May 28th, 2026

Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region!

We're almost at the end of May, this year sure is flying by...

Excited for what's to come over the summer, so many cool events going on!

Make sure to check out the upcoming events page to start planning your future weekend fun.

In today's email:

• some really fun, family-friendly events over the weekend
• Memorial Cup celebrations
• Belle
• goldfish memories (and why it's not just 3 seconds)
• & more

Let's dive in 👇

-Ross at Grand River Buzz

WHAT'S HAPPENING

General

​Magic & Shenanigans | Uptown Waterloo | Fri, Sat & Sun at multiple times | "Back for its 2nd year - a guided walking tour through Uptown Waterloo with world-class magicians at secret indoor and outdoor venues, led by professional comedians. Two hours of sleight of hand, laughs, and surprises. Ages 10+."

​Grand River Film Festival | Multiple locations | Ongoing through May 31st | "Calling all movie buffs! Our 18th festival continues our tradition of bringing the best local, Canadian, and international features and shorts to Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge. For 2026, GRFF will screen 5 feature films and 27 shorts across the Tri-Cities."

​Cambridge Kin Carnival 2026 | Thu-Sun | "Food trucks, rides, games, vendors & more! Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of fun, laughter, and family time at the Cambridge Kin Carnival 2026. Expect exciting activities, great food, and plenty of chances to make great memories. Don't miss out on the magic - see you there!"

​New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale | Fri (5:30pm start) & Sat (7:30am start) | "Quilt auctions, eats & treats, KidsZone, handmade gifts, plants, flowers & much more! All in support of a good cause."

​Waterloo Potters' Workshop Celebration Summer | Eby Farmhouse, Waterloo Park | Sat & Sun from 10am-4pm | "Celebrate Summer is Waterloo Potters’ Workshop’s annual open house and charity sale, a long standing community tradition that has been running for more than 40 years. Over the years, the event has raised more than $100,000 for local charities. Visitors can explore the workshop, watch live handbuilding and wheel throwing demonstrations, and shop donated pottery, including both firsts and seconds contributed by workshop members. All"

Friday, May 29th

​Art Market & Live Music | Waterloo Public Square | 5pm | "Browse handmade goods, local art and live music at Waterloo Public Square."

​BO-Wonderland: A Mad Tea Party | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 6pm | "Don't Be Late for this very important date. Pull up a chair to the most entertaining dance tea party in KW!"

​Pottery, Pints & Prosecco | Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, Waterloo | 6pm | "Each ticket includes all materials for a kiln-fired project, one drink, and full kiln firing service that takes place after your visit. Items are foodsafe, dishwasher safe, and microwave safe."

​Patio Music Series: WorkBuzz | TWB Brewing, Kitchener | 7pm | "Classic rock. Classic alternative. Classic cover band."

​Trivia Night | Rural Roots, Elmira | 7:30pm | "A fast-paced, fun night of brain-teasing questions, great drinks, and prizes to be won."

​Caleb Khuu: Live | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 8pm | "An electrifying night of jazz, blues, funk, and everything in between. Featuring an exceptional trio performing original music alongside fresh, masterful reinterpretations of beloved tunes, this is a night you won’t want to miss!"

Saturday, May 30th

​Youth Scavenger Hunt | Cambridge Farmers Market | 9am-12pm | "Participants will explore different areas of the market, search for clues, complete fun challenges, and learn more about local vendors and fresh food along the way."

​Garden Design Masterclass | Cambridge Sculpture Garden | 9:30am | "Design your dream garden with expert Heather Jerrard! Join us for a garden tour, lecture, and hands-on workshop."

​Touch a Truck Family Event | Carmel New Church School, Kitchener | 10am-1pm | "Get up close to police cars, fire trucks, diggers, and more at our exciting Touch-a-Truck event! Enjoy train rides, our new this year petting zoo, and so much more!"

​Retro Remix Workshop | Gaslight District, Cambridge | 10am-12:30pm | "In this guided, hands-on session, you’ll transform an original Nintendo controller into your very own work of art!" Sessions look to be selling out, so get in while you can.

