As we dive into this summer and bemoan the soggy start, we all know that before we know it, the super hot weather will kick in and we’ll be eager to make this the best summer ever. Some of our Westheights Church staff spontaneously took a few minutes from our busy schedule to brainstorm 20 easy ways to celebrate summer. Can you think of others to add to our list?
- Try a new dessert, like the delicious mango mochi ice cream (T&T Supermarket), or revisit a childhood favourite, like a fudgsicle.
- Send your kids to Camp Kahquah for summer camp, and enjoy a week off without kids!
- Read a novel! On the beach, on a hammock, in the pool, at the park. So many places to kick back and read!
- Go camping with your family (Pastor Josh loves going to the Pinery).
- Invite some neighbours over for a BBQ – an easy way to get to know your neighbours better.
- Hike all the trails at the Huron Natural Area.
- Go fishing.
- Enjoy a slower pace to life.
- Visit the African Lion Safari or Toronto Zoo.
- Invite some friends and go to the Kitchener Ribfest from July 19-21. Go with an empty stomach because there’ll be lots and lots of delicious ribs to sample! If you are a Harry Potter fan, there may even be butterbeer!
- When you’re done stuffing yourself with ribs, go to the Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival on the same weekend! Every year, there’s a fantastic line-up of musicians.
- Go to a drive-in movie! The Guelph Mustang Drive-In is just 45 minutes out of town. If you’re really brave, go to an all-nighter. This weekend (June 29-30, 2019) you can watch three movies for the price of one: Aladdin, Toy Story 4, and X-Men Dark Phoenix.
- Reconnect with a friend you’ve lost touch with.
- Both Charlene and Mimi made this suggestion: check out the Kitchener Blues Festival on August 8-11. You may not think you like Blues music but you may be surprised once you hear the variety of acts at this annual event! Tom Cochrane and Red Rider will be one of the acts this year! Last year, Mimi heard the music of Shun Ng for the first time and was totally blown away by his talent. Too bad he’s not on this year’s schedule.
- Discover new happy places for your kiddos, for example this wet, happening place!
- Stop and smell the roses – at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights this summer, there’ll be live music too.
- Go canoeing down the Grand!
- An icy summer treat! Make one of these – for yourself, not to impress your guests. Have it while you’re enjoying a magazine or novel – on your deck, on your zero-gravity chair (or on the equivalent): recipe for strawberry lemonade ice cream float.
- For all of you adrenalin junkies, go to Canada’s Wonderland and check out the record-breaking Yukon Striker roller-coaster – the longest, fastest and tallest dive roller-coaster in the world!
- Get to the beach for lunch. Stay until you’re the last one on the beach. Close the beach. Watch the sunset in between.