tender folk and stirring soul that reflects on life’s most meaningful moments."

Library Events

Fun, family-friendly and free. Click below to see what's happening at your local branch this week!

• ​Kitchener Public Library​
• ​Waterloo Public Library​
• ​Cambridge Public Library​
• ​Region of Waterloo Library (Branches in Ayr, Baden, Bloomingdale, Breslau, Clyde, Elmira, Linwood, New Dundee, New Hamburg, St. Clements, St. Jacobs and Wellesley)

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

LOCAL NEWS

Region of Waterloo Appoints Water Infrastructure Expert to Address Capacity Challenges. Facing water capacity constraints in the Mannheim Service Area, the Region of Waterloo has brought in internationally recognized water utility expert Kenneth Brothers as Interim Commissioner to work with development industry, municipalities, and the province on accelerating infrastructure repairs and expansion solutions. [Read More]​

Schneider Haus Debuts Contemporary Art Exhibit Reimagining Historical Artifacts. Building on accessible public art programming, Region of Waterloo Museums and Archives launched a digital drawing series on Schneider Haus's exterior lightboxes, featuring artist Meghan Harder's contemporary interpretations of fraktur folk art and historic motifs through May 31, 2026. [Read More]​

WEATHER

🌧️ Mon, Feb. 16th | HIGH -4° | NIGHT 1° | 60% POP | 2-4mm 💧

⛅️ Tue, Feb. 17th | HIGH 7° | NIGHT 0° | 30% POP

🌧️ Wed, Feb. 18th | HIGH 1° | NIGHT -2° | 90% POP | 20mm 💧

⛅️ Thu, Feb. 19th | HIGH 1° | NIGHT -4° | 30% POP

SPORTS

🥅 Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

2nd Overall | 1st in Western Conference

• 2/13: Kitchener beat Kingston 4-2 | [Watch Highlights]​​
• 2/14: Kitchener beat Ottawa 2-0 | [Watch Highlights]​​
• 2/16: Kitchener lost to Peterborough 3-2 after a shootout | [Watch Highlights]​​
• Next Game: Fri, Feb. 20th | Windsor at Kitchener | 7pm | Tickets​

🏀 KW Titans (BSL)

2nd Overall

• 2/15: KW beat Lake Erie 129-120
• 2/16: KW beat Lebanon 115-92
• Next Game: Sun, Feb 22nd | Windsor Express at KW Titans | 3pm | Tickets​

🥇 Winter Games

• Canada: 2 Gold | 4 Silver | 5 Bronze | 13th place overall
• We won our first two goal medals over the weekend - in Women's Ski Big Air (Megan Oldham) and Men's Moguls (Mikaël Kingsbury)

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

When the winter's feeling a bit 'long', what is one of your favourite things to do that helps pass the time/keep you entertained? 🤔

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 lighter was invented before the match. The first lighter, known as "Döbereiner's lamp," was invented in 1823, while the first friction match didn't arrive until 1826.

Vending machines are statistically more dangerous than sharks. On average, about two people die per year from a tipped-over machine, compared to roughly one death globally from unprovoked shark attacks.

The world's smallest mammal is the bumblebee bat. It is roughly the size of a large bumblebee and weighs less than a penny, coming in at about two grams.

THANK YOU!

Hope you're having a great Family Day relaxing/having fun - see you Thursday. 🐝

ps. A bit shorter today due to Family Day. We'll be back to normal Thursday!

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