​Waterloo VHS & Horror Swap | 11am-4pm | "Free for vendors and guests. Anyone can come out and vend. Vendors will be selling VHS, dvd/BluRay, vinyl, comic books, toys, posters, t-shirts, video games, and much more."

​Bookfest Waterloo | Waterloo Public Square | 2-8pm | "Local authors, live readings, family-friendly & free!"

​Asian Spice Dinner Train | Waterloo Central Railway, St. Jacobs | 6pm | "All aboard for a one-of-a-kind culinary adventure! We invite you to experience the rich, vibrant tastes of Asia while rolling through the countryside aboard the historic Waterloo Central Railway."

​KEMOM | KWFamous Creative Cafe, Kitchener | 6pm | "Kitchener Electronic Music Open Mic is back for our tenth edition! Join us for an evening of warm synth sounds, cold beer and delicious snacks."

​Urban Cowboy Line Dance | Bingemans, Kitchener | 6:30pm

​Society of Beer Drinking Ladies Presents: Bevy #1 | Arabella Park Beer Bar, Kitchener | 6:30pm | "Our bevies are magic - a welcoming space for women folks to connect and hang out over great beer."

​Dimensions in Dance: The Legacy Lives On | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 7pm | "This special performance takes audiences on a journey through time, featuring music from the past 40 years and showcasing the talent, dedication and artistry that define Dimensions In Dance. Known as "the studio with a difference," their commitment to excellence, community and dancer development shines both on and off the stage."

​An Evening With Chris Hadfield | Lazaridis Hall at WLU, Waterloo | 7pm | "A keynote presentation and candid audience Q&A with Chris Hadfield"

​Metal Night | Maxwell's, Waterloo | 7:30pm | "Celebrate AEPOCH’s 10-Year Anniversary Show as the band marks a decade since the release of their first album with a stacked night of progressive and heavy Canadian metal."

​Phillipe Lemm from NYC | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 8pm | "Comprised of three musicians with exceptional command of their instruments, the group’s repertoire draws heavily from re-imaginations of jazz standards in a way that both defies genre and corresponds to any modern jazz fan."

​Softcase With Red Carpet Revival | Dallas Nightclub, Kitchener | 8pm | "Come rock out!"

Sunday, May 31st

​Free Outdoor Fitness Class | The District Square, Cambridge | 10:30am | "All ages and strength levels welcome & no registration required! We encourage you to wear athletic-wear appropriate for the weather and bring your own water bottles."

​Leather Work: Making a Leather Belt From Scratch | Skinner Designs, St. Jacobs | 12pm | "This class takes place in my workshop in St. Jacobs, where you’ll be guided through each step - from cutting and sizing to edge finishing and attaching hardware. No experience is necessary, and all tools and materials for your first belt are provided."

​​​​​Glasstime​​​​ | Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, Waterloo | 2pm | "Our instructor will give a brief lesson on fused glass, and the rest of the time is yours to create a one-of-a-kind artwork! Get creative with colour and texture to create a unique, functional piece of art."

​Green Gables Sing-A-Long Fundraiser | The Registry Theatre, Kitchener | 3pm | "Join Green Gables Ukuleles & Friends for their fifth community sing-a-long/play-a-long to raise funds for the Registry Theatre!"

​Ben Rollo's Music of Tom Petty | Room 47, Waterloo | 4pm | "Join Ben and his all-star band for an intimate matinee performance of all The Heartbreaker's hits, Petty's solo albums and a little Travelling Wilbury’s too!"

​Drop in Pop Choir | Cafe Clementina, Kitchener | 4pm | "Do you love singing pop songs and making new friends? Whether you’re a trained vocalist or completely new to singing, come on out!"

​Memorial Cup Final on The Big Screen | The District Square, Cambridge | 7pm | Come cheer on the Kitchener Rangers as they look to win the Memorial Cup in Kelowna!

​Memorial Cup Final Watch Party | The Aud, Kitchener | 7pm | "Fans are invited to come with family and friends to watch the game together inside The Aud with general admission seating."

