30+ Fun Fall Activities in and around Kitchener – Waterloo Region

1. Royal Medieval Faire – Wherefore art thou this is harvest season? Brush up on your medieval culture this Fall with Waterloo’s Annual Royal Medieval Faire. This themed, interactive fair is chock-full of vendors, hands-on-displays, food and beverages, traditional games, Celtic music, swordplay, authentic costumes and much more! So suit up and come help solve this year’s medieval mystery.
2. Sausage Fest – What better time for a good ole’ sausage fry-up than the Fall harvest. Come down to Sausage Fest in mid-October (October 15^th, 2017) to see local restaurants’ featured sausage and sausage products, and of course try their specialty off-menu items. To add to the festivities there will locally crafted beer and Great Oktoberfest Barrel Races!
3. Kitchener Market Harvest Festival – Head on down to the Kitchener Market Harvest Festival for two delectable Fall-themed cooking demos: first, learn to make steaming pots of fall soups and stews that’ll light the fire in your hearth; second, get educated on local wine and cheese vendors to feature at your next fall feast.
4. Cambridge Fall Fair – It’s been running for over 175 years so it must be good! The Cambridge Fall Fair is your one stop shop for family fun, great food, exhilarating ride, and unique vendors. Head down the weekend after Labour Day for this four day festival and fill your horn of plenty!
5. Oktoberfest and Thanksgiving Day Parade– During the first and second weekend in October, head over to your favourite Festhallen venue to enjoy  all the Oktobestfest-ivities. With Bavarian entertainment, special events, local food, and craft beer, there is something for the whole family.
6. I <3 (Heart) Beer Festival – On the last day of September gather your goblet for Guelph’s I Heart Beer Fall Festival. With drink tokens, contests, live music, games, and a photo booth, you’re sure to have a great time tasting the wares of local vendors.
7. Cambridge International Festival – This September, head down to Riverside Park to celebrate the Cultural Diversity of Cambridge. With live music, hands-on activities, a vendor village, and international cuisine, you’ll feel like you’ve taken a trip around the world!
8. Mayor’s Night at the Movies – As the weather starts to turn and we’re settling in for winter, most of us yearn to curl up with a blanket and a movie. So why not support a charity while we’re at it? At this year’s annual Mayor’s Night at the  Movies you’ll receive wine and beer samples, appetizers, door prizes, pop, popcorn, and your choice of six movie options while supporting the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.

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For the Adventurer

1. Chicopee Tube Park – This adventure park has something for everyone, whether you want to slip and slide down the track or swing among the rafters. Choose from the Zip Line, Spider Web, Eurobungy Trampoline, or Horizontal Ropes. And if you just can’t wait for the snow to get back on your sledding-tube, Chicopee Tube Park has waterless tubing so you won’t have to wait!
2. Nauman’s Farm and Corn Maze – Get lost in Nauman’s Corn Maze! This 10 acre maze changes every year, so it’s sure to stump even the most avid explorer. While you’re here, check out their pumpkin patch featuring 20 different pumpkin varieties – you can even test your aim with their pumpkin slingshot!

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From Farm to Market & Fork

1. Cambridge Farmer’s Market – Started in 1830, this is one of the oldest farmer’s markets in Canada. Featuring local seafood, baked goods, cheeses, meats, produce, and arts and crafts, you’ll certainly leave with a taste of the country.
2. Waterloo Art Market – This unique offering in Waterloo Square runs until the end of September, so fall is your last chance of the year! Every Friday evening local vendors showcase and sell their handcraft work. With jewelry, mixed media, and fine art there’s sure to be something for everyone.
3. Barrie’s Asparagus Farm & Country Market – This family owned and operated homestead has been operating since 1892. Although specializing in asparagus, they also grow rhubarb, corn, and pumpkins, and raise pasture-fed park. Open daily, visit Barrie’s Asparagus Farm and Country Market for a new twist on the country classic.
4. Faul Farms – The Faul Family says it best: “We believe in being responsible stewards of our land, the crops we grow, and the animals we raise”. This family owned farm has been operating since 1957, raising naturally fed beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and lamb. So head over to their farmyard store and get a taste for conscientious farming. While you’re there, pick up a few artisan crafts and gifts for the fall table.
5. St. Jacob’s Farmers’ Market – This harvest season, visit Canada’s largest year-round Farmer’s market and choose from 100s of local vendors featuring farm-fresh foods, crafts, imported goods, and more. Once you’ve filled your basket, take advantage of the many activities on offer: a Horse Drawn Tour from the park to an Old Order Mennonite farm, a bouncy castle, meet the friendly farmyard animals, or take in some theatre at the Country Playhouse. At St. Jacob’s Farmers’ Market there really is something for everyone.
6. Strom’s Farm & Bakery – Strom’s Farm & Bakery is a second generation farm which started in 1978. Join in on the fun and get lost at their 6 acre corn maze.

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Take a Tour

1. Family and Friends Nature Programs – Discover Kitchener with one of their featured Family and Friends Nature Programs. These 1.5 hour journeys will inspire you to discover and experience the nature in your community. These monthly programs feature nature walks, crafts, games, story-telling, and hands-on nature exploration.
2. Waterloo Central Railway – Take a ride through the Waterloo Region countryside and photograph the beautiful fall colours! Or a take a themed ride during Halloween or Thanksgiving Weekend.

