after dark events
In addition to being one truly fantastic bookstore/café, DOG-EARED CAFÉ also holds many FREE events every Friday and special ticketed events on occasional Saturdays, fully licensed with fantastic specials on Beer, Wine, Cocktails, and even an evening menu full of sharable plates for you to nosh on over a great conversation with old friends or new! Some events are ticketed, but all are designed to bring you closer to your community.
Poetry Night!
Join us for our monthly Poetry Night with our amazing host Dell! Yes! Our poetry community IS truly amazing, and we’re always welcoming new faces to join us in reading original poems, reading your favourites, or just as curious spectator.
Come on out for an evening of poetry with your community. Sign up starts around 6:30 pm with poets taking the stage near 7:00, with each performer given ten minutes, or two poems (which ever comes first) to read and perform.
We truly can't wait to see you!
Music Bingo!
WTF is Music Bingo!?
How it works: It’s like Music Trivia, only you have to keep score on a bingo card, OR it’s like Bingo, only you have to know the songs to mark the square!
Cost is $2.00 per card, with all card proceeds going to support UNITE AGAINST HATE
There will be three categories nightly (follow us on Instagram for updates) with prizes provided by Knightfall Tattoos, zBTFD records, and, of course, Dog-Eared Café.
Winners win the prize per round.
We ARE a licensed venue, so YES, drinks will be served with monthly features from local craft brewers.
*there are no reservations or tickets for this event—it’s first come, first served—so we do recommend arriving as early as 6:30pm to ensure primo seating.
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Dog-eared poetry collection book launch!
We are SUPER excited to (finally!) announce the long long long long LONG awaited launch of our debut poetry collection DOG-EARED POETRY VOLUME ONE: “Discovery.”
Hosted by the collection’s editor Maichina Veri, we invite you to celebrate the Poet’s of Paris (and beyond) in the long awaited arrival of the poetry collection we started work on almost 18 months ago!
We’re excited to welcome you to this event, and can’t wait to see you in attendance.
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Music Bingo!
WTF is Music Bingo!?
How it works: It’s like Music Trivia, only you have to keep score on a bingo card, OR it’s like Bingo, only you have to know the songs to mark the square!
Cost is $2.00 per card, with all card proceeds going to support UNITE AGAINST HATE
There will be three categories nightly (follow us on Instagram for updates) with prizes provided by Knightfall Tattoos, zBTFD records, and, of course, Dog-Eared Café.
Winners win the prize per round.
We ARE a licensed venue, so YES, drinks will be served with monthly features from local craft brewers.
*there are no reservations or tickets for this event—it’s first come, first served—so we do recommend arriving as early as 6:30pm to ensure primo seating.
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Poetry Night! 4th anniversary!
Our monthly Poetry Night with our amazing host Dell will be a little different this month as we celebrate FOUR YEARS of poetry at Dog-Eared Café as we invite you to perform your poems with a live JAZZ DUO!
Yes! Our poetry community IS truly amazing, and we’re always welcoming new faces to join us in reading original poems, reading your favourites, or just as curious spectator.
Come on out for an evening of poetry with your community. Sign up starts around 6:30 pm with poets taking the stage near 7:00, with each performer given ten minutes, or two poems (which ever comes first) to read and perform.
We truly can't wait to see you!
Socorro w/ Paul Annon
Join us at Dog-Eared Café for an evening of poetry and song from local singer/songwriter Socorro Chinnick, performing originals and jazz covers, accompanied by Guitarist, Paul Annon!
Socorro Chinnick is a Filipino-Canadian singer-songwriter who owns Dancing Pig Farms in Norfolk County with her husband Gordon. They have two grown children. Educated in Industrial Engineering with a career in Information Technology, she's now a farmer who grows organic vegetables and flowers, enjoys nature, photography, and writing original poetic songs about love, social justice, Mother Earth, diversity, and country living.
Tickets are available HERE.
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa!
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Culture Reject
Culture Reject's Michael O'Connell (ex-Black Cabbage) and bandmate Karri North (Catch Veronica) create a guitar and synth-woven emotional dance party of perfectly broken pop songs, with happy and haunting vocal harmonies on up-up tempo beats. Like....
Metronomy dates Pink Floyd.T
he Postal Service meets Wings.
New Order plays Pavement.
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa!
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Duo Lab
Join us for a night of Brazilian Jazz Fusion at the luxuriously cozy Dog-Eared Café
Duo Lab is a collaborative music project created by the experienced Brazilian jazz musicians Rayne Vitorino Dias (piano/accordion) and Carol Blumer (voice/percussion). Departing from original arrangements and compositions written by Carol and Rayne, Duo Lab collaborates with guest musicians from diverse cultures, creating energetic performances that utilise generous doses of creativity while exploring improvisation, scat singing, and a variety of Brazilian rhythms, including Samba, Partido-alto, Maracatu, Baião, and Afoxé. The repertoire goes from the Duo's original compositions to unique versions of jazz standards and Brazilian jazz fusion tunes. The Duo Lab has been performing in diverse venues in London area such as the Wolf Performance Hall, Market Lane Jazz stage, La Casa, Peppermoon Restaurant, Bass Notez Cocktail Lounge, Poacher's Arms Bar jam sessions and more.
