2022
BROCHURE DESIGN BY @BRIEPOINTER & PATIO / ART CRAWL MAP DONE BY EMILY @HUSHPUPPYDESIGNS
Welcome Back to Summer in DTK.
Downtown Kitchener’s Summer 2022 Event Calendar is loaded with experiences to reconnect us back to the things we love. While we’ve been craving more events and adventure, we also know the benefit of finding moments for self-care and relaxation during our day. This summer we’re using a find-your-bliss approach to reconnect you back to life in DTK. In this pocket guide, you’ll find a range of experiences including exciting festivals intimate get-togethers and relaxing moments just for you. The weather is nice. The vibes are good. Let’s #ReconnectDTK.
Psst: before you visit check the event
website for the latest updates on all events
Be sure to go to the next page to see the big calendar of events!
June
FRI JUNE 3RD
FRI JUNE 17TH
WITCH + WELLNESS MARKET: PRIDE EDITION GAUKEL STREET • 2PM-9PM Kick off June and Pride Weekend with an outdoor witchy market on Gaukel Street featuring unique vendors, live music, food from Crazy Canuck, coffee bar with Smile Tiger and more.
TACOFEST • THE MUSEUM / KING STREET Tacofest is a celebration of the region’s local restaurant and brewery scene with proceeds going to Community Support Connections.
FIND THIS EVENT ON FACEBOOK
SAT JUNE 4TH SPRING INTO SUMMER POOCH PARTY • GAUKEL STREET • 12PM-5PM A DTK dog friendly block party to get you and your dog ready for sunshine and summer! Sip & shop with local drinks & food vendors, retailers, a pack walk, live music and more.
NEIGHBOURS NIGHT VICTORIA PARK Kick off the summer with our first major outdoor event since 2019. Bring your lawn chairs to Victoria Park, reconnect with neighbours from across our community and enjoy a free concert! KITCHENEREVENTS.CA
SAT JUNE 18TH NEIGHBOURS DAY • ACROSS KITCHENER 1PM-5PM From porches to driveways, front lawns to boulevards, you’re invited to join in the fun by bringing your lawn chair to enjoy some live entertainment in celebration of Neighbours Day.
DOGFRIENDLYKW.COM
TRI-PRIDE • VICTORIA PARK • 11AM-8PM Celebrate pride and equality in Victoria Park with great community, entertainment, vendors, a kids zone and more.
KITCHENEREVENTS.CA
FIND THIS EVENT ON FACEBOOK
JUNE 10TH-11TH DTK SUMMER KICK OFF PARTY • DTK PATIOS, GOUDIES AND VOGELSANG GREEN Kicking off on June 10 with a giant patio crawl across Downtown Kitchener restaurants with music, activations, prizes and unexpected surprises followed by a family celebration on June 11. SAT JUNE 11TH GAUKEL BLOCK HANGOUT • GAUKEL STREET • 5PM-9PM Drop by for free live music, spoken word & painting, to spin the fabulous Beastagon + more all-ages fun. DOWNTOWNKITCHENER.CA
TACOFEST.CA
FATHER’S DAY AT THE MARKET • KITCHENER MARKET • 2PM-6PM Celebrate Dad and the important men in your life with a beer garden, BBQ, and a variety of artisan vendors. KITCHENERMARKET.CA
SAT JUNE 18TH SUMMER LIGHTS ART FESTIVAL • DTK’S MARKET DISTRICT Spreading joy and building community, this late-night collision of art, tech, makers, games, musicians and unique performers is back in DTK. SUMMERLIGHTSFESTIVAL.COM
JUNE 25TH-26TH
SUN JUNE 12TH
FRI JULY 8TH
CRUISING ON KING STREET • DOWNTOWN KITCHENER 6PM-10PM The region's best classic car show and street party, held in DTK. KITCHENEREVENTS.CA
JULY 8TH-10TH CRAFT BEER VILLAGE • GAUKEL STREET • 12PM-10PM Gaukel Street hosts a Craft Beer Village with tons of local breweries during Kitchener’s Cruising on King Street Festival! STREETEATSMARKET.COM
JULY 15TH-17TH RIBFEST • VICTORIA PARK 12PM-10PM Annual BBQ’d meat and craft beer extravaganza in Victoria Park. KITCHENERRIBANDBEERFEST.COM
SAT JULY 23RD WAYBACK FESTIVAL • DOWNTOWN KITCHENER 6PM-11PM Kitchener's classic rock celebration and a trip back in time. Retro fun with food vendors, a licensed area, and performances from two legendary Canadian acts. KITCHENEREVENTS.CA
FRI JULY 29TH SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK CIVIC CENTRE PARK A charming evening in Civic Centre Park with Driftwood Theatre Group featuring King Henry Five; an adaptation of three Shakespeare plays.
