Get your lederhosen ready.
Your TL;WR for October 6 to October 12.
What to do.
Tuesday, October 6
Waterloo Public Library has A Discussion with Vikki VanSickle in partnership with Words Worth Books at 6 pm at the Eastside Branch. She'll be discussing her novel, The Mystic and the Missing Girl.
Explore the growing world of freelance, gig, on-demand, and other forms of independent work at KPL with Future of Work in the Gig and Freelance Economy at 6:30 pm.
Stockyards Brewing has Brews & Brains! Trivia Night at 7 pm.
Wednesday, October 7
The Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery's Visionary Speaker Series presents Emelie Chhangur — From Kitchen Tables to Airport Terminals; Curating Civic Infrastructure. Drawing on twenty-five years of work, Chhangur follows two connected movements in her practice: changing cultural institutions from within and bringing curatorial practice into the public spaces and systems of the city. 7 pm at the gallery.
Classic Troubadour Productions presents Something to Talk About: The Songs of Bonnie Raitt & Norah Jones at The Registry Theatre at 7:30 pm.
Rusty Nail Comedy PRO AM night is this Wednesday at TWH Social. $5 comedy? You can't find a better deal downtown!
Thursday, October 8
Back at KWAG, they invite you to join sophia bartholomew and Shalaka Jadhav, KWAG's Gardeners-in-Residence, for a free screening and discussion of Jumana Manna's Wild Relatives at 7 pm. After the screening, there will be a discussion of the film with green colonialism scholar Ghada Sasa.
The Rabbid Fox has Drinking Songs music bingo hosted by Dani starting at 8 pm.
Kitchener Public Library and Bird Friendly City Kitchener present a screening of FLAP Canada’s short 2026 film, When Worlds Collide, followed by a screening of Canadian Filmmaker Su Rynard’s 2015 documentary film, The Messenger. n a special Q and A discussion following the screenings, FLAP Canada Executive Director and cofounder Michael Mesure will join Bird Friendly City Kitchener in a conversation highlighting the actions we can all take to help our avian friends.
Food System Roundtable Waterloo Region has its 2026 AGM on Thursday at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. It's a fireside chat-style event to discuss food issues in our region and the upcoming municipal election. They will also be hosting a light meal that includes a variety of options and lots of local food!
The Little Mushroom Dining Lounge has Tapas & Trivia starting at 7 pm sharp. Donations collected for Keep Your Heads Up Foundation. No cover charge or minimum spend, donate what you can.
Friday, October 9
Willkommen Platz transforms the heart of downtown Kitchener into a Bavarian village, complete with a Biergarten, authentic German food vendors, a local market and live music on the Circle K Main Stage. From Friday, October 9 to Sunday, October 11, raise a stein and sing along with The Golden Keys, Bif Naked, and celebrate the one-and-only Walter Ostanek during his last KW Oktoberfest performances!
Meet. Mingle. Prost! This Oktoberfest, Chorus presents The Prost Social — an invite-only gathering bringing young professionals together for new connections, great conversations and a little Oktoberfest fun. 4–6 pm in Downtown Kitchener.
Saturday, October 10
Join Kitchener Waterloo Oktoberfest for KIDtoberfest on Saturday, October 10 & Sunday, October 11 in the Kitchener City Hall Rotunda in Downtown Kitchener from 11 to 5 pm. KIDtoberfest features traditional music and dancing, Bavarian activities and performances by family favourites!
Pinch Presents: TOGETHER WE'RE BOISTEROUS - Comedy & Variety Show at TWB Brewing starting at 7 pm. The night features stand up, improv, and burlesque from Brandon Corrigan, Ruby Kreuger, Ken Roche & Ben Gorodetsky. Plus KW's best local beer! Sliding scale tickets $11-$33.
Centre in the Square has Ontario singer-songwriter Billy Raffoul in The Studio Theatre at 7 pm.
Todd Graham (New York Comedy Festival, Just For Laughs Montrea) headlines Rusty Nail Comedy at TWH Social starting at 8 pm.
Sunday, October 11
Celebrate Thanksgiving with the family you choose at volume 18 of the Long Weekend Band Crawl. Four venues across Uptown Waterloo with 15 bands, including The Friendly Freaky Frogs Freak Show, BA Johnston, Handheld, Frank Dux, and Hung — all included on one ticket.
UWaterloo has comedian Jaspreet Singh live in the Theatre of The Arts starting at 7 pm.
Monday, October 12
Thanksgiving weekend just wouldn’t be the same without the K-W Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade starts at 9:30 a.m., so get there early to grab your spot to experience the music, colour, community spirit, and floats that make the parade one of the best family activities in the region! The parade begins at the corner of Weber Street East and Frederick Street, travels up Weber Street, and finishes at Bridgeport Road.
Ways to get involved.
Be Part of the Thanksgiving Day Parade! The Thanksgiving Day Parade is just around the corner, and KW Oktoberest is looking for volunteers to help bring the festival's biggest celebration of the year to life on Monday, October 12, 2026.
From helping along the parade route to supporting behind the scenes, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Grab a friend, bring your Oktoberfest spirit and join the team! Whether you’re a longtime Oktoberfest fan, looking to give back to your community or need community service hours, volunteering is a great way to be part of the celebration.
Ready to join the team? Volunteer for the Thanksgiving Day Parade and be part of the celebration!
What to read.
15 Years of Community (Community Edition)
Two Decades of Magic in KW (Community Edition)
Beast Pizza Opens Kitchener Location (Community Edition)
UW commemorates National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (UW Imprint)