The City of Kitchener is an ever-growing one that, despite being relatively small in comparison to Toronto, can be considered one of the fastest growing cities in Ontario. Much like the city, the KW art scene seems to be in full bloom, and it’s quite a beautiful thing to see.
On Sept. 13, the Punk Rock Flea Market opened at noon and ran until 5 p.m., welcoming an array of vendors who were offering numerous curiosities and trinkets. The event was filled with nice and exciting people, communal people. There were even some familiar faces, like The Community Editions team! The event was held at the Kitchener Market and it went by extremely smoothly, accompanied by the sounds of four bands: Your Pal Bill at 1 p.m., Bolo Tie Line at 2 p.m., Heir Loom at 3 p.m. and finally, Nova Kate at 4 p.m. It was great moment that stood as an even greater sign for the KW Region. While walking through the market, the wave seemed to be in full effect. Each vendor was selling prints and buttons of their art and the distinction of each was representative of the unique individuals that populate our beautiful city. It was not just paintings and drawings that were being sold, but also a wide array of clothes, whether it be vintage or brand new.
This is just one of the annual events that occurs in the KW region. Another great example of the flourishing KW art scene was PublicSeatingDIY’s Wreckerfest. The DIY music festival went on for two days from Sept. 26 to 27 at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. Now, despite only being in attendance for the second day, the festival was a clear display of the thriving music scene that is slowly being built, brick by brick, by the musicians and bands of the KW region. The set list was filled by an amazing group of musicians who played wonderfully.
In terms of film, on Sept. 18, Princess Cinemas celebrated its 41st anniversary. The cinema is a staple of the KW region, being one of the independent cinemas owned in the region. In order to properly commemorate the anniversary, the original theatre played the 1946 film Casablanca, which was the first film shown at the lovely art house. On top of that, there was a free outdoor screening of a documentary that follows Buena Vista Social Club, and the subsequent creation of their self-titled album The Buena Vista Social Club. The Princess Cinema is no stranger to musical celebrations with last year’s anniversary celebration being accompanied by Talking Heads’ musical film, Stop Making Sense.
There are numerous lovely things occurring in the KW region, numerous lovely things that remind the artists of the city why we love the things we do. What makes them so special is that each and every event is worth checking out, regardless of whether one may consider themselves an artist or simply an enjoyer of art. There’s something for everyone.
Graphic by Kelsi Sorensen
