PINK SHIRTS, BIG BANDS & SIX PLANETS

Happy Wednesday & Pink Shirt Day!

Love and kindness grow when shared and WRPS has a message today worth reading.

It's an exciting week, full of fun things! Watch out for those sneaky potholes on the way to these fun things.

For those coming out for dinner tomorrow, can't wait to see you at the after party! And speaking of getting together, a lot of you have asked about moving dinner club to a different night. So let's settle it:

Let’s get to it.

made with love by,

your neighbourly goose

BUILT HERE. PROVEN THERE.

Two weeks ago, I shared the story of the KW Dutchmen: the hometown club that packed their bags, flew to Italy, and came home with a medal.

Italy hosted the world again this month. And quietly, Waterloo Region had its own people on that Olympic ice.

Both Canadian hockey teams poured everything into their gold medal games, and both lost in overtime by the thinnest margin sport allows. Not a collapse. Not a disappointment. A gut-punch that only happens when you've played well enough to be right there at the end. That deserves nothing but respect and gratitude.

Nobody gets to that level without resilience built one practice at a time. Just like the Dutchmen. Just like every athlete who stood on that podium in Milan. A shout out to every coach and club turning amateurs into champions, that work matters more than most people know.

The next chapter of this region's Olympic story is already being written. Maybe you are part of it.

JAZZ UP

Swing Your Way Into Spring: on March 6, THEMUSEUM in Kitchener is hosting All That Jazz, an evening of swing dancing and live jazz. There is a dance lesson that kicks off at 7:00pm, and the music carries the night through to 11:00pm.

Just an evening of good vibes with great tunes for anyone who just needs an excuse to get moving!

EXTRA GOOD NEWS:

THE MUSEUM, HEPCAT SWING & KW KOOL BIG BAND are going to give two passes to two Waterloo Region Rhythm Members (picked at 5pm Mar 5, 2026)!

All you got to do is,

ICYMI

Garbage collection schedules change starting Mar 3, 2026. (And yes, this year's calendar is an actual booklet. Very official.)

The easiest way to stay on top of it all is the Region's Waste Whiz app. Add your address and it'll notify you the day before collection, including what's being picked up. Handy for those "wait, is it blue box week?" moments.

Blue box recycling is now managed by Circular Materials, and they have their own app too. Worth downloading since a few materials have been added to the accepted list that weren't there before.

If you want a quick mental shortcut for the schedule, here's the pattern:

Region of Waterloo Waste Whiz App

Circular Materials Blue Bin App

REGION THROUGH YOUR LENS

Our region’s own, Phil D. caught the moon threading through bare branches on a dark blue Waterloo Region night. Proof that the best art is already outside your door.

Got pictures of our region or art creations you’d want to share with everyone?

Add yours here

RAD & RAW

SIGHTING: Did you see a coyote in your neighbourhood?

SKY: It’s a big week to look up!

On Sat, Feb 28 around 6:40pm, step outside right after sunset and look from west to east, six planets will be lined up across the sky at the same time. Low on the western horizon you can spot Venus and Mercury glowing right above where the sun just set, with Saturn close by. Then sweep your eyes across to find Jupiter blazing bright in the east near the moon. Uranus and Neptune are also in the lineup, you’ll need binoculars for those two though.

Then on Mon, Mar 3 starting around 4:50am, Earth’s shadow will slowly creep across the full moon and by 6:04am, the moon turns a deep coppery red, this is the blood moon. It happens because all the world’s sunrises and sunsets glow through Earth’s atmosphere and paint the moon red all at once.

ROOTED IN THE REGION

House of the week: New listing originally built in 1898

New Work: Sunlife Director, Global Media & Content

Volunteer: Cambridge shelter corp

Adopt a Pet: Diesel is a lovable, goofy, big guy spreads laughter

TRIVIA

Last week’s trivia: Most of you didn’t get it, but hey the answer was in the picture [hint: zoom bottom left corner, go check try again]

ROAM & RAZZLE

Add an event

FEATURED EVENTS

WEEK AHEAD

THU, FEB 26

Indie Music Night: Jacob Ferrara, Alyssa DVM, Bartek & The X-Pats bring original indie sounds (all ages) 7pm, Maxwell's Concerts & Events, Waterloo ♿️ tix

KasheDance and Kala Collective: Afro-Caribbean and Bharatanatyam dance in conversation (all ages) 7:30pm, The Registry Theatre, Cambridge ♿️ tix

