Now that Kingston has been allowed to advance to stage three of Ontario’s reopening plan, some of the city’s most popular attractions are resuming operations— including Kingston Pen Tours (July 23 – October 31).
But it’s not quite touring as usual at Canada’s oldest and most notorious maximum-security prison, which officially closed in 2013 and opened to the public in 2015.
While there are still two tours on offer this year, groups are limited to 15 people for the 1.5-hour standard tour ($35) and 10 people for the 2.5-hour extended tour ($80). There is also screening of visitors upon arrival, physical distancing and face mask requirements, and lots of regular cleaning happening everywhere.
In other words, basically what people should be used to at this point in many public settings, says Vinnie Rebelo, the manager of Kingston Pen Tours. “I’d be surprised if someone visited and was shocked to see what we’ve done or what we’re asking.”
Upon Arrival
When you arrive at Kingston Pen’s foreboding north gate, you’ll be met by a staff member behind a plexiglass partition who will check you in if you’ve bought tickets online or direct you to the box office to purchase tickets (preferably via debit or credit).
You’re encouraged to buy tickets online in advance and arrive no earlier than 15 minutes prior to your booked tour time, says Rebelo.
“We also encourage them to bring their own masks and their own hand sanitizer if they wish,” he adds. “We have hand sanitizer and soap in bathrooms and in various locations throughout, but people might be more comfortable using their own products.”
You’ll also be required to self-assess your health before your tour begins and be asked not to visit if there is any possibility that you may have contracted or have come into contact with COVID-19.
Physical Distancing
Whenit’s time to step behind the massive limestone walls to start your tour, remember to put on your face mask and keep two metres between yourself and your fellow group members — unless they’re part of your bubble, of course.
Once inside, you’ll likely notice ropes, barricades, and dots and painted lines on the ground. Those are there to help you keep your distance from staff, each other, and other groups.
“Again, we’re all used to seeing this kind of stuff,” says Rebelo. “None of it should be new anyone.”
And if it is new, not to worry, saysRebelo. Staffare very cognizant of physical distancing rules, and will be happy to educate you if needed.
Extra Cleaning
Although Kingston Pen was built over 185 years ago, you may be surprised to see how spotless itis. Extensive cleaning protocols have been put in place throughout the site, and washrooms are cleaned even more regularly than normal.
“We were already doing that cleaning frequently in past years because it was just a good thing to do,” says Rebelo. “But now because the groups will be smaller, it will be even easier to get in there and do all of that cleaning that’s required.”
Staff are also scrubbing any touch points that might not have been cleaned as extensively in the past, adds Rebelo, including all railings and door handles.
Most of the entryways are open, however, so you should be able to walk through the facility without having to open or close any doors.
Tour Details
As for the tours themselves, nothing has really changed from last year, says Rebelo. “If anything, we’ve adjusted the route a little bit in order to accommodate the groups and the sizes, and we’ve deviated the tour routes a little bit to give people more space and room.”
The standard Kingston Pen Tour runs 1.5 hours and takes you toa cell range, the Indigenous Grounds, and the Regional Treatment Centre’s Gymnasium, which features a mural dedicated to the inmates and staff of Kingston Pen. Other stops include the north gate, programs wing, main cell dome, segregation wing, shop dome, metal shop, and recreational yard.
The 2.5-hour extended tour includes most of the stops on the standard tour and additional ones, including the canvas repair and upholstery workshop, laundry room, main gymnasium, and hospital. You’ll also get to interact more personally with retired service agents and learn even more about the historical, architectural, and criminological context of the penitentiary.
Tours are also available in French and American Sign Language, as well as for those with vision loss or mobility issues.
For more details and to purchase tickets online, head to kingstonpentour.com.
Make the most of your time in Kingston by venturing into the great outdoors. There is a variety ofhiking trails and conservation areas to explore in and around Kingston. Laceup those hiking boots and check out the featured trails below.
Lemoine Point is a peaceful hiking location minutes from Kingston’s downtown, bordering Lake Ontario and Collins Bay. The area is home to approximately 11 km of hiking trails that cross flat to gently rolling woodlands, fields, and marshlands. You will find hidden gems such as scenic lookouts and beaches as you hike the trails. Besides hiking, the area is popular for cycling, swimming, birding, and picnicking.
Difficulty level: Beginner, family-friendly Price: Free, donations are accepted Hours of operation: 7:30 am to dusk daily
The K&P Trail is a 180-kilometre, multi-use trail for recreation and active transportation. The K&P Trail within Kingston is 22 km long, with urban and rural stretches extending into Frontenac County. The trail is open year-round and gives the opportunity for visitors to walk or run through natural open landscapes, rock cuts, wetlands, and historic Kingston. For more information on access points, please visit the City of Kingston’s website.
30 minutes west of downtown Kingston, Parrott’s Bay offers woods and wetlands with beautiful waterfront views. Hiking trails are approximately 6 km in length and cross both woodland and wetland habitats. Check out the covered lookout and osprey nesting platform. Keep an eye out for ospreys on your hike!
Difficulty level: Beginner, family-friendly Price: Free, donations are accepted Hours of operation: 7:30 am to dusk daily
At Little Cataraqui Creek you can connect with nature during all four seasons. Marsh, field, and forest habitats converge while hiking the approximately 14 km, flat terrain trails. During the warmer months enjoy picnicking, biking, fishing, and birding. When the snow falls, the conservation area offers groomed trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Additionally, the Outdoor Centre offers educational programs and equipment rentals. Located 15 minutes from downtown Kingston, these trails are an escape for the family to enjoy together.
