Our mom says this newsletter is a key cultural institution
TL;WR for February 6 through February 12 2023
What to do.
Tuesday, February 6
The City of Waterloo is hosting a Food and Funds night! Come out to connect with City staff and neighbours to learn about different programs and opportunities for your neighbourhood. Opportunities include grants, the Artists in Neighbourhoods program, and more. No registration required.
Wednesday, February 7
Jay Davis brings you the music of Michael Buble to the Registry Theatre in this powerful show that will have you laughing, crying, singing, and dancing. The show takes you back to February 14, 2020, a few weeks before the world shut down. With universal themes of hope, love, and togetherness, this show has an uplifting and powerful message delivered with sincerity and humour.
Join Kitchener Public Library for From Africa to the World, a moving and inspired talk by Rob Green, actor, singer/songwriter, and 6th generation descendant of Underground Railway travellers, as he discusses his family history, photographs, and memories of his Owen Sound childhood.
Concordia has wings and trivia at 7 p.m.
Thursday, February 8
Stroll Walking Tours has teamed up with St. Jacobs Market and The Mennonite Story to host a St. Jacobs Market Food Tour, all about Mennonite roots of the market through food, culture & history. Runs (or walks, we guess) every Thursday 10:00 am - 12:00 pm from Feb. 8 - April 25. You can use the promo code FOODIE for 10% off bookings made before Feb 10. (See, reading the whole newsletter pays off.)
Tired: hacking darts. Wired: throwing darts at TWB Brewing Co-Op at 7 p.m.
Wave Maker Craft Brewery has music bingo starting at 7:30 p.m.
Canadian rocker Sam Robers brings his eponymous band to the Centre in the Square for The Adventures Of Ben Blank Tour, with very special guest JayWood. The Sam Roberts Band always puts on an electrifying show, blending soulful melodies with rock.
The 90s were thirty years ago, and that makes us feel old. Anyway, BeccaHosts has 90’s Music Bingo at the Rabbid Fox at 8 p.m.
Kitchener Public Library’s Country Hills Library has Intro to Astronomy at 7 p.m.
Friday, February 9
The Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery is hosting an Opening Celebration for Bangishimo: The Medicines We Carry. The exhibition is curated by Darryn Doull with Fitsum Areguy and Shalaka Jadhav. Open at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. for members, which start at $50 and is a great way to support an important arts institution like KWAG.)
The Cambridge Symphony Orchestra hopes you’re in the mood for love…songs. They’ll be hosting an evening for romance for music lovers at Tapestry Hall in Cambridge. The symphony will be joined by soprano Sara Papini and tenor Joey Niceforo.
Okay, summer is almost here (at least that’s what we’re telling ourselves.) Checkout Summer Jam’s Music Bingo with BeccaHosts at Rural Roots starting at 7:30 p.m.
Rusty Nail Comedy has headliner Mark Menei at the Crazy Canuck DTK or Paul Haywood at Morty’s Pub. Both shows at 7:30 p.m.
Caleb Khuu plays The Jazz Room at 8 p.m.
La Lola Tapas Bar has a live Flamenco show with performances at 6 and 8:00 p.m.
The Apollo has a Drunken Cinema screening of The Wedding Singer at 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 10
Kitchener Public Library has a Teddy Bear Clinic at 1 p.m. Hosted by medical students at McMaster University, Michael G. DeGroote, School of Medicine, Waterloo Regional Campus, children aged 3-9 will role play medical scenarios with their plush teddy bears.
LAUNCH Waterloo is celebrating International Women and Girls in Science Day with speakers and activities at Catalyst137 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Explore coding, zoom in on crystals using microscopes, and learn the chemistry behind cosmetics.
Join LWIFF x Level Up: Social Justice for a film to honour World Social Justice Day. Enjoy Studio Ghibli’s Pom Poko and check out awesome youth-led social justice exhibits brought to you by the students of WCI's social justice class Grab your friends. Bring your family. Kitchener Public Library’s Central Branch Theatre at 1 p.m.
