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15 events to check out in Guelph this weekend (June 3 to 5)

15 events to check out in Guelph this weekend (June 3 to 5)
Check out our events page for things to do.

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Baby Food & Beyond- From Milk To Meals – Part 1 & 2

Are you looking to introduce your 6-month old to solid foods or learn some tips to make this transition easier? Not to worry, your In-Store Dietitians, Kelly & Heidi, are here to help! This series will cover the WHAT and HOW around infant feeding!

Location and Venue: 160 Kortright Road West , Guelph, ON, N1G 4W2 (Online Event ) Event date and time: Wednesday, June 1, 2022 1:00PM – 2:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: $45 Register By: Tuesday, May 31, 2022

2Rivers Festival 2022

We protect what we love, and this festival is designed to help us fall in love with our rivers over and over again. Our theme for 2022 – Reaching the River’s Edge.

We hope the Festival will encourage you to advocate for our water and rivers.

Location and Venue: Various locations in Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1H 3A1 (Guelph – various locations) Event date and time: Friday, June 3, 2022 12:00AM – 11:59PM Audience: All Ages Price: See website for info

Guelph Dance Festival 2022

The 2022 Guelph Dance Festival will be taking place, in-person and online at guelphdance.ca, from June 2 to 5. It will feature an exciting range of performances, discussions, and workshops featuring both local and international artists.

Location and Venue: 42 Quebec Street, Guelph, ON, N1H 2T4 (Guelph Youth Dance Studios) Event date and time: Friday, June 3, 2022 12:00AM – 11:59PM Audience: All Ages Price: See website for ticket info

Noon Hour Concert Series

Live music returns to Guelph’s St. George’s Square with a free summer concert series that runs Fridays throughout June and July. It will include new and seasoned local acts. See Facebook page for the lineup of performers.

Location and Venue: 42 Wyndham Street North, Guelph, ON, N1H 4E6 (St. George’s Square Downtown Guelph) Event date and time: Friday, June 3, 2022 12:00PM – 11:59PM Audience: All Ages Price: Free

Sorry, I’m Canadian Too 2, A Proudly Unapologetic Comedy

With its charming blend of music, humour, and political satire, this production celebrates our distinct heritage and offers a fresh take on what it means to be a proud Canadian.

Location and Venue: 33 Wellington St. S., Mapleton, ON, (Drayton Festival Theatre) Event date and time: Friday, June 3, 2022 7:30PM – 11:59PM Audience: All Ages Price: See website for info and tickets

Guelph Musicfest presents pianist Sheng Cai

Recently described as “having the inner passion paired with Rubinstein’s nonchalance” by Thüringer Allgemeine in Germany, Sheng Cai has embraced the keyboard tradition which epitomizes the greatness of the romantic virtuoso. At the GYMC or ONLINE.

Location and Venue: 75 Cardigan St, Guelph, ON, N1H 3Z7 (Guelph Youth Music Centre) Event date and time: Friday, June 3, 2022 7:30PM – 10:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: Musicfest LIVE at the GYMC $25-45, ONLINE STREAMING FREE

Guelph Farmers’ Market

A community cornerstone in Guelph since 1827. One of Guelph’s oldest and well-loved community spaces offers fresh local food, artisanal products and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere every Saturday year round.

Location and Venue: 2 Gordon St., Guelph, ON, N1H 4G7 (Guelph Farmers’ Market) Event date and time: Saturday, June 4, 2022 7:00AM – 12:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: Free

More details

Aberfoyle Farmers’ Market opening for its 12th season on May 28

The Aberfoyle Farmers’ Market welcomes farm, food & craft vendors, and will be running every Saturday from 8am to 1pm from May 28 through October 29 in the Optimist Recreation Centre on the Puslinch Community Centre grounds.

Location and Venue: 23 Brock Road South, Puslinch, ON, N0B 2J0 (Puslinch Optimist Recreation Centre) Event date and time: Saturday, June 4, 2022 8:00AM – 1:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: Free

The Health and Wellness Fair for Hope House

A fundraiser for Hope House and an opportunity for local practitioners to showcase their services!Free mini-treatments!Raffles and prizes!

Location and Venue: 10 Cork St E, Guelph, ON, N1H 2W8 (Hope House) Event date and time: Saturday, June 4, 2022 9:00AM – 1:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: $5

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We Love Yorklands Walkathon 2022

Walk through the beautiful heritage parkland May 1 to June 25 and help us to preserve this special place for the future. Be a walker or a supporter, walk alone or with family and friends. Choice of six different routes. yorklandsgreenhub.ca

Location and Venue: 785 York Rd., Guelph, ON, N1E 6N1 (Yorklands Green Hub) Event date and time: Saturday, June 4, 2022 9:00AM – 5:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: Register