Difficulty level: Beginner, family-friendly Price: Adults ($5), children 12 & under ($3.50), max. fee per car ($15), annual pass ($85) Hours of operation: 7:30 am to dusk daily, Outdoor Centre: 9 am to 4 pm daily
Gould Lake presents picturesque fishing, swimming, picnicking, and hiking, approximately 40 minutes from Kingston. Explore the area’s 20 km of trails across rolling and rugged terrain. The well-known Rideau Trail and several side loops can be found within the conservation area. Its wetlands, woods, and shoreline areas provide many opportunities for wildlife viewing and nature appreciation. Let us know what wildlife you see.
Difficulty level: Intermediate to advanced Price: Adults: Free, donations are accepted Hours of operation: 7:30 am to dusk daily
Lyn Valley may be small, but it is one of the most popular conservation areas in the Thousand Islands region, roughly one hour from Kingston. Features include a swimming area, picnic spots, and 1 km of hiking trails. It is perfect for the little ones to get out and explore nature. The trials are on flat terrain and offer opportunities to appreciate the beauty of the area.
Difficulty level: Beginner, family-friendly Price: Free, donations are accepted Hours of operation: 7:30 am to dusk daily
As Canada’s oldest national park east of the Rockies, Thousand Islands National Park offers three mainland hiking locations – Mallorytown Landing, Jones Creek, and Landon Bay. Just 45 minutes outside of Kingston, this park boasts of its sanctuary of scenic lookouts, rugged rock faces, and tall pine trees. The area has spots to picnic, fish, boat, swim, and pose for pictures in the iconic Parks Canada red chairs. The three hiking routes vary in length and starting point within the park, so visit the Thousand Islands National Park website for more information.
Difficulty level: Beginner to advanced, some trails are family-friendly Price: $8 per car, additional fees may apply Hours of operation: 9 am to 4 pm
Frontenac Provincial Park is well known in the Kingston region for its year-round hiking and trail systems. The park, located 45 minutes north of Kingston, boasts 100 km of well-planned trails and rugged terrain. Besides hiking, it is a perfect location for fishing, swimming, paddling, and snowshoeing. It is recommended to obtain a daily vehicle permit up to five days in advance to guarantee your day-use spot at this park. For a full list of trails and how to access them, please visit the Frontenac Provincial Park website.
Difficulty level: Intermediate to advanced Price: $12.25 per car, some additional fees may apply Hours of operation: 8 am to 6 pm
Before planning your hike, check the latest trail conditions and any potential seasonal closures. Remember to pack the appropriate gear, carry sufficient water and snacks, and let someone know about your hiking plans for safety purposes. Additionally, be mindful of the parks and trails: leave no trace (pack in and pack out all garbage), keep your dog on a leash at all times, and stay on the trail.
The pandemic may have affected concerts in Kingston’s bars, clubs, and arenas, but it hasn’t stopped local artists from connecting with audiences online. From Friday night kitchen parties presented by Spearhead Brewing Company to the Isabel’s Online Summer Music Festival, here are 9 shows to catch from your couch this July and August.
Happy Hour at Home
Fridays, 4 pm – 7 pm
These weekly three-hour shows have been happening since April and have feature a rotating cast of local legends like Miss Emily, Greg Ball, Julia Finnegan, and Jay Smith (pictured). Hosted by Kingstonist, Kingston Live, and Spearhead Brewing Company, you can find the live feeds at the Kingstonist’s Facebook page. And it wouldn’t be a happy hour without a drink discount, so head to Spearhead’s online beer store and enter the promo code KingstonistOne for a 10% discount on delivery.
Keep the party going with these two-hour Friday night shows sponsored and presented by Spearhead in partnership with The Celtic Kitchen Party (pictured). Different special guests kick off the show every week with The Celtic Kitchen Party’s Andrew Vanhorn closing the show. Special guests in July and August include folk and blues artist Spencer Scharf, acoustic cover favourite Sierra Hallin, and mother-daughter folk duo Hips and Harmonies. Find the live stream on The Celtic Kitchen Party’s Facebook page or website.
Although the pews at St. George’s Cathedral have been empty, every Thursday at around noon Michael Capon takes to the organ at the church and plays a 30- to 45-minute recital that he livestreams to YouTube. Capon is the music director at the cathedral, and is an accomplished performer, conductor, composer, and teacher. He started doing these recitals near the beginning of the pandemic, and as he told Global News in May, he did so to try to reconnect with people: “My mission as a musician, it’s not so much about the music. It’s really about building the community.”
Since mid-May, The Isabel has been hosting live shows from its digital concert hall featuring local and international artists playing classical, jazz, indie rock, hip-hop, and more. The Jive Ass Slippers are a Kingston-based jazz quintet with Jon Stewart on tenor and soprano sax, Benji Perosin on trumpet and flugelhorn, Paul Morrison on piano, Paul Clifford on bass, and Rich Bannard on drums. For this show, they’ll play the music of Canadian composer and jazz musician Kenny Wheeler, plus a mix of old favourites.
Queen’s DAN School of Drama and Music is home to a variety of distinguished faculty musicians, and at this special show during the Isabel Online Summer Music Festival three of them will show off Johannes Brahms’ Clarinet Trio: Wolf Tormann on cello, Cynthia Tormann on piano, and Kornel Wolak on clarinet (pictured). Written in the summer of 1891, the Clarinet Trio is one of four chamber works composed by Brahms featuring the clarinet as a primary instrument.
The Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) has been hosting a wide range of online concerts, workshops, readings, and more for the young and old since the beginning of the pandemic. This concert, “Tickles and Tunes”, is for kids of all ages and it should be a popular one since Kathy Reid-Naiman is always one of the library’s favourites. Reid-Naiman has made 16 albums of songs and fingerplays, and says her songs “bring the comfort of tradition and the sweetness of nostalgia — as well as the thrill of novelty and innovation to young listeners and their caregivers.”
