All city events

Head to Waterloo Public Square every Tuesday from 7 to 10 p.m. for a lively evening of dance! Local dance groups will be leading fun and engaging sessions each week, offering something new and exciting for everyone. All skill levels and abilities are welcome.

• May 27: K-Pop
• June 3: East Coast Swing
• June 10: Chinese Square
• June 24: K-Pop (cancelled)
• July 8: K-Pop
• July 15: West Coast Swing
• July 22: K-Pop
• July 29: East Coast Swing
• August 5: Chinese Square (cancelled)
• August 12: West Coast Swing
• August 19: K-Pop (cancelled)
• August 26: East Coast Swing

Instruction by:

• K-Pop & Chinese Square Dance: 3Dz Dance
• East Coast Swing: Hepcat Swing Community Dance Studio with live music by Grand River New Horizons Music
  
• West Coast Swing: Remix Swing

Browse through a wide selection of handmade goods created by local artists, crafters, and makers while listening to live music in Waterloo Public Square. The market runs from 5 to 9 p.m. with live music from 7 to 9 p.m. Tip: If you intend to purchase from the market, please bring cash as some vendors may not accept card payment.

• May 30
• Attending vendors - Thundersnow Clay & Cards, Beads Beauty, Mountain Woodwork Canada, DREY Natural & Evolution, Havilah Jane Arts, peachytaozi.co, MaigeCreations, SimplySanDIY, M&3, The New Quarterly, Espoir Illustrations, Shifty Story, Fuchsia Peaches, Olena Chorna Fine Arts, Mightycat Scents, TATA Games Studio, Tanu and Sangram, Artist.Venus, Juneipers, and Vladimir Skvortsov.
• 7 to 9 p.m. - Live music by Sarah McLeod, a self-taught solo musician who is growing her live shows across the Tri-Cities. You can expect to hear her rich, powerful voice belting out covers of classic rock, country, and popular songs throughout the decades.
• July 25
  • Attending vendors - SimplySanDIY, Corkum Cove Collective, Greyishteal, Jewellery by Margaret, StudyLOFT Studios, The Syd Collective, The Bagette Shop, TSW by Thea Taylor, Vision Photography, Misha’s Bakehouse Homemade Pizzelles and Candied Nuts, Eno Kai Art, Connie's Artistic Pottery, Sebastian Monroy, Chloe and Helen Art, Tanu and Sangam, Kat Looby Glass, Kruti.Leelo Illustrations, Kona Collection, beauty cat co., and Sadaf Ambreen.
  • 7 to 9 p.m. - Live music by Sammy Duke, a one man band recognized for his multi-instrumental abilities; playing up to eight instruments simultaneously that blends elements of folk, rock and soul. Accompanied by award winning percussionist, Gerima Harvey.
• August 15
  • Attending vendors - Barb Thomas Pottery, Aoe Girard, Artist.Venus, Anna Bee Design, Cailyn Creative, CapyPacaBun, CKemp Creative, Lover of the Light, AE Upcycled Creative Crafts, Mrs Fox, Lively Colours, Neetika Agarwal, SOSANE, Perfectly Imperfect be Design Woodworking, Thompson Soap Co, Vidhi Kelaiya Arts, Unbroken Bunny, Studio That Crazy Doodler, and Thundersnow Clay & Cards.
  • 7 to 9 p.m. - Live music by Clarissa Diokno and Caleb Khuu. Clarissa's musical influences range from soul music and female fronted rock bands to late 90s and early 2000s pop and R&B. Caleb is an extremely versatile musician. From funk to alt rock, he brings the right vibe and tones for every occasion.

Additional Art Markets will be held at Open Streets (June 14) and the July 1st Community Picnic.

Applications to be a vendor at this year's Art Markets are now closed.

Grab a seat on a nearby patio or gather around the fire in Waterloo Public Square and listen to live music performed by different local musicians. Happening on select Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. 

• May 21 (cancelled due to weather)
• June 18 (cancelled due to weather)
• July 16

  • JamNetwork is a student-led music club at the University of Waterloo committed to making musical opportunities more accessible for students while fostering a fun, inclusive community. The club hosts regular jam sessions, open mics, workshops, and concerts that showcase the diverse talent on campus. Come experience the creativity and passion of University of Waterloo’s student music scene. The bands performing are all part of the JamNetwork community:

    • Celina and Friends – folksy melodies with a sweet charm

    • Eric Folino – ivy punk with a suburban dystopian edge

    • Just Papaya – a theatrical progressive rock experience

    • Zenith Crossed – energetic and spirited indie rock

• August 20
  • 6 to 7 p.m. - Miranda Journey is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer, and performer. Described as "New Retro", her style blends the likes of indie, alternative rock, and folk genres to create a colourful and dynamic sound on stage.
  • 7 to 8 p.m. - Cots is the solo project of Canadian composer, singer, and guitarist Steph Yates. Blending elements of bossa nova, tropicália, folk, jazz, and classical, Yates crafts subtly unconventional compositions for nylon-string guitar and voice—set against a modern art backdrop. To enrich the arrangements of Cots songs in live performance, Yates is often accompanied by Bry Webb (The Constantines).

