Erick Traplin Day celebrates over 35 years of one of the region’s favourite entertainers

Kitchener, Ontario – If you picture a man in a purple shirt and red suspenders holding a guitar, who comes to mind? Throughout the communities of Waterloo Region, the answer is often Erick Traplin. The beloved entertainer has been delighting children and adults alike for over 35 years and we’re marking the occasion with a celebration to recognize this achievement and say thank you to the man who has contributed so much to building community.

“Erick Traplin is one of our city’s most well-known and beloved entertainers who has been bringing joy to generations of families for decades,” said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “I always look forward to seeing his infectious performances on stage and looking out in the crowd to see the smiles he brings to everyone’s faces. I’m excited to be celebrating Erick’s incredible career and can’t wait to come together with our community to let him know how much we appreciate the impact he has and the memories he’s helped us make together. Congratulations, Erick, on this incredible milestone!”

On Sunday, June 8, join us in Carl Zehr Square for a fun-filled day as we celebrate Erick with activities for all ages from noon to 5 p.m. The highlight will be a special 1 p.m. celebration to say a heartfelt thank you to Erick with memories from the community and special guests, along with live music for everyone to enjoy. This afternoon of fun will also feature live entertainment, roaming performers, food trucks and family-friendly games and activities like face painting, a balloon artist, sidewalk chalk, inflatable games and more.

“Erick is a really special entertainer who not only brings a ton of fun to every performance but really connects with everyone he meets to make them feel like they’re part of the excitement,” said Steve Roth, Manager of Special Events for the City of Kitchener and one of the event organizers. “My kids, who are both now in their twenties, loved Bubbles when they were young and still talk about and fondly remember the impact Erick had on their childhood. When we were planning this event, we heard lots of similar stories from people who saw Erick on stage as a kid and are now bringing their own kids to his shows. It’s rare to have an entertainer who connects generations like that while also having such a strong impact on a whole community, and it’s an honour to be able to recognize Erick’s contribution with this celebration.”

As part of the event, we want to share your memories of Erick with him. Visit our Engage page to share a photo, video or written memory of what Erick means to you or your family. This could be a photo of you at your first Erick Traplin show, a video of Erick singing your child’s favourite song at an event, a written memory of a performance you remember, or anything else that shows Erick the impact he has had on so many lives. During Erick Traplin Day, we will share some of these memories in a looping slideshow for everyone to enjoy. You can also visit the Engage page to see the memories everyone else has shared.

Erick Traplin Day is being hosted by the City of Kitchener in partnership with the City of Cambridge, City of Waterloo, Kitchener Blues Festival, Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre, Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest and the Township of Wilmot. This event has brought our communities together, reflecting the impact Erick has had across our entire region.

Visit ErickTraplinDay.ca to learn more about all the fun we have in store and submit your memory of Erick at EngageWR.ca/ErickTraplin.

For more information:

Krystin Scheels
Communications and Marketing Associate
City of Kitchener
krystin.scheels@kitchener.ca
media@kitchener.ca