This Kingston band has quickly risen to the top of the city’s rock scene since forming in 2018 and galvanizing fans with their very danceable blues and funk hits and tight musicianship. As they say, they’re the “sonic love-child of John Mayer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, conceived at a party thrown by Arkells.” Indie rock outfit Emilie Steele & The Deal will play before Oakridge Ave. at 7 pm.
Two of Musiikki Café’s regular acts are joining forces for this special sultry night of jazz, pop, and beyond. Musiikki’s Monday Band includes Alex Tikhnenko (bass), Bryan Howell (percussion), Paul Medina (drums), Helena Hannibal (saxophone), and Eric Liu (trombone/keyboard). Firebirds are Selina Chiarelli (voice), Chantal Thompson (voice), and Caroline Kwok (flute).
This highly trained string trio made up of Lisa Draper, Danielle Lennon, and Jeff Hamacher
has been making a name for itself since forming in 2008. The three are also members of the Kingston Symphony and are principal players of the Melos Baroque Orchestra. At this show, expect a combination of classical, traditional, and pop, including Bach’s “Sheep May Safely Graze”, Ashley MacIsaac’s “MacDougall’s Pride”, Handel’s “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba”, and The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun”.
Did we miss an online concert? Let us know using our live chat feature and we’ll add it below!
B-Day Driveway Jam with Bon Evans, Dave Bull, Laura Richards, Eric Spillsbury, Keith Gordon, and Ben Vandergaast | July 18th, 2020 | Online via Facebook Live
The question crosses every parent’s mind: what should my child do with their free time this summer? Summer is a great time for kids to be able to relax and have a break from the everyday stressors that school brings. Some kids may enjoy the arts, others reading and writing, and some may prefer sports and exercise. No matter what your kids enjoy, there is a local camp to keep them busy! All in-person camps being offered have put procedures in place to ensure the safety of campers and staff. These procedures include, but are not limited to, the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfecting protocols, physical distancing, and the absence of overnight camps.
Together with the City of Kingston, the Boys and Girls Club of Kingston & Area is offering a summer camp full of exciting and educational experiences. The Boys and Girls Club team pride themselves on parents being able to have peace of mind, knowing that their children are enjoying themselves and are being taken care of by their HIGH FIVE certified staff. The camp has put many precautions in place in order to ensure the safety of all campers and staff. Some of these measures include the monitoring of children and staff, appropriate PPE for staff, and proper disinfecting protocols.
Various camps running weekly from July 6 – August 31
Queen’s has made the difficult decision to cancel all in-person youth camps that are normally delivered throughout the summer. Queen’s has decided to offer a handful of their most loved camps in a virtual setting. These camps include their ASUS Summer Camp, Eco Adventure, Enrichment Studies Unit, SmArts, Queen’s Summer Engineering Academy, Science Quest, and McDonald Institute’s Summer of Science. From sports to geography, art, and eco-adventures — there is something for everyone!
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) summer camps aim to develop physical literacy by motivating, improving confidence, and understanding the importance of staying physically active for life. This summer CAF is offering their Rec Adventure Camp to children aged 5-12 years of age. CAF has also put in safety measures to ensure the health and safety of their staff and campers. These measures include the screening of campers, physical distancing, and disinfecting protocols.
Do you have a little artist at home? Look no further! The Agnes Etherington Art Centre has got you covered! The Agnes Etherington Art Centre is offering art camps from home! Art supplies are even included in the cost of the camp! Kits are available for curb-side pickup each Friday before the camp starts. Some of the themes for this summer include Time Travelling Wardrobe with Bree Rappaport, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! with Ella Gonzales, and Wild Imagination with Julia Hegmann.
Discover the joy of dance with various one-week dance camp sessions offered by Kingston School of Dance at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning! These camps are offered to youth ages 6-12 and no previous dance experience is necessary.
At last count, there were 276 craft breweries in Ontario, and seven of them are in Kingston (another is on the way).
That’s more than most cities our size in Canada, so when COVID-19 forced breweries to close taprooms and drastically reduce sales to restaurants and bars, it impacted a lot of employees and a lot of bottom lines.
Like Kingston’s restaurant sector, though, our breweries are a resilient bunch. Many have shifted to online and delivery models, and some are still selling beer to go.
Here’s how Stone City, Daft Brewing, MacKinnon Brothers, and Riverhead are trying to weather the pandemic storm and keep us quenched. (Note: interviews were edited for length and clarity.)
Stone City Ales — Ron Shore, Owner
How are you and your employees doing?
We are doing well, and staying safe. We have four staff fully employed, and may be able to add more depending on the government supports and the number of orders we receive. We miss all of our kitchen and serving staff, though. There is no public access to our brewery, and we decided to not do on-site retail sales (bottle shop) because I don’t think it is necessary or safe. So we are spacing ourselves out, sanitizing the crap out of everything, and all of our staff are committed to social distancing. We also only ever have one driver at a time in the truck. We have a great little team right now.
How is business?
It’s good! We are very grateful for the love and support coming from the local community. We are doing free local contactless delivery only in Kingston, deciding to focus on our home community, the people who have breathed life into us for close to six years now. Lots of loyalty and support for local economy in this town. I think all breweries should focus on their home communities — that is what craft is all about, in my opinion. Local beer, made by local people, reflecting their local culture. It’s about community. As a small brewery, our margins are super-tight and we don’t have any economies of scale. So it’s about contributing somethings to local culture and helping to build a new, sustainable localized economy. And we all reduce our carbon foot print that way. The pandemic is only the start of adjustments we make due to climate change.
What have been the biggest challenges switching to 100% online and delivery?
