The best news and events from around the Waterloo Region. Delivered Monday and Thursday mornings. For free.
🐝 Sneaky Blue Jays, Hidden Gems & Big Winners
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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:
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 back to regular programming on Thursday WHAT'S HAPPENING General The Good Card @Square Peg | Kitchener City Hall | Multiple days this week & next | "Step into a thoughtfully curated Pop-Up by The Good Card, a space where meaningful gifting meets a love for sustainability. Discover plantable wildflower stationery alongside a selection of gardening-inspired goods, fresh local flowers, and beautiful finds perfect for Mother’s Day and beyond. Take a moment at our letter-writing station to send a heartfelt note to someone you love, anywhere in Canada. Every purchase gives back, with 5% of sales supporting Mamas for Mamas KW." Tuesday, May 5th Cinco de Mayo Celebration | TWB Brewing, Kitchener | 4:30pm | "Join us on the patio for a taco pop-up with our friend Chef Eduardo of Lord of the Tacos, serving up the good stuff. As if that wasn’t reason enough to celebrate, we’re also bringing back our fan-favourite Cerveza La Mera Mera — crisp, refreshing, and made for patios and sunshine. Tacos. Cerveza. Patio vibes." While there aren't a ton of 'official Cinco de Mayo' events going on in the region, it looks like there's quite a few restaurants that will have specials and such on, especially on tacos, margaritas, etc. Or... have your own 'party' at home - we'll be making chicken fajitas! Wednesday, May 6th 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." LoveMyHood Grant Writing Workshop | Centreville-Chicopee Community Centre, Kitchener | 6pm | "Residents take the lead, and the City supports them along the way. That’s the vision behind LoveMyHood, Kitchener’s approach to making great neighbourhoods. The grants support new resident-led projects and neighbourhood initiatives across the city." Here's some examples of the type of projects you can apply for, help lead and receive grants for:
Speed Friending | Ernie's Roadhouse, Cambridge | 7pm | "Chat, laugh, and connect with awesome people in a relaxed setting. It’s all about good vibes and great company - no pressure, just good times." Stained Glass Style Painting Workshop | Choun Kitchen, Cambridge | 7pm | "Join us for a cozy winter-inspired evening of creativity where you’ll design your own stained-glass style artwork, framed and ready to display!" Rusty Nail Comedy: PRO AM Night | TWH Social, Kitchener | 8pm | "Only $5 for a great night of laughs!" Thursday, May 7th Art of Hope: Live Jazz with Jontue Elan | Collabhive, Kitchener | 5pm | "An intimate evening of live jazz, local art, food, and community in support of Ray of Hope." 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. After the lesson, enjoy social dancing with great salsa and bachata music until 10:00 PM." Culture Talks: Art, Architecture, the Public Realm and Social Infrastructure | The Walper Hotel, Kitchener | 6:30pm | "In this talk, Dr. Troy Glover explores the hidden social dynamics that shape how connection actually happens within culturally active spaces. Drawing on everyday examples—from returning to the same café to encountering familiar faces in neighbourhood parks and cultural venues—he introduces a simple, but powerful idea: that connection is built through repetition." Petals & Paint Night | JTM Cake Studio & Cafe, Cambridge | 7pm | "During this guided paint session, you’ll create your own tulip-inspired canvas. No experience needed, just come ready to have fun. After (or during!) your painting experience, you’ll get to visit our flower bar, where you can build your own mini bouquet to take home - hand-selecting fresh stems to match your style." Upcoming Events Flavours of Spain | Janet Lynn's Bistro, Kitchener | Wed, May 13th at 5:30pm | "Join sommelier Rob Miller for our upcoming 'Flavours of Spain' themed event. Four courses. Four wines. One great night. To book your spot, call 519-725-3440." Gem & Mineral Show | The Aud, Kitchener | Sat, May 9th from 10am-4pm | "Hands on activities for children, rocks/minerals/fossils/meteorites, gemstones/jewelry/beads, fluorescent specimens & local vendors" Come What May | KW Registry Theatre, Kitchener | Sat, May 9th at 2pm | "Spring, but make it a cappella.The harmonies are locked in, someone has already asked “What are we wearing?” and we’re sounding suspiciously polished." Yuk Yuk's Comedy | Bingemans, Kitchener | Sat, May 9th at 8pm | "Headliners: Bryan Hatt, Leny Corrado & Lianne Mauladin" World Cup Watch Party | Maxwell's, Waterloo | Fri, Jun 12th at 2pm | "Watch Team Canada hit the pitch in a massive World Cup showdown across 3 big screens with full sound and an electric crowd, surrounded by fellow fans in a high-energy atmosphere built for all ages. Food trucks on-site plus prizes and giveaways throughout the match to keep the energy high from kickoff to final whistle. Children under 12 are free!" 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. LOCAL NEWS Whisky and Wine raises 253,000 meals for Waterloo region families - Cambridge Today After 6-year break, Queen Street Commons Café welcomes community back in a new space - CBC News New public artwork for Cowan Rec Plex in Kitchener revealed - City News WEATHER 🌤️ Mon, May 4th | HIGH 21° | NIGHT 12° | 20% POP 🌧️ Tue, May 5th | HIGH 14° | NIGHT 4° | 60% POP | 1-3mm 💧 🌧️ Wed, May 6th | HIGH 10° | NIGHT 2° | 40% POP | 1mm 💧 ⛅️ Thu, May 7th | HIGH 9° | NIGHT 1° | 20% POP SPORTS SPORTS 🥅 Kitchener Rangers (OHL) Kitchener win the Western Conference Final series 4-1 against the Windsor Spitfires (best of 7)
