Oakville’s favourite winter food festival is back! Running February 19 to March 15, Taste of Oakville invites diners to enjoy special prix fixe lunch and dinner menus at over 50 local restaurants. It's a fun and affordable way to explore new spots or revisit old favourites, with set menu prices ranging from $20-35 for lunch and $30-75 for dinner.

New this year, two restaurants downtown will offer private dome dining under the stars. 7 Enoteca and The King's Arms will each host cozy outdoor domes, creating a warm and stylish setting for a winter night out. Tunesdays are also returning, with live local music at select venues on Tuesday evenings. Visitors can even book hotel packages that include dining vouchers and breakfast, turning a night on the town into a full weekend treat.

A familiar café on Lakeshore Road West has reopened with a new name, new owners, and a powerful purpose. Oak Gallery Café is now BU Café & Market, led by mother and son duo Karen Drexler and Jacob Stretton. Inspired by Stretton’s challenges finding work as a young adult with Down syndrome, the two have turned their love of cafés into a welcoming space where people with disabilities can gain meaningful job experience.

The café still showcases local art and cozy charm, but now also features items like charcuterie boxes, soy candles from BU Candles, and handmade soaps by a friend of Stretton’s. Jacob, a certified barista, now spends his days serving drinks, recommending his favourite banana loaves, and chatting with customers. With social events planned and a clear mission to lead by example, the new BU Café hopes to brew not just coffee, but community impact.

Two Sheridan College animation alumni are headed to the Oscars. Maggie Kang (Animation ’04) and Domee Shi (Bachelor of Animation ’11) have been nominated in the Best Animated Feature category at the 98th Academy Awards for KPop Demon Hunters and Elio, respectively. Kang’s film also earned a nod for Best Original Song with its hit track “Golden,” adding to its earlier Golden Globe wins this month.

The nominations continue a strong Oscars tradition for Sheridan, whose alumni have contributed to several other nominated films this year, including Zootopia 2 and Frankenstein. With seven past alumni Oscar wins and a global reputation in animation, Sheridan’s impact on the industry remains powerful.

Two youth teams from Oakville and Burlington’s Ignite Artistic Swimming have earned spots at the 2026 Ontario Winter Games, set for February 19-22 in Orillia. The club’s high performance team, made up of athletes aged 9-11, won their regional qualifier in Ottawa, while a second team received a wild card spot after placing third.

Led by Team Ontario coaches Sherry Riley and Hayley Waller, the athletes train up to 18 hours a week and represent a broad, inclusive program that spans all levels of artistic swimming.

Monday, January 26
🌨️ Light snow / mostly cloudy
High: −9 °C | Low: −16 °C

Tuesday, January 27
☁️ Cloudy / bit colder
High: −10 °C | Low: −16 °C

Wednesday, January 28
⛅ Cloudy with sunny breaks
High: −12 °C | Low: −18 °C