Happy bright day friends,
Hope you're safe, warm, & having fun. Last week saw cancellations due to weather, but staying safe beats disappointment. Always check with businesses as things can change.
Our crew hit 3,000! Welcome & thanks for being here. I strive to make every edition better, based on your feedback. If you like this newsletter, share it with others to show your appreciation.
Run a local business who wants to partner? Hiring locally? Looking for volunteers? Have an event to highlight? Reach out.
The Science of Snow Angels
Yes, we're good friends with cold & snow. We signed up for that. We own the boots, we know the drill. But gotta acknowledge the week after week of overcast skies, last week's 30cm snow dump, closed schools, 200+ collisions in 24hrs, blowing snow, brutal wind chills, & windrows that felt personally designed to break your spirit (or backs!).
Then yesterday, finally, a break in the clouds. Actual sunshine. The kind that makes you pause mid-scroll & think, "Oh right, this is what winter's supposed to feel like." And it got me thinking about something else breaking through the grey, the people around us. You're not alone if all this got to you. Your brain runs on sunlight, & we've been out of stock. Less light means lower energy, flatter moods, & that general feeling of being mildly annoyed. Light therapy lamps can help, you can borrow them from our local libraries, just like books.
Humans are wired for connection. Research shows social connection is linked to longer lifespan, better well-being, & greater resilience. Being socially connected decreases your risk of dying from basically everything. I'm not talking about Instagram followers. Social connectedness is about relationships that make you feel like you belong, like you're cared for & valued.
Loneliness can be as harmful as not exercising, obesity, or smoking. People who help others benefit as much as (or more than) the people they're helping. Which brings me back to last week. My neighbour fired up her snowblower & cleared six driveways, then kept going & tackled sidewalks too. My other neighbour saw me struggle with that massive windrow the plow left & helped without making a big deal about it.
These connections literally keep us alive & in a winter like this, buried under snow & grey skies, these moments hit different. The neighbour who waves when you're both shovelling, the person who lets you merge in traffic during a snowstorm, the barista who remembers your order, all matter more than you think.
What I love about living here is that we kinda get this already. We're the region that shows up. We help each other dig out. We check on each other when the power goes out. You know what feels good? Knowing that when the next storm hits (and lets be honest, it's January, it will), you're not dealing with it alone. You've got neighbours & friends who'll check in. A community that's got your back. Cheers to our snow angels! Hit reply and tell me about yours.
Speaking of the importance of connection, how amazing it is that Waterloo Region Rhythm crossed 3000 member milestone!! I feel like it’s only appropriate that we soon start hanging out… you know, in the real world. If you haven’t already, do pick one of the options below, so you get invites when we decide on details. Have suggestions on places? Hit reply and let me know.
But first, I wanna know, would you wanna meet this community in person?
Get Your Kids on a Dog Sled at Winterloo
January can feel long & cold, but Waterloo knows how to make winter fun. Saturday, January 24 from noon to 5 pm, Uptown Waterloo transforms for Winterloo, the city's free largest cold weather festival.
Perhaps the biggest draw? Real dog sledding for kids. From noon to 4 pm, children under 100lbs can experience the thrill of riding behind a team of snow dogs from the Ontario Federation of Sled Dog Sports & Rajenn Sled Dogs. It's the kind of unforgettable winter adventure that becomes a cherished family memory, & honestly, it's not every day your kid gets to say they went dog sledding in Uptown Waterloo!
The artistry alone is worth bundling up for. Three award-winning ice carvers transform crystal-clear blocks of ice into stunning Winter Olympic inspired sculptures right before your eyes. There's something mesmerizing about watching professional carvers work their magic in real time.
And yeah, you're gonna wanna eat. BeaverTails(!!) & Berlin 95 will be serving warm & comforting favourites, plus you can grab complimentary maple taffy, because nothing says Canadian winter like fresh maple taffy. DJ $ensi Bø¥ & DJ Megan Arnold keep the energy high with live beats at two different locations, & if you bring your own skates (or borrow some from Waterloo Public Library), you can glide around the outdoor rink at Waterloo Public Square.
New this year: a Winterloo Dog Fashion Show kicks off at 3:30 pm, where pups can strut their stuff in cozy winter wear. Register your pup at 2pm! It's free, it's fun, & it's a brilliant reminder that winter in Waterloo Region doesn't have to mean hiding indoors. Bundle up, head uptown, & make some frosty memories. Here is a map of the festival from the City.
Room to Root
Region’s latest on Homes, Work & Ways to Help
🏠 Upgraded interiors, but this house built in 1898 still has a historic charm
💼 Hot & hiring urgently: TinyEYE, empowering schools worldwide to help every student thrive, is actively hiring a School Psychologist & a Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist
🎗️How many languages can you speak? Can you be a French Reading Buddy, a Rohingya Translator, or a Punjabi or Mandarin Radio Host
Radiance, Ruff & Fluff
🌠 The new moon passed Sunday, leaving slim crescents perfect for stargazing, if clouds cooperate. Forecast shows periods of snow Wednesday & flurries through the weekend. Jan 22: Spot the Rosette Nebula near Orion's Belt (telescope needed), stunning stars & glowing gas 5,200 light-years away.
🪶 I spotted a small flock of snow buntings a few days ago, little flashes of white & warm brown skimming low over the ground like windblown snowflakes. They never sit still for long, rising together, swirling, then settling again as one. Winter birds through & through, they feel like a quiet reward for braving the cold, a reminder that even the starkest season has its own kind of magic.
🐶 This dapper little fella had a difficult life, but oh so resilient & waiting to call a place home, adopt Christopher!