It’s a totally different business model. It’s now all about logistics and efficiency, whereas before it was about hospitality. But we are enjoying this and getting better at it every day. It’s radically different now how we plan, order, move goods around, and staff. It is simpler, and more focused. It seems to be working and we don’t plan on changing it. I don’t really think restaurants will go back to the previous normal for some time, so we are really focusing on bringing quality beer in a safe, trusted manner to people in our community.
Any new releases coming up?
Yes. Look for the return of Elder Statesman, a British mild with earl grey tea. It used to be available only on draft in our tap room but we tweaked it abit so we could bottle it and meet the demand for this much–loved beer. We also have a collaboration called All Together coming out. It’s a project started by Other Half Brewing in the U.S., and the idea is for breweries around the world to brew iterations of their base IPA recipe and help raise money for hospitality worker relief. It’s a great project and will be super yummy. Plus another sour, and more IPAs of course.
We’re all doing okay, but unfortunately in our industry alot of our employees are part–time bartenders, so right now aren’t getting any hours of work. Some are continuing to volunteer with us to make hand sanitizer to donate to healthcare workers, etc. But we’re all getting by!
Why did you decide to make hand sanitizer?
We initially decided to do it because unlike many other breweries, we have a still, so it was actually possible for us to make our own ethanol to use. So we were in the fortunate position of having the ability to do it, but ultimately, we’re doing it because we feel it’s the right thing to do. We’ve also had many generous donations of isopropyl alcohol that has greatly increased the volume and pace at which we were able to supply the extremely high demand for sanitizer.
How has the community support helped you through this challenging time?
The customer and community support have been amazing. Customers are still coming in to buy beer, which is certainly helping us to navigate through these unknown seas with hopes of coming out of the storm on the other end as unscathed as possible. The community support has also been more than we could have imagined. We posted a picture on our Instagram a while back asking for sugar for the purposes of making our own hand sanitizer to be donated to healthcare groups, and since then probably 20 local businesses have chipped in to help us in one way or another to make that a possibility, which was very humbling.
Any upcoming beer news to share?
Almost every beer we’ll be releasing over the next month will be new, so we’ll keep them a surprise for now and announce them as they get released.
MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Company — Dan MacKinnon, Owner
How are you weathering this? Have you been able to keep everyone employed?
We’ve been able to keep everyone on board. We had to transition a bit. The farm’s getting busy this spring, so one or two of the guys might help out on the farm getting ready for spring planting. And we’ve been doing direct delivery from Napanee to Kingston, which is going pretty well, but it’s logistically a bit more complicated and more man hours. So our Toronto rep has come down and, with one of the other guys, is doing all of the direct deliveries. So nice to keep them busy as well. And those sales are going surprisingly well.
What have been the biggest challenges with local delivery?
Logistically, having an online system set up. There are a lot of skilled people at the brewery, but no one is particularly skilled when it comes to computers. There’s a lot of manual entry right now because our system wasn’t set up for direct delivery. Using the mapping system can be difficult, too. We use Google Maps, but on our busiest day I think we did 45 or 50 stops, so there are a lot of pins on the map and trying to find the quickest way has been a challenge. But we’re getting the kinks worked out.
How is business?
The direct delivery has been a lot busier than we expected. The retail store here has also been pretty steady. We’re doing window service, so you just pull up in your car, give a knock on the window and we open it up and sell you whatever you want. A few people have bought keg fridges and installed them in their house, so we’ve helped with a few over the phone/Facetime installation issues, which has been fun. A lot of the restaurants are doing takeout, and now that they’re able to sell cans as well they’ve been buying cans from us and including that as an option for the takeout, so that’s been good too. And it’s nice to drop those off, chat with the manager, see how everything’s going for them, and keep that camaraderie we’ve built up over the years.
What are you most looking forward to when things get back to “normal”?
Just getting back to business as normal. We’re opening up a new retail store, so we’re just finishing the renovations on our old timbre–framed barn here at the brewery, so that event space and new retail store is going to open up. So whenever the pandemic restrictions are lifted, we’re looking forward to having people come out and see that and have a beer with us and have a chat. Hopefully it’s soon.
MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Company 1915 County Road 22, Bath mackinnonbrewing.com
Riverhead Brewing Company — Aaron Martin, Brewmaster
How are you and staff there doing?
Like many places, we’ve had to reduce staff. We just have our cook on that sells beer and cooks as well, and we have Holly here helping out with deliveries. And as far as the production area, it’s basically just myself on production. And I have a few packaging staff. But we’re producing the same amount of beer almost. Basically, we’re going from kegs to cans, which is much more labour intensive.
How is business?
It’s going better than expected. I mean you’re operating a business during a pandemic so you don’t really know what’s going to happen.Before all of this, we were gearing up for the busy season and I put out a lot of cash to make sure we were ready to go. So that was scary until the government supports started kicking in. But one of the things that has been good for us is that we do sell beer to go, out of our taproom, and we’re in the LCBO and Beer Store, which has been doing really well. And before the pandemic, we bought a new piece of cooking equipment which allows us to do pizza, so we’ve been doing pizza takeout that you can order online for pick up or you can get it through Uber Eats. So we’re looking at different ways to grow our revenue. And the customer support has been great. A big thank you to them. We really appreciate it during these times, and they are why we do this.
What else are you doing to try to grow revenues?
We’re really trying to expand and pivot a little bit. One example is our food boxes. So it’s restaurant–quality meats that we get from our distributor. So you can get a protein box, which consists of chicken, steak, peameal bacon, regular bacon. We also have vegetable boxes as well as fruit boxes. And we have all of that available on our website.
Do you have any new beer releases coming up?
