Celtic, folk, country, and blues. Jazz, hip hop, electronic, and classical. If you’re a music fan, HomeGrown Live has just the show for you on May 3.
Credit: Virginia Maria
With 145 performances at 17 venues, all on one day, it’s safe to say that HomeGrown Live Music Festival has something for every type of music fan.
Since 2008, HomeGrown Live has organized thousands of live performances across Kingston. It all happens on one day every May. And proceeds from the HomeGrown Live Music Festival go to a very special local cause: Joe’s Music Mill, Kingston’s musical instrument lending library.
Festival wristbands are available for $10: you can get yours at any one of the festival’s 17 venues on the day of the festival. And with that wristband, you get access to as many of the HomeGrown Live events you can take in one day.
If you’re a jazz fan, Renaissance (285 Queen St.) is the place to be on May 3. Performances start at 11 am with The Saxobelles. There’s a new band every hour on the hour, with Psychic Mojo taking the stage at 8 pm.
The RCHA Club (193 Ontario St.) is the home of the blues in Kingston. For HomeGrown Live, it hosts a variety of local artists starting at 2 pm and going until midnight.
Over at Something in the Water, (275 Princess St.) they’ll have two hours of comedy starting at 7 pm. Then hip hop starts at 9 pm with S-cape Artist, with new acts performing every 20 minutes until 11 pm.
From 2 to 9 pm, The Caesar Company (177 Princess St.) hosts a variety of talented folk artists.
And if you want a little bit of everything, the Royal Tavern 2.0 (344 Princess St.) hosts a mixed bag of musical acts, from grunge to power pop and ending the evening with Sweet Cheetah, an ’80s-inspired cover band that will get everyone on the dance floor.
Do you have an event you’d like featured on our monthly list? Add it to our Kingston events calendar for consideration. If you’re looking to submit a French-language event, please use our French submission form.
County Bounty sodas are made in Napanee, just west of Kingston. These lightly carbonated, lightly sweetened sodas use locally grown fruits and herbs in delightful combinations, like strawberry and basil, sour cherry and mint, and foraged botanicals. Find them in Kingston at Daughter’s General Store, The Everly Restaurant, Improbable Escapes, Juniper Café, Old Farm Fine Foods, The Screening Room, The Silly Yak, and Otter Creek Kitchen.
The Indigenous-owned small company in nearby Deseronto creates delicious sodas using traditional ingredients. Flavours include strawberry sweetgrass, orange maple, and blueberry sweetgrass “sumac-ade.” Find these sodas in Kingston at the Visitor Information Centre.
Two of Kingston’s breweries also make non-alcoholic beverages: Spearhead Brewing Company makes Akwa, a sparkling hop-infused botanical water. You can also find it at The Screening Room.
Something in the Water Brewing Company offers sparkling hop water in three flavours: lime, berry, and peach. You can also find them at the Visitor Information Centre.
Cooke’s coffee blends can be found in many local restaurants. Some venues – Chez Piggy, the Frontenac Club, and Days on Front – have their own signature Cooke’s coffee blend. You can sample these blends with your restaurant meal or take home a pound of beans or ground coffee from Cooke’s Fine Foods on Brock Street, where it is roasted in-house.
Kingston’s North Roast offers a variety of fair trade, organic, and micro lot coffee, roasted on site and packaged in 100% compostable bags. They offer free delivery in Kingston and online shipping elsewhere. You can also pick up grinders and other coffee accessories.
From Picton comes County Roasters, a family-run micro coffee roaster that offers organic and ethically sourced coffee beans. In Kingston, you can find their beans at Old Farm Fine Foods and General Brock’s Commissary.
Cha Cha Tea offers a wide variety of high-quality looseleaf tea, from traditional black and oolong teas to green and herbal teas to seasonal blends. If you need advice on what kind of tea to get, talk to Kaoru, a certified tea sommelier.
