Norma Rosier is a weaver, sewer, knitter, and spinner. Originally from Yorkshire, England, Norma became interested in spinning and weaving after seeing a spinning demonstration in Yorkshire and becoming curious about the creative process. “You can’t be around weavers a lot before you get sucked in,” she says. Norma joined a guild in Bradford, the centre of the British woollen industry, and learned how to weave.
In 1982, Norma took a rug weaving course in Wales; this made her decide she wanted to be a rug weaver. After meeting her husband, who was a woodworker, she asked him if he could build her a loom. He obliged. “He made me a wonderful loom,” says Norma. She then became a full-time weaver.
Norma wanted to make a living out of rug weaving, but everyone told her that the rugs were too nice to put on the floor, so selling them was difficult. So Norma thought, “Why not hang them?” She began tapestry making.
Norma and her husband decided to come to Canada after living in the Hebrides. “We were very keen on finding somewhere where I would meet other fibre artists. It was very important to come to an area like this where we had the guild.”
Norma says that she tends to stick to landscape and seascape designs both because she likes them, and also because it is easier to create horizontal patterns on the loom rather than vertical, which would result in much harsher lines. She has played with geometric patterns in the past but now focuses on landscape imagery. Norma says that she developed her style from photos she took in the Hebridean landscape. Her style was initially inspired from an early issue of the magazine Handwoven, which featured an article on a tapestry made for the Swedish Houses of Parliament, which comprised three panels stitched together. This is essentially the style that Norma does now, although not to the same scale. Instead of stitching the panels together, she prefers to keep a few inches of space between each panel, so your eyes fill in the negative space.
Creating tapestries can take a long time. For Norma, working a few hours each day, tapestries can take up to two to three months from start to finish. Each thread has six strands that – together – create a specific colour. Norma describes the threading process as something similar to that of a painter mixing paint.
Although Norma has taught classes in the past, her favourite thing to do is create. From a young age, she had the urge to create and has always found joy in making things. She reminds herself that with all the skills she has acquired, she truly enjoys what she does. She says that this is what keeps her going.
A member of the Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners guild (KHWS), Norma teaches beginner-level tapestry weaving workshops held at the guild’s studio space at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning.
She really enjoys teaching tapestry and rug weaving workshops, specifically at the beginner level. “It’s satisfying to take someone who has never done weaving before and getting them to the point where they can take it and run with it,” she says.
After taking a workshop with KHWS member Bridget Lewis on creative dyeing, Norma found it incredible to see how she could create her own colours. She has now been dyeing wool for knitting and fibre for spinning. She also has an at-home dye station (involving a microwave and her upstairs bathroom). Norma can now create any particular colour she wants.
Photo cutline: Two of Norma’s tapestries on display at the Tett Centre. The blue scenic tapestry utilizes wool from a mill in Scotland where Norma lived before coming to Kingston. Norma’s advice for those wanting to start weaving or any related craft is to get involved with fellow crafting groups, “because the people who get involved are the ones that stay,” adding that “until you become a part of a community, it can feel a bit isolating.” She has formed friendships and learned a lot from others at the guild.
Every year, the Wynn family designs a new corn maze that is perfect for an afternoon family outing or a “moonlit maze” adventure with friends. This year’s maze is themed “Under the sea.” Picture yourself in a submarine, taking part in an underwater expedition. As you explore, you’ll learn about the coral reef and sea creatures. Try to find all 10 “under the sea” images hidden within the maze.
Wynn Farms also offers pick-your-own or pre-picked apples (Macs, Lobo, Cortland, Spartan); pears and Honey Crisp apples (pre-picked only); caramel apples, hot cider, bouquets, pumpkins and gourds…and a campfire to warm up by if the day is chilly!
Head to Fruition Berry Farm to pick your own pumpkins or squash. After you are done picking, check out the farm’s Monarch Migration themed corn maze. This maze is made for all ages and includes a series of checkpoints to discover. As you finish the corn maze make sure to stop at the shop where you’ll find fresh goods including honey, apple cider, and jam.
Open: Saturday – Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm until the end of October. The farm is also open on the school PA Day on Monday, October 24.
Admission:
$6 per person (13 and up
$4 for kids (5 to 12 years)
Free admission for kids aged 4 and under
$20 family rate (two adults and up to five children)
Specializing in alternative, foreign, and classic movies, The Screening Room features some cult classics this month that are perfect for the fall season. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Donnie Darko, Night of the Living Dead, and Shaun of the Dead are among the October screenings. Check the website for dates and times.
Back for the 2022 season, Pumpkinferno transforms Fort Henry is an enchanted wonderland that is Pumpkinferno. Guests of all ages will love this spectacular outdoor experience of glowing pumpkins inside the walls of the historic site. Pumpkinferno runs seven evenings a week until October 31.
Take a walk through Lemoine Point Conservation Area, comprising 136 hectares of forest, fields, and marsh, with 11 kilometres of walking trails. As you explore the area, you will see many forms of foliage showing off different shades of fall colours.
Open: Daily from 7:30 am to 8 pm
Lemoine Point is one of eight local conservation areas (plus the Cataraqui Trail) that you can explore on the 2022 Hike Challenge. Hike your favourite trail and take a photo that illustrates what you love about that area. Hike four trails before November 27 for the half-challenge or eight for the full challenge. Submit your photos to a contest for a chance at a prize from Cataraqui Conservation. Learn more about the 2022 Hike Challenge.
Take advantage of the Kingston 1000 Islands fall cruise to get a spectacular view of the diverse autumn palette of Kingston and the Thousand Islands. Choose from a one-hour Discovery cruise or a three-hour Heart of the Islands lunch cruise (with live musical entertainment)
Open: Until October 23 (see more details on their website)
Take a relaxing ride on the Kingston Tour Trolley to take in the fall colours throughout the city. Listen to stories about the history of the Limestone City and enjoy the ride as you pass through sites such as Fort Henry, City Hall, and more. The Trolley Tour lasts an hour and fifteen minutes long and it is perfect for a family expedition.
A trip to Coffee and Company is sure to get you in the fall mood! Here you can choose from a variety of hot or cold beverages and baked goods. Be fresh and order their Milano with smooth caramel notes or stay original and order their spicy chai latte.