We just released our Cascade IPA and a Belgian Blond. The Belgian Blond [4.7%, 22 IBU] is a beautiful beer to ease you into spring. It’s a light beer packed full of flavour with a slight grainy sweetness accompanied by traditional fruity characteristics created by the hardworking Belgian yeast during fermentation. It’s a perfect anytime beer.
Riverhead Brewing Company 631 Fortune Crescent, Unit 10, Kingston riverheadbrewing.com
It’s no secret that Kingston’s identity is closely tied to its vibrant food scene and the people behind it.
When taken together with the accommodation sector, 8.7% of jobs in this city are in accommodation or food services. That’s the fourth highest percentage of any city in Canada, trailing only St. Catharines-Niagara, Kelowna, and Victoria.
But it’s not just the numbers of people employed in restaurants, bars, and cafés that makesthe food scenewhat it ishere. It’s their passion, says Kingston Food Tours’ Heather Ford. “I was blown away when I approached these industry leaders to be involved in our first tour,” she says. “Their enthusiasm energized me and propelled the business forward.”
So when COVID-19 arrived and restaurants and related businesses like Kingston Food Tourshad to close, it hit this city particularly hard. Suddenly thousands of people in the sector were without work and restaurants with little to no experience with takeout or delivery or online ordering had to learn fast. And they have.
As Olivea owner Stev George put it recently: “It’s a very difficult time, but we’re resilient people and we think outside the box and we come up with new ideas. So we’re trying.”
Here’s how he and Olivea are trying, along with Mesa Fresca owner Andrew Scahill and Bella Bistro owner Paul Muller. (Note: interviews were edited for length and clarity.)
Though this interview features three restaurants, we encourage you to check out our extensive list of Kingston businesses and restaurants offering services during COVID-19.
Stev George, Olivea
Besides a closed dining room, what are the biggest challenges you’re facing right now?
The biggest challenge has just been dealing with how my laid off employees are going to deal with this. Most of my people live paycheque to paycheque, so when they don’t get a paycheque, it means they can’t buy food or they can’t pay their rent or they can’t do anything. So we’re trying to help them navigate the supports that are there—EI, the CERB, the gift cards to No Frills.
How have you been handling the switch to a takeout and delivery model?
We weren’t doing any delivery before, and the only takeout we did was while we were open and in the middle of service, which sometimes wasn’t that convenient to do. But now that’s all we’re doing. It’s welcome for sure. It’s like opening a whole new business. We have the bones — the stoves and fridges and ingredients — but we’re making completely different food.
So what are you making?
So we send out deliveries at 2 pm, but it’s nothing hot. The hot food starts at 4 pm and people have to come and pick it up. The cold food [which can also be picked up] is different things from the pantry—frozen soups, lasagnas, shepherd’s pie, butter chicken, which is my own special recipe, etc. We also started doing survival kits because I had all these lovely things like Mennonite eggs and patchwork carrots and all organic and celery root and onions and all these cured meats like fennel salami and northern Italian from Seed to Sausage. For takeout, we’ve got most of our dinner menu.
What are your thoughts on your future?
I don’t have high hopes that it’s going to come back to normal any time soon. I think it’s going to be more than a year before we can have a full restaurant again, and I think what’s going to happen is they are going to tell us to have 50% seating or two metres between the tables or something like that. And honestly, we won’t be able to sustain the business as it was like that. We’ll have to either raise our prices or change the menu so that it can be done with fewer staff.
Hot takeout available Tuesday to Saturday, 4 pm to 8 pm Pantry meals available for takeout Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 8 pm Pantry meals available for same-day delivery Tuesday to Saturday if ordered by 1 pm 613-547-5483, ext. 1 oliveaorders@gmail.com olivea.ca
Andrew Scahill, Mesa Fresca
I know delivery is new for you. How has it been going?
I don’t know if people are aware of some of the corporate delivery services, who charge everywhere between 28% and 34% off the top just to provide those services. As a new business, it’s tough to absorb those kinds of margins. And food is meant to be eaten as fresh from the kitchen to the table as it possibly can, so there are challenges involved with trying to find the right menu items that are going to travel well and to try to find out how logistically we can make this happen. So I became the new delivery driver, Alison [Scahill] and Mitch [Leger] are in the kitchen, and we keep one or two staff aroundto answer the phone and to help out with deliveries.
Has it been tough to source food during the pandemic?
The supply chain starts to dwindle and there is a little bit of pressure and stress on that. As you see in the grocery stores, it’s tough to keep things in stock. And that’s the new reality right now. Nobody knows how long this is going to last, so it’s tough to bring stuff in that you don’t want to sit on. We’ve had a couple of local suppliers that have been absolute gems to us — people like Pig & Olive, Quattrocchi’s, Deodato’s. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to continue doing this.
Tell us about the Kingston Small Business Initiative that you came up with?
So we’re taking certain parts of our revenues and re-investing them into smaller businesses much like ours that can’t operate. Sobuying gift certificates, products, whatever we can to help support businesses on a daily basis. We just need to be a part of the community and that was very important to us.
What are you looking forward to most when things get back to “normal”?
One of the biggest things is to have our staff back. They’re like family to us. We miss them dearly, we know how hard it is on them right now, and we’re just hoping that we get through this as quick as possible so that we can get them back here. We have one of the best staffs in town, and we can’t wait to have them back. And of course, our customers, we can’t wait to have our customers back and have these tables full of life, music on, serving up some of our margaritas and food.
Takeout and delivery available Tuesday to Saturday, 4 pm to 8 pm 613-389-6372 mesafresca.ca
Paul Muller, Bella Bistro
What are the biggest challenges you’re facing right now?