Kebaonish is an Indigenous- and woman-led coffee and tea company in nearby Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. Kebaonish offers seven tea blends inspired by the Anishinaabe Seven Grandfather Teachings: honesty, love, respect, wisdom, truth, humility, and bravery. In Kingston, enjoy a cup of Kebaonish tea at Pedal Works Café, or pick up a package of tea bags to take home at Cha Cha Tea.
Check out the locally inspired tea blends at both of Juniper Cafe’s locations. They include Breakfast in Kingston, Limestone city chai, and Queen’s rooibos.
Hall’s Apple Market in Brockville offers its apple cider (in addition to other apple goodies) at the Kingston Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market every Sunday.
Take a walk over to Queen Street to shop for handmade porcelain and stoneware pottery by local artist and owner Marc Lemieux at Black Dog Pottery. He has been making pottery in downtown Kingston for 25 years. You’ll find a variety of kitchenware items, art pieces to display, and more. If you see a cute black dog while you’re there, that’s Pepper, the black dog that gives Black Dog Pottery its name.
Looking to take part in some pottery classes? Take part in a two-hour hand building and throwing classes, two-hour children pottery classes (for ages 7–12), or other classes and bring home a piece of art. Only interested in shopping? Here, you’ll find everything from garden and home items that elevate your space to jewelry and pet products you and your furry friend will fall in love with, all crafted right in their Kingston studio.
For decades, Gallery Raymond has been the spot to go for framing services, purchasing or renting local art, and art exhibitions. The gallery boasts a large commercial gallery representing local artists and a selection of over 400 works of art. Next time you visit downtown Kingston, stop in and find a unique art piece, or attend their next art exhibition to see a new artist’s work and meet the artist. Follow them on Facebook to stay updated on upcoming exhibitions.
One of Kingston’s hidden gems, Martello Alley is an art gallery-themed historic alley in downtown Kingston. As you make your way through this unique gallery, you will find work by more than 20 local artists, including paintings, postcards, pottery, jewelry, and more. While you’re browsing in the alley, take a look at the ground. Notice anything? The ground is covered in brick, but not real bricks: each brick was painted on by the owner, David Dossett.
And, if you didn’t find a piece that spoke to you, head over to their newest location, Martello on Brock (66 Brock St.), to find more local artwork (only a three-minute walk from Martello Alley).
Find items inspired by history and heritage at General Brock’s Commissary. The shop showcases and sources local products in Ontario, including products by Oscardo Canadian Indigenous Art Gifts. From fashion and travel accessories to home and kitchen items, you’ll find creative art to wear and display. In-store you’ll also find their War of 1812 gallery. Be sure to ask about these pieces while you’re shopping to get a mini art gallery tour.
When the weather is warmer, you might even find local artist Joanne Gervais working on a new creation outside the store.
At Something Else Records, in addition to a wide selection of music, you’ll also find posters, prints, and hand-painted cards created by local artists. Check them out in-store and online.
Make sure to check out the makers’ section at the Visitor Information Centre. They feature a variety of local makers in their shop. Stay tuned for new makers being featured at the VIC by following Visit Kingston on Facebook and Instagram.
The I❤︎Beer & Taco Festival returns to Kingston for its second year. Gather with friends to celebrate with craft beer, dancing, games, and tacos. This year, discover 16 brewers from across Ontario offering beers, ciders, and spirits. Visit the Slush Puppie Place website to get tickets.
This spring, Kingston welcomes the best of Canada’s cheese producers to Fort Henry Hill. Featuring over 100 dairy and cheese producers, local growers, makers and more, this two-day festival gives guests the chance to sample their way across Canada, discover new favourites, and meet the people behind the food. Visit the Great Canadian Cheese Fest website for details and tickets.
Kick off the summer in Kingston at YGK Craft Beer Fest, the city’s annual celebration of live music, local food, and delicious brews. Take in the scenic waterfront and downtown skyline from Fort Henry Hill while sipping on locally made drinks, including beers, ciders, and non-alcoholic beverages, and enjoy a stellar musical lineup. Keep an eye on the Fort Henry website for updates, tickets, and vendors.