August
DRIFTWOODTHEATRE.COM
AUGUST 4TH-7TH
KING STREATERY FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL + OUR WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL • KITCHENER MARKET, DTK’S MARKET DISTRICT • 12PM-8PM 12+ food trucks assemble across DTK’S Market District, plus an outdoor beer garden, music and fun activities in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters Waterloo Region. To make the night even better - Our World Music Festival has world-class live music performances that’ll blow your socks off.
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WATERLOO.BIGBROTHERS BIGSISTERS.CA
KW MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL • VICTORIA PARK • 12PM-6PM A massive cultural festival in Victoria Park with incredible performances, markets and global food vendors.
July
KWMULTICULTURAL.CA/FESTIVAL
FRI JULY 1ST CANADA DAY CELEBRATION • DOWNTOWN KITCHENER 6PM-11PM This family-friendly celebration includes a free concert with a licensed area and a beautiful fireworks display. Complete your Downtown Kitchener experience with a visit to one of the many pubs and restaurants. KITCHENEREVENTS.CA
@DTKITCHENER
#RECONNECTDTK #DTKLOVE
KITCHENER BLUES FESTIVAL DOWNTOWN KITCHENER A world class, free blues festival held annually in Downtown Kitchener. KITCHENERBLUESFESTIVAL.COM
FRI AUGUST 12TH WITCH + WELLNESS MARKET GAUKEL ST • 4PM-9PM Your favourite outdoor witchy night market is back on Gaukel Street. FIND THIS EVENT ON FACEBOOK
SUN AUGUST 21ST KIDSPARK • VICTORIA PARK • 11AM-5PM A massive free family festival celebrating all things kids across beautiful Victoria Park. KITCHENEREVENTS.CA
TUESDAYS
THURSDAYS
PUP & POSES • JUNE 21ST-AUGUST 23RD VICTORIA PARK 6:30PM-7:30PM Join The Attic Yoga and Dog Friendly KW for a summer yoga series where you and your pup can show up together to find calm and connection in your local community. All levels of yoga experience are welcome. All dogs must be on a six-foot leash at all times.
SUMMER NIGHTS AT THE MARKET • KITCHENER MARKET • THURSDAYS IN JULY FROM 5PM-9PM & AUGUST FROM 6PM-10PM Unwind this summer at the Kitchener Market with music, movies, food and more local goodness. The Markets hosts concerts every Thursday evening in July, and outdoor movie screenings every Thursday in August.
WEDNESDAYS
LUNCHTIME CONCERT AT VOGELSANG GREEN • FRIDAYS IN JUNE • 12PM-1PM Unwind over your lunch break with classical music in Vogelsang Park.
YOGA IN THE PARK AT LUNCH • VICTORIA PARK (NEAR THE CLOCKTOWER) • JUNE 1-AUGUST 10 12:30PM-1:15PM A free outdoor drop-in yoga class. All bodies, ages and experience levels are welcome! Visit the Yoga in the Park Facebook event pages for more details. THURSDAYS YOGA IN THE PARK AFTER WORK • ALL SUMMER CIVIC SQUARE BY KPL CENTRAL • JUNE 2 AUGUST 11 • 5:30PM-6:30PM A free outdoor drop-in yoga class. All bodies, ages and experience levels are welcome! Visit the Yoga in the Park Facebook event pages for more details. ROLLER DISCO WITH KWFAMOUS • KITCHENER MARKET • THURSDAYS IN JUNE • 5PM-8PM Retro vibes, rainbows, disco balls, and roller skates… need we say more? Join us at the Kitchener Market on Thursday nights in June for an outdoor roller skate rink, free learn to skate hours, a DJ, art installations, and more. COMEDY IN THE GREEN VOGELSANG PARK • JULY 14 & AUGUST 11 & SEPTEMBER 8 • 8PM Everyone needs a laugh right now. We’re putting on FREE comedy shows in Vogelsang Green. This comedy series is presented by Crazy Canuck, Rusty Nail Comedy and KWFamous.
FRIDAYS
LIVE AT LUNCH ON CARL ZEHR SQUARE • FRIDAYS IN JULY & AUGUST • 12PM-1PM This favorite lunchtime music series is back on the newly constructed Carl Zehr Square later this summer. SUNSET SESSIONS IN VOGELSANG PARK • JUNE 24 & AUGUST 26 & SEPTEMBER 30 7PM-10PM An intimate concert at sundown, last Friday of the month from June-Sept in Vogelsang Green. SATURDAYS KITCHENER MARKET SATURDAYS • KITCHENER MARKET • 7AM-2PM Optimize your happiness by making a Saturday morning market visit a part of your weekend routine. This year features more live music, local vendors, Eby Street activity and heartfelt community experiences. SUNDAYS
MINI FARMERS’ MARKET ON GAUKEL STREET • 10:30AM-2:30PM The Feed Change Market is a pop-up farmers’ market hosted each Sunday on Gaukel Street. This series features Littlefoot Projects farm stand — open from 10:30am-2:30pm and Lucky Bug Farm’s CSA pickup — open from 12pm-2:30pm.