Events

Pride 2023

For Pride month, SPECTRUM is excited to work with many great community partners to present a series of events and activities that both celebrate members of our 2SLGBTQ+ communities and promote equal rights and visibility. Remember, Pride is not just a party, it’s a protest.


Our second annual fundraising gala will take place on June 29, 2023! Get your tickets here!

If you enjoyed last year’s event, then you’ll love this year! We’ve moved to a larger venue and will be including dinner!

Our headliner is Martha Chaves, a Nicaraguan-Canadian comedian, actress, activist and playwright. She performs standup in English, Spanish, French and Italian. She is a regular in the comedy circuits in Canada, the United States and Latin America, at Just for Laughs and other major festivals, and on CBC Radio.

Our MC is Robert Watson, an award-winning playwright, performer, fragrance aficionado extraordinaire, and producer and host of Gay AF.

Get your tickets here!

The show will also feature trans comedian Al Val (Just For Laughs, CBC, CTV), and Tamara Shevon (SOS Comedy Show. Beijing Improv Comedy Festival, NXNE, JFL42, and the Irritable & Confused Comedy Tour).

Dinner will be from B Elegant Catering, and the event will take place at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum. 

This event is presented by Co-operators Insurance, and also sponsored by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Company of Canada, Stantec, and Staebler Insurance. Get your tickets here!


June 1, 2023 – 7:30pm – Over the Rainbow: A Judy Garland Tribute with Ori Dagan

Join us for an intimate concert featuring Ori Dagan‘s jazz quartet. Space in this performance is very limited and it will take place in the unique basement space at 165 King St W, Kitchener, ON N2G 1A7 (the former Budd’s department store). 

Help us kick-off Pride month and support Spectrum’s programming for local 2SLGBTQIA+ people. This event is sponsored by Lindy & Chris Brown.

Get your tickets here


Saturday June 3, 2023 – Book Sale – 12-4pm

Spectrum has been collecting donations of 2SLGBTQIA+ books for a decade and we have some duplicates that we’d like to make available to the community! Visit us on June 3rd between 12-4pm and pay what you can for the books you’d like!


Saturday June 3, 2023 – 6-10pm – TWB Brewing Beer Launch

We’re grateful to be working with TWB Brewing again this year on a new beer called EQUAL. Join us for the launch event which will be a PRIDE PATIO PARTY with DJ Jason Spanks!
On-site food will also be available for purchase. Everyone and anyone is welcome to join in on the fun! 


Saturday June 3, 2023 – 7-8:30pm – Tri-City Improv event

We’re grateful to be the charitable partners for tonight’s Tri-City Improv event. Join us at Country Hills Community Centre (100 Rittenhouse Rd, Kitchener, ON N2E 2M9). Entry is a minimum $7 donation which will support Spectrum!


Friday June 9, 2023 7-9:30pm – Spinning Down the House

Come ride with pride at SPINCO Waterloo! They’ll be spinning to the beat with DJ M’Damn D of FIERCE! and werking it out with some of the tri-city’s best in drag: Kasha Czech, Tammy THE Brown and Baby Butcher. Stick around after the show to cool down with some drinks and to fuel up on snacks and chats with Bliss Counselling + Psychotherapy‘s sex-perts! This event is pay what you can – all proceeds will be donated to support Spectrum’s programs and services.

This event is sponsored by Bliss Counselling + Psychotherapy and SPINCO Waterloo

Booking goes Live for this event on Monday, May 29 @1PM

Register here – we can’t wait to see you! 🌈✨


Saturday June 10, 2023 – tri-Pride Festival

The tri-Pride Summer Festival will take place on Saturday June 10th in Willow River Park (Victoria Park) and we will have a table there! Stop by to pick up some free swag including pronoun pins and copies of the Rainbow Pages!


Saturday June 10, 2023 9pm-1am – Queer Night Out Pride Dance

We’re looking forward to the Queer Night Out Pride Dance which will take place at THEMUSEUM.

