The best news and events from around the Waterloo Region. Delivered Monday and Thursday mornings. For free.
🐝 Lao Cuisine, Whisky Walks & a Book Sale
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April 13th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! Bit of a quieter week after what's been a busy last month or so. There's also a lot of new people who joined the Buzz recently, so welcome and enjoy! Please feel free to shoot me an email with any initial feedback you might have. And for those of you who've been around for a while... you know the drill! In today's email:
Let's dive in 👇 -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING General Looking At The Sky: Exhibit | Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo | Now through April 29th | "This exhibit challenges viewers to embrace both the beautiful and the broken parts of themselves. Speak up, take up space, make art, and share vulnerability to build the resilience needed for personal and collective healing and action." Tuesday, April 14th Healthy Yards: Reconciling with Nature | Fresh Ground, Kitchener | 6pm | "Grab a snack and meet & mingle with like minded people and community organizations that can help you on your gardening journey." Barrels & Bites: An Uptown Waterloo Whisky Walk | Uptown Waterloo BIA | 8:30pm (6pm show is sold out) | "A specially designed evening that blends whisky tastings, culinary pairings, live music, and local history in the heart of Uptown Waterloo. This curated walking experience will guide participants on foot through a selection of Uptown restaurants - where guests will enjoy thoughtfully paired whisky tastings and bites crafted by local chefs and mixologists." Wednesday, April 15th Sing-Along with Kento | Trillium Lutheran Church, Waterloo | 1:30pm | "We would love for you to join us! Come and sing, or just listen to the music. Each week is a unique combination of songs from the 1940s-1990s. Refreshments provided during the break." Info Session for Youth Considering Running for Municipal Office | Virtual (Zoom) | 6:30pm | "Facilitated by three current municipal leaders, these sessions will provide insights and strategies to build your understanding and confidence around how to become a candidate and running a campaign." Sushi Making Class | Counterpoint Brewery, Kitchener | 7pm | "We will be making 3 rolls - California, spicy salmon & tuna! All ingredients will be provided. Just come have fun, meet some new people who love sushi and enjoy a delicious meal! Each ticket also comes with one free drink." Trivia Night | E.V.O. Kitchen, Cambridge | 7pm | "We’ve got multiple prizes every week, and the team with the highest cumulative score each month will be crowned the champions of the most useless knowledge!" Trivia: Millennial Madness | TWB Brewing, Kitchener | 7pm | "You should know this...right? If you know, you know. Whatever, it's trivia time. No Google, just vibes." Murdoch Mysteries: In Concert | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 7:30pm | "This exclusive event is hosted in person by series star Yannick Bisson and sees award-winning composer Rob Carli explain how music for the series is brought to life. A blend of television drama and live orchestral performance." Leafs On The Big Screen | Gaslight District, Cambridge | 7:30pm | Come cheer on the Maple Leafs as they take on the Ottawa Senators in their final game of the season - all while shooting for that bottom 5 spot! Rusty Nail Comedy: PROAM Night | TWH Social, Kitchener | 8pm | "Only $5!" Thursday, April 16th St. Jacobs 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." Intro To Printmaking Workshop | KW Art Gallery, Kitchener | 5:30pm | "Guided by an experienced art instructor, young artists will explore one of the world’s oldest and most exciting art forms: printmaking! From linocut to Gelli-prints, explore the versatility of the medium through hands-on projects and playful experimentation." Salsa & Bachata Latin Night | Rare Nightclub, Waterloo | 6pm | "We’ll start the evening with a 30-minute beginner dance lesson, designed especially for first-timers. Our instructors break things down in a clear, supportive way so you can feel comfortable and confident stepping onto the dance floor right away. After the lesson, enjoy social dancing with great salsa and bachata music until 10:00 PM." 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." Musical Bingo: Throwback 00's | E.V.O. Kitchen, Cambridge | 7pm Celtic Women: A New Era | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 7:30pm | "Featuring new orchestrations alongside the timeless traditions of Irish music and storytelling, this unforgettable concert highlights the group’s evolution while honouring the spirit that made them an international phenomenon." Upcoming Events Scrap Fest | The Aud, Kitchener | Fri, Apr. 17th from 4-10pm and Sat, Apr. 18th from 9am-5pm | "ScrapFest is Your Ultimate Paper Crafting Destination as we unite papercrafters-scrapbookers, card makers, stampers, and mixed media artists together for some creative fun. At our events you could have the opportunity to enjoy the following: Shop, Crop, Learn, Create & Connect" Hepcats Homecoming | Hepcat Swing Studio, Waterloo | Sat, Apr. 18th from noon-11:30pm & Sun, Apr. 19th from 10:30am-1:30pm | "Celebrate our 10-year anniversary as a not-for-profit, as well as the colourful history of swing dancing in KW over the past 100 years! Re-live all the joy of dances past, and make some new memories on the dance floor with us. Lessons, dances, bands, DJ's, social hours, fireside chats & more!" Grand River Buzz Upcoming Events Page Library Events Fun, family-friendly and free. Click below to see what's happening at your local branch this week!