Open: Sunday – Thursday 7 am to 6 pm and Friday – Saturday 7 am to 7 pm
Located on Kingston’s waterfront, the Juniper Cafe is a hidden gem serving up café fare. Grab a latte to pair with a cinnamon bun or a cheddar and bacon sandwich with an apple compote.
Open: Monday – Saturday 8 am to 7 pm and Sunday 9 am to 5 pm
Get your pumpkin spice fix at Pan Chancho with a pumpkin Nanaimo bar or a pumpkin pie to take home. Continue the cozy fall vibes with a container of pear and parsnip soup or chipotle butternut squash soup.
Take a trip to General Brock’s Commissary to reveal a world of local goods. Local chocolatier Audrey Brown (Cocoa Bistro) has created a selection of tasty truffles and chocolates for the fall season, now available at the Commissary. Try the Warm Hugs, featuring milk chocolate ganache with warm spices and a piece of ginger.
Open: Tuesday – Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday noon – 4 pm
GET INSPIRED
Tim Forbes/Forbes Photographer. http://www.forbesphotographer.comTim Forbes/Forbes Photographer. http://www.forbesphotographer.com
Take a walk through the city and experience the beautiful fall colours. Some stand-out locations include the Waterfront Pathway, Queen’s University campus (where a number of limestone buildings have magnificent displays of ivy changing from green to red), and Lake Ontario Park. Where is your favourite place in Kingston to experience the best of fall?
Kingston Penitentiary and Canada’s Penitentiary Museum
It was a manifestation of immense colonial hubris – one of the most expensive public works projects of its day, an architectural marvel built on the backs of those it would incarcerate. It was also the scene of brazen escapes, of riots with tragic outcomes, and of the often unspeakable cruelty of the prison experience. For nearly 180 years, Kingston Penitentiary would serve as Canada’s oldest and most notorious prison, incarcerating men, women, and children.
Kingston Penitentiary’s imposing North Gate in the 1880s. Photo credit: Library and Archives Canada PA-046244, courtesy of Canada’s Penitentiary Museum.
Like Grace Marks, a 16-year old Irish immigrant, the first woman to be convicted of murder in Upper Canada, and the inspiration for Alias Grace, a novel by Margaret Atwood. Marks was housed in Kingston Penitentiary from 1843 until 1872.
Marie-Anne Houde, convicted of murdering her stepdaughter, Aurore Gagnon, was also held here in 1920 after her death sentence was commuted. She remained in the Kingston Penitentiary until 1935.
Kingston Pen also housed “go-boys” – prison slang for those who manage to escape. Michael Ondaatje used the Pen as a site from which his fictional Caravaggio escapes in the novel In the Skin of a Lion. But a number of prisoners successfully escaped the Pen in real life, like Norman “Red” Ryan, who broke out in 1923, and Ty Conn, who escaped in 1999.
In Kingston Penitentiary, Roger “Mad Dog” Caron, documented his 24 years in Canada’s prison system in the memoir Go-Boy! Memories of a Life Behind Bars, which would go on to receive a Governor General Award for non-fiction in 1978. Caron once said of his incarcerated life, “I lived in a jungle. I survived in a jungle. Every conceivable thing that could be done to a person in prison happened to me.”
“Kingston Penitentiary bares the extremes of the human experience: death and life, fear and hope, confinement and solitude – we try to shine a light on that world,” says Cameron Willis, Operations Supervisor and Research Assistant at the award-winning Canada’s Penitentiary Museum, which dedicates itself to the preservation and interpretation of the histories of Canada’s federal penitentiaries.
An early 20th century photograph of Cedarhedge, the residence of the warden of Kingston Penitentiary. Photo courtesy of Canada’s Penitentiary Museum
Lodged within Cedarhedge, the stately home that once served as residence for the warden of Kingston Penitentiary, the museum exhibits were originally based on a small collection of contraband items assembled in the 1950s and 1960s and historic documents saved from the scrapheap during the same period by conscientious officers of Kingston Penitentiary. Canada’s Penitentiary Museum today houses eight rooms devoted to art created by incarcerated persons, prison industries, escape paraphernalia, contraband, and uniforms from the course of the prison’s history.
Kingston Penitentiary predates the Canadian confederacy in 1867, designed, built, and opened in the twilight years of Upper and Lower Canada. A halfway point between Montreal and Toronto, Kingston was selected to house the prison, as it combined “the advantages of perfect salubrity, ready access to the water, and abundant quantities of fine limestone,”
“Kingston Penitentiary is a beautiful piece of architecture, built in a neoclassical-inspired design – partially designed and supervised by William Coverdale, who was also behind Sydenham Street Church and City Hall in Kingston’s Market Square,” explains Willis. “The first cell block – which has stones marked 1833 – was also built by over a hundred day labourers, some who had worked on the Rideau Canal. But the rest of the penitentiary was built with prison labour – a incredible fact in itself.”
“Kingston Penitentiary set a template for the rest of the development of the federal prison system, serving as the model, not only in terms of its architecture, but in the intangible human elements that created the system: the rules and regulations, the way in which prisoners were treated, the way they were dressed, the discipline of the guards. All of this informed the new federal prisons that were opened after Confederation across Canada,” he continues.
Photo credit: Kingston Association of Museums/ Wing Studios
Willis, who has investigated and studied the lives of incarcerated persons over the course of Kingston Penitentiary’s history, adds that, depending on the time period, some in Canada’s cultural mosaic – Irish, Italian or Eastern European immigrants at one time, and Indigenous, Black, and French Canadians at another – have been overrepresented in the prison population, the result of broader prejudices and inequities in Canadian society.
“During the 19th and early 20th centuries, for example, Francophones in Ontario were reputed to be more criminally inclined than Anglophones,” explains Willis. “The museum collection includes a report from 1862 where Warden Donald Aeneas MacDonell claims that French Canadians are a duplicitous and untrustworthy bunch, expressing his concern that they were tricksters and could not follow discipline.”
Roger Caron was perhaps the most famous Franco-Ontarian incarcerated at Kingston Penitentiary. Caron spent much of his adolescence and adult life in Canadian reformatories, jails, and prisons. He captured the tragedy of Kingston Penitentiary’s 1971 riot, which he documented in Bingo! The Horrifying Eyewitness Account of a Prison Riot.