You’ll be able to check out EQUAL, Spectrum’s collab beer with TWB!

Get your tickets here


Sunday June 11, 2023 – 10am-3pm – Family Pride at THEMUSEUM

Our Youth Under the Rainbow Program Coordinator will have a table at the Family Pride at THEMUSEUM. Come visit us to make some Pride suncatchers!

Find details here


Wednesday June 14, 2023 – 7-8:30pm – A Celebration of 20 Years of Marriage Equality

This event will celebrate 20 years of marriage equality in Ontario.  We’ll start with a short summary of the work that led to this momentous legal triumph.  Most of the event will be devoted to stories from same-sex couples who took advantage of this opportunity.

Doors open at 6:30 and remarks begin at 7pm.


Thursday June 15, 2023 – 7-9pm – Trivia Night with Waterloo Brewing

We’re grateful to be working with Waterloo Brewing again this year on a new beer. Join us tonight to try it out and play some Pride month trivia with Quizmaster Steve.


Friday June 16, 2023 – Together in Pride Ride

Join us for a cycling event in Kitchener to help bring visibility to members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities for Pride Month, and attention to cycling in Kitchener for Bike Month. We’ll meet at 44 Gaukel for a 7km fun and casual ride. There will be prizes for the best pride-themed bike decorations or clothing!


Saturday June 17, 2023 1-4pm – Woolwich Pride

Spectrum will have a table at the inaugural Woolwich Pride on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at Gibson Park (17 First St. W. in Elmira) from 1-4pm. This free, family-friendly event will include food, music, magic, face painting, bubbles, a bouncy castle, photo booth, braid bar, and fun activities coordinated by local sports/fitness organizations the whole family will enjoy. Local vendors and local organizations will also be participating for community access to useful services and products. You won’t want to miss it!


Sunday June 18, 2023 11am-4pm – Cowboys & Angels Cut-a-thon

Cowboys & Angels is doing a cut-a-thon with proceeds benefitting Spectrum and ACCKWA. If you’d like to book a haircut please call 519.579.9880. Walk-ins may be possible on the day depending upon capacity.

There will be drag performances by Melody Bijou, BOA, Vanity affair, Baby butcher, Miss conduct, Darcy Kace, Elixxer, Sasha Tease, and Miss Drew. There will also be Pit Crew members from Canada’s Drag Race, a BBQ, raffles, and more!


June 20, 2023 – 6:45-9pm – Speed Friending

Want to make some friends in a fun, casual outdoor setting? Come on downtown to our Speed Friending event, located on the glorious patio space of Cafe Pyrus!

Just like in speed dating, Speed Friending participants will rotate through multiple one-on-one conversations with each other throughout the evening, and then choose who they do and don’t want to keep in touch with! After the event, mutual matches will be sent each other’s contact information. Unlike speed dating, Speed Friending is about building platonic connections! It’s a great way to make some new friends and enjoy some #DTK vibes!

Register here


Saturday June 24, 2023 1-4pm – Robin’s Nest Revisited

The Robin’s Nest was a lesbian bar in Cambridge for 30+ years. Chris Vautour is making a documentary celebrating its history, focusing on the importance of lesbian spaces at a time when there was little visibility or representation in mainstream culture. Join us for an event at the site of The Robin’s Nest (26 Hobson Street) where we’ll ask those who remember the spot to share their stories with younger folks. At 4pm, those who are interested can head over to the Old Galt Bottle Company for an after party. Find all the details here.


Thursday June 29, 2023 6-9:30pm – Second Annual Fundraising Gala

Our second annual fundraising gala will take place on June 29, 2023! Get your tickets here!

Our headliner is Martha Chaves, our MC is Robert Watson, and the show will also feature trans comedian Al Val, and Tamara Shevon.

Dinner will be from B Elegant Catering, and the event will take place at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum. 