The air around the Memorial Centre will be rich with the smell of barbeque in early September when the Ribfest & Craft Beer Show arrives in town. Returning for its twelfth year, this festival is the best spot to enjoy mouth-watering barbequed ribs and chicken, paired with Ontario craft beers, ciders, and more. Grab some grub and a nice spot in the sun, and make sure to stick around for live entertainment and activities for kids. Learn more on their website.
An annual tradition returns in September as vendors from all over set up at the grounds of the Memorial Centre to serve an iconic Canadian dish – poutine! Poutine Feast brings together a variety of vendors offering their takes on poutine, featuring the magical combination of French fries, gravy, and cheese curds. This culinary celebration also offers games, competitions, and activities for both kids and adults.
Find delicious, local food and a friendly, community atmosphere at the Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market. This Sunday market brings together local makers, producers, and artisans offering a wide range of fresh produce, hot meals, and tasty treats. In the warmer months, the market is hosted in the park in front of the Memorial Centre, where vendors set up tables under shady trees, musicians perform for shoppers and picnickers, and you might even catch some morning yoga! The market runs from 9 am to 1 pm November to April and 9 am to 2 pm from May to October. Take a look at the Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market website to see who will be there next Sunday.
There will be a special Easter evening market on Thursday, April 17 from 4 to 8 pm. There will be no regular market on Sunday, April 20 (Easter Sunday).
Whether you fancy yourself a casual wine drinker or an amateur sommelier, a visit to Bobbi Pecorino’s Italian Wine Bar on a Sunday afternoon offers an experience for the senses. Each tasting consists of four wines plus pairings from their food menu as well as an educational exploration of the lands and cultures behind each wine. Find more details on their website, and check out our feature on Bobbi Pecorino’s for a look behind the glass.
Join a workshop at Cha Cha Tea and learn about tea flavours with owner Kaoru, a certified tea sommelier. Upcoming workshops include “Cheese and tea pairing” on April 6 and the Mystery Book Club tea tasting workshop on April 27 and May 25. Book tickets and stay tuned for more upcoming workshops on their website.
Sip your way through historic locales in downtown Kingston on a leisurely wine tour with sommelier Ian Nicholls. Whether you’re new to the region or have lived here your whole life, this walking tour gives you a thorough introduction to wines from all across the world, hosted at charming restaurants, bars, and shops in downtown Kingston. Each day of the week features a different tour of four spots, so you can experience something new each time. Check out the list of stops and book your spot on the County Sips website.
For a different take on seafaring dining, a sail and picnic charter from Ahoy Rentals offers groups from two to five a weekend voyage and lunch aboard a sailboat. Board the Pommie Bee, a 26-foot sailing sloop and take in the views of Kingston’s picturesque waterfront while enjoying a delicious lunch from Pan Chancho, including a platter of cheese, fruit, and spreads, an entrée of your choice, and assorted desserts. Visit the Ahoy Rentals website for more details and to book your spot.
Get the inside look at beer-making with a visit to Fine Balance Brewing Company in Kingston’s east end. Groups of up to four can take a guided tour through the on-site brewhouse and learn about their process for crafting beer. This 15-minute tour comes full circle with a visit to their taproom for a tasting. Check out their website for details and to book your visit.
There’s no better way to get acquainted with Kingston’s famous food scene than to join a delicious Kingston Food Tour. Offered Wednesdays through Sundays, the Classic Kingston tour takes you on a stroll through the limestone streets of downtown and into restaurants and shops, tasting hand-picked dishes and learning local history along the way. For a different flavour, check out the Tapas Tour on Fridays and Saturdays, in which small plates are paired with alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) beverages. Read our feature on Kingston Food Tours to get the inside scoop.
If you enjoy a good view while you eat, Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises brunch, lunch, and sunset dinner cruises are a must-try. Take in stunning views of the 1000 Islands aboard the Island Queen while enjoying a three-course plated lunch or brunch or take to the river aboard the glass-topped Island Star for a sunset dinner cruise. On top of unbeatable vistas, all cruises include live music and a full-service bar. Read our story to check out what it’s like to dine on board. Check out the Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises website for details and bookings.