“The 1971 riot was front page news for many days – it started with the hostage taking of six officers, it lasted five days and resulted in the death of two prisoners,” says Willis. “During the riot, much of the prison was destroyed. We still have the broken bell that was used to ring in prisoners to and from their cells and workplaces. It had been there for 50 years, a symbol of an earlier time period – and when it fell, it was in some ways the symbolic death knell of what was left of the old penitentiary system.”
Over the course of its history, conditions at Kingston Penitentiary would spark prison reforms – despite Charles Dickens’ praise, who in 1842 described the prison as “admirable” and “humanely run”. It was just a few short years, however, before the prison documented the repeated corporal punishments inflicted on eight-year-old Antoine Beauche, the youngest prisoner on record at the penitentiary, for “offences of the most childish character,” and the flogging of Alex Lafleur, eleven years old, for speaking in French.
The museum documents the changing living conditions over Kingston Penitentiary’s long history. Photo credit: Kingston Association of Museums/ Wing Studios
The Brown Commission, a “scathing indictment of inhumane treatment” by politician and Toronto Globe editor George Brown in 1849, also catalysed reform. But real change was slow in coming. It took further advocacy on the part of Agnes MacPhail, Canada’s first female Member of Parliament, who was moved to action after news of a prison riot at Kingston Penitentiary in 1923. MacPhail saw first-hand the deplorable conditions at the penitentiary and worked for further reform throughout the 1930s and 1940s.
“The strict discipline and severe conditions were often justified by administrators, the press and members of the public by reference to the “dangerous and desperate characters” who ended up behind its walls – that’s quoting from a 1907 article in The Ottawa Citizen,” says Willis. “But it was also a site, in common with other federal prisons in the 1950s and 1960s, where prisoners organised activities, like sports, concerts, newsletters, even a radio show – and the Museum features exhibits on these subjects.”
Willis says that his favourite room is the museum’s exhibit of historic and contemporary art by the incarcerated, often praised by museumgoers. “In general, the closure of Kingston Penitentiary in 2013 and the subsequent walking tours have greatly increased interest in its history, and in the number of visitors coming to the museum.”
“What was once a maximum-security federal prison has been transformed into a place – one hopes – of learning and discovery,” he says. “Canada’s Penitentiary Museum continues to help the public learn from the past to better inform our present and our future.”
The Penitentiary Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 am to 4 am, until the end of October, and re-opens to the public in spring 2023. For more information, visit penitentiarymuseum.ca. Kingston Pen Tours run until the end of October. Tickets are available online.
An interview with Kingston poet Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang
Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang doesn’t see herself as the kind of writer who needs to write, who must write each day. Instead, she comes to the blank page when she can find the time, usually driven and panicked by a deadline with her local writing group, to sort through what’s on her mind, what she has “complicated feelings” about.
Most days, these feelings circle around her three children, their continual and ever-evolving needs and desires, and the shape of their family life together, nestled in a cozy, book-filled home in Kingston’s Inner Harbour neighbourhood.
“Parenting is all-consuming and is always just right there. I am usually trying to figure out what the need is at a particular moment and why I can’t meet this need,” says Tsiang, an award-winning poet, editor, teacher, and children’s/young adult author. “I’m always evaluating where my kids are at and what I need to be doing to help them and push them in the right direction.
“My husband has also joked that I’m dead inside, that I have no connection to my feelings. And so I think writing poems helps me to untangle what’s going on inside.”
Tsiang released her third book of poetry, Grappling Hook (Palimpsest Press), earlier this year, and will head to Kingston WritersFest this week to join a panel of poets dissecting the “intimate and messy realities of motherhood, femininity, desire, and identity.” She will also host another event, exploring the writing life with renowned local writer Helen Humphreys.
In Grappling Hook, Tsiang delicately examines both the small details and the vast questions that arise amidst the sweep of daily life. She roots the reader, and then swiftly leads them to expansion and contemplation, as in the poem “Globe,” which begins with her son waking from a bad dream, soon crawling into her bed:
“What infinites. What magnitudes / are the reach of your questions / between our interlaced hands. / Read the equator of our lifelines, the latitudes / of fingers accustomed to the triangle, longitudes / of our limited reach.”
Tsiang easily manoeuvres from the personal to the universal, connecting to larger truths through her own openness and vulnerability. She doesn’t hesitate to examine complex societal questions, patriarchy and the #MeToo movement for example, or struggles and shifts happening within her own neighbourhood and community. Place – her home in Kingston – infuses itself naturally into her work, and is also a central focus of certain poems, such as “Kingston Pen” and “The Cataraqui Street Verses” in her debut collection, Sweet Devilry (Oolichan Books).
“A large part of what I write about is place, and I don’t think you can write without place. You can’t separate it from what’s happening,” says Tsiang, who grew up in Peterborough and has now lived in the same Kingston house for 16 years.
She and her husband initially thought it would be a starter home and they would move on. But they quickly became rooted, finding close connections with neighbours, and for Sarah, within the writing community. “We are now embedded like ticks,” she jokes. “Even when we were both working out of the city in Toronto, we didn’t want to leave. I often say now that I want to die in this house and haunt it.”
A large part of the pull to Kingston is Tsiang’s involvement in The Villanelles, a group of local poets she founded in her early days in the city (by putting up posters inviting local writers to join). Dubbed the “Kingston poetry pack,” the group has evolved over the years and now includes Nancy Jo Cullen, Sadiqa de Meijer, Ashley-Elizabeth Best, Susan Olding, Y.S. Lee, Kirsteen MacLeod, and Tsiang. They meet each week (online since the pandemic began) and workshop each other’s writing – providing a supportive and encouraging environment, and the weekly deadline Tsiang loves and needs.
Tsiang also credits the City of Kingston’s child-care subsidy for helping her build time early in her career to write, and she feels deeply connected to the arts community through Kingston WritersFest, which has supported all of her books and often gave her that boost of professionalism she needed at critical moments, of feeling valued as a writer.
“As poets, we’re all in the trenches together. We know we will never be well-known, so when people come up to you at WritersFest and tell you how much they enjoyed your book, it’s an amazing feeling. The festival makes me feel connected in a way I don’t while writing.”
