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Find city events and programs hosted by our Arts and Creative Industries team.
All of our events are free and family-friendly.
Event dates may change. For the most current information, follow the city events team on Facebook, X and Instagram, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter, What's Happening Waterloo.
For other city-run and community-run events, visit the Community Events Calendar.
Join this free, family-friendly event:
Music by DJ King Kadeem
Skate Night Date Night – Wednesdays in January and February
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 and get warm with treats from the Hissing Goose Coffee Roasters.
The first 50 visitors each night at the Hissing Goose Coffee Roasters will also receive a complimentary hot drink.
Each week will feature a different music playlist theme. More information coming soon.
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.
Find more information on our Winterloo web page.
Dance It Off Tuesdays – May to August
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. More information coming soon.
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 p.m. to 9 p.m. with live music from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tip: If you intend to purchase from the market, please bring cash as some vendors may not accept card payment.
Additional Art Markets will be held at Open Streets (June 13) and the July 1st Community Picnic.
Applications to be a vendor at Art Markets will open in February 2026.
Movies In The Park (June to August)
Hosted on the West side of Waterloo Park, 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 will be available. Movie titles to be announced.
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.
National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21)
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.
July 1 Community Picnic (July 1)
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 noon to 5 p.m.
More information to be announced.
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.
Mayor’s Oktoberfest Market (October 5)
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.
Waterloo Vampire Hangout (October 30)
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.
The City of Waterloo invites the public to enjoy these creative, unique, and vibrant picnic tables featured in the Neighbourhood Picnic Table Program.
Each year, in partnership with the City’s Neighbourhoods team, Create Waterloo commissions local artists to transform picnic tables across Waterloo into colourful works of public art. Since 2021, 46 local artists have showcased their artwork in 15 Neighbourhood parks throughout Waterloo. Today, these vibrant tables form a growing, citywide collection that celebrates local creativity and enhances public spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Featured picnic tables remain in the program for a period of up to three years.
View each picnic table and its location on our online map.
Applications to the Neighbourhood Picnic Table Program will open in March 2026.
Trail Mix - Local Trails & Local Artists
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!
View the full Trail Mix album on Create Waterloo's bandcamp page.
Are you an artist that wants to be featured on a Trail Mix? Sign up to be on the Artist Roster.
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 2025 artists: Alessandra Broderick, Alex Bray, Amanda Ashford, Aoe Girard, Arohi Sawant, Ashley Zikovic, Beth Stobo, Christian Boghossian, Danielle Kuindersma, Emily Murphy, Freya Marchena Acosta, Jacqui Mason, Jeff Dillon, Jillian Belkwell, Lynne Huras, Megan Mirghavami, Nicolas Attieh, Olivia Grgich, Ryan Dwight MacTavish, Sami Park, Sly Soper, Tami Martin
Applications to the Waterloo Park Art Walk will open in April 2026.
Planning your own event in Waterloo? Start with the Plan an event page to book spaces like Waterloo Public Square or Waterloo Park.
Follow Create Waterloo on Instagram, Facebook and X, or subscribe to the What's Happening Waterloo newsletter.
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