Initially, we did deliveries, but that got to be too much. But our friend Matt Day set us up with a friend who had set up his online store through Shopify. And that’s really helped. Initially, we were trying to do all payment over the phone manually, taking credit cards, and you can imagine the gong show of just how much time it takes to do that. We also still have a bunch of debt from before, bills that had to be paid, and then all of a sudden your income drops at least 75%. Our landlord has begrudgingly deferred this month, but I don’t know what’ll happen next month. So we’re kind of dealing with it day by day.
Have you been getting lots of support from customers?
The customers have been great. All of our regulars have come back, so it’s been really encouraging on that front. People are really helping us out and shouting us out online through social media and stuff, which is really helpful. My wife is really good at that — she’s managed to market us well on Facebook and Instagram — and that really, really helps.
What are you offering for takeout right now?
We have a selection of four or five of our standard pizzas, and then we also have frozen pizzas through the market. And the menu changes week to week. We’re picking through our standards — Thai curry chicken, chicken parm, local pork ribs, and then some different curries, butter chicken. And I used to be the head baker at Pan Chancho, so I’m baking bread — sourdoughs and baguettes. And as far as the online shop goes, we have frozen soups and frozen entrees that people can take home and warm up.
Has this slowdown made you re-think any of your operations?
We’re definitely going to change our scope a little bit when things get back to normal. I think we had too much going on, so I think we’re going to simplify the menu and try not to be so broad and cater to everybody’s whim. I’m done with that. I think we have to just pare it down and hope that people go with us.
Bella Market products available for pickup Thursday, 3 pm to 5 pm, and Friday and Saturday, 2 pm to 7 pm
Explore one of the oldest vendor-run open air market in Ontario. Initially, the market will operate with seasonal, lease-holder vendors only to ensure the spacing and layout of stalls is adequate to maintain physical distancing and support the implementation of new health guidelines developed with guidance from KFL&A Public Health. The market will operate Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9 am to 4 pm.
This eye-catching museum is a mix of old and new. Stunning old pumps and model train displays fill the high-ceiling space and are truly amazing to look at. The PumpHouse Museum will reopen for small group tours of the “Refuge Canada” exhibition as of Tuesday, July 20.
Now offering: Brewers, Bakers & Boilermakers: Walking Tour of Ontario Street South. This 60-minute guided walking tour delves into the amazing history of Ontario Street, a space that helped define and form Kingston as a city. During this small group tour of 10 persons maximum, guests will hear exciting stories about intriguing and impressive people, fires, explosions, industry, transportation, archaeology, everyday vices and much more. Participants will travel along the southern half of Ontario Street, walking from the PumpHouse to City Hall along Ontario Street and the waterfront. Tickets are now on sale online or call the PumpHouse at 613-544-7867.
Tickets: $5 (outdoor walking tours), 1-3 guests: $15.00 + HST for the group 4-9 guests: $25.00 + HST for the group (indoor museum tours)
National Historic Site + Unesco World Heritage Site Fort Henry was built from 1832 to 1837 to replace an existing fortification from the War of 1812 era. Situated atop Point Henry, the Fort protected the naval dockyard at Point Frederick, the entrance of the Rideau Canal and the town of Kingston, which was the major transshipment point along the supply route between Montreal or Ottawa and all points west.
Fort Henry was restored from 1936 to 1938 as a joint Federal / Provincial make work project costing over $1 million. The Fort was opened as a museum and historic site “in the name of all British soldiers who served there” by Prime Minister Mackenzie King in August 1938. During World War II, Fort Henry became Camp 31, a Prisoner of War camp for enemy merchant seamen, soldiers, sailors and airmen. Reopened in 1948, Fort Henry has seen millions of visitors pass through its gates to watch the internationally acclaimed Fort Henry Guard perform.
At this historic location, you can now experience self-guided tours, scenic views, heart-pounding musical performances and precision military demonstrations by the Fort Henry Guard.
Now Offering: Self-Guided Tours, in addition to rifle firing demonstrations, music demonstrations, and gun firings and artillery demonstrations. Senior Fort Henry Guard will be stationed throughout the Fort to offer interpretation experiences.
Have an “out-of-house” experience on this premium small-group “Bubble Tour” version of our Original Haunted Walk of Kingston. These tours are a safe and fun way to enjoy some fresh air and hear some great Kingston ghost stories. Currently offering:
Original Haunted Walk: Haunting locals and newcomers alike, this ghost tour takes you for a spooky stroll through Kingston’s old Sydenham Ward. It features haunted hotels, hidden burial grounds, grave robbings, hangings at the old courthouse, and Kingston’s famous haunted courtyard. A tried and true favourite for all ages.
Ghost of Fort Henry: As seen on Ghost Hunters! Explore Fort Henry, Kingston’s spooky 19th-century fortress and its many dark twists and turns, as your guide recounts its tragic history, including the hanging of Nils Von Schoultz, the secret of Deadman’s Bay, and many supernatural encounters! Not recommended for young children or easily frightened adults.
The Kingston Penitentiary has always been notorious in Canada. A maximum-security prison, the “Kingston Pen” has housed some of Canada’s worst criminals over its 178 years. The Kingston Pen was originally constructed in 1833-1834, opening its doors on June 1, 1835. Although largely closed to the public throughout its history, Charles Dickens once visited and so did Ernest Hemmingway. And now you can visit, too. Learn More
Love Kingston Marketplace includes several initiatives that provide additional space and programming for businesses to expand operations, and for residents to dine, shop, move, play and engage outdoors while following health and safety guidelines. Bistro at the square is one of our several initiatives.