A rare outgoing poet, Tsiang is a natural networker, it seems, and she extends her extensive knowledge of the craft of writing to her teaching (she has taught at Sheridan College, UBC, and Queen’s) and to her work as an editor (of other books and at Arc Poetry magazine) and creative director of Poetry in Voice, a non-profit organization that promotes poetry and brings poets to Canadian classrooms.
“It is an exciting organization to be a part of – to see poets in classrooms, and kids learning about poetry. Every single child is converted,” Tsiang says. “And Kingston has so many poets – we should all be in the schools sharing our stories and our knowledge.”
See Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang at Kingston WritersFest on September 29 – Dogs and the Writing Life, and on September 30 – Mother Tongue: Identities in Verse. Follow Tsiang on Instagram, where she posts 10-minute poems along with artwork by Natasha and Victoria Tsiang.
When Iain Reid moved back to Kingston several years after his stint here as a Queen’s student, he initially planned on just staying for the summer. His debut memoir, One Bird’s Choice: A Year in the Life of an Over-educated, Underemployed Twentysomething Who Moves Back Home, had just come out, and he was working on a second about road-tripping with his grandmother. He figured Kingston would be a good place to lay low and get some work done. Over a decade later, he’s still here.
“I just liked it so much,” says Reid. “I felt like I was productive here. There are lots of places to walk, it’s quiet, it just kind of fits what I like to do. I started to feel like I was seeing the city in a totally different way than I did as a student.”
Reid is also a big fan of the Kingston WritersFest. At the 2022 event, he joined KWF director Aara MacAuley on stage for a conversation about his new novel, We Spread. This is far from Reid’s first experience with the festival – he was there as a spectator in 2009, a year before One Bird’s Choice was published, then returned the next year as one of the featured authors. He remembers being impressed by the festival both as an attendee and as a speaker.
“It’s such a well-run festival; it’s always been that way,” says Reid. “It’s always been very well organized. I’m always so impressed by the number of volunteers, too, because festivals like this can’t operate without lots of volunteers. And, of course, not without lots of people who are interested in coming and getting tickets and being part of the discussion.”
Though Reid began his writing career with back-to-back memoirs, these days he’s better known as the author of three genre-bending novels. He finds fiction more challenging to write than non-fiction – “because anything’s possible” – but ultimately more interesting and rewarding. The result is a blend of literature, horror, and science fiction, all detailed in Reid’s signature spare prose. And while Reid’s books might be hard to categorize, it feels safe to say that few writers know how to deliver the same creeping sense of domestic unease.
We Spread delivers the same uncanniness as Reid’s previous novels, I’m Thinking of Ending Things and Foe, but that’s where the similarities end. It follows the story of Pennie, an elderly woman who’s being moved to a long-term care facility after an accident, which she’s told is only one in a series of “incidents.” She’s also told that her partner, who died years ago, set this move up with her consent – except that she knows nothing about this. Things only get weirder from there.
While We Spread includes elements of suspense and science fiction, the original idea for the story is very much grounded in the real world: Reid’s experience of his grandmother living with dementia in a care facility. Though dementia isn’t explicitly mentioned in the novel, and Reid says it wasn’t the main thing he was focused on while writing it, he can’t help thinking about what it means to live through what he calls “extreme old age.”
“I think a lot of times, there’s this idea that you can’t really talk to people with severe dementia and really interact with them,” says Reid. “And yet, why is the onus on them to try and understand our world, instead of trying to connect with them or understand them in a new way? So, I think I was really interested in all those things, how people connect and that you can still make connections at each stage of your life. When you reach your 90s…that’s a place in time or an age that we should – I think – value a lot more than we do. It seems to me that we just kind of diminish it or are scared of it.”
If Reid had to pick a theme that connects his three novels – which, plot-wise, are entirely dissimilar – he thinks it would be relationships. So, in a way, it makes sense that this book is indirectly about his grandmother, with whom Reid had a close relationship (she’s the same grandmother that he went on the road trip with in his second memoir). He thinks about her often, and the type of wisdom he received from her right up until the end.
“The fact that there’s a finite amount of time that we get, that’s really the thing that creates meaning more than anything,” says Reid. “So instead of being frightened of it, it seems like that’s a stage to embrace, as ‘I’m lucky to be here,’ even with the certain issues that may arise. I think my grandma embraced it in that way. So, it kind of reshaped how I thought about old age in my own life and think about if I ever get to be that old that I want to embrace it in that same way.”
We Spread by Iain Reid is now available at Novel Idea in downtown Kingston and at Bookland in the west end.
A unique sector of Kingston’s artistic community is the world of textile art. This artistic niche includes anything from fibre art to weaving and spinning.
Photo credit: Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning
Discover work from Kingston’s established fibre artist Bethany Garner and her advice to young artists. Bethany has been creating art for much of her life and continues to find inspiration wherever she is. She enjoys sharing her craft with others by teaching workshops and taking on students.
Bethany Garner: Fibre Artist
Bethany Garner is a local fibre artist in Kingston. She has a long history of both creating and teaching art in the Kingston area and beyond. Bethany has traveled across Canada, the US, and the UK sharing her knowledge and her passion for art.
Bethany has graduate education in textile design, typography, cartography, and photography. She has been an instructor at the St. Lawrence College Textile and Arts Program for 22 years and has been the owner and director of the FIBREWORKS Kingston Weekend Workshops Program since 2015. While she currently lives just outside of Kingston, Bethany is originally from Michigan. She was first introduced to crafting by her grandmothers who were skilled sewers.
Bethany describes her artistic style to be contemporary and fine art-focused. She utilizes abstract design, colour, contrast, and relationship value to create unique pieces with original dyed and painted fabrics. She describes her pieces to be simple enough to entice someone to get close to it, and exciting enough to consider collecting. Her style was not always contemporary, and she has changed her approach over the years discovering new ways to create. Bethany is always keen on challenging herself and creating new pieces and often learns new things during the design process. Although she enjoys creating, her first priority is education and sharing with her students.
Bethany enjoys hiking and being outdoors. Much of her inspiration stems from nature and is reflected in her artwork. Whether it be woodlands, lakes, rivers, or wetlands, Bethany finds both comfort and inspiration in the natural world.
The camp she just wrapped up had 26 women from all over Ontario and from Quebec. For a week they worked on several different projects using techniques like flat dying, monoprinting, and rust dying. Everything starts as white cloth which is then dyed to create colourful patterns and designs. Bethany also teaches these techniques at workshops at the Tett Centre.
