February 19th, 2026

Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region!

I'm a bit late today, apologies. (short work weeks always seem to get so busy!)

But lot's of great stuff going on this weekend, along with some important community updates.

In today's email:

• a recycling update (yes, another one...)
• how many bones are in your feet
• Captain
• tons of great events across all sorts of interests
• & more

Let's dive in 👇

-Ross at Grand River Buzz

WHAT'S HAPPENING

General

​KW Psychic & Crystal Fair | Bingemans, Kitchener | Fri (1-9pm), Sat (10am-9pm) & Sun (10am-5pm) | "Psychics, mediums, palm readings, numerology, astrology, tarot card readings, intuitive healers, crystal vendors and more."

​Halfway There | Elmira Theatre Company | Multiple dates & times Thur to Sun | "There’s no such thing as a secret in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia. Not when close friends Vi, Rita, Mary Ellen, and Janine meet for coffee every day at the local diner where Janine works. But when Sean, a heartbroken doctor, moves in to take a temporary job at the local clinic, the other three ladies try to act as matchmakers for the fourth."

​Harmony of Cultures Festival | Ken Seiling Museum | Fri (5:30pm) & Sat (11:30am) | "Explore the marketplace, enjoy food and music, take part in hands-on workshops, and cheer on finalists in the pitch competition — $1,000 grants and mentorship up for grabs!"

Friday, February 20th

​7th Counterpoint Birthday! | Counterpoint Brewing, Kitchener | 5pm | "La Divina Catering is serving up a trio of options starting at 5pm - menu incoming! - and we've got one of the best, Sydney Jones, playing tunes starting at 7pm.Can't forget a special cask we've prepared for the occasion - tapping at 6pm!"

​The Road Hammers with Doc Walker | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 7pm | "Buckle up for a full-throttle night of country rock when The Road Hammers hit the stage with special guests Doc Walker! Two beloved Canadian acts come together for an unforgettable evening packed with powerhouse vocals, soaring guitars, and the songs fans know by heart."

​Trivia: Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets | EVO Kitchen & Bar, Cambridge | 7pm

​Nashville Ladies Night | Fireside Haven Studio, Cambridge | 7pm | "Grab your cowgirl hats, round up your besties, and get ready for a boot-scootin’ good time!"

​Hops & High Notes | TWB Brewing, Kitchener | 7pm | "Enjoy a captivating evening of opera and musical theatre favourites performed by incredible local talent"

​Jully Black | Maxwell's, Waterloo | 7:30pm | "Named one of CBC Music’s 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever and affectionately dubbed Canada’s Queen of R&B Soul."

​Yamaha All-Stars | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 8pm | "A star-studded jazz quintet that was put together by Yamaha Canada Ltd
for a promotional video shot at the Rex Hotel & Blues Bar back in November of 2024."

​Friday Live Music | The Galt Club, Cambridge | 8pm | "Tonight's event features Matt Campbell"

Saturday, February 21st

​The Open Mat Project: Community Pilates | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 10am | "The Open Mat Project offers pay-what-you-can community Pilates classes/events designed to make movement accessible, supportive, and welcoming to all bodies and backgrounds."

​Star Team Showcase | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 1pm | "Watch our competitive dancers take the stage for the first time this season with brand new solos, duets, and group performances."

​Exhibition Opening: Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass | KW Art Gallery, Kitchener | 2pm | "A cross-Atlantic, audio-visual collaboration that explores the embodiment and translation of peatland knowledge through blending physical engagement with digital interpretations."

​Jazz Jam | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 2pm | "Free show. All performers are welcome. Listeners encouraged!"

​Paint Night | Score Pizza, Waterloo | 6pm | "Sip on a glass of wine or beer while our talented instructor guides you through creating your own masterpiece. No experience necessary, just bring your imagination and let the paint flow!"

​Live Music: Bry Webb & Cots | TWB Brewing, Kitchener | 7pm

​Tim Shia's "Worst Pop Band Ever" | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 8pm | "The Worst Pop Band Ever is the total package – great compositions, unique covers and standup-worthy comedic banter… a highlight of the festival." (a recent review)

Sunday, February 22nd

​Sunday Grind | Zazu's Coffee Bar, Kitchener | 11am | "A fresh new music series designed to bring people together over great coffee, local talent, and vibrant community vibes. This Sunday features DJ Good DR."

​Korean Lunary New Year Cooking Class | Tase of Seoul Express, Kitchener | 11am & 1pm | "To celebrate Lunar New Year, we’re hosting a dumpling & tteokguk making class where you’ll learn how to craft them from scratch. After the class, we’ll enjoy tteok mandu guk (rice cake soup with dumplings) for lunch using the dumplings you made. Any extra dumplings can be taken home."

​Family Funday | Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener | 1pm | "In this free drop-in program, we will explore painting, textiles, sculpture, printmaking, and more. Learn new skills and explore your creativity as a family. Materials are provided. Registration is not required. Donations are welcome."

​Hand Building Clay Workshop | Metro Restaurant, Kitchener | 1pm | "Join us for an afternoon of clay hand-building where you’ll learn to sculpt your very own flower candlestick. Whether you're coming solo or with a friend, this beginner-friendly workshop is the perfect way to unwind, get a little messy, and discover the joy of ceramics—no experience needed!"

