Queen-Margaret Community Fair
Join us for a day of music, community, and fun on:
Saturday, September 12th, 2026 from 11am-3pm
at 116 Queen St N. and 101 Queen St N.
Welcome to the Queen-Margaret Community Fair!
Join us for our upcoming Community Fair! Bring the whole family for a fun-filled day featuring live music, self-guided garden tours, leaf art rolling, engaging art activities, a puppet show, a free prize drawing, and more. Admission to the event is completely free, and there is a Pay-What-You-Can BBQ, ensuring everyone can participate. There’s truly something for everyone! We can't wait to see you there!
Brought to you by:
Click the logos to visit their websites
Special Thanks To Our Talent & Artists:
Christina Maree
Harpist
Christina Maree fell in love with the harp through folktales, folk music and later became an early fan of Loreena McKennitt. After discovering the Goderich Celtic Festival and Celtic College, she makes an annual pilgrimage to learn new tunes. The sound of the harp invites you in, come for a listen...
Brad McEwen
Musician
Brad McEwen has been a performer of traditional folk music from the British Isles and Canada for many decades. He plays a stringed instrument called a cittern, which can best be described as a 10-string mandola on steroids. Brad specializes in lesser-known versions of traditional songs and dance tunes, with a particular fondness for Canadian variants of UK songs collected by respected researchers like Helen Creighton, Edith Fowke, and Maud Karpeles.
Over the years, he has performed at folk festivals and events across Ontario and the UK in bands such as Tea for Three, Tethera, Hunter’s Corners, and Nonesuch. Additionally, Brad founded the Mill Race Festival of Traditional Folk Music in Cambridge, Ontario, serving at the helm of the volunteer-driven event from 1993 to 2018.
Dave Neigh
Musician
Throughout his years of international touring, Dave Neigh has studied and performed a wide variety of musical styles. However, his true passion for Scottish fiddling is rooted in the time he spent studying Celtic styles at the Gaelic College in St. Ann's, Cape Breton. Known for a hard-driving yet tastefully nuanced approach, Dave's fiddle playing consistently delights audiences on festival stages and in concert halls alike. Over the course of his career, he has performed with a diverse array of acts, including the Steel City Rovers, Frog and Henry, the Mudmen, The Tartan Terrors, Final Nine, The Haret, The Everlovin’ Jug Band, the International Symphony Orchestra, and Step On It.
Barb Vollick
Oral Tradition Storyteller
Barb is an oral tradition storyteller. Bringing stories to life without books or written work. She has been sharing stories with audiences of all ages for over twenty years. She believes that you are never too old or too young to enjoy a good story. Barb is a member of several Storytelling Guilds, including Storytellers of Canada. Her motto is “always leave my listeners smiling.”
Martin de Groot - "Your Neighbourhood Stories" Project
Oral History Project
Got a memory of this neighbourhood -- from yesteryear or last week--to share? "Your Neighbourhood Stories" is a new oral history project set on capturing the voices, characters, and small moments that make Kitchener's many neighbourhoods what they are. Queen-Margaret is its first stop, with more neighbourhoods to follow. Leading the interviews will be Kitchener's one and only Martin de Groot: a PhD in History, past Executive Director of the former Waterloo Regional Arts Council, and longtime arts and culture columnist for the Waterloo Region Record, who now hosts Home Range: Promenade on CKMS-FM (formerly Promenade on CKWR) and writes newsletter The Evening Muse. Swing by our tent, settle in with a cup of coffee or tea, and we’ll get the tape rolling.
Caleb, Ed, and Katherine's Trad Trio
Traditional Music Trio
Caleb, Ed and Katherine have been playing Celtic music around Ontario for many years. They've crossed paths at various Irish Real Life (IRL) events and at local sessions, and now they're collaborating to present some of their favourite tunes for the Fall Fair. Katherine plays fiddle and helps to host sessions across Waterloo Region. Ed plays guitar, mandolin and Irish banjo. He has attended countless sessions throughout Ontario and in Eastern Canada, has performed Celtic Music at several Traditional Music festivals, and plays regularly for Irish and Scottish Ceili dances. Caleb plays concertina, teaches piano, and leads the music at Church of the Good Shepherd (on piano) on Sundays.
