Meet Ted Robinson, Kingston Pride’s Festival Director. He shared his top 10 favourite things about Kingston below.
I’m a recent transplant to the Kingston area, having moved here in 2018 from Toronto. I came to know Kingston a little bit during stopovers over the years while riding my bike to Montreal. Once I was here permanently I really discovered its charms and have fallen completely in love with all it has to offer. My foodie/wine geek/history nerd/cycling/swimming self gets everything it needs in Kingston, and since moving here I’ve never once looked back!
View this post on Instagram
Favourite Thing #1: The Locks at Kingston Mills
It doesn’t matter how many times I take visiting friends to see the locks at Kingston Mills, I’m still in awe of the amazing engineering marvel created by hand nearly 200 years ago. And it’s just one part of the remarkable Rideau Canal/Kingston Fortifications UNESCO World Heritage Site, right in our own backyard.
Favourite Thing #2: Breakfast at Morrison’s Restaurant
I step through the door at Morrison’s and I feel like I’m a kid again, out for breakfast with my dad after a house league hockey game. The lunch counter, the vinyl benches in the booths, the mini-boxes of cereal on the shelf – it’s perfect!
View this post on Instagram
Favourite Thing #3: Swimming at Gord Downie Pier
There’s something magical about the freedom you feel when you leap off the pier – what a fantastic way to celebrate summer in the city.
Favourite Thing #4: Walking around the Queen’s University campus
Queen’s is – without question – one of the most beautiful university campuses in Canada. And it’s even more interesting when you venture off the usual paths to discover some of what lies behind all that Kingston limestone! One of my favourite stops is the Agnes (the Agnes Etherington Art Centre). It has a remarkable permanent collection, great temporary exhibits, and it’s FREE!
View this post on Instagram
Favourite Thing #5: Downtown Princess Street
I think Kingston has one of the prettiest, and best-preserved, old Ontario streetscapes that you’ll find. Walking up Princess from King Street to Barrie Street and back again – and wandering into shops along the way –is a great way to while away an afternoon.
Favourite Thing #6: Sand Beach Wetlands Conservation Area on Amherst Island
If natural, sandy crescent beaches appeal to you, then this gem in the southwest corner of Amherst Island is for you. I love exploring the island by bike and stopping partway here for a refreshing swim at Sand Beach.
View this post on Instagram
Favourite Thing #7: Strolling through Cataraqui Cemetery
Strolling through a cemetery might not be to everyone’s taste, but I love the beauty and peace of this place. Throw in the fact that many of the city’s most notable characters rest here and you have the makings of a really lovely outing.
Favourite Thing #8: Fargo’s General Store in Marysville on Wolfe Island
I can’t go to Wolfe Island without stopping at Fargo’s. It’s such a brilliant example of what shopping used to be, replete with creaking wooden floors and shelves packed with fantastic local products – plus all the basics.
View this post on Instagram
Favourite Thing #9: Attending anything at The Grand Theatre
It doesn’t really matter to me what’s on stage, I just love sitting in the main auditorium and soaking in the atmosphere of this beautifully restored, classic old Ontario theatre.
Favourite Thing #10: Macdonald Park (King Street between Barrie and Emily)
Richardson Beach & Bath House, Newlands Pavilion, the Cenotaph, Murney Tower. There’s so much to explore in this one little corner of the city, and it’s all just a short walk from the heart of downtown.
Describe Kingston in three words: Welcoming, Vibrant, Enchanting
If Kingston had a theme song, what would it be? “Beautiful Life” – Ace of Base
Complete the sentence: Kingston makes me: “feel like I’ve arrived home.”
