The best news and events from around the Waterloo Region. Delivered Monday and Thursday mornings. For free.
๐ Turtle Butts, Tapas & Olympic Heartbreak
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February 23rd, 2026 Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region! Hope ya'll had an excellent weekend. Shame about the gold medal game yesterday, but the team (as all the other Canadian athletes did) gave it their best, and should leave Italy feeling proud! I personally will be going through "Olympic-withdrawals" over the next few days (essentially I just don't know what to watch after viewing random sports for the last 2 weeks)... wish me luck. In today's email:
Let's dive in ๐ -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING General โAnna Mae's 25th Celebration Week | Milbank | Mon, Feb. 23rd - Sat, Feb. 28th | "I know this is slightly outside the region, but feel like most of you know how good this is. And if you don't... stop scrolling and check them out right now! Daily deals going on such as throwback pricing, complimentary treats and a family fun day." Monday, February 23rd โPunch Needles Pillows Workshop | Ernie's Roadhouse, Cambridge | 7pm | "Punch needle is a relaxing textile technique where yarn is looped through fabric to build soft, textured designs. Itโs simple to learn, soothing to do, and incredibly satisfying - no prior crafting experience needed." Tuesday, February 24th โStroller Tour | KW Art Gallery, Kitchener | 10am | "Running on the last Tuesday of every month we welcome our youngest gallery visitors and their grown-ups to experience our current exhibitions with an interactive tour and informal conversation." โWebinar: Raising AI-Savvy Kids - What Parents Need to Know | 11:30am | "Presented by Wilfrid Laurier University experts - a webinar that will help you feel more confident raising children in the age of AI." โMake Your Own Pizza with Chef Giuliano | The Gaslight District, Cambridge | 5pm | "Reservation includes: antipasto, drink of choice, your own dough, San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella & basil, and up to 3 toppings of your choice." โRusty Nail Comedy | Arabella Park Beer Bar, Kitchener | 8pm | Headliner: Efthimios Nasioplous Wednesday February 25th โVirtual Event: Cooperathon | 12pm | "Join the University of Waterloo's flagship entrepreneurship center, Velocity, and Desjardins to learn more about Cooperathon 2026. Cooperathon is a Canada-wide free entrepreneurial program that helps develop an innovative idea to start a business or advance academic research." โSkate Night Date Night | Waterloo Public Square | 6pm | "Skate along to the amazing tunes spun live by DJ King Kadeem , or get warm with treats from the Hissing Goose Coffee Roasters food truck. The first 50 visitors each night will receive a complimentary hot drink!" โFilm Screening: Banned Together | Cambridge Public Library, Old Post Office | 6pm | "Featuring a diverse cast of visionary teenagers, this film pulls back the curtain on two of the most controversial issues in schools today: book bans and curriculum censorship." โEducational Talk: The Secret Life of Cats | Royal Canadian Legion Branch 126, Cambridge | 7pm | "Presented by Jonathan Chu, audience members will get a sneak peak of the world through the eyes of a cat and learn what species are commonly depredated by cats in Canada, how they differ between regions, and what factors determine which cats have higher predation rates." โRusty Nail Comedy: PRO AM Night | TWH Social, Kitchener | 7:30pm | "Only $5!" โWillow River Trad Session | The Boathouse, Kitchener | 7:30pm | "Presented by 'Irish Real Life'. Thereโs nothing like walking into a pub and hearing the energy & the craic of a good session! Join us, grab a seat and a pint and take it all in!" โLaurier Opera: The Llandovery Castle | Theatre Auditorium, Waterloo | 7:30pm Thursday, February 26th โSt. 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 Farmersโ Market." โEducational Talk: Actions Speak Louder Than Words | KW Habilitation, Kitchener | 3:30pm | "Michael Jacques is an author, activist, man with autism and an intellectual disability. Michael will be speaking about the ways inclusion can help everyone and will share personal stories about how he has used his voice." โOpen Mic | Cambridge Public Library, Old Post Office | 6pm | "Enjoy performances from local musicians while taking the opportunity to showcase your talent on stage. Participation is optional but highly encouraged." โIndie Music Night | Maxwell's, Waterloo | 7pm | "Discover your next favourite artist at Indie Music Night, featuring an exciting lineup of rising indie talent from the region and beyond." โMusic Bingo: I Love The 90's | EVO Kitchen & Bar, Cambridge | 7pm โCandle Making Workshop | St. Jacob's Farmers Market | 7:30pm | "Learn about the history of candle-making, and the differences between available waxes on the market & fragrances. You can choose from over 20 scents or custom-blend your signature scent. And you will pour two candles and select a label for your creation. " โSoul of Motown | The Jazz Club, Waterloo | 8pm | "This electrifying live show brings to life the timeless sounds of legends that made the world move. From The Temptations and Marvin Gaye, to The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and many more, The Soul of Motown brings you back to a time where passion and harmony brought us together." โMusic Bingo: The 2000's | The Rabbid Fox, Kitchener | 8pm Library Events Fun, family-friendly and free. Click below to see what's happening at your local branch this week!