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For the Cultured Fall

1. Doon Heritage Village at the Waterloo Region Museum – At a time of year when we really start to appreciate modern conveniences like central heating and instant hot water, Fall is the perfect time to learn what life was like before Netflix and Chill. Follow knowledgeable costumed guides through that “60 acre living history village that shows what life was like in the Waterloo Region in the year 1914.” With historic buildings, farm animals, and plenty of fun activities with is sure to be an entertaining stroll through the ages.
2. A Victorian Thanksgiving at Woodside National Historic Site – “With the woods ablaze in autumn colour and the house decorated with harvest fruits, vegetables, and gorgeous bouquets and centerpieces, the Victorian Thanksgiving celebrations at Woodside National Historic site will make a wonderful addition to your own enjoyment of the holiday”. If that doesn’t entice you, there is also a self-guided tour through this boyhood home of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest serving prime minister.
3. Cambridge Sculpture Garden –  Cambridge’s best kept secret, the Cambridge Sculpture Garden offers you a chance to get outside in the crisp fall air, take in the historic Grand River, and contemplate the beautiful public-art sculptures in the garden. Best of all, it’s always free and always open. Head over on October 14^th to take park in the Scare the Crows Contest, just in time for All Hallows Eve!
4. The Maple Syrup Museum – Learn more about this sweet Canadian staple at Waterloo’s unique Maple Syrup Museum. With their self-guided tour you will learn about the history and process of maple syrup making while you meander through artifacts, photographs, and maple-laden displays.
5. We Are Waterloo Portrait Project – This travelling art exhibit showcases “more than 500 unique and inspiring self-portraits by individuals who work, play, and live in Waterloo”. Take time this fall to reconnect with community and appreciate your neighbours.

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For the Animal Lover

1. Contesgo River Horseback Adventures – Why crunch leaves beneath your feet, when you can ride through the Fall foliage? With Horseback riding, pony rides, trail rides, and for bigger groups, wagon rides, a weekend with Contesgo River Horseback Adventures will be one for the memory bank.
2. Eby Farmstead – Fall is a time of harvest and farm-appreciation, so why not meet the animals? Located in the heart of Waterloo, this is your perfect chance to get up close and personal with llamas, peacocks, chickens, potbelly pics, miniature ponies, goats and more! And its free!

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Fit in Fall

1. Fall Shinrin-Yoku Walks & Outdoor Yoga – This fall, when the kids are back in school and the leaves are changing colour, take time to focus on you. Follow a Certified Nature Therapy Guide through the woods on Kitchener and take part in the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, meaning “forest bathing” to reconnect and rejuvenate. There are different walks available to suit a variety of skill levels, as well as outdoor yoga sessions in the beautiful Huron Natural Area. 
2. Walter Bean Grand River Trail – This beautiful 17.7km trail runs near the Grand River through Waterloo, Cambridge, Kitchener, and Woolwich. Now that the weather is cooler, it’s the perfect time to strap on some rollerblades, jump on your bicycle, or simple put on your shoes for a journey a bit longer than warmer weather would permit.
3. Petersburg Regional Forest – With the wind at your back and the adrenaline in your veins, you’ll appreciate the crisp fall air while biking Petersburg Regional Forest’s 25km single track mountain biking trails. Don’t worry, there are also multi-use and hiking trails through their mature-hardwood forest.
4. Avon Trail – Strap on your hiking boots, pack your lunch, and head out on this 113km hiking trail from St. Mary’s to Conestogo. The trail mostly consists of an unpaved foot path so it’s perfect for the more rugged enthusiast, but you’ll have to leave your bicycles and motorized vehicles at home.

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Fall in the Great Outdoors

1. Victoria Park – This Jewel of the city was officially opened in 1896. With a picnic shelter, playground, horseshoe pits, and more, its’ the perfect way to spend a crisp fall day with family. Be sure to check out the original iron bridge and cannons!
2. Iron Horse Trail – This 5.5km of trail along the an old railway corridor offers a chance to bask in the warm colours of fall, while learning about a fascinating time in Canada’s history. The trail is fairly flat and fully accessible, so it makes for a perfect Sunday Stroll.
3. Schmidt Woods – Completed in the fall of 2016, celebrate this urban forest’s birthday. With 2km of compacted stone multi-purpose trail and 1 km of natural ground hiking trail, you really can choose your own adventure.
4. Campfire in Waterloo Public Square – There is nothing that says “Fall” quite like a sitting around a campfire, so pack up your blanket and roasting sticks and head down to Waterloo Public Square for an urban escape. With music, food, and fire, you’ll be among friends.
5. Shade’s Mills Park – This park features 12kms of trails through mature hardwood forest, as well as an 80 acre reservoir perfect for fall fishing. With Fall events like the Owl Prowl, A Tour of Autumns Colors – Trees, Birds, and Bugs, and an October Night Hike and Campground, you really take advantage of the mild Fall weather.
6. Dumfries Conservation Area – This urban park is surrounded by homes and industries, but with 185 acres of forests, wetlands, and trails you would be none the wiser. Bring your camera and make it a fall photo shoot!