What to do.

There’s still so much to do during Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest! Check out their website for the full calendar!

Tuesday, October 14

It’s Country Night with the Kitchener Rangers and Guelph Storm on October 14 at the Aud. Puck drops at 7.

Check out the Working with Pendulums Workshop at Homer Watson House. This interactive workshop with Jane Davidson Snider. Learn how to attune, ask clear questions, and interpret responses with confidence. We’ll explore energy fields, divination practices, and practical applications, empowering participants to deepen intuition, build trust with Spirit, and use pendulums as tools for guidance and healing.

The Apollo has a screening of “Ravanaprabhu” in Malayalam at 9 pm.

Third Age Learning Kitchener-Waterloo hosts religious studies prof David Seljak as he explores the ambiguities of humour and spirituality, at 1:30 p.m. in RIM Park.

Wednesday, October 15

Join KWAG for the free Visionary Speaker Series with renowned art historian and curator Mark A. Cheetham. He’ll explore how the Arctic has been visualized; from early Western portrayals to today’s climate-focused imagery. Cheetham draws from two exhibitions he’s currently curating to unpack how our images of the Arctic reflect deeper stories of culture, colonization, and climate crisis.

Pat the Dog Theatre Creation presents the world premiere of “Calling the Rock Home”, a new Canadian play written by Karen Thistle and directed by Jeannette Lambermont-Morey. Between 1956 and 1973 close to one million people left the Atlantic provinces. Mining and fishing were in decline and young people found themselves forced to choose between unemployment and exile. Ontario was the land of promise although it was a world away from the life they knew. Calling the Rock Home is the story of three young Newfoundlanders making that choice. Studio Theatre at Centre in The Square from October 15 to October 18.

Reception House has a Youth Building Youth Mentorship Program Games Night for newcomer youth ages 13–19. It’s a chance to connect, learn, and have fun.

KPL’s Latin American Heritage Celebration night brings you Chef Eduardo Perez from The Lord of the Tacos with a culinary journey through authentic Mexican cuisine. Then the team from The Underdog Dance Corp. will guide you through salsa dance lessons. No registration required.

Also at KPL, check out a free screening of “The Addiction” at 7 pm.

TWB has a Pitch Perfect Trivia Night at 7 pm.

Thursday, October 16

Counterpoint Brewing is celebrating its grand reopening at its new location at 1601 Victoria St. N. #105 in Kitchener. Come out for a pint and celebrate!

Experience the powerful opera Mozart’s Idomeneo that explores family, love, duty and community, and how we respond when disaster strikes. Performed in Italian with piano accompaniment and projected English translations, the production features stage direction by Bridget Ramzy, musical direction by Charmaine Fopoussi, and the voices of the Grand River Opera Chorus live on The Registry Theatre stage.

Step into sacred space as we honour those who came before us at Homer Watson House’s Honouring the Dead Ancestral Collage. In this guided art workshop, participants will create meaningful mixed-media collages to honour ancestors, loved ones who’ve passed, or spiritual guides.

Get ready for a heartfelt night as Anat Hector and Jesse Parent share their original music and the stories behind their songs. With special guests Kim Regimbal & Joe Forster, it’s an evening of connection, emotion, and unforgettable melodies. Thurs., Oct. 16, 7pm at The Duke of Wellington: 100 King St S, Waterloo (Reservations recommended: (519) 886-9370). $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

The Margins Club has a Quiet Reading Night at Midnight Run starting at 6 pm.

Café Clementina has a Coffee & Open Mic Party at 7 pm.

Maxwell’s has a The Strokes & Oasis Tribute Night. Doors at 7 pm, music at 7:30!

Centre in the Square has the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – All The Good Times: The Farewell Tour at 7:30 pm.

The Rabbid Fox has 2010s music bingo at 8 pm.

Friday, October 17

KW Oktoberfest brings you the Damenfest Breakfast at The Walper Hotel at 8 am. This wunderbar opportunity brings together the women of Waterloo Region all in the Spirit of Gemütlichkeit. It’s a morning of great speakers and networking with over 200 guests from the local business and arts community.

Back at the Aud, the Rangers welcome the London Knights at 7 pm.

TriCity Improv Presents Flannel Fallies at the Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre.

Kevin Christopher headlines Rusty Nail Comedy at TWH Social starting at 7:30 pm with special guest Andrew Barr. There’s a Saturday night show, too!

Kaleb Hikele brings his Storytelling Tour to Emmanuel Concerts with special guest Mattie Leon at 7:30 pm.

The Union has Jackson Taylor, Emily Bowman, Felicia Chavez, and Zac Perry live at 7 pm.

Tell me what you want, what you really, really want. Wannabe: A Spice Girls Tribute is back at Maxwell’s. Doors open at 7:30 pm.