* none of these events are sponsored. that will always be made obvious if so. LOCAL NEWS
WEATHER โ ๏ธ Mon, Feb. 23rd | HIGH -5ยฐ | NIGHT -19ยฐ | 30% POP ๐จ๏ธ Tue, Feb. 24th | HIGH -7ยฐ | NIGHT -7ยฐ | 80% POP | 5cm โ๏ธ ๐จ๏ธ Wed, Feb. 25th | HIGH -1ยฐ | NIGHT -10ยฐ | 40% POP | 1cm โ๏ธ ๐จ๏ธ Thu, Feb. 26th | HIGH -3ยฐ | NIGHT -10ยฐ | 80% POP | 5cm โ๏ธ SPORTS ๐ฅ Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 3rd Overall | 1st in Western Conference
๐ KW Titans (BSL) 2nd Overall
๐ฅ Winter Games
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT โCambridge Celebration of the Artsโ The Cambridge Celebration of the Arts returns for Father's Day weekend, and after more than 20 years, the beloved free festival is expanding to two full days. Think live performances, visual art, literary showcases, food, and thousands of your neighbours gathered in the heart of the city. Whether you want to attend, perform, or get involved - there's a reason this one keeps growing. Click here to learn more. โActiveWaterloo Spring Guide Now Available!โ The City of Waterloo just dropped the Spring 2026 ActiveWaterloo Guide, and there's a mix of programs this season that you probably weren't expecting. From brand-new offerings for kids to some surprisingly fun adult classes, there's something for nearly every age and interest - with registration dates coming up fast. Don't sleep on this one. You can download the PDF at this link. FOOD & DRINK IN THE REGION โPUBLIC Kitchen & Bar | 300 Victoria St. N, Kitchener "A retro-elegant spot serving creative tapas & cocktails, plus old world wines & Ontario craft beers. In keeping with tradition, our menu and the dishes on it are designed to be shared. Select a few items from our menu and sit back and relax while they are brought out to the table in a staggered fashion. This style of eating is ideal for curating conversation and connection among your party!" Here's a raving, 5 star google review from Sean a few months ago: "We have been looking for "Our spot" here in KW, and we have finally found it. Everything at Public Kitchen & Bar is spectacular, from the eye-catching interior design (get lost in the book titles on the bookshelf!), to the incredible service, wonderful music and ambiance...and oh yeah, the food is pretty amazing too! We highly recommend the Monday Night "Part Italian" feature, and their creative cocktails and mocktails. Aside from everything always being top-notch, perhaps the best thing I can share, is that we always leave Public in an amazing mood, with smiles on our faces." The tapas menu looks so good - and I love the idea of sharing & trying new things. You can check out their different menus here & let me know what you think if you end up going! * this is not a sponsored placement, just a place i've found highly recommended a number of times (i've gotta go try it soon!). ads will always be made obvious if so. QUESTION OF THE WEEK If you've been watching... what has been your favourite Olympic moment from the past two weeks? ๐ฅ Hit reply to this message to let me know and I'll share some of the best responses next week! RANDOM FACTS OF THE DAY Vatican City has the highest crime rate in the world. Because its permanent population is so small (under 1,000) and it sees millions of tourists, the number of crimes (mostly pickpocketing) per capita is statistically massive. A "moment" was once a formal unit of time. In the Middle Ages, an hour was divided into 40 moments, making one moment exactly 90 seconds. Some turtles can breathe through their butts. Certain species use a process called "cloacal respiration" to extract oxygen from the water while they hibernate. THANK YOU! Hope you have a great start to your week & we'll see you Thursday. ๐ ps. Sharing a pic of our pup Ainsley coming back from Family Day gatherings last weekend. She's chuffed. May we all be this happy! ๐ INFO STATION:โ Had enough of these emails? No hard feelings, just tap this link to unsubscribe. ๐ฉ 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/signupโ ๐ 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! ๐ 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. ๐ข Think someone you know would love this email? Forward this to them to spread the love. โค๏ธ 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 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: a handful of local news articles & updates March break events a fun community highlight at the mall a wooden mouse & more Let's dive in ๐ -Ross at...
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 ๐ -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 ๐ -Ross at Grand River Buzz WHAT'S HAPPENING General Irish Real Life Festival...