Bistro at the Square: After a successful first season, Sociavore is returning as part of Love Kingston Marketplace in Springer Market Square as Bistro at the Square. Sociavore is a mobile ordering platform that provides delivery of food/beverages from local restaurants to a bistro table in the Square. Patrons sit at a “Love Kingston” stickered and numbered bistro table, use their mobile device to scan a QR code to order from a variety of participating restaurants, pay and tip. Ordered items are then delivered by the restaurant to the patron based on their numbered table location in Springer Market Square.
Bistro on Ontario: Ontario Street from Clarence Street to Johnson Street will be closed to traffic on select dates during the summer. During these times, patios will be able to expand into the street. For cyclists, Bicycle Valet Kingston will be providing secure bike valet parking at the Empire Life parking lot. Parking for cyclists is free. Learn more.
Kingston Walks are back! Get ready to explore downtown Kingston on a 1-hour walking tour with local legend, Arthur Milnes. Begin your journey into a world of Canadian Prime Ministers, US Presidents, Indigenous leaders, Governors General, mediums, spirits and the Queen, herself. You’ll also hear about literary legends such as Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemmingway who play supporting roles in Kingston’s story.
Food, fun, and entertainment ships! Discover history and heritage along Kingston’s spectacular waterfront on a 1-hour Discovery Cruise or a 1.5h Sunset Cruise. Or, experience the 1000 Islands on a three-hour Heart of the Islands Cruise. Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises is committed to fine food services, interactive entertainment, and first-rate service aboard all of their vessels. Dining Cruises will resume on July 26th, 2021.
Explore Canada’s first Capital, on a guided, 1-hour Trolley Tour through downtown covering all of Kingston’s historic old town and downtown shopping district. If you’re into ghosts, hear stories from Kingston’s mysterious and paranormal past, some dating back 200 years, on the Ghost and Mystery Trolley Tour.
Walk in the footsteps of some of Kingston’s earliest residents and arrivals as they engage in a quest for health care in the Limestone City. The story of the establishment of one of Canada’s oldest public hospitals, Kingston General Hospital, is one full of success and sacrifice, triumph and tragedy. Join us for a fascinating look into the lives of those that lived, arrived and died here, as we unlock the secrets of Kingston’s medical history. Book here.
Details: Offering tours Wednesday-Saturday at 10:00am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 3:00pm.
Featuring a replica one-room school and a display gallery, the Frontenac County Schools Museum collects, preserves and displays artifacts and archival material from the elementary (grades 1– 8) one-room schools of Frontenac County from their earliest establishment to the consolidation of school districts in 1970.
Details: Starting July 20, open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm. Pre-booking is strongly encouraged. Walk-ins are welcome but you may have to wait outside. Outside activities may be available while you wait or you can purchase a discovery kit for $5 for kids.
Stay in Kingston and discover the wineries of Prince Edward County on a wine adventure with County Sips, hosted by Sommelier, Ian Nicholls. Your day will start with a scenic drive to PEC along the shores of Lake Ontario and a ride on the Glenora Ferry. Your wine tour will include wine tastings at four selected wineries and a lunch at the Waupoos Market. Ian will tell you about the terroir of PEC, winemaking and tasting while showcasing the beauty of The County.
The tours run on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, starting Friday July 9th. There are different itineraries offered each day. Each tour departs at 9:15am and returns to Kingston by 5:45pm. Check out hotel packages here.
Outdoor Recreation
Beaches
The following beaches are open within the City of Kingston:
Grass Creek Park, 2991 d 2 East
Lake Ontario Park, 920 King. St. West
Richardson Beach, 1 King St. East
Breakwater Park and Gord Downie Pier, King St. West
September 2 update:
The City of Kingston will, again, close Gord Edgar Downie Pier and the beach area at Breakwater Park to reduce the risk of large gatherings that have the potential to spread COVID-19. This emergency order means people will not be permitted to use the Gord Edgar Downie Pier and the beach area at Breakwater Park for the next 18 days. Anyone using this area, even alone, is now subject to fines.
Golf Courses
Several golf courses within the Kingston area are open. Some have modified areas and amenities that remain closed. We recommend checking directly with the facility.
The following conservation areas are open in Kingston area for passive day use. Some amenities such as benches, beaches, pavilions, picnic areas, picnic tables, shelters, washrooms/privies are closed, as is the Outdoor Centre at Little Cataraqui Creek. The areas are open 7:30 am to dusk daily. Full details on their website.
Gould Lake, 1540 Gould Lake Rd, Sydenham
Lemoine Point, 1440 Coverdale Dr
Little Cataraqui Creek, 1641 Perth Rd, Glenburnie
Lyn Valley, 90 Lyn Valley Rd, Lyn
Parrots Bay, 4976 Bath Rd
Frontenac Provincial Park, located north of Kingston is a great spot for fishing, wildlife viewing, interior campaign, paddling, hiking and swimming. The park is open for day use and some camping. Amenities such as showers, laundry, group camping, picnic shelter rentals and swimming pools will remain closed for the season. Learn more on their website.
Did you know Crawford Wharf is going through a huge makeover this summer? Enjoy new seating areas overlooking the water, Instagrammable decals, and the return of the Island Star Dockside Patio. From Crawford Wharf, you can also catch a 1000 Islands sightseeing cruise aboard the Island Belle or Island Queen.
Games and Entertainment
Seven Dwarves: Mining Mission (Live Video Digital Game)
Improbable Escapes
303 Bagot St 500 Gardiners Rd (Wonderland)
Improbable Escapes opened its doors to the City of Kingston on July 1st, 2015. Emma Rochon and Melissa Eapen set out with a specific goal: to create a business that would bring a smile to the face of anyone who entered! After working in the industry for one year, Emma and Melissa quickly decided to pack up everything and move to Kingston. Kingston was the perfect place for an escape room business because of its size, the thriving downtown core, and the large student demographic. With the introduction of their second location in 2019 (Improbable Escapes: Wonderland), the original Improbable Escapes downtown location was rebranded to Improbable Escapes HQ.
