The best news and events from around the Waterloo Region. Delivered Monday and Thursday mornings. For free.
🐝 Shamrock Trains, Can Sculptures & Free Autographs
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March 16th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! I did in fact jinx us about spring "only being eleven days away" last week & I'm sorry... Promise to be quiet about the weather until we're in the full clear. That being said, I hope you're having a great week - and lot's of great stuff going on in the newsletter below. Enjoy! In today's email:
Let's dive in 👇 -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING General Irish Real Life Festival | Various venues throughout Kitchener - now through St. Patrick’s Day | "There's a ton of events still going on before the festival closes! Click through on the link to see what you might be keen to attend/check out" Tuesday, March 17th St. Patrick's Day Celebration | McCabe's, Waterloo | 10am | "It's the perfect spot to rock your green gear, enjoy some tunes, green drinks, and soak up the Irish spirit." The Shamrock Express | Waterloo Northfield Station or Farmers Market Station (your choice) | 11am & 1pm | "Climb aboard and enjoy a scenic journey through Woolwich County, where rolling countryside and nearby Mennonite farms set the stage for a magical railway adventure!" Launch!: A Digital Marketing Seminar | Galt Collective | 5:30pm | "An insightful seminar designed to elevate your understanding of the digital marketing ecosystem. This event will cover a range of helpful topics in the digital marketing landscape." Teen Karaoke | Cambridge Public Library, Hespeler | 6:30pm | "Step into the spotlight and sing along to today’s hits and classic favourites. This night is a high-energy event for teens who love music and fun." Grown Up St. Paddy's Day with Mighty Kin | The Boathouse, Kitchener | 7pm | "Enjoy our Paddy’s Day feature menu, crafted for the occasion, while the incredible Mighty Kin fills the room with the sounds of traditional Irish music. Good food. Great music. Proper celebration." Trivia: Irish & Paddy's Day! | Scran & Dram, New Hamburg | 7pm | "Come show us how much ye know about all things Irish!" Country Swing: Open House | Remix Swing, Waterloo | 8pm | "Join us for an open house to find out about Country Swing. This class is free for your first time at Remix Swing. No partner or experience necessary!" The Irish Rovers | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 8pm | "With over 50 years of global acclaim, this legendary ensemble delivers a rollicking blend of Celtic folk, storytelling, and humour—featuring classics like 'The Unicorn', 'Wasn’t That a Party', and 'Drunken Sailor'." Wednesday, March 18th Yoga in the Garden | Springbank Garden, Cambridge | 9:30am | "We hope you’ll join us for this grounding, heart-warming practice in nature and community." Downtown Hockey Showdown | Kitchener City Hall | 12pm | "Gather the whole family for an afternoon of outdoor fun to level up your March Break and enjoy:
Nate Haller: Live | Maxwell's, Waterloo | 7pm | "Nate Haller has quickly established himself as one of Canadian country music’s most exciting rising stars. A Waterloo native, Haller broke through with his Top 10 Canadian country radio hit Lightning In A Bottle and followed it with fan favourites including Ain’t Like Me, Budweiser, Race to the Bottom, and Backfire - a recent duet that cracked the Billboard Canada Country Top 5." "The Neighbours: A New Play" | Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts, Kitchener | 7pm | "Simon and Denise reside in a modest house on a quiet street, their life blissfully low-key and unassuming. But when it comes to light that their next-door neighbour has been hiding a sinister secret, it forces the couple to re-examine the past, leading the audience to a surprising conclusion that asks hard questions about the bonds that unite us." - note: there are multiple days/showtimes throughout March! 1996: The ‘Wait, That Was 30 Years Ago?!’ Trivia Night | TWB Brewing, Kitchener | 7pm | "Rewind to 1996 for a night of peak 90s pop culture, from blockbuster movies and (hopefully) unforgettable TV moments to chart-topping hits and all the dial-up era nostalgia in between." William Prince: Further From The Country Tour | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 8pm | "With Further From the Country, Prince sharpens his focus and expands his sound, offering music that shares personal truths with universal reach. Expect an intimate, resonant night from one of Canada’s most compelling voices." Rusty Nail Comedy: PRO AM Night | TWH Social, Kitchener | 7:30pm | "Only $5 bucks!" Thursday, March 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." March Break Express | Waterloo Northfield Station or Farmers Market Station | 11am and 1pm | "We invite you to embark on a scenic winter heritage train ride with the whole family! Passengers of all ages will be captivated by the wide-open views of the countryside and nearby Mennonite farms as we travel through Woolwich County. A colouring contest to win 2 free train tickets & fun stickers and temporary tattoos for all young passengers." Social Art Fundraiser | KW Humane Society, Kitchener | 2pm | "Join us for a fun time painting “March Dream”. Create your own masterpiece, no experience necessary - we will take you through step by step. Come a little early and see some cute and cuddly friends." Show & Tell: Open Mic | Visitor Information Centre, Waterloo | 7pm | "Open Mic. Open Stage. Open Invitation! 