It’s time to kick winter to the curb. However, rain or shine, warm or cool, you’ll find lots of cool things to do in the Kitchener-Waterloo region this May.

Things are gonna get green and opportunities to get up close and personal with nature abound this month. Treat your young child to Tales and Trails at various Kitchener parks. Story time in the forest and a short hike make for a great  free nature loving morning. Tales and Trails runs May 1 and 22 at Breithaupt Park, May 2 and 9 at Huron Natural Area, May 8 and 29 at Lakeside Park and May 15 at Monarch Woods. If you like your nature sprinkled with a little walking and stretching check you the Yoga Hike at the Huron Natural Area. A free activity offered every Friday in May. On May 19 the Huron Natural Area is hosting a free Shinrin-Yoku or forest bathing immersion experience. This three hour gentle, mindful and engaging hike allows an opportunity to deepen your connection with nature. Get your boots muddy with a Swamp Tromp at the Huron Natural Area on May 21.

Our area has been buzzing with gardening talk and events since March and continues to do so but, and I’m willing to promise, we’ll actually get to plant things this month. Exercise your green thumbs at the Wilmot Gardeners’ Show and Share on May 7. The Wilmot Recreation Complex hosts the event with vendors, speakers and a youth competition. Hospice of Waterloo Region and the Galt Horticultural Society hold plant sales on May 12 and the Garden Club of KItchener on May 19. On May 26 the Idea Exchange in Preston invites you to join in on Planting Day and on May 28 to learn about Beautiful Bonsai. Of course, with all the pent up cultivation craving purveyors of all things plant will be doing a bang up business.

May is packed with great entertainment options. Kick off the month with irreverent humour at the fundraising An Evening With Rick Mercer on May 1 at Brentwood Livery partner Bingemans. Keep the laughs rolling with stand up from Jimmy Carr May 3 and Kathy Griffin May 26 both at Centre In The Square and Derek Seguin May 11 at Hamilton Family Theatre. If the play’s your thing St. Jacobs Country Theatre presents the Drayton Entertainment production of West Side Story starting May 9 and The Birds and the Bees opens at the Hamilton Theatre in Cambridge on May 23. The Community Players of New Hamburg production of Oliver runs May 10-13 and musical comedy Will You Be My Friend featuring local artist Janice Jo Lee opens  at the Registry Theatre May 12.

As always, the beat goes on in K-W. For those of the classical bent the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni choir presents Messiah in May and the Wellington Wind Symphony From Ellesmere Island to Cape Horn both on May 6. The K-W Symphony Orchestra backs the live documentary The Great Human Odyssey May 4-5 and plays the music of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy May 12-13 at Centre In The Square. The Symphony also plays at The Most Beautiful Bird May 12 at the Waterloo Region Museum. For something a little more upbeat the Grand River Voices and Guelph Symphony Orchestra present Gershwin classics at Serenade to Music May 3 in Wilmot, the Rockway Entertainers present Happiness Is May 5 and the Mill Race Folk Society their Spring Preview Concert May 26 at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. A fundraising concert featuring Manippal takes place May 18. Check out your local venue for the music that suits your mood. Fiddle about at Button Factory Arts in Waterloo where fiddle champion Karen Reed invites experienced women fiddlers 25 years or older for a jam session on Mother’s Day.

Which brings us to that celebration of Mother.  Queen’s Square in Cambridge starts the celebration a day early on May 12 with a Mother’s Day Special where you can create a gift and serve Mom tea and cookies. On the same day Langs Health Centre in Cambridge hosts their 6th annual Celebrating Women event. Mother’s Day May 13 features a breakfast hosted by the men of the Royal Canadian Legion in Waterloo and scrumptious brunches at Bingemans, the Butterfly Conservatory or the Hat’s Off To Mom fundraiser at St. George Banquet Hall in support of Women In Crisis. A traditional high tea can tempt Mom at McDougall Cottage in Cambridge or consider treating Mom to a train ride and picture with the conductor at the Waterloo Central Railway. Many local eateries will be doing something extra special for Mom today. If you want to take Mother’s Day over the top consider a chauffeured limousine from Brentwood Livery to make Mom’s day unforgettable.

Mom’s little progeny will need something to do on the PD day May 4. By happy coincidence May 4 (May the fourth be with you) is Star Wars day and TheMuseum and a number of local library branches have themed activities to keep your young Jedi amused. The Clemens Mill Idea Exchange takes a different tack with Animal Antic activities. The Conestoga Mall hosts the Kids Can’t Wait Radiothon with a fun zone, performers and activities in support of children with special needs.

Someone is likely talking about something you’re interested in this month. The Secret Life of Canada explores podcasting May 7 at the Kitchener Public Library Central Branch. The Branch also hosts From #metoo to never again May 3, Learn to Become a Music Producer May 11, the Imagine It Songwriting Summit May 15, The Canada Lecture on Citizenship with former PM Joe Clark May 22, the Edna Staebler writing memoir workshop May 30 and 100 Women Who Care May 31. For a higher education the School of Pharmacy University of Waterloo hosts the WRCPI Cannabis Fair and Education Workshop May 8. The cultural role of gameplay is explored at TheMuseum May 9 and medical myths busted at the DeGroote School of Medicine May 14. Senator Kim Pate leads a discussion of high tech and justice with Disrupt Connect Engage at the Centre for International Governance Innovation May 16 and May 17 is the date for Zen and the Art of Newspaper Columns at the Idea Exchange in Preston and STEAM behind the scenes at the Waterloo Public Library. The connection of art and working with vulnerable people is explored May 23 at the Idea Exchange Queen’s Square and a caregiver conference takes place May 31 at Conestoga Place in Kitchener. If you didn’t get enough Asian Pop during the Olympics the Idea Exchange Queen’s Square kicks off and exhibition May 11 of items from an Asian girl pop band with a name that doesn’t translate well into English. All area museums are offering new and continuing exhibits to entice.

It’s always nice to fundraise and have fun at the same time. A Wee Toast offers five scotch tastings and an upscale Scottish themed dinner in support of Community Care Concepts on May 3. A celebrity men’s fashion show in support of The Kidney Foundation graces the Hacienda Sarria May 10 in Kitchener and the Drive to Deliver golf tourney at Rebel Creek on May 24 raises funds for Community Support Connections. The Hot Shots Street Hockey Tournament scores at the Auditorium May 26 in support of Family and Children’s Service Waterloo Region.

Don’t forget the pet. The KW Pet Expo takes place May 5-6 at the Kitchener Auditorium with over 100 vendors and featuring the ever-popular weiner dog races. The KW Kennel Club Dog Show walkies into the Aud May 19-21 and the Golden Triangle Cat Fanciers show purrs along at Galt Arena Gardens May 26.

This eclectic month of fun includes the start of Truckin Tuesdays a rotation of food trucks at Saint Luke’s United Church in Cambridge, a Festival of Trees celebrating children’s literature May 18 at the Aud, a bike tune up boogaloo May 19 at Waterloo Public Library and Local MP Raj Saini’s end of tax season shredding party May 26.

Celebration and festivals include Royal Wedding celebrations May 19 at the Kitchener Public Library and Princess Twin Cinemas and Victoria Day evening events and fireworks at the New Dundee Community Centre May 21.

Enjoy the long weekend and the worthier weather. Keep it safe and remember if you are looking to upscale your trip contact Brentwood Livery. We’ll make your ride unforgettable.