BeccaHosts (YAY!) is hosting a trivia night at Rural Roots Brewery starting at 7:30 pm.

Thrifty Witch Collective has its Ghouly Girls Night Market on the Gaukel Block from 3 to 9 pm.

Purrgatory Events presents the Hell Mall and Hallowicked Harvest at the Victoria Park Pavilion. It’s drag, bands, chaos, and community.

Saturday, October 18

Travel back in time to when Kitchener was known as Berlin to experience Oktoberfest of days long past. Hosted in Woodside National Historic Site, this all ages event includes Victorian-era games, food trucks, and beer from Four Fathers Brewing Company.

Join CycleWR for its October community ride at 3 pm. They’re leaving from the front entrance of the Kitchener Auditorium on East Avenue to Stanley Park, then along the Grand River and back through Idlewood, enjoying cycling facilities and community trails connecting across town! Riders of all ages and abilities are welcome to join.

KWAG has an opening reception for Jenine Marsh’s HARBINGER, a site-specific, immersive installation that centers on the alteration of the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery’s existing gallery floor. The installation will confront coin-wishing as a subtle yet illicit expression of post-capitalist desire, explored through a tactile and temporal alteration of public space. 2-4 pm.

Hearts Open for Everyone is excited to invite you to the unveiling of their Community Art Project, led by local artist Jen Horst and created with contributions from the community during the 3rd Annual Multicultural Festival of Elmira. Drop by and join them for family activities, enjoy delicious free food from Indigenous and Mennonite caterers, and take home special vouchers for free entry to a local apple farm and fun giveaways at a nearby pumpkin farm! (Quantities are limited!)10 to 2 pm at the Region of Waterloo Library – Breslau Branch.

Homer Watson House has family-friendly and age 12+ fun with the Ghosts at the Gallery Tour. Join them for a tour and artistic activity with a focus on the Homer Watson House & Gallery’s our its spiritualist history, including some of the departed regulars...Tour includes a guided walkthrough of the house and surrounding grounds. Workshop will be a seasonally themed watercolour painting activity.

Step into the shadows of Mount Hope Cemetery with Stroll Walking Tours at OUTRAGEOUS TO COURAGEOUS. Uncover the stories that linger among its stones, from outrageous mayors and daring pioneers to Black freedom seekers and local legends like J.M. Schneider, the tour reveals the city’s most unforgettable characters.

UPSIDE OF MAYBE is an award winning, family friendly,roots based folk/rock group from Stratford and you can catch them at Emmanuel Concerts at 7:30 pm.

MODO Live brings you Current Swell with The Bankes Brothers on Saturday at The Hub KW. Doors at 7, music at 8.

NOW Wrestling is bringing Halloween Chaos to the Union KW. Three bands, two hardcore wresting matches, one night of absolute mayhem.

The Yeti has Mike Legere, Bird Hand, and Fish Milk live starting at 8 pm.

My favourite playlist on Songza back in the day was “Vodka Escapades, ladies be pregaming.” I feel like it’d be a good playlist for Mom’s Gone Mild Video Dance Party at Maxwell’s starting at 6 pm.

Gerry Dee’s doing stand-up at Centre in the Square at 8 pm.

Sunday, October 19

KPL has a free fall family screening of “Lilo & Stitch (2025)” at 1:30 pm.

Check out the Diwali Marketplace and Bollywood Dance Party sponsored by Food Basics at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum. The market runs 10 to 4 and the Bollywood Dance Party runs 5 to 8 pm and tickets are $15.

Monday, October 20

The Princess Twin has a screening of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” at 7 pm.

Ways to get involved.

KW Kitchen Co-op Is Hosting a five-course fundraising dinner with a twist on October 26! Chef Mike will be serving a five course meal, but attendees will also get to make their own ravioli by hand. Proceeds support the operations of the co-op, which hosts events and supports several groups from around the community working towards food security. Register by October 18!

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.

“I am Water” is a documentary film about Lila Bruyere, a Residential School Survivor. Lila has been a member of the National Survivor’s Circle for Truth and Reconciliation Commission and is a public speaker and educator. The film follows Lila’s journey from the trauma of St. Marguerite’s Residential School to healing through the power of water and community. Through her story, it sheds light on the lasting impacts of residential schools, intergenerational trauma, and the importance of truth and reconciliation. Funds raised will support the film’s production and its mission to foster education, reflection, and healing.

What to read.

Perimeter Institute celebrates 25th anniversary (sangjunhan, Community Edition)

Cafe, Gallery, Salon (Acer Bonaparte, Community Edition)

Lift your spirits with locally distilled whisky (Jasmine Mangalaseril, CBC KW)