Bethany uses a variety of innovative techniques and is always exploring new ways of doing things. She often suggests moving away from patterns and instructions and embracing the experimental process. One method that is particularly intriguing is ice dying or snow dying. After the material is wrapped up and placed in a colander, snow is placed on top, and dye on top of the snow. While the snow melts, the dye creates a pattern on the material.
Bethany says that the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, where she has been for many years now, is a warm and welcoming environment with a great support system. The Kingston community is full of support networks and resources that continues to grow. Her advice to young artists is to develop their own vision of the world they live in. “Find things that excite you, calm you, and explore how colour can affect your mood to create,” she says.
Bethany also participates in quilt restoration and conservation. For over 30 years she has provided quilt documentation, conservation, and educational services for the Arts and Quilt Guilds, groups, private individuals, private and corporate collectors, and museums as the Director of the Eastern Ontario Quilt Documentation Project.
Bethany is part of Kingston’s Tett Centre as a Creativity Studio Artist resident. To find out more about Bethany’s list of workshops visit her website for details on classes and dates. She is also a local authorized dealer for Ashford Wheels and Looms.
Kingston is known for its historic charm, its rich arts and cultural scene, and its iconic Lake Ontario waterfront. But it is also notable for its many unique stores. In Resonance Consultancy’s recent “Canada’s best small cities” survey, Kingston ranks third overall in the country. Kingston also ranks in first place in the shopping subcategory, “with all the generic selections you’d expect in far larger cities, but also plenty of fiercely independent boutiques and retailers, ranging from daring jewellers to some of the best-stocked thrift stores you’ll find in Canada.” Kingston’s shopping scene is truly well-rounded, with a great selection of locally owned stores that have everything you’re looking for. Here are just a few of our favourites:
If you are a lover of books visit Berry and Peterson Booksellers on King Street East. This unique space has books in every nook and cranny and fills two levels of the store. Berry and Peterson Booksellers is full of age-old classics, lightly used books, and hidden gems.
This independent Kingston bookstore has been selling new fiction and non-fiction books since 1988. Novel Idea Bookstore specializes in carrying hard-to-find titles by local authors. If something is not in stock, they are happy to place an order. They also carry journals, planners, calendars, magazines, and literary periodicals.
Bookland is a new and used bookstore in Kingston’s west end that has all your favourites. Find used copies of popular titles or explore a variety of genres and new releases. The knowledgeable store owner will help you select the perfect book you are looking for. If something is not in stock, Bookland will order it in for you.
Brian’s Record Option was established in April of 1980. Brian’s downtown Kingston store has a wide selection of used and new records, CDs, cassettes, 45s, 78s, DVDs, VHS tapes, posters, and sheet music. For those visiting for the first time, the store can be a bit overwhelming, but Brian knows exactly where to find what you are looking for.
Owners Matt and Tanya opened their downtown record shop in November of 2018. After moving between Toronto, Ottawa, and Kingston for the last 15 years, the couple decided to return to Kingston and open the store here. Something Else Records has a collection of new and used records, books, cassettes, LP accessories, record players, record storage, local music and art. They also buy vinyl.
Gary, the owner of Zap Records, is a true music lover. Established in 1991, Zap has new & used records, CDs & music collectables. Zap also offers cash for vinyl and takes requests for CDs and records. The owner has also created a guide of live music venues in the city and an archive of Kingston concert photos on Zap’s website. Visit Zap Records to see the collection of great titles gathered from over the years.
The Antique Emporium is full of wonderous objects from the past. The store houses antiques, vintage and repurposed industrial pieces, and new décor and giftware. When you walk inside you will be surrounded by all kinds of things both old and new. Check out their Instagram to see the latest collections and antique pieces.
Antique Alley has been in downtown Kingston for more than 45 years. It is a collectible and antique shop tucked away in the back of an alley on Wellington Street. The outside is quite deceiving as once you enter the shop you will be amazed at the 4,000 square feet of inventory inside. Ask Gayle and Gary if you need any assistance finding what you need.
Owner Michelle and her family have worked together to create a unique shopping experience at The Carson House. This upscale consignment furniture and home décor store has a variety of pieces inside a 5,000 square foot showroom. The staff will be sure to tell you the stories behind the eclectic finds on display.
Modern Primitive has been a local Kingston store since 1991. In early August the original downtown location suffered from extensive damage caused by a fire. Luckily, everyone was safe. While the loss of their long-running downtown location has been a shock, Modern Primitive has a second location in the Cataraqui Centre that remains open. This store is full of treasures and one-of-a-kind pieces including trinkets, jewellery, and clothing.
Check out Cloth Clothing during your next downtown shopping spree. Cloth supplies women’s fashion and accessories from a variety of brands with unique styles. Whether you are looking for casual, classic, or elegant outfits, Cloth has everything you need. Owner Cheryl Walker has over 30 years of experience in the industry and is very knowledgeable about her products.
Tara Natural Foods, located downtown on Princess Street, is an excellent store for all things health food. When you walk into the store you are hit with an immediate aroma of herbs and spices. Find fresh produce, vitamins, and other natural food products for sale. Check out their Facebook page for updates on arrivals of speciality products.
This late 19th century building, now home to Cooke’s Fine Foods, used to be the “Italian Warehouse” that opened in 1865. The same floors, counters, and tin ceiling – although with a few coats of paint – are still intact today. Hugh Cooke’s vision was to offer customers fine foods and excellent service. Products were shipped along with props for merchandising purposes to create a unique space and offer rare products. Some of these vintage items are still in the store today. If you are looking for kitchen essentials, fine cheeses, or gourmet coffee, Cooke’s is the place to visit. They also have a variety of other products and a portion of items available for online ordering.
In 1812, General Brock established a commissary on Brock Street to purchase supplies from local farmers, producers, and artisans to ensure that the garrison and citizens of Kingston would have a steady supply of essentials. Today’s Commissary continues that tradition by bringing in the best of locally produced Ontario condiments, cheese, charcuterie, specialty food, and meals. Visitors will also find a delightful assortment of Canadian-themed gifts and souvenirs that reflect Kingston’s heritage.