This event is presented by Co-operators Insurance, and also sponsored by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Company of Canada, Stantec, and Staebler Insurance. Get your tickets here!

You can bid in our online silent auction whether you attend the gala or not! Check it out here.

Thank You to our Silent Auction Item Donors!

All Things Tea

AOK Craft Beer + Arcade

Art Gallery of Ontario

Canadian Museum of History

Canadian War Museum

Canada’s Wonderland

Catherine Harrington

Cocoon Apothecary

Control Hair

Coven Market

Crafty Ramen

Delta Waterloo

Donald Ross

Drayton Entertainment

Eddy Grignon

Gifted Waterloo

Hockey Hall of Fame

Home Hardware Stores

Indigo

Jane Baggesen

Joscelyn Guindon

July Nail Bar

KW Titans

Long & McQuade

Lonsdale Grove

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

Marlowe Grooming Tattoo & General

Mermaid Springs Pottery

Paint By Munzy

Royal Ontario Museum

Scavenger Hunts by Let’s Roam

Shirley Levene

Solé Restaurant and Wine Bar

Stockyards Beverage Co

Stroll Walking Tours

The Core Climbing Gym

The Keg

The Yeti Cafe

Vincenzo’s

Wildcraft Grill + Long Bar

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Events

Pride 2022

For Pride month, SPECTRUM is excited to work with many great community partners to present a series of events and activities that both celebrate members of our 2SLGBTQ+ communities and promote equal rights and visibility. Remember, Pride is not just a party, it’s a protest.

We’re especially excited about our first ever fundraising gala, taking place on June 16th. Scroll down for all the details or visit the .

Wednesday June 1, 2022 at 7pm. Our Pride Month Classic 2SLGBTQ+ Movie Series kicks off with Moonlight at the Apollo. Get your tickets here.


Wednesday June 8, 2022 at 7pm. Our Pride Month Classic 2SLGBTQ+ Movie Series continues with Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Apollo. Get your tickets here.


Thursday June 9, 2022 7-8:30pm – Living Library: Rainbow Elders Edition hosted by Miss Drew. In partnership with Waterloo Public Library and held at the Main library – 35 Albert Street.

Attend our Living Library: Rainbow Elders Edition! It’s like speed dating but you get to “borrow” a 2SLGBTQ+ elder for a few minutes to ask them questions about their experiences in the rainbow community and to hear their stories. This fun event will help to foster intergenerational connections and strengthen the community. Register here.


Thursday June 9, 2022 6:30-7:30pm – Crafty Kings & Queens with Idea Exchange. For ages 13-18. Inspired by the legendary design challenges on Rupaul’s Drag Race, participants will be given an array of materials (and a glue gun!) to “drag up” a doll as we discuss drag culture and make our own mini-Drag Queens & Kings! Register here.


Friday June 10, 2022 7-8pm – Pride Trivia with WPL

Join us and our friends from WPL for an evening of virtual Pride trivia. Test your knowledge of queer pop culture and 2SLGBTQ+ history! Register here.


Saturday June 11, 2022 10am-4pm – Pride Day at Queen’s Square. Come and celebrate with us the freedom to be you with colourful crafts, games, and activities to explore how we fit together in this crazy beautiful world of ours. Details here.


Sunday June 12, 2022 1:30-2:30pm – Pride-themed Family Crafternoon with the Cambridge Art Galleries team.

Bring the whole family and get crafty with us on Zoom! Find the list of materials needed and register to attend here.


Sunday June 12, 2022 10am-3pm – Pride at THEMUSEUM

SPECTRUM will have a table at this all-day family-friendly event that includes storytime, comedy and drag performances, and crafts!

Get your tickets here


Tuesday June 14, 2022 7-8pm – Danny Ramadan author event with WPL.

Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ-refugees advocate. His debut novel, The Clothesline Swing, won multiple awards. His children’s Book Salma the Syrian Chef, continues to receive accolades. Both books were translated to multiple languages. Through his fundraising efforts, Ramadan raised over $200,000 for Syrian LGBTQ+ identifying refugees. He currently serves as the Writer-in-Residence at the Haig-Brown House in Campbell River, BC.

Danny will be reading from his forthcoming novel, The Foghorn Echoes, which will be coming out August 2022, and joining us for a discussion with host, Nic Brewer. Register here.


Wednesday June 15, 2022 from 7-8pm – The Importance of Queer Literature with Idea Exchange.

Join Aashay Dalvi and SJ Sindu as they discuss the importance of queer literature, representation and identity. This program is offered in partnership with Rad Riot Books and Idea Exchange. Register here.


Thursday June 16, 2022 8-10pm – Join us for an evening of hilarity and entertainment in support of SPECTRUM, presented by The Co-operators! Our first annual fundraising gala will feature headliner Elvira Kurt, and MC Kyne from Canada’s Drag Race, along with Izad Etemadi and Kez Vicario-Robinson.

Enjoy a dessert bar in the Walper’s Crystal Ballroom and bid on great items in a silent auction — all in support of programs and services for 2SLGBTQ+ people in Waterloo Region!

Doors open at 7:30 and the show begins at 8pm.

Also sponsored by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Company and Stantec.

Get your tickets here!


Friday June 17, 2022 – Together in Pride Ride

Join us for a cycling event in Kitchener to help bring visibility to members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities for Pride Month, and attention to cycling in Kitchener for Bike Month. We’ll meet in the KW Counselling Services parking lot (480 Charles Street East) and head out on Charles Street for a 7km fun casual ride.


Saturday June 18 1pm-2pm – Drag Queen Storytime with Fay and Fluffy.

Drag Queens extraordinaire, Fay and Fluffy will be the first big show at WPL’s new Eastside Branch! They say reading is FUN-damental and we couldn’t agree more. Register here.


Wednesday June 22, 2022 at 7pm. Our Pride Month Classic 2SLGBTQ+ Movie Series concludes with The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Apollo. Get your tickets here.


Thursday June 23, 2022 7-8:30pm – Beyond Visibility: Queer Art and Activism with Adam Barbu, in partnership with Cambridge Art Galleries.

We will consider the relationship between art and social change through the lens of queer history. Offering an expanded consideration of queer art and activism, the talk will explore resistance across a wide range of contexts. How can we begin to think beyond linear narratives of “progress” and re-situate politics at the heart of queer artistic practice? Drawing upon historical and contemporary figures, Barbu will illustrate how artists imagine alternative futures by interrogating the relationship between visibility and assimilation. Register here.


June 29, 2022 7-9pm – Queer Craft Circle with Cambridge Art Galleries.

Join artist Alisa McRonald for this fun, casual program on zoom. Together we will make braided no-sew coasters out of repurposed t-shirts. Learn how to make your own t-shirt yarn and then start braiding! We will talk about colour and efficient joining techniques.

A free supply kit is included with program registration and will be ready for pick-up at Idea Exchange, Queens Square (1 North Square, Cambridge) from June 22-28. The only items you will need from home are a pair of sharp scissors and some tape. Registration is limited to 2SLGBTQ+ -identified people in Waterloo Region. Register here.

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Panel Discussion

LGBTQ2+ Parenting: Straight Parents of Queer Kids

LGBTQ2+ Parenting: Straight Parents of Queer Kids

The first in a series of four virtual panel discussions for Pride month. In partnership with PFLAG Waterloo, Wellington, Perth Region SPECTRUM presents a panel of four straight, cisgender parents who will discuss the unique challenges and opportunities of parenting LGBTQ2+ children. Moderated by Suzie Taka. Recorded June 9, 2021. Thank you to our panelists: Theresa Barrick, Emily Gaede, Maryanne Paul, and Matt Lucid.

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