Try featured items from Academy’s new spring menu while listening to a three-piece jazz band at the Easter Brunch on April 20, enjoy breakfast for dinner with specialty cocktails at Sunset Brunch on May 3 & 31, or treat your mom to Mother’s Day Brunch on May 11. More details will be available soon. Follow their Instagram or Facebook to stay updated on these upcoming events.
Sandy Han has coached cheerleading in Kingston since she was a Queen’s University student. More than three decades later, she continues to champion the sport for local young athletes.
The science teacher at Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School is one of a kind: she’s the only high school cheer coach in the area.
Long-time Kingston area cheerleading coach. Ian MacAlpine photo
“I retired in 2021 [from cheer coaching] but I’m back now, because we lost our cheer program at Regi last year. The way it was running, it couldn’t sustain itself. I didn’t want to see it die completely, so I said, ‘I’m going give it one year out of retirement and rebuild it, make it what it used to look like when I was coaching here 20 years ago.”
From St. Thomas to Team Canada
Han moved to Kingston in 1994 from St. Thomas, Ontario, to attend teacher’s college.
“I coached Queen’s University and Holy Cross Secondary School and then started Kingston Elite (cheerleading) in 2006,” she says.
While she sold Kingston Elite in 2022 to a former cheer athlete, Han still coaches at the club.
Han has made a name for herself as a cheer coach nationally. In 2013, she was named coach of the year by Cheer Evolution, a national organization for competitive cheerleading. Han went on to lead Team Canada from 2014 until 2022.
The start of a lifelong passion
Han discovered cheerleading in high school, and the sport helped her gain confidence.
“I was a kid who had no self-esteem, and I was just scared of everybody and everything. It wasn’t until I made the cheer team that I started developing self-confidence. I got so much benefit from it and the friendships I made, and then the athleticism developed.”
It was just natural for Han to pass on her love of the sport after her days of competing came to a close.
“I felt the need to share that that sense of joy, that sense of community with as many kids as I could possibly teach it to,” she says.
Sandy Han chats with members of the Regiopolis-Notre Dame cheerleading team. Ian MacAlpine photo
“The first time I ever coached was in Grade 11 at my high school in St. Thomas. And then when I came to Kingston, I was only supposed to be here for one year.”
Han ended up coaching Queen’s for 18 years while teaching high school, first at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School and now at Regi, where she has 21 participants.
Building opportunities for a new generation
Now in the last few years of her teaching career, Han is trying to rebuild the sport at the grassroots level, since competitive cheer isn’t as popular as it once was.
“It can be a full-contact sport,” Han says, referring to the injuries that athletes sustained from performing the jumps, tumbles, and flips. “That’s the reason why a lot of schools around the provinces aren’t supporting it anymore.”
So she is building back the sport with a new format, called “Game Day.”
“This routine isn’t meant to be so acrobatic,” she says. “It’s more supposed to be more like school spirit at a football game. It’s mostly tumbling now, crowd interaction and cheering, like actual cheerleading. So, it’s going back to its roots.
Sandy Han, front row, third from left, with fellow coaches and the Regiopolis-Notre Dame cheerleading team. Ian MacAlpine photo
“It morphed into a competitive sport with a lot of acrobatics, and that still, of course, exists. But in Ontario, we’re actually trying to do grassroots OFSSA (provincial high school championship) cheerleading.” Regiopolis Notre-Dame will host the OFSSA cheerleading regionals on March 31.
Han has another goal for the future of cheer. “We want to try to do is make high school cheerleading more accessible, much cheaper,” she says. “Clubs are quite expensive because they travel so much. We want to make it so that any kid who wants to learn how to do this can afford to be able to do school cheer.”
It’s also important for Han to promote self-esteem and confidence with her students. And it shows.
“She is my biggest inspiration for what I want to be like when I’m older,” says first-year cheerleading member Juliana Barsoum, 16.
