Festive Meetup
A Locally Connected Holiday Celebration
Celebrate the season with an evening of warm welcomes, festive cheer, and community connection. The Locally Connected Community Hub invites you to join neighbours, friends, colleagues, and new faces for our 2026 Festive Meetup at DoubleTree by Hilton Kitchener.
Join us for an optional buffet dinner, festive conversation and dancing, with beverages available for purchase. Whether you’ve been part of the Community Hub for years or are joining us for the first time, there’s a place for you.
What began as a holiday gathering in the original Eastbridge chapter in December 2017 has grown into a cherished annual tradition. It’s an opportunity to reconnect, celebrate the relationships we’ve built, and welcome new people into our community.
It’s also a chance to share the joy of the season. Since 2022, our community has donated more than 500 toys and over $500 to the Waterloo Knights of Columbus’ New Toys for Needy Kids Toy Drive. This year, we’re pleased to continue that tradition of giving.
With a convenient location just off the highway in Kitchener and the option to stay overnight, our host venue makes it easy to join us from across our community chapters and beyond.
Inside this package, you’ll find ways to get involved, details about our partners and host venue, and favourite moments from past festive meetups.
We have room for 200 guests, and we’d love you to be one of them. Bring a friend, neighbour, colleague, or someone who would enjoy a wonderful evening out.
Let’s make this a holiday gathering to remember!
Participation Options
FAQs
(200 tickets available)
A. Festive Meetup
Celebrate the season with the Locally Connected Community Hub! Enjoy two hours of festive networking, great conversations, new connections, and complimentary appetizers (7–9pm). Check-in begins at 6:45PM. Rumour has it Santa may even stop by! Stick around afterward for live entertainment and dancing (9–11pm).
Tickets can be purchased right up to and including the day of the Festive Meetup, subject to availability. A waitlist will open if capacity is reached.
(100 seats available for buffet dinner)
B. Buffet Dinner & Meetup
Celebrate the season with a delicious holiday buffet featuring all your festive favourites (6–7pm), followed by the Locally Connected Community Hub's 2026 Festive Meetup (7–9pm), filled with great conversations, new connections, and holiday cheer! Then keep the festivities going with live entertainment and dancing (9–11pm)!
Reserve by noon on Monday, December 7, 2026, subject to the shared 100-seat buffet capacity. Late bookings may be accepted with venue approval. Bookings made after the refund deadline are non-refundable; substitutions are permitted.
C. Buffet Dinner, Meetup & Tabletop Booth
Celebrate the season while showcasing your business to attendees at the Locally Connected Community Hub's 2026 Festive Meetup! Your ticket includes the holiday dinner buffet (6–7pm), a tabletop display during the Festive Meetup (7–9pm), and live entertainment and dancing (9–11pm).
Reserve by noon on Monday, December 7, 2026, subject to the shared 100-seat buffet or tabletop capacity, whichever comes first.Purchases made after noon on December 7 are non-refundable; substitutions are permitted.
(25 tabletop booths available)
D. Festive Meetup & Tabletop Booth
Showcase your business while celebrating the season at the Locally Connected Community Hub's 2026 Festive Meetup! Your ticket includes a tabletop display opportunity, two hours of festive networking, complimentary appetizers, and live entertainment and dancing afterward (9–11pm).
This package can be purchased up to Friday, December 11, 2026 (12:00pm) or until tabletop booth capacity has been reached. Purchases after the refund deadline may be permitted, subject to venue approval, are non-refundable, with substitutions permitted.
(25 corporate banner displays available)
E. Corporate Banner Display
Give your business some extra visibility at the Locally Connected Community Hub's 2026 Festive Meetup! As an add-on to your Meetup ticket, bring your corporate banner and have it proudly displayed throughout the evening, showcasing your business to attendees while supporting our festive community gathering.
Reserve your corporate banner display before they’re sold out.
(4 sponsorships available)
F. Festive Meetup Sponsorship
Celebrate the season while putting your business in the spotlight! As a Festive Meetup Sponsor, you'll enjoy valuable promotional exposure before, during, and after the Locally Connected Community Hub's 2026 Festive Meetup, along with two complimentary Meetup admissions and a tabletop booth to showcase your business. $20 of the $300 sponsorship fee will be redirected to support the toy drive, with the remaining sponsorship proceeds supporting appetizers.
Please contact Jason Kipfer by email with questions and/or to secure your sponsorship.
Your sponsorship includes:
- Company name and website link featured in our December newsletter, website, RSVP page, and calendar invitation.
- Recognition in targeted promotional emails, the day-of reminder email, and our pre-Meetup podcast.