Together We're Boisterous Comedy Show is back this Saturday, Feb. 10 at TWB Brewing Co-Op in Kitchener. The night features standup, improv, drag from Jay Reid & Tom Brown, Melody Bijou, Sarah Thompson, and Ben Gorodetsky.
Wave Maker Craft Brewery has Beer My Valentine starting at 7 p.m. It’s an evening of live music, flowers, a yummy sweet and savoury appetizer board and more. Live music will be provided by indie folk singer songwriting duo Wooden Bridge.
Round up your besties and head to Schneider Haus for Galentine’s Day at Schneider Haus, an evening of celebrating friendship. You’ll learn how to make the perfect pretzel, your own bath bombs, and enjoy stunning mocktails.
Nothing says romance like an intimate train ride through the countryside. The evening includes a delicious four-course meal featuring local ingredients like farm-fresh veggies from the St. Jacobs Market and charcuterie from the Village Butcher & Market. Book your seats on Waterloo Central Railways’s Valentrain Dinner Experience today!
If you missed Mark Menei on Friday, you can check him out at the Rusty Nail Comedy Show at the Scran & Dram in New Hamburg at 7:30 p.m. They also have headliner Steve Dylan at the Crazy Canuck DTK, also at 7:30 p.m.
Brass Butterflies and Sassy Ray Burlesque bring you Brass Butterflies Valentine’s Cabaret, a Valentine’s themed cabaret show featuring pole, burlesque and heels dancing, drag, comedy, and singing at Maxwell’s.
Amplify: Hope is a concert curated by Jon Corbin, a seasoned Hip Hop artist, alumnus of Wilfrid Laurier University, teacher, and arts educator. Corbin once again gathers a talented group of artists to share a selection of songs and discuss the meaning of hope. 8 p.m. at Emmanuel United Church.
Sunday, February 11
Come celebrate all things Taylor Swift at Loverfest at The Walper! Bring your valentine or your best Swifties for an afternoon of drag performers, mimosas, and a delicious brunch buffet with live stations.
The Hub has Hotel Mira - I Am Not Myself Tour with Fake Shark, Excuse Me & Living Room For Small at 7 p.m.
Monday, February 12
Check out the Pinch Improv AllStars at The Registry Theatre on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. It’s an evening of spontaneous comedy, starring your favourite improvisers from Pinch Cabaret and Together We're Boisterous! Ben Gorodetsky, Hayley Kellet, Braeden Etienne, Kez Vicario-Robinson, Jay Reid & Rob Lewin put their comedic minds together to create a hilarious new show, based on audience suggestions. The second half of the show features an improv jam featuring audience members. Come play with the Pinch AllStars in a fun, creative environment!
The tradition of winter storytelling continues at the Princess Twin Cinema with the second in the series of Winter Storytelling: A Celebration of Indigenous Film. Beans, by Mohawk filmmaker Tracey Deer, will air on Feb.12 at 2 p.m. Sponsored by the CFUW K-W in response to the Calls for Action of the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission and organized with Indigenous representatives from the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College, all of the films in the series are free. A post-screening discussion will be led by Myeengun Henry, Indigenous Knowledge Keeper in the Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo. Donations to Indigenous Youth Roots will be accepted at the door.
Ways to get involved.
Buy any Domino's product and use the promo code KIDS at checkout. 50% of the proceeds from every order will be donated to KidsAbility! Satisfy your cravings for your favourite 'za, Mix & Match meal, cheezy bread, chicken, and sides—everything on the menu counts when you add the KIDS code.
What to read.
Waterloo gets $22M from federal government to help build more homes (Jeff Outhit in The Record)
Old Marina owners cook up new endeavour with purchase of Cambridge landmark (Bill Doucet in The Cambridge Times)
LET CHUCK HOWITT COOK! One regional government better than giving lower tiers more power (Chuck Howitt in The Record)
Things to Do in Waterloo Region in February (me in Explore Waterloo)
'Ryan Gosling of Real Estate' charts offbeat path (Joel Rubinoff in The Record)