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TL;WR for October 28 through November 3 2025

What to do.

Tuesday, October 28

Prolific author on research into Parkinson’s and dementia, Prof. Quincy Almeida, reviews the field’s latest developments to a Third Age Learning Kitchener-Waterloo audience. 1:30 p.m. at RIM Park.

The Gaslight District Trick-or-Treat Trail (presented by The Rego Team) is back! Bring the kids to hit up trick-or-treating stations throughout the Gaslight District and stick around for outdoor screenings of Hocus Pocus and Ghostbusters on one of Canada’s largest outdoor screens.

Take a step into the spirit world at Homer Watson House with Spirit Painting with Tammy Nisbett from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.

Maxwell’s Concerts & Events presents .Moneen.’s Getting Back in the Van Southern Ontario Rip 2025 live at 7 pm.

🎃 The Princess Cinema’s annual “Rocky Horror Picture Show” screenings are back from today to Friday, Oct. 31. It’s the film’s 50th anniversary and props are welcome (just don’t throw them at the screen!).

The KW Chamber Music Society has Italian-born pianist Ida Pelliccioli performing works by Scarlatti, Mozart, Blasco de Nebra and Schubert. 7 pm at Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University.

Wednesday, October 29

UW Music’s Noon Hour Concert is Piano Music from Sea to Summit with Ryan Baxter at noon inside Conrad Grebel University.

Joey Castillo (Uncle Joey) is back with a Halloween themed trivia night at KingPin Bowlounge inside Bingemans! Trivia will be focused on all things Halloween (music, movies, TV shows, pop culture, and more). Free to play and costumes welcome!

Celebrate 50 years of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Centre In The Square with a special screening hosted by Patricia Quinn, the original Magenta. Enjoy a live shadow cast, audience participation with official prop bags, a memorabilia display and a costume contest.

In this month’s KPL astronomy talk, Ana Ennis will teach you what globular clusters are, how we think they are made, and all the things we can learn from them, from black hole formation to galaxy evolution. 7 pm at Central library.

KPL has a 90s Horror Revival Screening of The Blair Witch Project at 7 pm.

Join Habitat for Humanity on October 29 at THEMUSEUM for The Big House Party, a fun night of drinks, activities, live music by Something’s Always Flying and delicious food! This fundraising event directly supports Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region’s mission to build safe and affordable homes for families in our community.

No Space for Hate KW is hosting A Walk for Safety and Accountability starting in Victoria Park at 6:30 pm. They’re inviting residents, businesses, and allies to walk beside them to show that our city stands together for safety, love, and inclusion.

Thursday, October 30

The night before Halloween is a night made for mischief! Join friends and neighbours in your costumes, decorating your Halloween candy bags, making masks and noisemakers, and then parading into the neighbourhood in a grand rumpus to pave the way for Halloween at Homer Watson House. 5 to 7 pm.

You are invited to join KW Survivor at Whoopsie Daisy Drinks on the eve of Halloween for a game (or two!) of Blood on the Clocktower, to either find and execute the Demon (if you are good) or to destroy the town (if you are evil). Costumes are welcomed.

Public Kitchen has a special Dia De Los Muertos dinner—ten courses for $60. Best costume wins a $50 gift card.

Little Mushroom Dining Lounge has a Halloween Edition of Taps & Trivia in support of Food4Kids Waterloo Region.

Eric Moon presents the Rockband Monster Mash at AOK Craft Beer + Arcade starting at 7 pm. They’ve got over 6000 songs to choose from, delicious food and beverage provided by AOK and good spooky vibes welcomed all night long.

The Rabbid Fox has Halloween music bingo from 8 to 10 pm.

Friday, October 31

Good Co. Productions is taking over The Conrad Centre in Downtown Kitchener for a night of spooky, ghoulish fun, dancing, and live music. This will be a special live concert featuring the one and only all-Queer Shania Twink band from Toronto, doing pop country and adjacent fierce femme bangers, alongside Guelph’s indie-soul/funk group SHEBAD hitting us with an hour of original magic.