“She’s very organized and knows exactly how she wants us to be positioned and knows what we’re supposed to do and exactly what it’s supposed to look like in the end,” Barsoum continues. “She’s encouraging, she makes sure that we’re included, and she sets boundaries but in a good way. Everyone has to participate; everyone has to be treated equally.
“She just knows how to bring us together.”
Barsoum says that it’s telling that the connections Han has made with her students are so long-lasting.
“A lot of her former students want to come coach us now. I think that says enough about her character and how she has an imprint on people.”
Han loves seeing how her students find new skills through cheerleading, just as she did in high school, from social skills to resiliency.
“It helps you understand how to push yourself past the boundaries of what you think you can do. That just sets you up for life.”
Kingston has plenty of fantastic restaurants to check out, offering flavours from a wide range of culinary traditions. If you want to sample a world of flavours in one stop, you’ll want to make a trip to the Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market. The market brings together local vendors offering farm-fresh produce and spectacular hot dishes. How often can you get Chinese-style steamed buns, authentic Ukrainian perogies, fresh babaghanush, and hot churros, all in one place? And it’s all produced within 100 km. of the market.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 8:30 am to 5 pm
Dating back to 1801, the Kingston Public Market is the oldest and longest running public market in Ontario. Today, it carries on that legacy as the perfect place to load up on farm-fresh produce, preserves, local maple syrup, fresh-cut flowers, and more.
Miss Bāo serves delicious Asian fusion cuisine shaped by a commitment to sustainability and local ingredients. They leverage seasonal ingredients in their dishes, collaborate with local suppliers, and keep a large portion of the menu composed of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free items. They even grow their own microgreens in the restaurant with their in-house gardening system. It’s hard to get much more local than that!
If you’re looking for a spot to get a taste of Ontario, let Feast On® be your guide to restaurants that not only serve delicious food, but have a proven commitment to community and sustainability. Initiated by the Culinary Tourism Alliance, Feast On® certified restaurants have proven that their procurement process for ingredients meets a minimum standard of Ontario-grown or produced items, for both food and beverage.
Did we mention that Kingston has ten businesses that have earned this prestigious certification? Explore the full list on the Feast On® map.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 10 am to 5 pm
Just steps away from Princess Street you will find a local gem that specializes in quality Italian groceries and some of the best bread in the city. Since opening in 1988, Pasta Genova has garnered a reputation for being the premiere spot downtown to grab homemade pasta and sauces, fine cheese, and freshly baked focaccia. Pop by for lunch for one of their delicious sandwiches with provolone cheese, homemade muffuletta, and stacks of cured meats or eggplant on warm focaccia.
Monday – Friday, 11 am to 6 pm, Saturday 11 am to 4 pm
Located in Lasalle Plaza in Kingston’s west end, Baltic Deli specializes in Polish delicacies. As well as a selection of deli meats, sausages, and cheeses, Baltic Deli offers a variety of takeaway sandwich options for lunch. Just make sure to pick up some paczki (jam-filled Polish doughnuts) or one of their other fresh-made desserts while you’re there.
Coffee Way Donut Shop
472 Division St.
Daily, 6 am to 11 pm
We couldn’t leave out this Kingston icon when talking about local eats. Coffee Way has been serving some of the city’s favourite donuts for decades. Pick up a box with freshly baked favourites like apple fritters, Boston creams, crullers, and Canadian maple. For those with a super sweet tooth, check out the special, topped with toffee pieces and a caramel drizzle.
Now serving: Ontarieau sparkling water
Sometimes it’s the small additions that make a big impact. As well as being Feast On® certified, the Black Dog Hospitality Group restaurants have taken their commitment to local ingredients a step further with the addition of Ontarieau Sparkling Water, a sparkling spring water sourced (naturally) from Ontario. Find it at Black Dog Tavern, Dianne’s, and Atomica Kitchen & Cocktails.
Flight Cheese Shop now offers a “domestic flight,” showcasing Canadian cheese. Take a tour around the country via your taste buds; each container has six types of Canadian cheese, with tasting notes and pairing suggestions.