- A 1-2 minute opportunity to introduce your business to attendees and share a special holiday greeting during the Festive Meetup.
- Recognition in our post-Meetup social media announcement.
- Complimentary tabletop booth to showcase your business during the Festive Meetup (7–9pm).Two complimentary admissions to the Festive Meetup, including appetizers, live entertainment, and dancing afterward (9–11pm).
G. Festive Meetup Sponsorship — Dinner Add-On
Confirmed Festive Meetup Sponsors can purchase individual buffet dinner seats ($60/person) for themselves, colleagues and guests. Enjoy dinner from 6–7pm, with complimentary admission to the Festive Meetup (7–9pm) and live entertainment and dancing (9–11pm) included for every paid dinner guest.
Reserve by noon on Monday, December 7, 2026, subject to the shared 100-seat buffet capacity. Late bookings may be accepted with venue approval. Bookings made after the refund deadline are non-refundable; substitutions are permitted.
Shared Capacity Limits:
Across all options to participate, the following capacity limits are in place: festive meetup (200 individuals), buffet dinner (100 seats), tabletop booths (25), corporate banner displays (25), and festive meetup sponsorships (4).
Giving Back
Each tabletop package purchased contributes $10, each corporate banner display booking contributes $5, and each Festive Meetup Sponsorship contributes $20 to the Waterloo Knights of Columbus’ New Toys for Needy Kids Toy Drive.
Buffet Dinner
Buffet starters include fresh crudités with ranch dip, and garden salad with three dressings. Dinner includes roasted carved turkey, homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey gravy, seasonal vegetable medley, and garlic mashed potatoes. Desserts include sliced fresh fruit, dessert squares, apple pie, Christmas pudding with vanilla bean sauce, and freshly brewed coffee and tea.
Group Booking Bonus
Purchase six or more Option B: Dinner & Meetup tickets in a single transaction and receive one complimentary tabletop booth (valued at $100), subject to availability, for a designated member of your group. Option G: Sponsor dinner add-ons do not qualify. Please contact Jason Kipfer by emailprior to booking.
Refund and Substitution Procedures
The following ticket options are refundable up to and including Monday, December 7, 2026 (12:00pm EST), otherwise substitutions are permitted:
- Option B. Dinner & Meetup
- Option C. Dinner, Meetup & Tabletop
- Option D. Meetup & Tabletop
- Option G. Festive Meetup Sponsorship Dinner Add-on
All sales are final for:
- Option A. Festive Meetup
- Option E. Corporate Banner Display
- Option F. Festive Meetup Sponsorship
Dress Code
Business casual or festive attire—holiday sweaters are warmly encouraged.
Attendance Policy
This is an all-ages ticketed event. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult and will require their own ticket (standard rates apply).
Tabletop Booth
Tabletop booths can be set up between 5:30 – 6:30pm and teardown can begin at 9:00pm and must be completed no later than 11:00pm. You’re welcome to leave your display unattended while enjoying the dinner and/or festive meetup. No selling permitted at the tabletop booth. Power must be requested in advance. Booth operators must bring their own extension cords. Questions can be directed to Jason Kipfer by email.
Corporate Banner Display
Upon arrival, your corporate banner can be placed, on a first-come, first-served basis along the designated area for corporate banners. Corporate banners are limited to retractable pull-up banner models and larger display structures are not permitted. Corporate banners can remain visible for the duration of your time at the Festive Meetup and must be taken with you when you depart.
Entertainment
Live entertainment is provided by Rob Puschelberg of Gemstone Entertainment. Depending on the level of interest, karaoke may be offered during the live entertainment and dancing portion of the evening (9-11pm).
Photography Notice
Professional photography will be provided by Jason Panda. By attending the 2026 Festive Meetup, you authorize the Locally Connected Community Hub to utilize photos captured throughout the evening, which may include you, for inclusion within the online photo gallery, event recap promotion, and future marketing and promotion. For any concerns, please submit an email. Guests can also speak to the photographer or a volunteer on arrival about photography concerns, particularly for children.
Overnight Accommodations
Guests of this year’s Festive Meetup are entitled to a 25% room discount for the night of Monday, December 14, 2026. Click here to reserve your overnight room and please use discount code: FESTIVEMEETUP2026 to receive your discount. Overnight guests will receive free parking and complimentary access to the indoor pool and fitness centre. Breakfast is available for a fee. Rooms are subject to availability.
Help make the evening even more special
If you or your business would like to contribute services, products or experiences as an in-kind sponsor, please contact Jason Kipfer by email. We’d love to explore how your contribution could enhance our festive celebration.