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Perennial plant sale

Sale of perennial flowers and shrubs. Proceeds to fund HIV help in Africa

Location and Venue: 63 Arkell Road Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1L1G8 (63 Arkell Road Guelph) Event date and time: Saturday, June 4, 2022 9:19AM – 10:19AM Audience: All Ages Price: Free

26th Guelph Scouts Outdoor Vendor Market

Free Admission Featuring many vendors with a stunning array of fabulous gift ideas for everyone!We are also collecting used batteries for our battery drive. Drop off at our Scouting table to be properly recycled.Silent auction * refreshments * bbq

Location and Venue: 23 Ptarmigan Dr., Guelph, ON, (Kortright Hills Public School) Event date and time: Saturday, June 4, 2022 10:00AM – 3:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: Free

Historical Walking Tours

Residents and visitors can learn about Guelph’s history while taking in the beautiful architectural and natural features of the city through six different Historical Walking Tours. Tours run on Sundays from May – October.

Location and Venue: Various locations in Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1H 3A1 (Guelph – various locations) Event date and time: Sunday, June 5, 2022 10:00AM – 11:30AM Audience: All Ages Price: $8. Preregister online.

Hike for Hospice Wellington 2022

We will be back live in person for a great day of festivities and hiking at Riverside Park in Guelph! You can also choose to do your hike virtually at the location and time of your choice. Sign up and start your fundraiser for Hospice Wellington.

Location and Venue: 709 Woolwich St, Guelph, ON, N1H 7G6 (Riverside Park Guelph) Event date and time: Sunday, June 5, 2022 11:00AM – 2:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: Fundraiser.

Electric car test drives

Gas prices got you down?Of course, we’d prefer that you take active transportation or public transit. But if you’re still looking for an excellent alternative, how about an electric vehiclehttps://emergeguelph.ca/event/electric-car-test-drives/

Location and Venue: 42 Carden St., Guelph, ON, N1H 3A2 (10C – 42 Carden Street, Guelph) Event date and time: Sunday, June 5, 2022 11:00AM – 5:00PM Audience: All Ages Price: Free

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Although we endeavour to provide the most accurate description of events listing and venues, we are not responsible or liable for errors and omissions in the event description, location or intended audience. If necessary, please contact the event organizer for additional information.

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Muslim space at University of Guelph allegedly desecrated during campus event

Muslim space at University of Guelph allegedly desecrated during campus event


A University of Guelph student association is apologizing after basins used by Muslim students to cleanse themselves before prayer were allegedly urinated in during an event on campus.


The Guelph Engineering Society said the incident happened on March 31 during its annual Engineering Banquet at Peter Clark Hall. A wudu room, reserved for Muslim students to wash in preparation for prayer, was nearby.


During the banquet, several male attendees allegedly entered the wudu room and urinated in wash basins. Students enroute from the wudu room to the prayer room could hear the banquet guests “speaking of their offensive intentions towards the space,” president of the Guelph Engineering Society Grace Ly said in a statement issued April 13.


“When I was informed of what occurred during the event I was shocked, appalled and later ashamed to represent students of this behaviour,” Ly said.



Fauzia Mazhar with the Coalition of Muslim Women K-W calls the alleged incident “very very disturbing.”


In Islam, urine is seen as unclean and those who go to the bathroom during prayer have to cleanse again before returning, said Mazhar.


“When it comes to a Muslim prayer space, there’s double the problem,” Mazhar said. “First it’s desecrated, then it’s by urine.”


Mazhar wants to know whether the incident was targeted.


“Was it intentional in its nature to disrespect a place that is a Muslim prayer space,” she questioned. “Because that’s what we call Islamophobia.”


The University of Guelph said it is aware of “troubling reports” that a wudu facility was desecrated during a campus event and an investigation is underway.


“As U of G leaders, we are angry, upset, and disappointed to hear of this disturbing situation… we remind all students, faculty and staff to treat each other with kindness and respect,” the statement from the university said in part.


The Muslim Students’ Association at the University of Guelph said it would not comment as the investigation is ongoing, but said in an email, “Muslims should not feel targeted nor unsafe on the University of Guelph campus following this incident.”

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Trees for Guelph returns with tree planting event on Earth Day

Trees for Guelph returns with tree planting event on Earth Day

Rain or shine, volunteers will be out in the Kortright Hills Natural Area from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 22

As the last bit of frost disappears, Trees For Guelph reappears with an upcoming tree planting event. 

On Friday, which is Earth Day, participants will gather at Kortright Hills Natural Area to plant native trees, shrubs and wildflowers. The event will take place at 9 a.m. and will run until 5 p.m., or when there are no longer any trees to plant.

Martin Litchfield, vice-president of Trees For Guelph, said pails, shovels, mulch and water will be provided on site for volunteers. 

“We will actually provide specific instructions on how to plant the tree and the depth and how much mulch to put on, how much water to put on, and on the hardwoods, we provide a tree guard to prevent the mice and rabbits from chewing on the bark,” said Litchfield.

