As the days inch closer and closer to Fall Break, you may find yourself scrambling to make plans, rushing to book that last-minute carpool ride out of town or scouring the campus trying to look for any form of transportation home. But even if you end up staying put and spending your break in Waterloo, know that you still have options. This upcoming week you can focus on making time with the people you care about and taking a minute to appreciate the little things.
Exploring the Waterloo Region, breathing in the fall air and participating in all the festivals going on, can ensure you have an amazing weekend — whether you choose to jam-pack your schedule with events or slow down and take your time unwinding.
Waterloo has a variety of events happening all week, so you can easily fill your schedule by going out and trying one event, or even all of them! Making a little adventure out of your week and getting to know the region better will make the area feel even more like home.
Here are a few things that you can do to make your Fall Break in Waterloo this year a memorable one:
1. Host a Friends-giving
Gather all of your friends who are also planning to stay and organize a potluck dinner including all your favourite foods. You and your friends can set a traditional meal with stuffing, gravy, and warm pumpkin pie.
Or you can have a feast with food you made from your favourite cookbooks or from watching YouTube videos from Tasty. Whether you have a table full of tacos, chilli, sushi or buffalo cauliflower wings, you will be surrounded by loved ones.
2. Attend Oktoberfest
Join in all the Oktoberfest fun with delicious German-Bavarian food and drinks that will make your taste buds sing. There are many ways to experience Oktoberfest and 12 different packages to choose from. Once you select what Festhallen activities you want to take part in, you can indulge in traditional Bavarian culture and dance the polka all night. It’s the perfect time to mingle, meet new friends and be surrounded by German tradition. 
There will also be live musical performances from The Lulu’s Band, The Paul James Band and Smash Mouth, who sang the iconic song “I’m A Believer” from Shrek. Starting with the Opening Ceremonies on October 5, there will be some amazing events to check out and live entertainment, so bring your empty stomachs and purchase your tickets to be apart of it!
Don’t miss the annual Thanksgiving parade on Weber Street with over 120 floats, bands and characters in costume on October 8 from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.
3. Add some adrenaline to your weekend
If you want to get your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing, you can get tickets to the Snyder’s Fear Farm or Bingeman’s Screampark in Kitchener. Blowing off some steam and going through a few haunted houses with your friends can be a great release from your busy life. Getting into the month of October is also great for Halloween fanatics who love to get into the spirit early.
The parks are open not only all weekend, but until October 28 so you can come back and experience the rush all week and let go of your stress by screaming at the top of your lungs.
4. Explore the Fall Harvest
Take a nice long horse-drawn wagon ride into fall at Waterloo Regional Museum’s Fall Harvest in Doon Heritage Village. In preparation for winter, the harvest has different samples of apples you can try and a variety of apple-centric games you can play.
It’s the perfect spot in the Waterloo Region to take photos and enjoy watching the leaves fall. You can also take a peak at the galleries and immerse yourself in the art and heritage of the village.
Admission for students is only $8 plus tax, so you can enjoy the festivities at an affordable cost!
No matter what you have in store for the week, remember to have a fun and safe break!