Kingston Olive Oil Company is a family-owned business in downtown Kingston. Owner Shaun Finucane says that travelling and experiencing good food helped them with opening their own tasting bars in Kingston and Prince Edward County where they import extra virgin olive oil. Olives are grown and pressed by small artisans and farmers where they important seasonally according to crush date. Balsamic vinegars are aged in wood casks and imported from Modena, Italy. Visit the store on Brock Street and sample your choice of olive oil and see what other products are available.
BSE was established in 1997 by Jay Bridges. Jay used to be the senior photographer for SBC Skateboard Magazine. While the store started out in a van in the late 90s, Jay eventually opened a shop in Belleville and finally Kingston in 2013. The shop now includes a coffee bar serving Quietly Coffee and a private back courtyard. At BSE you’ll find decks, hard goods, apparel, and shoes that reflects the modern skating scene.
Established in 1987, Classic Video is Kingston’s only video rental store with over 50,000 DVDs and Blu-rays. Find new releases and old classic films to rent. The staff is friendly, and the selection is excellent. If you are looking for something specific, ask the staff and they will be happy to help you find it.
Stop by Sterling for fine silver jewellery. Shop necklaces, bracelets, and earrings in a variety of designs. Whether you are looking for the perfect gift or something for yourself, this downtown Kingston store has great customer service and a wide range of unique products that will have you leaving with something you love.
It is to shatter the fourth wall of the stage that Les Soliloques write their songs. To “face the mirror, the clear and lucid image of their experience.” To daydream dans la lune – and share their creation in perfect communion with their spectator.
“Your song is your moment on stage, when you cross the bridge of this fourth wall to share your monologues – your soliloquy – with your audience,” explain Erika Lamon and Max Nolet, the Franco-Ontarian duo who give body and soul to Les Soliloques.
Formed in Kingston in 2016, but originally from southern and eastern Ontario, Les Soliloques are at home in the Limestone City, a musical haven that fuels their creative spirit.
“The scene here is impressive!” exclaims Max. “Kingston loves its artists very much – the city has had a lot of funding and energy to encourage its artists. And we want to make this city a vibrant artistic community,” continues Erika.
It was on the scene that Max and Erika first set eyes on each other. In 2014, both young artists took part in JAM on TFO, a series featuring the next generation of Franco-Ontarian talent on the eve of a performance at the FrancoFolies de Montréal, the largest Francophone music scene in North America.
But before the follies of l’amour, the imperative of creation!
“We met for the first time in this creative universe. Everyone who took part in JAM had put their life aside for a week to prepare the show together,” explains Erika.
“We could relate in many ways, even though we are very different,” says Max. “The more we talked about music, the more we discovered what we had in common. We shared our universes with each other, giving rise to our own creative universe.”
A two-person paysage, this creative universe has blossomed, also serving as a sacred refuge for the couple, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the duo had to briefly bow out of the scene.
“It’s funny, all of a sudden, we couldn’t perform anymore. We went virtual like everyone else, but the impact wasn’t there,” says Max. Erika continues, “Sometimes we allowed ourselves to neglect our creation, but the pandemic allowed us to really say, “We’re creating.” It reminds you that this is why you’re an artist.”
Or as Max wrote on Les Soliloques’compelling blog, “when the artist does not create, he dies slowly, à petit feu (by small fire – or as is said in English, “he dies slowly like a boiled frog.”).” And abandoning the flame is out of the question, ensuring instead a creative flambée for the couple.
“We’re both artists living together – we have a rule: if someone has a song idea, they can drop everything and then go write. These ideas can just disappear, and you never know if you’re going to get them back!” explains Erika.
Les Soliloques create much in the same way as many artists in Francophone Ontario have done before them – in French, in English – claiming and defending their bilingualism as a tongue of creation. Inhabited by their cultural experience, their music and parlé (speak) rooted in the uniqueness of a linguistic duality, Les Soliloques are a testimonial to the realities of the Franco-Ontarian community.
“It’s part of who we are,” says Erika. “I had my project in English, but I always felt there was something missing – French. You have to live what resonates with you. For us, it’s really the two languages blending together.”
“It happens pretty often after a show, where someone will say “I didn’t understand anything but I liked listening to you,” she continues, quickly succeeded by Max, who adds: “Often we’ll play a tune or two in French, and people will take an interest in our shows – they come to us even if they don’t understand a word!”
With the reopening of communities in Ontario, Les Soliloques have reinvented themselves as bêtes de scène eager for the limelight in Kingston and beyond, wandering from the Musiikki Cafe and the Centre culturel Frontenac to the scène at Contact ontarois, a Franco-Ontarian cultural rendez-vous for artists and their fans.
Les Soliloques have their gaze trained on their promising future. Erika reaped the fruits of her labour during the pandemic, releasing her next album, Hues (Side A), which touches on the different nuances of relationships with others and with oneself. This album reflects on the struggle for clarity whilst tainted by one’s own hues; to be both the painter and the painted.
Max, meanwhile, is working on Les Soliloques’ album: “We had several songs that existed only on stage, and to these are added several compositions we developed during the lockdowns. Each is very personal in its own way without being autobiographical. But in a world where everything was out of our control, the issue of free will haunted me a lot.”
The quest for Les Soliloques’ perfect communion with their spectator on the stage in Kingston and throughout French Ontario continues: “It is through poetry, through beat, through harmony that we invite the spectator to cross the threshold of the fourth wall. To add their voice to ours – in French, in English – and to lose themselves in our music. So that we might find ourselves again.”
In Kingston’s east end you will find Fort Henry National Historic Site, the Royal Military College, and beautiful green spaces. Fort Henry has exciting summer events like the Sunset Ceremony that runs until the end of August and in the fall, Pumpkinferno. Historically, this area has been largely used as a military space but has since expanded into the city. Today, the east side of Kingston has many scenic outdoor spaces, a craft brewery, shops, and museums. Discover the must-see spots of the east end with this list of neighbourhood gems.
At the corners of highways 15 and 2, the Barriefield Rock Garden is accessible by foot from Barriefield’s Main Street. With perennials and trees complementing the surrounding limestone rock, the garden also offers pathways and seating areas for the traveller to stop and take in the beauty of nature. Created in 1990 by Bill Robb, a retired engineering technician, the garden is maintained by volunteers.