​Hit Music Video Bingo | McCabe's Irish Pub & Grill | 7pm

Upcoming Events

​Mike Super: Magic & Illusion | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | Sat, Mar. 7th at 7pm | "The winner of NBC's hit TV show 'Phenomenon' and a top finalist in 'America's Got Talent'. He even fooled Penn & Teller!"

Farmers Markets

​St. Jacobs | Saturday, February 21st (7am—3:30pm)

​Kitchener | Saturday, February 21st (7am—2pm)

​Cambridge | Saturday, February 21st (7am—1pm)​

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

COMEDY

Friday, February 20th

​Rusty Nail Comedy | TWH Social, Kitchener | 7:30pm | Headliner: Casey Corbin

Saturday, February 21st

​Yuk Yuk's Comedy | Puddicombe House, New Hamburg | 7pm | "Our talented comedians will have you rolling in your seats with their side-splitting jokes and witty humour."

​Rusty Nail Comedy | TWH Social, Kitchener | 7:30pm | Headliner: Casey Corbin

​Rusty Nail Comedy | Falls Road Irish Pub, Kitchener | 7:30pm | Headliner: Ian Gordon

Upcoming Events

​Toronto Comedy All Stars | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | Sat, Feb. 28th at 5pm & 8:30pm | "Catch the hottest standups from Toronto’s world-class comedy scene for one night only, featuring comedians seen on Just For Laughs, Hulu, Crave, CBC & more!"

​Jeff Leeson: Only Gonna Say This Once Comedy Tour | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | Sat, Apr. 18th & Fri, Apr. 24th at 8pm | I'm personally endorsing this one... Jeff is one of my favourite comedians. Every show is unique because of his special crowd work, and he's a local lad too. I'm going to the April 18th show!

WEATHER

🌧️ Fri, Feb. 20th | HIGH 4° | NIGHT 0° | 100% POP | 5-10mm 💧

🌨️ Sat, Feb. 21st | HIGH 0° | NIGHT -6° | 60% POP | 1-3cm ❄️

🌨️ Sun, Feb. 22nd | HIGH -2° | NIGHT -6° | 40% POP | 1cm ❄️

SPORTS

🥅 Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

2nd Overall | 1st in Western Conference

• Next Game: Fri, Feb. 20th | Windsor at Kitchener | 7pm | Tickets​

🏀 KW Titans (BSL)

2nd Overall

• Next Game: Sun, Feb 22nd | Windsor Express at KW Titans | 3pm | Tickets​

🥇 Winter Games

• Canada: 4 Gold | 5 Silver | 6 Bronze | 11th place overall
• Disappointing to see the women's hockey team lose to the US earlier today... but they gave it their all and should be very proud of their silver medal. Nice to see us add some other medals throughout the week too, and here's to closing it out strong over the weekend

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

So apparently the garbage/recycling/green bin pickup days are changing for some people...

The region likes to keep us on our toes I guess!

If you haven't already, click through on this link to find out if your days are changing, along with other important info about the new collection processes.

(seems to be working okay for me now, but there's a note that the map might take a bit to load as there's lots of traffic)

ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK

Meet Captain!

Captain's a 5 year old domestic shorthair/mix male with a brown & white coat. He first came to the shelter on December 11th.

"He commands attention without demanding it! He loves being near people and keeping watch over the action. His favourite perch? The captain's chair in the kitchen, of course! After all, no good ship should sail alone. While Captain isn't a fan of being picked up, he's a true connoisseur of chin scratches and pets. And when it's playtime, he transforms into an adventurous sailor, just toss him a ball or spring, and he'll chase it across the room with pure joy. Captain is an easygoing and independent crew mate who gets along with the grandchildren when they visit his foster home and thrives with people around. His foster mom also reports she has found him to be tidy in their home and he doesn't seem to scratch the furniture!"

Tap here to find out more.

And there are tons of dogs, cats and other animals that are looking for their forever homes. You can find the adopt page here.

* if you adopt a dog or any pet from these emails, reply and let me know! I'd love to send you a special gift to help get things started

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Last week we asked... 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? 🤔

Thanks to Randy & Deb for their replies below, excellent stuff.

Deb: "How to pass the time question… well several things, purge your house! Organize your basement. Clean all the light fixtures and especially fans… Start a book club or join a book club. Book a vacation and leave town 😍"

Randy: "Question of the week - Nothing like curling up on a comfy couch, with a hot cup of tea and reading a great book to help pass a winter day!"

RANDOM FACTS OF THE DAY

The Year of the Fire Horse: 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, a rare combination in the Chinese Zodiac that only occurs once every 60 years. It’s said to represent intense energy, creativity, and rapid change.

Lemur "Stink Fights": Male ring-tailed lemurs settle disputes by rubbing secretions from their scent glands onto their tails and waving them at each other. The one with the strongest (and most pungent) scent wins the "stink fight."

Your feet contain 25% of your bones: Each of your feet has 26 bones. Together, that's 52 bones out of the 206 in your entire body.

THANK YOU!

Hope you have a fantastic weekend & we'll see you Monday 💪

ps. I'd love your feedback. Whether it's something you like, or hate, or want to see more/less of - please let me know! My goal is to make sure you're getting value from these emails, and the important info you need. Hit 'reply' to let me know!

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