Upcoming Events

​National Accessibility Week Tradeshow | Ken Seiling Waterloo Regional Museum, Kitchener | Mon, Jun 1st from 11am-7pm & Tue, Jun 2nd from 9am-4pm | "We’re bringing together innovators, professionals and experts to showcase products and services that support people with disabilities, their families, and extended networks."

​Grand River Buzz Upcoming Events Page | Major events happening in the region between now and the end of August.

Farmers Markets

​St. Jacobs | Saturday, May 30th (7am—3:30pm)

​Kitchener | Saturday, May 30th (7am—2pm)

​Cambridge | Saturday, May 30th (7am—1pm)

​Elmira | Saturday, May 30th (8am-1:30pm)​

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

WEATHER

☀️ Thu, May 28th | HIGH 21° | NIGHT 7° | 10% POP

☀️ Fri, May 29th | HIGH 25° | NIGHT 8° | 10% POP

☀️ Sat, May 30th | HIGH 19° | NIGHT 7° | 10% POP

🌤️ Sun, May 31st | HIGH 21° | NIGHT 10° | 20% POP

SPORTS

🥅 Kitchener Rangers (Memorial Cup)

• 5/25: Round Robin Game #2: Kitchener Rangers beat the Everett Silvertips 6-2
• 5/26: Round Robin Game #3: Kitchener Rangers won 3-2 against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens
• Next Up: The Championship Game! It's the Rangers against the winner of Everett vs. Chicoutimi who play on Friday evening | Sun, May 31st at 7pm | Game available to watch on TSN, and in the event section you'll find watch parties going on in both Kitchener (The Aud) & Cambridge (Gaslight District)

⚾️ Kitchener Panthers | 5th (3-2)

• 5/26: Kitchener lost 6-5 away to the Barrie Baycats
• Ongoing: Kitchener Panthers vs. London Majors | Thu, May 28th at 7:05pm
• Next Home Game: Kitchener Panthers vs. Hamilton Cardinals | Sun, May 31st at 2:05pm | Tickets​

COMEDY

Friday, May 29th

​Rusty Nail Comedy | TWH Social, Kitchener | 8pm | "Headliner: Keith Pedro"

Saturday, May 30th

​Rusty Nail Comedy | Morty's Pub, Waterloo | 8pm | "Headliner: Freddy Prioia"

​Rusty Nail Comedy | TWH Social, Kitchener | 8pm | "Headliner: Keith Pedro"

ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK

Meet Belle!

Belle is a 4 year old female pup who first came to the shelter this month.

"Every fairytale ballroom has one unforgettable guest, and Belle is ready to make her grand entrance! Belle may not burst into the party like a social butterfly on day one. New people, unfamiliar sounds and busy environments can make this sensitive sweetheart a little cautious at first. She prefers a slower introduction to the world, taking careful little steps as she learns that she is safe. But once Belle begins to trust you, her true personality sparkles brighter than a ballroom chandelier.
​
Once comfortable you will see what a loving dog who absolutely adores attention from her people Belle is. She melts into pets and happily soaks up all the affection you can give her. Watching Belle gain confidence is a little like watching a princess finally realizing the castle is full of people cheering her on."

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 - it also looks like there's quite a lot of puppies from the same litter

* 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

RANDOM FACTS OF THE DAY

The word "cliché" was originally an onomatopoeia for the sound of a printing press. In 19th-century printing shops, typesetters would cast a single metal plate for a phrase or block of text that was used repeatedly, rather than setting it letter-by-letter every time. The molten metal made a "cliché" sound when it hit the mold. The term stuck as a description for a worn-out, overused phrase.

Goldfish don't actually have a three-second memory. Cognitive scientists have proven that goldfish have memory spans lasting up to several months. They can remember complex shapes, colors, and specific sounds, and can even be trained to navigate mazes or remember the specific times they are fed each day.

The physical sensation of falling awake is called a "hypnic jerk." As your body prepares to sleep, your heart rate drops and your muscles relax. Sometimes, your brain misinterprets this sudden relaxation as a sign that you are literally falling through the air, triggering a sudden, involuntary muscle twitch to "catch" you.

THANK YOU!

Hope you have a great weekend and we'll be back Monday 🐝

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