Ronnie Lowrey: Stories for Families
Family Storyteller
Ronnie Lowrey has lived in KW for 40+ years. She honed her storytelling skills many years ago at The Second Story Workshop in Baden run by the legendary Mary Eileen McClear from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. While Ronnie has mainly told stories to adults in the past, she is bringing delightful children and family stories to this outing and looks forward to a wonderful return to storytelling for the event.
Gordon Stubley: Stories of Adventure
Storyteller & Retired Educator
Gordon shares stories of girls who go on adventures to make their worlds better. As a retired engineering professor, he draws upon personal experiences, engineering case studies, and traditional folk tales to develop unique insights into our world. He has told at the Baden Storytellers' Guild, Button Factory Arts Centre, Guelph's Tea 'n' Tales, and Waterloo Engineering events, delighting audiences with his engaging and illuminating storytelling.
Kirsten Johnson: Interactive Tales
Interactive Storyteller
Raised in a strong family tradition of reading out loud, Kirsten is fascinated by how stories help us connect, experience new situations, and learn meaningful lessons. She is currently deep into a family tree project bringing personal histories to life. At this community fair, featuring tales like *The Peddler and the Monkeys*, everyone will have the opportunity to participate as we explore folk tales that have entertained generations.
Helen Johnson: Poetry & Storytelling
Poet & Storyteller
Helen is an impassioned, life-long storyteller who loves making people happy through recounting fairy tales, parables, and real-life experiences. As an ardent orator and musician, she adores working with children of all ages and those who remain young at heart. Originally from Britain, Helen is truly Canadian at heart and brings warmth and delight to every performance.
Special Thanks To Our Organizers:
Special Thanks To Our Donors:
Getting To The Fair: Google Maps
Activity Lineup
| Activity / Performer | Details (Adult Supervision Required) |
|---|---|
 Musicians & Performers |
Live music throughout the day from local artists, a Harpist, and Folk Music! |
| Storytelling |
We have quite a few storytellers on site to tell tales capture a variety of audiences. |
| Puppetizing : The art of puppetry |
Pick a puppet and meet our puppeteers. Enjoy speaking through your puppet friends in an informal, inclusive environment. All ages welcome. |
| WRPS Police Band |
Performing live at the beginning of the event. |
| Self Guided Local History Tour |
Learn about our local history! See Yvonne and Martin at the history recording area for details. |
| Local History Recording Project |
We have several historians on site to record the magic of traditional, screen-free tales of local history from fair-comers that will capture the hearts of the young and the young at heart for generations in the future. |
| Art Activities |
 Interactive paper neighbourhoods! Design your dream neighbourhood! With our own Queen-Margaret neighbourhood as inspiration, participants of all ages can create their own paper neighbourhood artwork using collage materials, paper, markers, and glue. Take your work home with you or add it to the larger community paper neighbourhood that will grow throughout the day! |
| Veradis Garden Tour & Leaf Art Rolling |
 Hosted on the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery lawn. Self-guided garden tour available. Leaf Impressions: Plein Air Monoprinting in the Garden. Learn plein air printmaking in the Veradis Garden. In this outdoor workshop participants will be provided with fresh leaves from the garden and transform them into vibrant, one-of-a-kind prints using gelli plates. As we create, we’ll explore leaf physiology such as shape, margins, venation, and arrangement. Participants will build both artistic skills and a deeper connection to the plants around us. Parental assistance is required.
