Upcoming events

March Break Spirit's Mouse Hunt

Looking for March Break fun in Waterloo? Spirit needs your help!

Join us at the City of Waterloo Museum for Spirit’s Mouse Hunts in our Distiller’s Tale exhibit. Search high and low to find all the hidden mice and earn a ballot for a chance to win a $100 Conestoga Mall gift card and your very own stuffed Spirit cat!

Open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

While you’re here, explore the fascinating story of Waterloo’s first internationally known business and enjoy hands-on science and craft activities.

March Break adventure starts here — will you help Spirit track down those mice?

Poster advertising “Barrels & Bites,” an Uptown Waterloo whisky tasting walk on April 14, 2026 with two tour times and $85 tickets. Registration at barrels-and-bites.eventbrite.ca.

Barrel & Bites: An Uptown Waterloo Whisky Walk

April 14, 2026 in Uptown Waterloo

Join the City of Waterloo Museum and the Uptown Waterloo BIA for Barrels & Bites: An Uptown Waterloo Whisky Walk, a curated evening of whisky tastings, food pairings, live music, and local history in the heart of Uptown Waterloo.

This guided walking experience takes participants to several uptown restaurants—including Solé Restaurant and Wine Bar, Bodega Rose, Huether Hotel, and LALA Social House—where guests will enjoy carefully paired whisky tastings and small bites prepared by local chefs and mixologists.

Along the route, whisky sommelier Gary Bernier will share insights into whisky flavours, production, and stories behind the spirits. The evening will also feature a short live historical reenactment inspired by Waterloo’s 1914 provincial election and the spirited “Wets and Drys” debate surrounding prohibition. Guests will also enjoy live music from No Discernible Key and a brief presentation from the City of Waterloo Museum highlighting Prohibition-era artifacts and the story of Waterloo’s Seagram Distillery.

Tickets: $85 per person. Advance registration required.
Date: April 14, 2026
Time: 6 to 8:30 p.m. or 8:30 to 11 p.m.

Additional information
Space is limited and this unique walking experience is expected to sell quickly. Explore Uptown Waterloo on foot while enjoying great food, premium whisky, live entertainment, and local history.

Buy tickets

Image shows the Seagrams Plant Pre 1905 (black and white)

Tales of the Barrel Warehouse: The Story of the Seagram Empire

April 3, 2026 at John M. Harper Branch
Presentation starts at 3:00 p.m.

The Seagram empire is truly a homegrown success story. Join us to explore how an average flour mill turned into a world-renowned whisky distillery. Explore stories of the men who made this brand a household name and helped put Waterloo on the global map.

Join us in partnership with the Waterloo Public Library for the free talk.

Registration opens March 12

Historic Waterloo M.S. Band posing with instruments on the steps of a large columned building, with the band leader standing at the centre.

Music and Memories: Tracing Waterloo's Musical Past

May 22, 2026 at Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex — Community Pavilion
Presentation starts at 1:30 p.m.

Get ready to tap your toes and take a trip through time with us! This lively presentation explores Waterloo’s incredible musical roots—from early Indigenous drumming and vibrant German singing festivals to the swing of the big band era led by Professor Theile. Along the way, you’ll hear about famous performers who passed through town in the 1960s and 1970s, plus the local bands and homegrown talent that helped shape Waterloo’s unique sound. A fun, feel-good celebration of the music that made the city move!

Registration is recommended, but not required. Registration opens 72 hours before the program.

Registration opens May 19

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Monday closed

Tuesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday closed

Sunday closed

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Open Tuesday to Friday
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is always free

museum@waterloo.ca
519-885-8828

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