Hosted on the West side of Waterloo Park near the Bandshell, bring a blanket or your favourite hoodie and join us for these fun movie nights on the big outdoor screen! Movies begin at sundown. SDH subtitles are available.

• June 12 - Ferris Bueller's Day Off
• June 26 - 10 Things I Hate About You
• July 10 - Moana 2
• July 17 - A Minecraft Movie
• July 24 - The Sound of Music Sing-a-long (cancelled due to weather)
• August 7 - Flow
• August 14 - Ghostbusters (1984)
• August 21 - Lilo & Stitch (2025)

Movie nights are brought to you in partnership with Princess Cinemas and in support of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. If possible, please consider bringing a non-perishable food item to donate.

Open Streets returns to uptown Waterloo! Join us on Saturday, June 14 from 12 to 6 p.m. for a fun-filled day that will take over Willis Way and Waterloo Public Square. Enjoy live performances, music, an art market and more.

View more information on our Open Streets web page.

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This day recognizes the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples, communities and nations.

The City of Waterloo has been marking this occasion for the past eight years by partnering with local Indigenous artists who create and install original art pieces on the surface of Waterloo Public Square. These artworks serve as a visual reminder of the territory and land on which the city was founded.

For 2025, Maddie Resmer, of Western Sky Designs, created a mural to honour the Anishinàbe worldview of interconnectedness. Watch the artist YouTube video to learn more about the design and story behind this years National Indigenous Peoples Day mural.

Artist Statement: 

A circle of lifeforms moves together, each shape holding space for the next.

This year’s mural honours the Anishinàbe worldview of interconnectedness, illustrating how all beings — animal, plant, sky, water, and land — are woven together into the delicate fabric of life. The gentle flow of forms reminds us of the humility required to know our place within, not above, the natural world. In this circle, the anishinàbe (person) is no more vital than the makwa (bear), nor is the ininatig (maple) greater than the nigig (otter). However, as we each lose empathy for (and connection to) the beings around us, so too do we lose one of nature’s greatest assets: diversity.

In a time of growing division and unchecked individualism, our collective well-being depends on embracing these decolonized visions — futures rooted in balance, reciprocity, and care for all our relations.

Spend the afternoon in Waterloo Park with local artists, food trucks, giant games, and a spectacular LED drone show that will light up the sky. The event runs from 4 to 10 p.m.

View more information on our July 1 Community Picnic web page.

Come have a Day of Play in Waterloo Park! Located on the East side of Waterloo Park near the old Eby Farm area, there will be art activities, games, adventures, and more. A day of non-stop fun for everyone! The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Activities

• Face Painting
• Balloon Twisting
• Giant Games
• Bucket drumming workshop and music lab with Bandology
• Make and launch pump paper rocket with Waterloo Public Library
• Explore the 1820 Log Cabin with City of Waterloo Museum

Community Booths

• MAP Lab
• Inter Arts Matrix
• ActOUT!KW
• Active Transportation
• Focus On Nature
• Cognitive Development Lab
• KW Gymnastics Club

Performance Schedule

• 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Musical show with Erick Traplin
• 12:30 to 1 p.m. - K-Pop class and performance with 3Dz Dance Company
• 1 to 1:30 p.m. -  Improv Academy with ActOUT!KW
• 1:30 to 2 p.m. -  Abraca-FUN Magic Show
• 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. - Mr. J. & the Groovy Gang

Times may vary and are subject to change.

Lumen is an annual, free, all-ages festival that is open to the public and run by the City of Waterloo’s Arts and Creative Industries team (Create Waterloo). The event features the work of artists as they explore the interplay of light, art, and technology in installations located throughout uptown Waterloo.

View more information on our Lumen web page.

Enjoy this one-day community market featuring a variety of local vendors, performers, and family-friendly activities. The market will take place on King Street from Central to Bridgeport Street on Sunday, October 5th from 12 to 5 p.m.

Presented in partnership with the Uptown Waterloo BIA, Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, City of Waterloo and Mayor Dorothy McCabe.

Get ready for a night of frightful fun from 6 to 9 p.m. in Waterloo Public Square. Dance to the beats by our on-site DJ, enjoy live tunes from a local artist, and unleash your creativity in the thrilling Vampire Fashion Show.

Head to the Waterloo Public Square ice rink from 6 to 8 p.m. and skate along to the amazing tunes spun live by DJ King Kadeem or get warm with treats from the Hissing Goose Coffee Roasters.

Each week will feature a different music playlist theme.

• January 8: Bollywood
• January 15: Hip Hop
• January 22: Retro (cancelled due to weather)
• January 29: Dance Music
• February 5: Metal and Punk
• February 12: Reggae and Dub (cancelled due to weather)
• February 19: Country
• February 26: Retro (cancelled due to weather)

Discover the magic of winter with family and friends at Waterloo's largest winter festival! Head uptown from 12 to 5 p.m. to watch award-winning ice carvers, take part in winter-themed activities, and explore all that uptown Waterloo's winter culture has to offer.