When the chill of winter sets in, find warmth in Kingston. Discover elegant inns and chic hotels, soothing spas, saunas, and food & drink to feed your soul.
Tucked away in the courtyard of the Frontenac Club, Stoked Sauna Co. offers a perfect environment to relax and rejuvenate with an outdoor sauna, fire pit, and ice bath. After taking a guided sauna experience, enjoy a custom menu of food and drink offering from The Bank Gastropub, including baked brie, kale greens salad, and savoury charcuterie options. Explore packages to combine your Stoke and Chill experience with an overnight stay.
Conveniently located in both downtown Kingston and in the city’s west end, Cher-Mère offers a variety of spa services, including facials, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, eyebrow and eyelash services, massages, manicures, and pedicures. Want to take the spa home with you? Cher-Mère offers a variety of their own skin and hair products. Check out their website for seasonal, holiday, and weekly/monthly specials.
Based in the beautiful and historic Woolen Mill, Dolce Bella Spa is a luxurious spa and salon for beauty and revitalization on the banks of the Cataraqui River.
Whether you’re looking for professional makeup, hair styling, or skin rejuvenation, Dolce Bella has you covered. Their spa, offering both packages and individual services, including massage therapy, manicures and pedicures, and seaweed wraps. After your relaxing spa experience, enjoy lunch at the River Mill Restaurant (2 Cataraqui St.) to tie it all together.
Indulge in the ancient tradition of thermotherapy at Glow Spa Kingston. This indoor experience features a large hydrotherapy hot tub, soothing sauna, energizing steam room, and a cold plunge pool. For an additional cost, you can add food and beverage service to your thermotherapy experience. Book for one to three hours. Glow also offers services such as facials and massages.
Enter The Refinery Spa’s eucalyptus steam room and feel your stress melt away. This 30-minute experience includes private access and towel service. Enjoy it with a friend or go solo. For the ultimate unwind, package it with one (or more) of their services, including facials, pedicures, and body treatments.
Symphony Spa & Yoga offers a wide array of wellness services. In addition to their massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures, Symphony boasts a full range of hair treatments and styling options, a full yoga studio, and a smoothie bar featuring juices, wraps, and chia bowls. Make sure to check out their “Me time moments” for special treatments and packages.
Pedal Works Café and Studios is led by one of the three Master Spinning instructors in Canada. In addition to their energized spin classes, Pedal Works also offers restorative classes, dedicated to meditation, stillness, and cultivating a deep mind/body connection. Their fully stocked café offers Honduran coffee, herbal teas from local company Kebaonish, and freshly baked goodies.
There are many businesses that offer yoga classes in Kingston (Studio 330, Salti Yoga, Morro Yoga, Samatva Yoga). You can join a group class or bring an instructor to you. During these yoga experiences, you will focus on your breathing technique, improving functionality, connecting your mind, and practising self-awareness.
Open: various hours (see website links for details)
Enjoy a day of rock climbing at the Boiler Room. During your orientation, you will learn about the different types of climbing you can do at their facility (auto-belays, top rope with off-harness belaying, and lead climbing). Booking is required for lessons.
Kingston’s culinary festival returns February 3 through to the end of March, featuring a variety of prix fixe menus to suit every taste and budget at restaurants, cafés, and breweries across the city. Enjoy crafted culinary experiences through the signature events series, which presents exclusive themed dining events with accomplished local and guest chefs.
Reminiscent of days gone by, The Secret Garden Inn’s signature afternoon tea experience is a culinary delight. Expect house-made sweet and savoury delicacies, including buttery scones, petit fours, and even a glass of bubbly.
Enjoy hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area. Connect with nature, yourself, and others while you venture through forests and fields on the trails. The Outdoor Centre offers snowshoe and skiing rental services daily (9 am–4 pm). While you’re there, take a moment to feed some chickadees. Learn about upcoming special events on their website.