Get your tickets HERE.
Poetry Night!
IT’S PRIDE MONTH!!
Join us for our monthly Poetry Night with our amazing host Dell! Yes! Our poetry community IS truly amazing, and we’re always welcoming new faces to join us in reading original poems, reading your favourites, or just as curious spectator.
Come on out for an evening of poetry with your community. Sign up starts around 6:30 pm with poets taking the stage near 7:00, with each performer given ten minutes, or two poems (which ever comes first) to read and perform.
We truly can't wait to see you!
XAVIER
XAVIER is a Colombian-Canadian artist who blends Latin spiritual rock with an introspective, experimental sound, exploring consciousness, shadow work, and unity through deeply personal compositions.
TICKETS HERE!
COCKTAILS & JAZZ
Join us for an evening of cocktails, snacks, and jazz standards performed by Carolyn Credico and Ross Wooldridge at Dog-Eared Café.
TICKETS HERE!
Poetry Night Market
Join us for Karolina Bednarek’s poetry collection launch—her debut; CONSUMED—as she’s teaming up with Dog-Eared Café, and fellow writers, to host a one-of-a-kind POETRY NIGHT MARKET on Saturday, May 23, from 7-10pm!
Designed for poetry readers who love supporting local voices, this free event features R.K. Gandhi, Mariam Elsherbini, and Ana Dee reading from—and selling—their latest works.
Discover fresh perspectives, meet the writers behind the words, and take home writing that resonates. If you’re passionate about poetry or curious to explore new local talent, mark your calendar!
We can’t WAIT to see you there!
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa!
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Making Woman
Making Woman pushes boundaries; in first grade the boy was in trouble for arguing with teachers about inequitable treatment of students and [REDACTED] years later she/it has not changed at all in the slightest bit. Basically, Stacy Taylor is making a woman one injection at a time. Expect to hear everything from soft, sweet, silly, and jazz inspired songs to raw and authentic acoustic-punk-metal. This self-described-over-hyphenated-solo-punk will deliver a purr-formance on an acoustic guitar with a beautiful kick drum that will bring you from calmly exploring your inner goddess to having you screaming "that's what happens when you politely ask your oppressors for more!" It's giving divine feminine rage, but she has had the misfortune to learn too damn many pretty chords and scales along the way to just play G and A major for every song. Stacy's mom is super proud of Making Woman too, fyi!
WTF is Music Bingo!?!
WTF is Music Bingo!?
How it works: It’s like Music Trivia, only you have to keep score on a bingo card, OR it’s like Bingo, only you have to know the songs to mark the square!
Cost is $2.00 per card, with all card proceeds going to support UNITE AGAINST HATE
There will be three categories nightly (follow us on Instagram for updates) with prizes provided by Knightfall Tattoos, zBTFD records, and, of course, Dog-Eared Café.
Winners win the prize per round.
We ARE a licensed venue, so yes, drinks will be served with monthly features from local craft brewers.
*there are no reservations or tickets for this event—it’s first come, first served—so we do recommend arriving as early as 6:30pm to ensure primo seating.
Girl night stand up comedy!
Kitchener's popular all-women stand-up comedy showcase is on tour in your town!
Girl Night is a night of live stand-up comedy featuring a lineup of all women comedians from all over Ontario. This is your chance to see critically acclaimed acts and rising stars all wrapped up in a fun environment curated for women but enjoyed by all! Fall in love with your hosts Lindsay and Renee, see incredible comedy, then play the Secrets Auction where you bid for local prizes with your juicy secrets and confessions. This is THE girl's night out you've been looking for!
Doors at 7:30 PM, show at 8 PM.
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa!
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Poetry Night!
Join us for our monthly Poetry Night with our amazing host Dell! Yes! Our poetry community IS truly amazing, and we’re always welcoming new faces to join us in reading original poems, reading your favourites, or just as curious spectator.
Come on out for an evening of poetry with your community. Sign up starts around 6:30 pm with poets taking the stage near 7:00, with each performer given ten minutes, or two poems (which ever comes first) to read and perform.
We truly can't wait to see you!
SPICY TRIVIA
The spiciest trivia you've ever played, in quaint downtown Paris, Ontario.
we're flexing our mental muscles in our largest spicy organ: the brain!
This game is played on your phone in the charming and sultry Dog-Eared Café
Everyone welcome (19+ with a ticket!)
Seating is always limited in this cozy shop.
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa!
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
WTF is Music Bingo!?!