🐈 Meet Vienna, the 10 month old expert fly catcher who gets along with dogs! Maybe Christopher & Vienna can be together?
Trivia
Answer for last week’s trivia: Only 19% of you got it right! 👏 We know you’all control the thermostat at home!
Though records vary by station & time, the coldest temperature ever recorded in the Waterloo Region was -35.6°C in Galt (now Cambridge) on January 5, 1904. In more recent times the airport recorded -34.1°C in February 2015.
Where do Snow buntings, spotted this week, migrate from during winter?
Roam, Revel & Razzle
Featured Events
Tia Brazda comes to Waterloo. Singer, songwriter and one of Canada’s most recognized jazz-pop voices with retro style. All welcomed on Fri, Jan 23 from 8pm to 10:30pm. Tickets priced between $20–$32 can be purchased here.
Winterloo, the largest cold weather festival of the Region of Waterloo. Open for one and all on Sat, Jan 24 from 12pm to 5pm. No ticket for attending, vendor purchases separate. Schedule here.
Sports
Kitchener Rangers vs Owen Sound Attack: OHL (all ages) ♿️ Fri, Jan 23 7:00pm $28–$46 tix
KW Titans vs Windsor Express: Basketball (all ages)♿️ call 519-578-1570 for seating Sun, Jan 25 3:00pm $22–$102 tix
Kitchener Rangers vs Sarnia Sting: OHL (all ages) ♿️ Tue, Jan 27 7:00pm $28–$46 tix
Live Music
Student Recital: music performances (all ages)♿️ Thu, Jan 22 7:30pm–8:30pm it's free! reserve here
Liam Grier: Soul, folk, & mellow grooves (all ages)♿️ Fri, Jan 23 6:00pm–9:00pm it's free! reserve 519-664-1001
Burns Night: Scottish heritage celebration with 3-course meal, Scotch pairings, & live music (19+)♿️ Fri, Jan 23 6:00pm–9:00pm $102.51 tix
Shannon Regan Young-Eun Lee Tribute Concert: Celebrating her life through music (all ages)♿️ Fri, Jan 23 7:00pm $22.60 tix
Julian Taylor & Logan Staats with Jordan Hart: Acoustic songwriting, storytelling (all ages)♿️ Fri, Jan 23 7:30pm $20–$40 tix
Stephen Hodder live music (no age restrictions)♿️ Fri, Jan 23 8:00pm–11:00pm it's free! reserve 519-622-1799
Langdon Hall Music Series: Beatles-themed performance with 3-course dinner (no age restrictions)♿️ Fri, Jan 23 7:00pm–9:00pm $110 tix
Noam Lemish: Jazz artist & classical composer (all ages)♿️ Sat, Jan 24 8:00pm–10:30pm $20–$32 tix
Dana K & The Remedy: Indie rock, blues, funk, soul (all ages)♿️ Sat, Jan 24 7:00pm $10 at door, call 519-664-1001
Geeshan: Original pop music (all ages)♿️ Sat, Jan 24 7:00pm $5–$15 tix
Maggie's Wake: Folk-fusion with Celtic, country, & Cajun influences (all ages)♿️Sat, Jan 24 7:30pm $25 advance / $30 at the door tix
ABBAMANIA with Night Fever: Tribute to ABBA, Bee Gees & Cher (no age restrictions)♿️ call 519-578-1570 for seating Sat, Jan 24 7:30pm $57–$75 tix
ZED A Tribute to the Music of Led Zeppelin (19+)♿️ Sat, Jan 24 8:00pm $22.60 tix
Dane Ko, piano: Final works of Haydn & Brahms plus Enescu gems (all ages)♿️ Sun, Jan 25 3:00pm–late $10–$35 tix
Other Activities
A Quintessential Evening of Stories, Songs & Winter: Close-harmony singing, storytelling, & seasonal reflection (no age restrictions)♿️ Thu, Jan 22 7:00pm–9:00pm $25.57 tix
Salsa Bachata Tango on King St: Weekly social with lesson & two dance rooms (no age restrictions)Thu, Jan 22 8:15pm–12:00am $13.54 tix
Heathers: The musical dark comedy (14+)♿️ $11–$19.40 Fri | Sat 1pm | Sat 7:30pm | Sun
Pinch Cabaret #46: Variety show with circus, poetry, clown, harp, & comedy (no age restrictions)Sat, Jan 24 8:00pm–11:00pm $6.85 tix
Heart Coaster Quilting Workshop: Hand sewing & quilting coasters (18+)♿️ Sun, Jan 25 1:00pm–3:00pm $67.70 tix
Ashwyn Singh: Wrong Singh to Say Tour (18+)♿️ Sun, Jan 25 9:00pm $22.06 tix
Resin Coaster Set Workshop: Design & pour resin coasters (<18 with guardian)♿️ Mon, Jan 26 7:00pm–9:00pm $59.91 tix
Goodlines Drawing & Sketching Group: Low-pressure sketching for queer & disabled people (18+)Tue, Jan 27 5:30pm–8:30pm it's free! reserve here
Sashar Zariff Dance & Anto Chan/Ranganathan Rajah: Poetry, movement, & the in-between (no age restrictions) ♿️ Tue, Jan 27 7:30pm–9:00pm $15–$28 tix
Rusty Nail Comedy: Headliner Max Sheldrick with Canada's best comics (no age restrictions)♿️ Tue, Jan 27 8:00pm–10:30pm $17.31 tix
Winter Watercolor Paint Night: Landscape with evergreens & bird (12+)♿️ Wed, Jan 28 6:30pm–8:00pm $49.26 tix
See you next week. Until then, keep riding the region’s rhythm!
with love,
🦆 Your Neighbourly Goose