|
| By-Donation Community BBQ |
Hot dogs, lemonade, and refreshments by donation! |
| Fun Games |
Outdoor activities and games, fun for all ages! |
| FREE Prize Drawing |
There will also be a FREE prize drawing sponsored by local businesses and citizens! Come see Cait at the Info/Prize Table to get your free tickets! |
| And More! |
Come on out and see what else we have! |
Activity Locations
| Activity | Location |
|---|---|
 WRPS Police Band & Musicians (with  seating available — bring your own chair!) |
South of the Queen St. Double Doors |
| Puppetry |
South of the Queen St. Double Doors |
 Info & Prize Table (Lost children reunification point) |
Lawn Near Parking Entrance |
 History Recording |
Bench Under Tree |
 BBQ Station |
Sidewalk outside Queen St. Double Doors |
 Lawn Games |
Grass north of the BBQ |
 Garden Activity & Self-Guided Tour |
Across The Street at KWAG |
 Leaf Art Rolling |
Across The Street at KWAG, next to the building |
 Storytelling |
Across The Street at KWAG, in the nook near the paved entrance |
Activity Location Map
Please refer to the map below for the event locations:
Activity Schedule
Please review the timeline below for setup, announcements, and performances across our venues. Times are approximate and may fluctuate.
| Time | Announcement | CoGS Venue | KWAG Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 AM | Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, Thank You, Prize Drawing Tickets Available Til 2:45, & Police Band Starting | Police Band |
N/A (Opening Ceremonies) |
| 11:15 AM | BBQ Starting Games Starting Arts & Veradis Garden Starting Storytelling Starting, History Recording Starting |
BBQ, Games History Recording (& Hal) |
Ronnie Lowrey: Storytelling for Families (11:15) Veradis Garden, Arts & Leaf Art |
| 11:30 AM | Harpist Starting (11:45) | BBQ, Games History Recording (& Hal) |
Christina: Harpist (11:45) Veradis Garden, Arts |
| 12:00 PM | Trad Trio Starting History Recording Starting Prize Drawings Begin Poetry Starting (12:00) Harpist Starting (12:15) |
Trad Trio BBQ, Games Prize Drawing, History Recording (& Hal) |
Helen Johnson: Poetry for all ages (12:00) Christina: Harpist (12:15) Veradis Garden, Arts |
| 12:30 PM | Storytelling Starting (12:30) | BBQ, Games Prize Drawing, History Recording (& Hal) |
Gordon Stubley: Stories about girls who go on adventures (12:30) Veradis Garden, Arts |
| 1:00 PM | Puppetry Starting (1:00) Harpist Starting (1:00) Storytelling Starting (1:15) |
Puppetry BBQ, Games Prize Drawing, History Recording |
Christina: Harpist (1:00) Helen Johnson: Storyteller (1:15) Veradis Garden, Arts |
| 1:30 PM | Harpist Starting (1:30) Storytelling Starting (1:45) |
BBQ, Games Prize Drawing, History Recording |
Christina: Harpist (1:30) Barb Vollick: The Trees Treasure (1:45) Veradis Garden, Arts |
| 2:00 PM | Brad McEwan & Dave Neigh Folk Music Starting Storytelling Starting (2:15) |
Brad McEwan & Dave Neigh Folk Music BBQ, Games Prize Drawing, History Recording |
Kirsten Johnson: The peddler and the monkeys (2:15) Veradis Garden, Arts |
| 2:30 PM | Last chance for tickets by 2:45. Drawing at 3:00. Prizes redrawn at 3:15. | BBQ, Games Prize Drawing, History Recording |
Veradis Garden, Arts |
| 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM | Closing & Prize Drawing | Final Prize Drawing At 3:15 - Redraw for unclaimed prizes |
N/A |
🪑 Bring your own chair! (some are provided) | ⚠️ Adult supervision required under 16 | ℹ️ Lost or need help? Check out the info tent!
Historical Presentation
To see the extended cut of this presentation, come to the fair! <3
Get Involved: Volunteers
It takes a village to run a successful fair. We are currently looking for 12 to 15 volunteers to help with setup, running games, serving hot dogs (we need about 30 people total to help serve food in shifts!), and tear down.
Sign Up to Volunteer
Photography Disclaimer
By entering an event or program during the Queen-Margaret fair, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with the Queen-Margaret fair and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising. By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media. You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.
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