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!
* none of these events are sponsored. that will always be made obvious if so. WEATHER ⛈️ Tue, Apr. 14th | HIGH 21° | NIGHT 12° | 90% POP | 10mm 💧 ⛈️ Wed, Apr. 15th | HIGH 22° | NIGHT 14° | 80% POP | 2-4mm 💧 🌦️ Thu, Apr. 16th | HIGH 22° | NIGHT 11° | 60% POP | 2-4mm 💧 SPORTS 🥅 Kitchener Rangers (OHL) Kitchener lead the Soo Greyhounds 2-0 in the second round series (best of 7)
🏀 KW Titans (BSL) First round series won by the Titans 3-1 against the Windsor Express (best of 5)
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT CFUW KW Annual Used Book Sale | First United Church, Waterloo "A local tradition for almost 60 years, the event draws hundreds of visitors and raises over $25,000 a year to help fund the club’s scholarships for local students. Volunteers are welcome and every year, local students join club volunteers to help prepare, run, and clean up after the sale." Book Donation Drop Off:
Used Book Sale:
Whether you're interested in donating or buying (or perhaps both?!), you can find out more information here, along with which donations are 'acceptable'/needed. * 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 Choun Kitchen | 39 Queen St E Unit 102, Cambridge "Rooted in Lao tradition. Inspired across Southeast Asia. Unapologetically ours." Choun Kitchen is one of those places you almost have to know about to find - tucked away in a little alley in Hespeler Village, it's the kind of hidden gem that keeps regulars coming back. The family-run spot specializes in Laotian cuisine while weaving in influences from Thai, Korean, and Japanese traditions, resulting in a menu that feels both familiar and genuinely different from anything else in the region. Here's a great, 5 star google review from Keanna last year: "Everything was incredible. It was delicious, staff were friendly and attentive even when busy. 11/10 would recommend. We got the dumpling soup and spring rolls to start along with the spicy tom yum soup and shrimp vermicelli. I can’t wait to go back" You can check out their menu here - the soups & ramens look so good! * this is not a sponsored placement, just came highlight recommended. ads will always be made obvious if so. QUESTION OF THE WEEK Same as Thursday, I've got two questions for you...
Hit reply to this message to let me know and I'll share some of the best responses in an upcoming newsletter! RANDOM FACTS OF THE DAY Pineapples take nearly two years to grow. It takes about 18 to 24 months for a single pineapple plant to produce just one fruit, which is why they were such a symbol of extreme wealth in the 1700s. The surface area of your lungs is roughly the size of a tennis court. All those tiny air sacs (alveoli) provide a massive amount of space to facilitate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out. Their tongues are attached to the roof of their mouths by a membrane, which helps keep their airway closed while they are underwater. THANK YOU! Hope you have an awesome day and we'll see you Thursday. 🐝 ps. We lucked out with a gorgeous day for the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival! Hope you had a great time if you were able to make it out. Love this event each year :) 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.
May 14th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! I was today years old when I found out the Grand River is home to over 90 species of fish. Which represents more than half of all the fish you can find in Canada. Crazy... 🤯 In today's email: some fun, unique events shipwrecks Dale our local champions & more Let's dive in 👇 -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING General The Good Card @Square Peg | Kitchener City Hall | Thu, Fri & Sat from 10am-4pm | "Take a moment at our letter-writing...
May 7th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! Did you get the long or the short census? We got the long one unfortunately... Luckily I had some help completing it, but it was interesting to hear only 25% of people get that version, while the other 3/4 get a much smaller one. Luck of the draw I suppose! In today's email: some great comedy shows an interesting community event Moss another crazy Blue Jay fact & more Let's dive in 👇 -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING General Bloom Fest |...
May 4th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! Big day for Star Wars fans... Might have to catch up on some Mandalorian episodes to celebrate. May the 4th be with you. In today's email: sneaky Blue Jays (the actual bird) a great spot off the beaten path for some great food & baked goods giveaway winners! local youth survey kickoff & more Let's dive in 👇 -Ross at Grand River Buzz ps. sorry, bit of a smaller newsletter today because of well... life getting super busy sometimes - but we'll be...