For freshly grown local produce, check out Salt of the Earth Farm. This neighbourhood gem offers produce for sale at their farmstands. From June to October, visit the stand at the gates of the farm on Highway 2. They also offer eggs, beef, and maple syrup.
Arrowhead Beach Park
This park is perfect for swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, and other water activities. There is a small sandy area, and lots of other natural spots to explore. Arrowhead Beach is a must-visit spot in the east end if you are looking for a pleasant area to walk, cycle, or swim.
This museum is located just east of the Royal Military College and Fort Henry. Explore military technology of the past as well as other historical military collections. The main gallery has several displays illustrating the chronology of the Military Communications and Electronic Branch, from the late 19th century to modern day. See the website for various ticket prices and tour bookings.
Fine Balance Brewing Company is a Kingston-based craft brewery with a taproom and bottle shop located on Innovation Drive. Their goal is to strike a balance between new world modern beers, like NE Hazy IPAs, and old-world classics like pilsners, styles that are not always accessible in Kingston. Fine Balance often collaborates with other local establishments and just recently released a sour beer in partnership with Mio Gelato.
Kingston East Community Centre
The Kingston East Community Centre opened its doors in spring of 2022. This new facility has a variety of features and amenities with gyms, splash pads, meeting rooms, tennis courts, and more. Check the website for more information on programs and services.
Treat your dog to some fun in the sun and visit this amazing east side spot. Grass Creek Park has an off-leash dog park for your pup to run around and get some exercise. There is also a sandy beach, picnic tables, and play equipment. If you go get out onto the water, the park offers a cordoned-off swim area as well as a small craft/boat launch.
Discover the value of tea at Enchanted Creations Tea Shoppe, located at 1559 Hwy 15. Talk to store owner Wanda to learn more about tea and find the perfect one for you. Enchanted Creations offers a wide selection of teas supplying black tea, chai tea, green tea, oolong tea, matcha tea, and other speciality tea collections. They also have sourdough bread and a bakery in the works.
Enjoy draft selections from old favourites to new and local products when you visit the Duchess Pub in the east end located on Highway 15. The pub offers an elegant yet cozy atmosphere and a patio available in the summer months. Try some pub favourites like fish and chips, nachos, chicken wings, and sandwiches.
Looking for an east-side sushi spot? Try Maki Sushi and explore their extensive sushi and noodle menu. Start off with some miso soup and then try some of their speciality maki rolls like the Red Dragon maki rolled with fried shrimp, avocado, smoked salmon, teriyaki sauce, green onion, and mayo sauce. Or try the Ocean Rainbow maki wrapped with fried shrimp, cucumber, avocado, salmon, fish egg, flavoured with teriyaki sauce, mayo sauce, and topped with mango.
This year’s Intercultural Arts Festival is a free, family-friendly event and will run from 11:30 am to 6 pm on Sunday, September 4 at Confederation Basin. Some of the festival attractions will include a fashion show, food vendors, performances, and workshops. Try authentic flavours from around the world, learn something new in one of the cultural workshops, or watch one of the many extraordinary performances celebrating Canada’s pluralism. Celebrate Kingston’s rich diversity through food, music, art, and culture.
Kingston RibFest and Craft Beer is happening this September. You won’t want to miss out on the glorious combination of ribs and beer. Admission is free and the festival includes live entertainment and a kid’s fun zone. Food prices range from $12 to $30. Food offerings include barbecued ribs and chicken, and of course, craft beers. There are 16 breweries with 40 – 50 different samplings. Featured breweries include Bangarang, Broadhead, Clear Lake, Collective Arts, Daft, Duntroon Cyder House, Founders, Hard Way Cider, IX Poets, Mackinnon Brothers, Niagara Cider, Riverhead Brewing, Skeleton Park, Slake, Spearhead, and The Collingwood Brewery. If you don’t typically reach for beer, other options include coolers, ciders, and non-alcoholic beverages. Sit back and enjoy live entertainment from Clem Chesterfield, Texas King, Lotus Shaker, Wing Night, Tonekats, Jon Jones, and Celtic Kitchen Party. This event is rain or shine.
This year marks the 190th Kingston Fall Fair. There has been a two-year absence due to the pandemic, but the fair has run annually since 1830 and this year the Kingston Fall Fair returns on September 15 – 18. The fair features a variety of activities, events, and entertainment. This year features include My Heart Soars – O’Siem, Frontenac 4H Association, Demolition Derby, and Country Singing Showdown. There are also competitions in culinary arts, homecraft, and flowers, fruits, and vegetables, as well as photography, horse shows, and more. Admission for adults (18+) is $10, students (6 – 17) is $5, and children (5 and under) are free. 4-day admission passes are $30 for adults and $15 for students.
One of the reasons to be proud to be Canadian is because we are home to one of the most delectable dishes ever created: poutine. Between September 22 and 25, plan a visit to the Kingston Memorial Centre and enjoy Kingston Poutine Feast. Try poutine from an assortment of vendors from across Ontario while enjoying other attractions and music.
Kingston WritersFest was launched in 2006 by group of volunteers and help from the Kingston Frontenac Public Library. Since then, they have developed outreach programs for local children and youth as well as their signature annual WritersFest. This event welcomes an audience of 6,000 to more than 50 events and features some 70 authors, from the Kingston region, Canada, and around the globe. Kingston WritersFest’s goals are to connect readers and writers in inclusive conversations and promote diverse literary expression.
Fine Balance Brewing owner Andrew Silver started his company in Kingston in October 2020. He had planned to open his east end brewery earlier that year, but the timing was unfortunate. “When the pandemic hit, we actually had just started a week’s worth of construction,” he says.
The pandemic didn’t stop Andrew from opening his brewery, but it did influence what the brewery would entail. “It changed a few things…we bought a freezer. We carried a lot of local products from downtown, so that helped us make relationships within the community, which was cool.”
And of course, they started selling beer. Andrew says that it “probably wouldn’t have happened if there wasn’t a pandemic… it made us more distribution-focused.” Opening during a time with limited social access forced Andrew and his team to think creatively and devise new ways to sell their products. While pickup was available at their location in Kingston, Fine Balance also offered local delivery and flat-rate Ontario-wide shipping.
There are a few reasons why Fine Balance Brewing stands out. Their goal is to strike a balance between new world modern beers (like New England Hazy IPAs) and old-world classics (like pilsners). “I think the styles of beers that we make aren’t so accessible in Kingston…We do a lot of modern IPA beers, sours, and pilsners,” says Andrew.