FRI, FEB 27

Queer Youth Art Club: drop-in creative space for queer and trans teens, led by queer facilitators (13–18) 3pm, KW Art Gallery, Kitchener ♿️ info

CMHReveal: Acoustic singer-songwriter raising funds for Cambridge Memorial Hospital (all ages) 5:30pm, Tapestry Hall, Cambridge ♿️ tix

Black History Month Caribbean-Fusion Cooking Class: Hands-on class with Chef Susan (all ages) 6pm, Kitchener Market, Kitchener ♿️ tix

Kitchener Rangers vs Brampton Steelheads: OHL hockey at The Aud (all ages) 7pm, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, Kitchener ♿️ tix

Jesse Ryan & The Kaiso Street Collective: Calypso reimagined through modern jazz (all ages) 8pm, The Jazz Room, Waterloo ♿️ tix

K-Pop Club Night: DJ Seolying spins BlackPink, BTS, Twice, Stray Kids, and more on the big screens (19+) 8pm, Maxwell's Concerts & Events, Waterloo ♿️ tix

SAT, FEB 28

WRN Kids Snowshoeing: alternate activity planned if snow doesn't cooperate (kids) 10am, rare Charitable Research Reserve Eco Centre, Cambridge tix

The Kentucky Darty: Country Theme DJs, western fits, and a Boots and Hearts ticket giveaway (19+) 2pm, Kentucky Waterloo, Waterloo ♿️ tix

Toronto Comedy All Stars: Standups seen on Just For Laughs, Hulu, Crave, CBC (all ages) 5pm & 8:30pm, Centre In The Square, Kitchener ♿️ tix

Portage at Wesley: High-energy fiddling from many traditions meets vocals, cello, accordion (all ages) 7:30pm, Wesley United Church, Cambridge ♿️ tix

Pinch Cabaret #47: A variety night of poetry, juggling, drag, music (all ages) 8pm, Hepcat Swing Studio, Waterloo ♿️ tix

Roberto Occhipinti Quartet: A genre-spanning bassist & his quartet bring jazz in all its forms (all ages) 8pm, The Jazz Room, Waterloo ♿️ tix

Throwback Mash-Up: 90s & 2000s Video Dance Party with DJ Rob Da Selekta (19+) 8:30pm, Maxwell's Concerts & Events, Waterloo ♿️ tix

SUN, MAR 1

Dream Garden Conference: speakers, vendors, food by the Galt Horticultural Society (all ages) 9am, The Portuguese Club, Cambridge ♿️ tix

Kitchener Rangers vs London Knights: OHL hockey at The Aud (all ages) 2pm, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, Kitchener ♿️ tix

Family Sunday: Dreamy Oil-Pastel Landscapes workshop (all ages) 1pm, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener ♿️ info

Rental Family (2025): Brendan Fraser stars in a Tokyo drama about a rental family actor (all ages) 6pm, The Little Prince Cinema, Cambridge ♿️ tix

MON, MAR 2

Felt Daffodils Wreath Making Workshop: no experience needed (18+ or with adult) 7pm, Ernie's Roadhouse, Cambridge ♿️ tix

TUE, MAR 3

Tree Trust: Watch live pin oak pruning, learn about mature tree care & arboretum history (all ages) 10am, Arboretum, 470 Waterloo St, New Hamburg

Make Your Own Pizza with Chef Motola: Hands-on pizza class (all ages) 5pm, Pizzeria Motola, Cambridge ♿️ tix

WED, MAR 4

Prime Skills: Chicken Butchery Class with Brook from Blade and Board (18+) 6pm, Kitchener Market, Kitchener ♿️ tix

Experience Meander: show inside the world's largest permanent living architecture sculpture (all ages) 7:30pm, Tapestry Hall, Cambridge ♿️ info

LIVE MUSIC

Block Three Brewing, St. Jacobs ♿️ Liam Grier Fri, Feb 27, 6pm

The Lancaster Smokehouse, Kitchener ♿️ John McKinley Fri, Feb 27, 6pm

Counterpoint Brewing, Kitchener ♿️ Brad Woods & Tim Alberts Fri, Feb 27, 7pm

Thirteen Food & Beverage, Cambridge ♿️ Live music Fri, Feb 27

Farm League Brewing, Cambridge ♿️ Matt Campbell Fri, Feb 27, 7pm

Ethel's Lounge, Waterloo ♿️ Live music Wed, Mar 4, 7:30pm