LOCAL EVENTS

Events in April 2025

City of Waterloo Museum Exhibitions

January 21 – June 13 | Tuesday – Friday, 10 AM – 4 PM

26 10:00 am: Discover Elmira: A Community Resource Fair 10:00 am – 12:00 pm April 26, 2025 Discover Elmira: A Community Resource Fair is an inclusive event organized by H.O.P.E. and Gale Presbyterian Church. It is designed to connect Elmira residents with essential local resources, services and programs. Many long-time residents remain unaware of some local programs, while newcomers often struggle to find reliable information or connections. Instead, they are left to seek help through social media or other informal means. This event aims to bridge that gap, offering a centralized opportunity for all attendees to access valuable resources and foster meaningful connections with other community members. Event Details: Event Name: Discover Elmira: A Community Resource Fair Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025 Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Location: Gale Presbyterian Church We are inviting a select group of key organizations, to host a booth at the event. This will provide an opportunity to showcase programs and services, answer questions and connect with community members. Other local businesses, restaurants and storefronts will be represented through pamphlets, which we will display at a separate station, alongside a take-home resource sheet organized by category with business names and websites. Gale Presbyterian Church 10 Barnswallow Drive Elmira, ON N3B 0A8 View Location

28 4:00 pm: Embracing Identity with Illustrator Vivian Rosas 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm April 28, 2025 Join illustrator, Vivian Rosas, for an uplifting and empowering workshop designed to help students celebrate their unique identities and embrace diversity in themselves and others. Drawing inspiration from her illustrated book Queer History A-Z, Vivian will share stories of queer youth who have courageously embraced their true selves, providing students with real-life examples of how identity can be a source of strength, pride, and openness. Through an inclusive and supportive environment, students will engage in meaningful discussions about diversity in identity, background, and experience. They will reflect on the importance of self-acceptance and learn how to foster acceptance and understanding within their communities. Students will then get the chance to create a vibrant self-portrait that highlights the qualities that make them uniquely themselves—whether it's their personality, interests, heritage, or anything they feel defines their identity. Using colorful art supplies, students will bring these self-reflections to life in a creative and meaningful way. This workshop aims to inspire students to feel empowered, proud, and confident in who they are, while also fostering an atmosphere of openness and acceptance toward others. Vivian will be visiting the Elmira Branch as part of Canadian Children's Book Week, hosted by The Canadian Children's Book Centre. Region of Waterloo Library - Elmira Branch 65 Arthur Street South Elmira, ON N3B 2M6 519-669-5477 View Location, 4:00 pm: Racism and Microaggressions with author Leonarda Carranza 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm April 28, 2025 Join author, Leonarda Carranza, for an informative session on racism and micro-aggressions. Leonarda will read her picture book, Abuelita and Me based on her and her family’s experiences with racism in Toronto. Together we will go deeper into an understanding of racism through the experience of the characters in the story and talk about how it feels to be excluded or ignored or judged because of the way you look or the way that you speak. By the end of the session, students will come away with a deeper awareness of the impact of racism on individuals and communities and strategies for building healthy communities by supporting each other and challenging racism in age-appropriate ways. Designed for ages 6-12. Leonarda will be visiting the New Hamburg branch as part of Canadian Children's Book Week, hosted by The Canadian Children's Book Centre. Region of Waterloo Library - New Hamburg Branch 145 Huron Street New Hamburg, ON N3A 1K1 519-662-1112 View Location

City of Waterloo Museum, Conestoga Mall (between The Bay and Galaxy Theatre), 550 King Street N, Waterloo

The City of Waterloo Museum is proud to announce the opening of two transformative exhibitions in partnership with the Legacy of Hope Foundation: Killing the Indian in the Child: Generations Lost and Bi-Giwen: Coming Home – Truth-Telling from the Sixties Scoop. These exhibitions delve into the lasting impacts of the Residential School system and the Sixties Scoop while amplifying Indigenous voices, resilience, and the ongoing journey toward Reconciliation.

Exhibition Details:

Killing the Indian in the Child: Generations Lost –January 21 to mid-April 2025
Bi-Giwen: Coming Home – Truth-Telling from the Sixties Scoop – Mid-April to June 13, 2025
Bead the Tract and Original Graphic Recordings by Dakota Brant – January 21 to June 13, 2025

Cost:  Free admission   