Beats, bites, and bold spirits await you at the Underwing in the Gaslight District from 9pm to 1am.

The Grand Surf Lounge has intoxicating sounds from beyond the veil with the Zodiac Thriller from 8 to 11pm.

Classic Albums Live at Centre in the Square presents Michael Jackson’s Thriller at 8 pm.

Maxwell’s has a special Halloween Edition EMO Night with emo anthems, alternative classics, and Halloween vibes from Strike Tyson with special guests DJ Chives and Melody Bijou spinning all your favourite tracks.

The Piper Arms Kitchener has a Halloween Costume Party and food and drink specials starting at 9 pm.

Saturday, November 1

Returning for its second year, Dia De Los Muertos is a day to honour and remember loved ones through music, food, art, and tradition. Presented by the Downtown Kitchener BIA in partnership with TLN Media Group, Dia De Los Muertos is your chance to explore the sounds, aromas, and flavours of latin culture right here in DTK!

Maxwell’s Spooktacular Family Dance Party is going down from 2 to 5 pm. It’s an afternoon of dancing, costumes, prizes, candy, and spooky family fun!

Did you know Cambridge had a fledgling Street Art Festival that brought international talent to the streets of Downtown Cambridge? Explore Downtown Cambridge alleys and side streets to learn all about the murals and artists who created them.

Join the Kitchener-Waterloo Dixieland Jazz Club for live jazz on Saturdays from 1-4 at Ouroboros Sports Lounge, 101 Hazelglen Drive in Kitchener! This Saturday features Kevin Ray Clark. Admission only $5 for first timers!

Rusty Nail Comedy has headline Dan Duvall live at TWH Social at 7:30 pm.

Tiller’s Folly play the Emmanuel Concert series at 7:30 pm.

The Union has the Rising Flames Charity Fashion Show and Live Music with proceeds going to Women’s Crisis Services. Featuring the music of KROKA, Holy Asylum, Phoenix Flames, and Antha Lee.

First a TV, now a Halloween Party? That’s right—Arabella Park has a Halloween Party from 8 to 11 pm with the Zodiac Thriller.

Sunday, November 2

KW Little Theatre has Hallowe’en’en^362 2025, an evening of Monster Mini-Games & Mingling starting at 6 pm. The night features a costume contest and Monster Mini-Games with prizes, themed snacks and drinks, photo ops, dancing, and a sensory-friendly “quiet room”.

KPL has a free family screening of How to Train Your Dragon (2025) at 1:30 pm at the Central library.

Monday, November 3

KPL has East African Cuisine with Chef Susan at the brand new Southwest Community Library at 6:30 pm.

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Ways to get involved.

The Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) is inviting residents to take action and support their community through WRGive, a new online giving platform designed to connect donors with eight local projects that help build a stronger, more connected Waterloo Region.

Earlier this month, WRCF released its 2025 Waterloo Region Vital Signs® Report, focused on social infrastructure. The report shares data, insights, and lived experiences that highlight where our region is thriving—and where gaps remain in terms of social infrastructure. As Waterloo Region grows to one million residents, it is important that collectively we keep learning, keep talking, and keep taking action. WRGive is one way to do just that.

WRGive provides everyone the opportunity to donate directly to initiatives that reflect the themes in the Vital Signs® Report. WRGive is open for donations from September 24 to October 29, 2025. Organizations are hoping to raise between $2,000 and $15,000 for their specific projects. Whether you give $10 or $1,000, your support helps build a region where everyone feels they belong.

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What to read.

Union raise concerns over Kitchener Public Library job cuts and reorganization (Diego Pizarro, CBC KW)

Ontario backs down on consultations to end rent control, indefinite leases (Arrthy Thayaparan, CBC KW)

University of Waterloo dean helping shape national AI strategy (Terry Pender, The Record)