Kitchener is one of the Tri-Cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, with the cities of Waterloo and Cambridge rounding out the trio. Locals affectionately refer to the region as KWC, as the three cities are often thought of as one general area, with residents frequently living in one town, while working in another. The Tri-Cities sit at the center of the Canadian tech world, with hundreds of start-ups and established tech companies creating a vibrant and innovative economy. The Tannery, an enormous former tannery, was transformed into office space and now serves as home to Communitech and Velocity Incubator, two tech hubs focused on advising growing start-ups. This is a city that loves to celebrate — whether it is at the annual Kultrún World Music Festival, the Kitchener Blues Festival, or at the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany — so there’s always something fun to experience.