Fine Balance launched with two IPAs and a light beer. Andrew says that their most popular is their dry-hopped IPA, Oats and Cream. The beer was inspired by modern IPAs coming out of Brooklyn and is brewed with a pile of oats and a touch of lactose. It is creamy and smooth with a fruit-forward finish and dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin (New Zealand) and Citra (United States).
Andrew explains that Fine Balance is conscious of the calibre of beer they produce. “We’re very focused on the quality of the beers and making a lot of beer. So, we pay close attention to the ingredients, carefully source the ingredients that go into the beers, and we’re very academic about our recipes.”
Fine Balance sources its ingredients from a variety of places. Andrew says, “It’s kind of all over, to be honest. We have worked with some local producers. A lot of our grain comes from Ontario or Canada. But some of our hops come from New Zealand and Australia, and the U.S.”
They scout out these hops because of what they offer to the beer-brewing process. “Those hops have very unique flavor profiles that go with some beers that we make. And they aren’t available locally.” Their New Zealand Pilsner called Precipice is an example of how Fine Balance utilizes the unique flavours from hops. Precipice is brewed in the German tradition with a twist of New Zealand hops in the kettle as a dry hop. This brew in particular has a variety of hops, including the newly developed HORT9909, which is a cross between Hallertau Muttelfrüh, Sazz, and a wild German hop. The taste is citrus, pine, and balanced bitterness and a finish of cereal and diffused bitterness.
While they are academic with their recipes, Andrew’s team is always thinking of new styles to try. “We’re always kind of trying to gauge what the new kind of popular styles are in other parts of North America and how we might be able to reproduce or put our take on those styles.”
Fine Balance’s taproom opened in November of 2020 and because of the pandemic, like many other businesses, the taproom’s capacity for customers was limited. With restrictions now lifted, the taproom is completely open. It features an open space with seating, several taps, and in the summer, a patio. Depending on where you sit, you will even catch a glimpse of the brewing area. “We designed the space so that people can sit here and actually see the equipment. And if you’re here during the week, you’ll hear us canning, or you’ll see people brewing and doing work.”
Not only does the taproom serve as an excellent spot for enjoying a beer, but it is also available for other activities. “It’s a nice space for events. We have a weekly run club on Wednesday nights, we do trivia once a month, and we have a bike club on Saturdays,” says Andrew.
You also might catch the Otter Creek food truck parked outside the brewery.
Fine Balance is always creating original craft beers with funky flavours and unique inspiration. But the team is also open to brainstorm with other creators. “Yeah, we’re always often doing collaborations with different local businesses or other breweries,” says Andrew. As a limited release, Fine Balance has collaborated with Toronto Brewing to create a pilsner brewed in the German tradition but hopped with exclusively North American hops called One of One. It uses Mosaic and Loral to produce a bright, fruity character, with light bitterness at 5.2% ABV.
They just recently released a new beer from their gelato sour series in collaboration with – not another brewery – but with Kingston’s Mio Gelato. “They helped pick the flavours, or flavour profile. So, we went out and got some raspberries and lemon – which is their most popular combination of gelato – to reproduce that.” This raspberry and lemon beverage is light and easy drinking at 5.4% ABV.
Andrew explains that they are “trying to be a business that develops nice relationships with other local businesses to grow the local industry. Not just brewing, but also independent restaurants and bottle shops.” So far, they have done just that.
Community connections are important to Fine Balance and many local businesses have been reciprocal. Andrew says that “KBC has been our biggest supporter. They bought kegs of beer the week we opened.”
In addition to the Kingston Brewing Company (KBC), Fine Balance products can be found locally at Black Dog Tavern, Dianne’s Fish Shack and Smokehouse, and Atomica, Union Kitchen + Cocktails, The Grad Club, The Everly, Red House (downtown and Red House West), and The Duchess Pub.
In the fall, Fine Balance will be releasing a new barrel-aged series. This will consist of different stouts, porters, and saisons (highly carbonated pale ales) that have been aging in different white wine, red wine, and bourbon barrels. As well, their anniversary is in mid-October and Andrew says, “we have some special releases planned for that.” Keep an eye out for what Fine Balance Brewing will be releasing next.
The Katarokwi Art & Food Market continues Sundays until the end of September, and it is completely free! Also check out the Kingston Public Market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in the square.
See what’s playing at The Screening Room downtown. They play all kinds of movies but specialize in classic, indie, art-house, and foreign films. Pick up a membership card with a student discount that is good for 12 months.
Go pumpkin picking
Visit Fruition Berry Farm (just off on Highway 15 in Kingston’s east end) for pumpkin picking and corn mazes in September and October. To enter the farm in the fall season, it’s only a $6 admission fee. Pumpkins are priced by weight. Grab a group of friends and make this your next autumn activity.
Wynn Farms, just west of Kingston, is the perfect spot to hit if you are looking for a cheap fall activity. Visit the website for dates and times for their Moonlight Corn Maze and Haunted HalloWYNN. Admission is only $9. Apple picking is available from mid-August to the end of October.
Go for a fall nature walk. Check out Lake Ontario Park and Lemoine Point Conservation Area if you are looking for a local walking spot. If you are feeling more adventurous, visit Rock Dunder by heading north on Highway 15.
Fall photo shoot
Not sure what to do? Gather your friends (or even go solo) and have a classic fall photo shoot. There are many amazing spots around Kingston that will serve as stunning autumn backdrops for your photos. Check out these Kingston photo spots.
Go for a hot chocolate, coffee, a PSL, or whatever your fall go-to beverage is. Head downtown and try one of these Kingston favourites: Coffee and Company, Kingston Coffee House, and Crave. Take a much-needed break from studying and re-caffeinate with friends.
Get on the water. Rent a canoe or kayak from Ahoy Rentals and check out the beauty of Kingston in the fall. Prices average about $16 for the hour and rentals are available until Thanksgiving. Ahoy also offers bike rentals if you are looking to cycle the city.
Do you enjoy sports and are looking to catch some action? Cheer for your home team and get your tickets for a Kingston Frontenacs game. Tickets are as low as $14.50 for single games. This is a cheap option for you and your friends to get out, have some fun, and support your local team!
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