The City of Kitchener has received a big nod regarding its vast list of festivals, markets, and growing attractions, officially being recognized as the 2026 Municipality of the Year by Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO).
The award works to recognize municipalities, towns, and cities across the province that have worked to provide an “atmosphere beneficial to successful festivals and events.”
“Every year, our special events calendar brings joy and puts smiles on the faces of more than 350,000 residents and visitors to Downtown Kitchener,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic.
“This success is shaped by our history of strong partnerships with local community organizations and cultural groups, the passion and drive to support great events from both our city council and Kitchener events teams, and of course, our commitment to ‘Support Local’ with great Canadian talent.”
The award was presented at the FEO’s annual Awards Gala in late February, but was presented to council and city staff at their latest council meeting on Tuesday.
Alongside the Municipality of the Year award, the city was also named as having two Top 100 Events in Ontario for KidsPark and the Christkindl Market.
“There’s no better feeling than seeing thousands of our friends and neighbours creating shared memories together,” said Manager of Special Events, Steve Roth. “Our small but mighty team is proud to bring our community together through these events.”
Some of the popular events throughout the year include:
- Kitchener Blues Festival
- KidsPark
- Cruising on King
- Christkindl Market
- Wayback Festival
- Canada Day celebrations
- Endless Summer
- New Year’s Night of Legends
- And more…
Roth said he and the city are “excited for what lies ahead for 2026.”
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