Residents across Waterloo Region can explore their neighbourhoods this weekend as the annual Jane’s Walk festival returns for its 2026 edition from May 1 to May 3. The event features over 30 free, citizen-led walking tours designed to help community members learn about local history, architecture, and contemporary urban issues.
The festival includes diverse tour topics, such as the musical history of Kitchener, filming locations for Hollywood movies in Cambridge, the heritage of downtown Galt, and ongoing local discussions about neighbourhood development and the environment. These walks are held annually during the first weekend of May to coincide with the birthday of urban activist and writer Jane Jacobs, who championed community-based approaches to city building.
Kae Elgie and Priyanka Khimasia have been coordinating these local tours for over 10 years. All walks are free to attend, and participants do not need to register in advance. The Jane’s Walk Waterloo Region organizers note that the tours are held throughout Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the global Jane’s Walk movement, which has grown to include more than 500 cities worldwide since its founding in 2006. The local 2026 event is supported by the Downtown Kitchener BIA and the Uptown Waterloo BIA.