View more information on our Winterloo web page.

City of Waterloo invites the public to come enjoy these creative, unique, and vibrant picnic tables featured in the Neighbourhood  Picnic Table Program.

In 2021, in partnership with the City of Waterloo's Neighbourhoods team, Create Waterloo commissioned 18 local artists to create custom artwork on picnic tables located in one of six community gardens throughout Waterloo. In 2022, another 12 tables were added to the collection in four new neighbourhood parks. In 2023, an additional nine artists painted picnic tables in three more neighbourhood parks throughout Waterloo. In 2024, 12 more picnic tables were painted by local artists in five different neighbourhood parks.

View each picnic table and its location on our online map.

• Heasley Park - Sharon Ye, Tara Nix, Kate Short, Sophie Corbett, Shannon Stehr, Tanner van Vliet
• Pinebrook Park - Lupita Guerrero, Lucy Lan, Christie Shen, Allie Brenner, 
  Simone Contrell
• Haida Park - Kate Hernden, Esther Slevinsky, Chrissy Kuiack, Brie Pointer
• Patchwork Community Gardens EMS Site - Chanel Leong, William August Swinson, Baz Kanold
• St. Moritz Park - Ekaterina Abesheva, Kavita Saini, Mayah Moosajee, Donia Neekman, Blair Kelly, Lee Angold
• Sundew Park - Moumita Rowchowdhury, Aoe Girard, Tara Cooper
• Laurelwood Park - Jason Panda, Danielle Petti, Esther Slevinsky
• Roselea Park - Ashley Guenette, Aoe Girard, Madeline Belford
• Glen Acres Park - Tanner van Vliet, Kate Short, Lori Zenker
• Anndale Park - Sophie Corbett, Kat Hernden, Donia Liu Neekman
• West Wind Park - Isabelle Boucher, Denise Derbez, Hilary Wright
• Old Post Park - Shannon Stehr, Jillian Belkwell, Tanner Van Vliet
• Brighton Park - Ella Dowhaniuk, Kat Herden, Elizabeth Campbell
• Bluestream Park - Jenny Hu, Miho Nagayama, Autoro Gaitan

Applications to the Neighbourhood Picnic Table Program are now closed.

Trail Mix is an auditory accompaniment for trails throughout Waterloo featuring the work of local musicians. Simply find the QR code’s on the trail, use your phone camera to scan the codes, and get ready to listen to a Trail Mix curated of local artists!

• Step #1: Select your favourite local Waterloo trail
• Step #2: Strap on some hiking shoes/boots
• Step #3: Find the hidden QR codes along the trail
• Step #4: Use your phones camera to scan the QR code
• Step #5: Put on your headphones and listen to the Trail Mix!

View the full Trail Mix album on Create Waterloo's bandcamp page. 

• Walter Bean / Grey Silo Trail - Gary LaRocca, Ezekiel Nigma, artistbasm, The Shop, Crude Awakening, Luke Michielsen, Chris Wansk, Zuffalo, Leah Holtom, Kevin Coates, Braeden Etienne, Sydney Jones & Ben Rollo
• Forwell Trail - Amanda Kind, Clarissa Diokno, Craig McNair, Jon Pavey, Calling Crow, Onion Honey, Red Orkestra, Johanna Daze, Dana K and the Remedy, Sons of Shanley, Sammy Duke, Treephones
• Spurline / Laurel Trail - David Lum, Adam Bryan, JSAL, Snailspace, Kroka, Amanda Braam, Ayesha Ahad, Miranda Journey, JP Sunga, Pax, Sheila Soares, The Neighbourhood Hotties, Caliban Strange

Are you an artist that wants to be featured on a Trail Mix? Sign up to be on the Artist Roster.

Scan the QR code featured on the kiosk or the trailer in Waterloo Public Square and enjoy listening to a playlist of local artists.

Now playing: Volume 2 (updated November 2024)

Featured artists: Midnite Vice, Amanda Braam, Sam Nabi, Clefs of Moher, Tragedy Ann, Painting Pelicans

The Waterloo Park Art Walk is an outdoor exhibit that stretches through Waterloo Park from Caroline Street to Seagram Drive.

The Art Walk features the work of up to 24 local artists selected by a jury to be part of the program. Each of the art banners makes reference to the nature, scenery, and/or landscape of the park. This initiative began in 2020 and is updated annually.

Participating 2024 artists: Blair Kelly, Kenzie Tanith Janveaux, A. Decker, Ama Liyanage, Sara Nieto, Arturo Gaitán, Aoe Girard, Wayne Gascho, Wen Li, Madeline Belford, Cam Mathew, Laura Zikovic, Ashley Zikovic, Amy Esplen, Charlotte Hancock, Allie Brenner, Asli Alin, Sabrina Romano, Ken Daley, Lupita Guerrero, Lisa Attygalle, and Alex Bray.

Applications to the Waterloo Park Art Walk are now closed.