WTF is Music Bingo!?
How it works: It’s like Music Trivia, only you have to keep score on a bingo card, OR it’s like Bingo, only you have to know the songs to mark the square!
Cost is $2.00 per card, with all card proceeds going to support UNITE AGAINST HATE
There will be three categories nightly (follow us on Instagram for updates) with prizes provided by Knightfall Tattoos, zBTFD records, and, of course, Dog-Eared Café.
Winners win the prize per round.
We ARE a licensed venue, so yes, drinks will be served with monthly features from local craft brewers.
*there are no reservations or tickets for this event—it’s first come, first served—so we do recommend arriving as early as 6:30pm to ensure primo seating.
Rick St. Clair w/ Nolan Gibson
Join us for an intimate evening of country and blues with renowned artists RICK ST. CLAIR and NOLAN GIBSON at the glorious DOG-EARED CAFÉ
RICK ST. CLAIR: The voice of Rick St. Clair resonates with the weight of a heart-worn and weathered soul. His songs reflect on life’s joys and hardships, and give voice to quiet truths. His musical sensibilities take root in the introspective lyricism of yesteryear’s folk, and the melancholic melodies of country and blues. Rick weaves a sonic tapestry of his own.
Rick has quietly honed his craft over the years, writing songs in the confines of solitude. His debut performance took place at the storied Mariposa Folk Festival on July 5th and 6th, 2025 – a milestone that marked the beginning of his outward musical journey. To celebrate the occasion, Rick released his first two singles, Looking for a Home and Elora– songs that explore themes of struggle, resilience, and the quiet beauty of life in a small town.
When not performing or recording his music, Rick gives back to the community by hosting a concert series titled Listen Up, dedicated to fostering a space for emerging artists to perform for audiences who truly listen.
On January 17th, 2026, Rick released his newest song Wildflowers, a deeply personal piece inspired by the physical and spiritual medicine found in wildflowers. His lyrics reflect on the harmony between land, people, and his Red River Métis identity.
NOLAN GIBSON: Equipped with a foundation in roots music, but a sense of responsibility to our present times, songwriter Nolan Gibson creates music that is grounded, yet embraces curiosity and growth. When crafting lyrics, he looks to John Prine, The Band, and traditional folk music as his Northstar. Nolan's eclectic voice and guitar playing allow him to blur genre lines, and his lyrics will make you smile, laugh, cry, roll your eyes, and most importantly, feel.
In his 13 year career Nolan has had the pleasure of opening for Canadian legend David Wilcox, and traditional folk torch bearers Ian Bell and Lotus Wight. He has played on countless stages as his own artist as well as a support musician to his musical peers in a multitude of genres and styles. He looks forward sharing his craft on a stage near you!"
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa!
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Poetry Night!
Join us for our monthly Poetry Night with our amazing host Dell! Yes! Our poetry community IS truly amazing, and we’re always welcoming new faces to join us in reading original poems, reading your favourites, or just as curious spectator.
Come on out for an evening of poetry with your community. Sign up starts around 6:30 pm with poets taking the stage near 7:00, with each performer given ten minutes, or two poems (which ever comes first) to read and perform.
We truly can't wait to see you!
Peers & Poets
Join us for "PEERS & POETS"
Host Eirinn Todd will guide you through activities and exercises for you to explore your poetic self, and welcome speakers from A Minute for Mental Health, The Canadian Mental Health Association, and H.O.P.E with presentations about the relationship between poetry and mental health.
This event is FREE! But we do welcome you to donate to CMHA and H.O.P.E. anything you can.
Register HERE>to attend.
Open Mic JAM w/ ... Harrison Mcrae?
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with this month’s brilliant guest host: HARRISON McRAE from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm
Music Bingo
WTF is Music Bingo!?
How it works: It’s like Music Trivia, only you have to keep score on a bingo card, OR it’s like Bingo, only you have to know the songs to mark the square!
Cost is $2.00 per card, with all card proceeds going to support UNITE AGAINST HATE
There will be three categories nightly (follow us on Instagram for updates) with prizes provided by Knightfall Tattoos, zBTFD records, and, of course, Dog-Eared Café.
Winners win the prize per round.
We ARE a licensed venue, so yes, drinks will be served with monthly features from local craft brewers.
*there are no reservations or tickets for this event—it’s first come, first served—so we do recommend arriving as early as 6:30pm to ensure primo seating.
Open Mic JAM w/ Lisa Costa!
Join us for our LIVE MUSIC OPEN MIC NIGHT!!! Yes! Participate in our live music night—or simply hang out and listen—with our brilliant host LISA COSTA!! from 7pm-10pm! Held TWICE MONTHLY on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
It’s going to be a magical night with drink specials from and Vodka Friday and MUSIC! Did we mention music?
Come. Show us what you’ve got! All talent levels are welcome.
sign up upon entry begins at 6:30pm