For their first event this year, Litchfield warns people who are planning to come out on April 22 to dress warmly.

“The Earth Day one (tree planting event), we’re always cautious about that because the 22nd, 23rd time frame in April, in this geographical area, it could be nice or it could be snowy, and we have planted in the snow before.”

Trees For Guelph sources native trees, shrubs and wildflowers for its events. Litchfield explains they gather a diversity of plants, softwood and hardwood, that are ecologically appropriate for this area.

“These are all trees that have been sourced from the ecological seed zone that we’re in (in Guelph), we’re in seed zone 32,” said Litchfield, “We make sure that even when we buy from the private nurseries, that the trees and shrubs and the wildflowers are all native trees.”

Part of the success of this program is the way that trees are planted and cared for by volunteers, said Litchfield. Returning to some of the same spots after a few years, he mentions previously planted trees are thriving.

“We find we’re getting about 90 per cent survival out there, because there’s so much care and attention to how we put trees in the ground and take such good care of them.”

Litchfield said Trees For Guelph is seeing increasing interest in tree planting initiatives from residents, schools and corporations within the community.

“During COVID, we still had quite a good response to tree planting, but not as vigorous as years past, but now I think there is a pent-up demand,” said Litchfield. “We’re getting a number of companies who are getting their employees to come out, on company time, to plant.”

“It’s going very, very well.”

Between the four planting events this spring and the school planting programs, Litchfield said Trees For Guelph expects to plant over 5,000 trees this season, along with shrubs and wildflowers.

After Earth Day, Trees For Guelph will also host three community tree planting sessions on May 7, May 14 and May 28. In the fall, there are also three tree planting events planned, and information on those events will be available on treesforguelph.ca.

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A lack of events for creatives leads Guelph woman creates her own to help showcase others

A lack of events for creatives leads Guelph woman creates her own to help showcase others

‘I saw that there was a need for everyone to showcase their own talent,’ said Lilia Mohamed, event coordinator of Backyard Fest and Indie Art Fest

Dissatisfied by the lack of events for artists, one Guelph woman is behind a series of events ‘unlike anything seen in Guelph,’ aimed at providing a platform for creatives and their work.

“I want them to showcase their talents, their art and I also want them to make profits and sell,” said Lilia Mohamed, the coordinator of Backyard Fest and the upcoming Indie Art Fest, the first of which happens Friday, March 18.

An abstract artist herself, Mohamed wanted a space for creatives and the general public to interact and build relationships. That idea expanded to include small business ventures that started during the pandemic and performances, resulting in Backyard Fest.

“It was just an event I wanted to put together,” said Mohamed about Backyard Fest, which took place September 2021.

For that event, Mohamed said she and a friend constructed a stage using wood they sourced from Kijiji and a neighbour, who helped them build the stage. There were some challenges along the way, including finding vendors and a ticket from bylaw, but Mohamed said she was proud of the turnout.

“Last Summer when I did Backyard Fest, I was so stressed out, but then the amount of love I got for it afterwards it made my whole day,” said Mohamed. “I was pretty happy with that.”

After Backyard Fest, Mohamed said the student group, Curtain Call Productions, hired her to be their event coordinator. Now, she has organized another upcoming festival called Indie Art Fest, where door ticket proceeds will support the group and its production of Freaky Friday Musical.

“I saw that there was a need for everyone to showcase their own talent, and I was like, ‘Okay, maybe I should put on another event,'” said Mohamed.

“I’m getting absolutely nothing, which I’m okay with, because I would love to see this myself. I would pay to go to events like this myself.”

Happening March 18 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Indie Art Fest will have performances from students at the University of Guelph, a local artist and different vendors. Door tickets cost $15 and $10 for students with student ID. Mohamed said the event will take place at Grassroots restaurant, located at 17 Gordon St., just south of downtown.

For Grassroots, Mohamed said this event will be their last.

“They’re closing down on Friday, which is very sad, but they have exhausted all of their options,” said Mohamed, who had previously worked at Grassroots. “I hope to send them out with a bang at least.”

The experience of putting together events has been a learning curve for Mohamed, from learning how to develop a floor plan, building connections and promoting events online. As an artist, she said the events have also been an opportunity to showcase her own art and build her confidence as an artist.

“It’s definitely improved my confidence,” said Mohamed. “I would like to sell, but there’s no time. I’ve put all my efforts into organizing and I don’t have the time to create my own art right now, but, the next show that I do, I want to do something in the summer and I want to do something on a bigger scale, like in a park, and I would do my best to get my art out, but right now I like the way I’m exposing my art.”

In the future, Mohamed would like to see these events become profitable. 

“My hopes is that when I do another event, I can make it profitable, and that I can share some of those profits with the artists.”

For future events, Mohamed has created an Instagram account called WeLoveFests to share upcoming events. To see the Instagram page, click here.