Open: Daily
Breakfast in bed
Kingston’s historic inns include the Frontenac Club, The Secret Garden Inn, The Rosemount Inn, Hochelaga Inn, and All Suites Whitney Manor. Each inn captures the history, heritage, and charm of Kingston’s past while offering modern amenities and service. From gourmet breakfasts to pastries baked in-house and fresh-pressed juice, stays at the Frontenac Club, The Secret Garden, The Rosemount Inn, and Hochelaga Inn all include breakfast service. At All Suites Whitney Manor, pick up some fresh local ingredients and craft your own breakfast using the in-suite kitchen.
Winter in downtown Kingston provides the perfect atmosphere to cozy up with a book and enjoy a hot drink. Pick out a book from one of the shops downtown like Berry and Peterson Booksellers on King Street or Novel Idea at the corner of Princess and Bagot, and head to Coffee and Company to indulge in their relaxing environment. Pick a spot by their floor-to-ceiling windows and enjoy the street scenes, and don’t forget to check out their selection of treats like scones, muffins, croissants, and squares.
In addition to its artist paints made in Kingston, Art Noise carries a selection of tools and hardware, gardening supplies, furniture paint, and home improvement supplies.
Stock up on bar soap, made on site using shea butter and essential oils. Choose from a variety of scents, including sandalwood and lavender. The shop also has a wide variety of hair care products, moisturizers, bath bombs, and deodorant, all locally made.
This locally owned refillery makes it easy to be green. Bring your empty containers and stock up on laundry detergent, dish soap, and body wash. You can also get made-in-Canada dishwasher tabs, wool dryer balls, toothpaste tablets, and sponges.
Need milk and bread? Tara carries local dairy and baked products, in addition to fresh produce from local farms and a wide variety of bulk products for baking and cooking.
Victor Mendes has been a leader in soccer for over three decades.
The 54-year-old Portugal-born and Kingston-raised soccer player and coach has made significant contributions to Kingston’s soccer landscape since he put on his first pair of cleats at the age of seven.
Discovering a passion for soccer
“For my family, soccer came first,” Mendes says on the support he received from his parents Jose and Laura.
While at Regiopolis-Notre Dame High School, he was named the boys senior soccer team’s most valuable player. He also played football and basketball in high school, but soccer was his true passion.
Mendes had some offers to play college soccer in the U.S. but decided to stay home and play for St. Lawrence College. There, he was named first-team all-star and most valuable player twice; he was the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association’s leading scorer on two occasions. Nationally, Mendes led the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association in scoring in 1992: the next year, he was tied for the national scoring lead.
Looking to the next generation
When his professional soccer career didn’t work out, Mendes knew what his next step would be. “I launched into an early career in coaching.”
Varsity sports teams of the Royal Military College of Canada participate in practices on August 29th, 2024. Photos by: Corporal Brandon J. Liddy. / Les équipes sportives du Collège militaire royal du Canada s’entraînent le 29 août 2024. Photos par : Caporal Brandon J. Liddy
In 1999, Mendes was named assistant coach of the Royal Military College Paladins women’s soccer team but soon moved to the men’s team. He took over the head coaching duties in 2003.
Over his 21 seasons at RMC, the wins were rare, but his players received life lessons that have led them to rewarding military careers. “We’re not here to win national championships, we’re here to attract the best leaders in the country,” Mendes says. “I have members of Special Forces who have played for me and people now working for the United Nations. The pride comes from what they do after they’re here and how they represent the college.”
Between 2004 and 2018, Mendes served as a video analyst with the Canadian Men’s National Soccer team. His analytical support has also helped teams from the National Soccer League and European teams.
From Canada to Italy and back
In 2022, Mendes was invited to be an unofficial adviser to legendary coach José Mourinho of Italy’s AS Roma. Mendes met Mourinho, also Portuguese, through Mendes’ friend and Roma assistant coach Nuno Santos.
“You come from a small city but there’s a recognition from people at a high level giving you credit and bringing you onto their staff,” says Mendes. “It’s like you are working at a fast-food restaurant and somebody asks you to work at a four-star restaurant for a month.”