⚽️ Soccer Women's Ontario Premier League 1
Women's Ontario Premier League 2
Men's Ontario Premier League 2
* what other sports would you like to see included here? reply to let me know what you'd find useful! COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT The 2026 Youth Impact Survey is now live! "Brought to you by the Children & Youth Planning Table, the Youth Impact Survey is our community’s opportunity to hear directly from young people what their life is like in Waterloo Region. The survey is intended for youth ages 9-18 and it asks questions about nine dimensions of well-being. If you know a young person between the ages of 9-18, we want them to complete the survey! They will help decision-makers improve our community and they'll also get volunteer hours - plus the chance to win some cool prizes." I'd encourage you to share this with any 'young people' in your life so they can take the survey - click here to find out more info. ** 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 Frannie's Restaurant And Bakery | 2890 Victoria St N, Breslau | 4.5 stars across 1.1k Google reviews A superb, family-run restaurant located in Breslau - Frannie's serves breakfast & lunch, alongside a bakery with tons of delicious goods to choose from. Love the background from Fran on how she started the business: "For many years, it’s been my dream to own my own restaurant, and to have the experience of serving savouring dishes from local ingredients, and to see the satisfaction and smiles my customers give in return. I absolutely love what I do, and with the help of my two girls, Brooke and Alexis, I feel we’ve put together a pleasurable restaurant experience with a warm atmosphere and food that will leave a lasting impression." And here's a very happy, 5 star google review from Sandi in April: "Stopped by Frannie's for lunch on our way to Guelph. Had a wonderful turkey club sandwich. The turkey was so fresh, tender, and not dry at all. My husband had the Frannie's burger which he devoured. He loves those burgers. And of course we had to take some of the award-winning buttertarts home. Excellent food and service as always." You can check out their menus below - and let me know how you like it if you've either been before or happen to visit soon
* this is not a sponsored placement, just came highly recommended. ads will always be made obvious if so. COMMUNITY GROWTH A HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in the 'Community Growth' giveaway over the past week. It really means a lot! While we didn't hit the ultimate goal of 1,000 subscribers just yet - we're getting much closer and it's only a matter of time. Without further ado though... here's who won! Giveaway Winners:
I'll be reaching out this evening to all three of you about next steps - and for everyone else, look out for more giveaways in the future! I had a good time with this one. Thanks again, appreciate you all 💪 RANDOM FACTS OF THE DAY Bird Mimicry: The Blue Jay is a master of imitation. They are known to mimic the calls of hawks, especially the Red-shouldered Hawk, to test if a predator is nearby or to trick other birds into leaving a bird feeder so the jay can eat in peace. The 2026 World Cup Expansion: The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, will be the first in history to feature 48 teams, expanding from the traditional 32-team format used since 1998. The Dead Sea of Canada: Little Manitou Lake in Saskatchewan is unique because its water is about five times saltier than the ocean. This high mineral density makes it impossible to sink, allowing swimmers to float effortlessly on the surface. THANK YOU! Hope you have an awesome day and we'll see you 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.
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 |...
April 30th, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! Big thanks to all those that have participated so far in the giveaway to win $150 worth of gift cards! Really appreciate it and welcome to anyone new this week, great to have you. Still time to enter, with the deadline Sunday night & the winners announced on Monday (will list the first names in the newsletter and send out emails on how to collect your prize if you win.) There's a TON going on this weekend, wait until you see the 'Upcoming...