The long weekend is here with the civic holiday on Monday, giving many folks a little extra time off.
Offices, banks, and some businesses will be closed on Monday to observe the holiday.
In downtown Kitchener, the King Street Unplugged pedestrian block in front of city hall will conclude Friday night with a DTK Latin Heat event. There’ll be bingo, mariachi performances, free Latin dance lessons, and salsa dancing into the evening.
Cambridge has been hosting live concerts throughout the summer. On Sunday evening, you can catch the K-W Woodwind Quintet performing at Mill Race Park. The concert kicks off at 7 p. m., and attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.
The Guelph Outdoor Handmade Market starts its two-month series of weekly markets at Royal City Park in Guelph. This market takes place every Saturday in August and September featuring plenty of local makers and artists. It runs from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m.
In local baseball news, the Kitchener Panthers will head to Guelph Saturday night for a game against the Royals. First pitch is set for 7:05 p. m. at Hastings Stadium.
Ontario Summer Games
Friday 9 a. m. to 10 p. m., Saturday 9 a. m. to 10:30 p. m., Sunday 9 a. m. to 5:30 p. m.
Various venues around the region
The Ontario Summer Games are bringing hundreds of athletes to this area. Most events will take place within Waterloo region, but there are also some happenings at Guelph Lake and skeet shooting is in Waterford.
The sports include archery, baseball, kayaking, cycling, hockey, table tennis, volleyball, frame running, lacrosse, sailing and more.
Admission is free for all regular sport venues; however organizers do mention that seating is first come, first served.
WATCH | Meet 2 local athletes competing in the Ontario Summer Games:
Meet 2 Kitchener athletes competing in the Ontario Summer Games
The Ontario Summer Games are happening this week in Waterloo region! Young athletes aged 12 to 18 from across Ontario will compete in over a dozen sports like volleyball, basketball, archery and softball. CBC KW’s Diego Pizarro spoke with two athletes from Return of the Dragon Martial Arts studio in Kitchener about their experiences competing in these games. Klara White is participating in kickboxing at age 11 while Dru Schraud is representing kung fu at age 13.
Long Weekend Band Crawl
Sunday starting at 6:30 p. m.
Uptown Waterloo
This event features 22 bands and musicians across six stages located within uptown bars-perfect for bar hopping while enjoying great music during this long weekend! Tickets are required for entry.
Dive-in Movie Night Swim
Sunday at 7:30 p. m.
Bingemans
This offers a fun way to enjoy a warm summer evening! The movie starts as it gets dark while both the wave pool and slides remain open-but maybe avoid getting wet since they’ll be screening Jaws!
Fireworks
Saturday after dusk
Riverside Park, Cambridge
If you missed out on fireworks during Canada Day due to bad weather conditions-don’t worry! This Saturday serves as an alternative celebration night!
Packing snacks along with blankets or lawn chairs would make watching fireworks even more enjoyable! The show should start around approximately 9:30 p. m.
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A professional performer for over thirty-five years known as Zoltan the Adequate will entertain visitors during The Pirate Festival near Guelph this weekend (Carmen Groleau/ CBC)
Ontario Pirate Festival
This festival runs Saturday through Monday from eleven A. M until six P. M.
Marden Park located at seven-three-six-eight Wellington County Road thirty just north of Guelph provides an immersive pirate experience complete with falconry shows, captain’s keg parties, sword fighting displays, and pirates wandering about some accompanied by parrots. There’ll also be huge turkey legs available plus performances by Zoltan himself alongside Lady Lizzie Skylark plus much more including Pirate Yoga Adventures!
Tickets can only be purchased upon arrival so organizers recommend using cash lines which move quicker than others!
Puppet Works! International Puppet Festival
This festival takes place throughout all three days over August’s long weekend right down Stratford town center!
You can expect not just small hand puppets but enormous full-sized creatures roaming around parks & streets alike!
Certain workshops & performances require tickets but plenty of free events await families including fun activities located within Veterans Drive Park !
If You’re Camping? Don’t Forget These Essentials!The August long weekend tends to get quite busy among campsites. Michelle Playfair who manages Bingemans Camping Resort points out five commonly forgotten items :
- A headlamp equipped with extra batteries.
- Fire starters stored inside waterproof containers.
- Layers suitable enough against nighttime temperatures because even summertime nights can get chilly !
- Repair kits containing essentials like duct tape rolls , zip ties , spare tent stakes , paracords + multi-tools.
- Portable power banks.
While people often prefer disconnecting from technology during camping trips having backup power sources still matters : “sometimes we need our phones during emergencies whether checking weather forecasts or staying connected ” says Playfair.She reminds us that those items slip our minds since we focus mainly on daytime needs forgetting potential overnight necessities instead !Ultimately though she hopes everyone simply enjoys time spent around campfires sharing good moments together – “Camping presents wonderful opportunities where families relax connect outdoors whilst creating lasting memories!”
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