5 min spots, come share your ideas. Anything goes in this diverse & delightful open mic. Comedy, music, performance art, burlesque, poetry, drag, lectures, rants, etc!" 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." Gary Cain Band | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 7pm | "Gary is back from Jolly Old England for a live show and birthday celebration in his hometown of K-W. Hope to see you there for drinks, merriment, and face-meltery!" Rusty Nail Comedy: Once a Month Thursdays | TWH Social, Kitchener | 7:30pm | "Headliner: Shawn Hogan" Girls Night: Stand-up Comedy | Whoopsie Daisy Drinks, Kitchener | 8pm | "Fall in love with your hosts Lindsay and Renee, watch incredible comedy, then play the Secrets Auction where you bid for prizes with your juicy secrets and confessions!" March Break While I've tried to sprinkle a variety of March break events throughout the above section, I wanted to provide a more comprehensive list but that was starting to get long... so linking out some great resources below to help with your planning if needed:
(next year we'll do a full list starting a couple weeks ahead of time) Library Events Fun, family-friendly and free. Click below to see what's happening at your local branch this week! Lot's of extra stuff going on for March break at all the locations.
Community Centres The region's community centres are excellent ways to access fun & affordable/free programs and activities. They have a ton of things to do for kids & teens, and they've got some great adult & senior programs as well! Again, especially helpful with March break this week. * none of these events are sponsored. that will always be made obvious if so. LOCAL NEWS Waterloo Region's Aviation and Aerospace Sector Just Got Its Own Digital Home. AeroWR - a cluster representing 85+ local companies, institutions, and research centres in the aviation, aerospace, and defence space - has launched a new website at aerowr.ca, connecting industry, academia, and government partners and positioning Waterloo Region as a global player in the future of flight. [More Info - Region of Waterloo] Local Charities and Not-for-Profits Can Now Get Unlimited Museum Access for $60 a Year. Region of Waterloo Museums and Archives has launched a new Community Membership for registered charities and not-for-profits, offering unlimited self-guided admission to all four museum sites - Doon Heritage Village, the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, McDougall Cottage, and Schneider Haus - plus gift shop and snack bar discounts, all shareable across an entire organization. [More Info - Region of Waterloo] University of Waterloo Hosted a Summit With an Ambitious Goal: Make Waterloo the Healthiest Region in Canada. Municipal leaders, health-system partners, researchers and students gathered at the Healthy Waterloo Summit to align on shared priorities - from housing and transit to social cohesion and primary care access - with former governor general David Johnston invoking the region's barn-raising spirit and UW president Vivek Goel noting that matching BC's lifestyle outcomes alone could add seven years to Ontarians' life expectancy. [More Info - University of Waterloo] Waterloo Region's New Waste Collection System Finds Its Footing After a Rocky First Two Weeks. After fielding around 3,000 resident inquiries - mostly from people confused about pickup days - the Region says operations are now running on schedule heading into week three, with crews from Peel Region brought in at no extra cost to help local Emterra staff recover after a long stretch on the new carts and trucks. [More Info - City News] A University of Waterloo Study Found That Nearly Two Thirds of Discarded Electronics in Canada Still Work. Researchers found that Canadians routinely replace functional or minimally broken devices, with the seven most common product categories alone expected to generate 2.3 million tonnes of e-waste by 2030 — fuelling calls for stronger right-to-repair legislation and more accessible local recycling options like Eco-Tech Waterloo and Reep Green Solutions. [More Info - CBC] WEATHER ⛈️ Mon, Mar. 16th | HIGH 11° | NIGHT -11° | 80% POP | 2-4mm 💧 🌨️ Tue, Mar. 17th | HIGH -7° | NIGHT -12° | 40% POP | 1cm ❄️ ⛅️ Wed, Mar. 18th | HIGH -1° | NIGHT -2° | 30% POP 🌧️ Thu, Mar. 19th | HIGH 5° | NIGHT -1° | 80% POP | 1cm ❄️/1mm 💧 SPORTS 🥅 Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 2nd Overall | 1st in Western Conference
🏀 KW Titans (BSL) 2nd Overall
* what other sports would you like to see included here? reply to let me know what you'd find useful! COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT This year’s Canstruction Waterloo Region teams put in some serious work! 13 groups came together to plan, organize, and build impressive structures entirely out of canned and non-perishable food—all to support individuals in our community facing food insecurity. Since its inception in 2008, Canstruction Waterloo Region has raised over 1.9 million meals. This year, The Food Bank hopes to raise 100,000 meals to support community members experiencing food insecurity. Extra March Break Fun:
* 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 Q BBQ Public House | 164 Beverly St, Cambridge As featured on the hit tv show 'You've Gotta Eat Here!' that aired on Food Network Canada. "We're more than a restaurant, we're a gathering place. Here, every plate tells a story; from the smoky aroma of our slow cooked meats to the bold flavours of our Greek classics. We take pride in offering a warm, inviting atmosphere where friends and family can enjoy good food and great company." Here's a great, 5 star google review from Jay last year: "Fantastic real deal BBQ! I had an amazing lunch at the Q BBQ Public House! Had the three meat option brisket juicy delicious, pulled pork really good, and server suggested fried chicken which was a yummy surprise. Corn bread amongst the best I have had and the two sides mac & cheese and baked beans. Server said the beans were famous in the area and they did not disappoint they were awesome a little different flavour than the norm but amazing. The service was awesome very friendly with great knowledge of the menu and great suggestions. Venue is a very nice clean BBQ place" A great variety on offer - from breakfast to lunch to dinner. You can check out their menu here. You'll see it says 'online ordering not available' currently, but you can still click through and see what they've got to offer ahead of visiting! * this is not a sponsored placement, just came highly recommended. ads will always be made obvious if so. RANDOM FACTS OF THE DAY Human Teeth are as Strong as Shark Teeth: While sharks have a more intimidating "recycling" system for their teeth, a study found that the enamel on human teeth is just as hard and durable as that of a Great White. The First Computer Mouse Was Made of Wood: Invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1964, the first prototype was a wooden shell with two metal wheels - a far cry from the ergonomic laser mice we use today. The Inventor of the Frisbee Was Turned Into One: When Steady Ed Headrick passed away in 2002, his ashes were molded into a limited edition of Frisbees per his final wishes. His family said he wanted to be "played with" even after he was gone. THANK YOU! Hope you have a great week and we'll be back with more great stuff on Thursday. 🐝 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. Just hit 'reply'. INFO STATION:❌ Had enough of these emails? No hard feelings, just tap this link to unsubscribe. 😩 Did someone forward you this email? And now you're wondering how to get in on the action? Say less friend, tap here to sign up for yourself: grandriverbuzz.ca/signup 📖 Do you have an event, funny story or meme about the region you want to share? Hit reply to this email and let me know what you've got to be featured in an upcoming email! 👋 Have a thought, comment or feedback about the newsletter? Or maybe you just want to tell me a random joke.. whatever it is, I love getting replies and try to respond as often as possible. Reach out whenever you'd like by hitting reply. 📢 Think someone you know would love this email? Forward this to them to spread the love. ❤️ Feeling extra generous and loving? Shout us out on your favourite social media platform using this link: https://grandriverbuzz.ca/signup - it really helps spread the word! |
Grand River Buzz
The best news and events from around the Waterloo Region. Delivered Monday and Thursday mornings. For free.
March 12th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! We're coming up to March break next week and this year's flying by. Hope everyone's having a great week & there's a ton going on this weekend... especially on Saturday. Let me know what you're planning to attend or how it went! In today's email: Ramona the inventor of cotton candy (it's kind of sneaky...) a question of the week tons of fun, local events for people of all ages & more Let's dive in 👇 -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING...
March 9th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! Spring is 11 days away. ELEVEN! I don't want to jinx things but I think we've made it. Plus with the 'spring forward' time change, it'll kick off the start of longer evenings. Exciting times indeed. In today's email: local news updates and some fun events a question of the week Summer Games coming to the region the longest place name in the world & more Let's dive in 👇 -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING General Irish Real Life Festival...
March 5th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! Lot's going on around the area this weekend. Hope you're having a great week so far, enjoying the 'warmer' (but wet) weather and you got your garbage picked up. In today's email: some local 'Olympic-themed' sport events (+ a ton of other great events!) Lark sports update a planet that rains glass & more Let's dive in 👇 -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING General 2026 Skate Canada Cup | Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex | March 6th-8th...