Mendes has brought national team players to Kingston to give clinics for local players, promoted community outreach programs through the RMC soccer camp, and hosted coaches’ events at RMC.
For all his contributions to soccer in Kingston, Victor Mendes will be inducted into the Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame this May. The honour means a great deal to Mendes.
“These are my roots; this is where I wanted to make soccer better. For me coming from an immigrant family, my dad was in the construction business for 47 years and he put up drywall in thousands of homes. He came with nothing; this was kind of like my launching pad to make sure we gave back to the community and the country that we came to and that was so good to us.”
Giving back to the community
Mendes’ love for local soccer continues with a new project. With partners Nick and Lori Cozman, he has been working for the last 17 months to arrange construction of a state-of-the-art indoor multi-purpose indoor turf facility at John Machin Soccer Park in Kingston’s east end.
The $20-million building will be privately funded, Mendes says, and will feature a high-performance centre, sports science area, a banquet hall for 325 people and a full-size indoor soccer field, among other amenities.
“This is how I’m giving back to the city because, to be honest, there’s nothing here, there’s no development of soccer because there’s no facility.”
The indoor facility, complementing the 10 outdoor soccer fields of varying sizes at Machin Park, will fill a big gap in the sport community. A number of Kingston sport organizations currently travel to Belleville to access indoor turf. The east end facility will be bookable year-round by sport organizations, providing safe training space, whatever the weather.
“This is a passion project for us and it’s my way of leaving a stamp on Kingston for the rest of my life,” Mendes says. “We hope to be kicking a soccer ball in October of 2026.”
“I love the city. Do I want to see soccer at the highest level here? One hundred percent. We need facilities and this is why it’s so important that I put my stamp on it. This will be my legacy that I’ve been looking for.”
Spring is in the air and that means the return of Kingston favourites like trolley tours and 1000 Islands cruises, plus a new museum exhibition, Earth Day inspiration, and lots of live music.
Do you have an event you’d like featured on our monthly list? Add it to our Kingston events calendar for consideration. If you’re looking to submit a French-language event, please use our French submission form.
Click each image for information.
1. Kingston Botanical Market
Admission by donation (supports the Kingston Humane Society)
Looking for a fun, outdoor experience this March? How about one with a sweet treat as well? Maple Madness returns this March to Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area. This family-friendly event invites visitors to explore the maple sugar bush, learn how maple syrup is made, and enjoy freshly made pancakes with warm maple syrup.
Celebrating a seasonal favourite
In March, as temperatures begin to rise, sap begins to flow in maple trees. This signals the start of maple syrup season. For more than 40 years, Cataraqui Conservation has held Maple Madness in March. The conservation area’s demonstration sugar bush offers you the opportunity to get outdoors and see first-hand how maple syrup is made from tree sap. Both historic and modern methods of sap collection and syrup making are demonstrated.
After you explore the sugar bush, head over to the Outdoors Centre for face-painting and maple-themed crafts and displays. And of course, don’t forget to stop at the sugar shack, where you can purchase pancakes with warm syrup.
Maple Madness runs every weekend in March and every day during March Break (March 10–14) from 9 am to 4 pm. Online registration for Maple Madness 2025 is required, and there is an entrance fee of $5.25 for adults, and $3.75 for children.
New for 2025, Cataraqui Conservation will offer bus transportation on selected days, for those without cars. Details will be posted on the Maple Madness webpage when they are confirmed.
Much more this March
If you are planning a March Break trip to Kingston, check out our family packages for overnight stays, including a Maple Madness family package at the Holiday Inn Express Kingston Central. And learn about March of the Museums, offering a huge variety of free kid-friendly activities and exhibitions at local museums, galleries, and historic sites.
Looking for more maple in your life? Check out Mio Gelato’s March Kingstonlicious special, featuring two pints of Maple Madness gelato for $25. It’s made with local maple syrup and homemade maple cookie crunch. And every Sunday at the Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market this month, Salmon River Sugar Bush offers snow maple taffy for just $4. Learn more about Kingstonlicious.
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