Improbable Escapes has since grown internationally, with games all over the world at various escape room facilities. During recent COVID-19 related shut-downs, international players were able to play games at the flagship Improbable Escapes locations, resulting in international press coverage and awards.
Sherlock Escapes offers a range of at-home escape games including virtual simulated, hybrid virtual, and digital live-action games for two players to large groups. Book online.
Canada Day is when we come together with gratitude and pride in our nation, and while this year we celebrate in a different way, we can still support what makes Canada and Kingston great—our makers! Indulge in local craft beer, wine, food and accessories this year and show off your Canadian pride. Happy Canada Day!
AquaTerra has launched their new Summer Prix Fixe menu, includes three courses for $35 with your choice of appetizers and entrees, includes home-made bread and butter. A perfect way to celebrate outside and support local! Available for pick-up Thursday-Sunday, 3PM-6PM.
Olivea is letting you bring the patio home with you, their Take Home Mojito kit comes with fresh mint, lime juice, simple syrup, club soda and Bacardi gold. For $28 you can make 4 mojitos, just add ice. Available for curbside pickup or delivery Tuesday-Saturday from 4PM-8PM.
No Canada Day celebration is complete without poutine, and no one in Kingston makes it better than Bubba’s. Available for pickup or delivery 11:30AM-1:30AM.
Black Dog Tavern has DIY Caesar Kits available for pick-up or delivery with a food purchase. Make the Canadian classic with ease as kits include all of the fixings and instructions to make 12, 2 ounce cocktails.
Mesa Fresca’s Margarita Packs are back in time to beat the heat, includes Hornitos Reposado, lime juice, simple syrup, orange juice, salt, decorative bottle and gift bag for $35. Available for delivery & takeout from 4PM-8PM.
To celebrate Canada Day Spearhead Brewery has launched Beer Without Boundaries, making their craft beers available nationwide via Craft Tapp Inc. For local customers all your favourite local beers are available to order online for daily delivery between 4PM-9PM.
The Iron Duke on Wellington is a spot we all go to connect with the history of Kingston and Canada, and while we can’t celebrate in person this year we can still support them by ordering from their takeout window or for delivery, open daily from 4PM-8PM.
Cards Bakery is now taking walk-in customers but is still available for curbside pickup. Get all your favourite Canadian sweets to share at home! Open from Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-4PM.
WHIT is helping us demonstrate our pride in both our city and country with their apparel, accessories, and home décor that highlight the local lakes, rivers, and wilderness in our backyard.They are open with reduced hours Monday-Sunday, 11AM-5PM, stop in at their downtown location or order online!
Father’s Day is almost here, and now more than ever fathers, uncles, brothers, grandfathers, foster dads, stepdads, and all father figures deserve to be celebrated. They give us love, guidance, and corny jokes! In keeping with efforts to support local businesses, we have curated a list of offerings with something for everyone. Happy Father’s Day!
Are we missing a Father’s Day special or package? Let us know using our webchat feature so we can add it to the list.
Treat Dad, elevate your backyard BBQ game, and make the neighbours a little jealous with a locally sourced, grill-ready BBQ kit plus some local craft beers. The kit has the option for cocktail kits, wine, and beer add-ons.
Black Dog Home is offering a Father’s Day dinner for two or four available for pickup or free delivery between June 19-20. Dig into a starter artichoke and parmesan dip with house-made crostini, a main of striploin steak, whole baked potatoes and Caesar salad for sides, and chocolate brownie with salted caramel sauce for dessert! Cooking and heating instructions will be provided. Preorders will be accepted until June 16 at 5 pm.
Did you know Kingston is home to nine different breweries? Stop by one of their bottle shops to pick up handcrafted beer for Dad. Some breweries have their brews available at the LCBO or offer same-day delivery right to your door.
Treat dad to his favourite flavour! Mio Gelato offers delivery to your door on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. We recommend their at-home sundae kit that includes three pints of gelato (vanilla, chocolate, and fruit flavours), 125 ml of sauce, six waffle cones, an assorted jar of toppings, and their signature gummies.
Pan Chancho’s Father’s Day BBQ pack includes two whole racks of BBQ ribs, creamy potato salad, calico cabbage salad, six cheddar biscuits, and a 5” Mississippi mud pie. The pack serves four and comes with reheating instructions. Available June 18, 19, and 20.
Gifts and games
Note: retail stores will be allowed to reopen with limited capacity June 14 or earlier. Check directly with businesses for their hours of operation.
Cher Mere specializes in all natural, herbal and eco-friendly products. Pamper dad with their men’s grooming kit that includes shaving assist, aftershave, men’s face wash, skin fit gel, and beard oil (optional).
Chris James is adding new styles to their inventory every day, perfect for dads who have been rocking sweatpants while at home and are looking for a chance to dress to impress.
Did you know Improbable Escapes offers free same-day local delivery in Kingston on all board games? For three days, you can rent one game for $10.50 or two games for $15.75. If you don’t know exactly what to rent, the staff at Improbable Escapes are happy to give recommendations.
If your dad is a music lover, we have the perfect gift for him. Kingston is home to independent record shops like Brian’s Record Option, Something Else Records, and Zap Records. Some of these stores offer online shopping with Canada-wide shipping, curbside pickup, or requesting your music at the door.
SBT Comics and Games has everything from action figures, board games, model kits, trading card games, comics, and more. You can shop online or in person from 10 am-7 pm (Monday – Friday) and 11 am-6 pm (Saturday and Sunday).
Do you have a dad who loves the outdoors? We’d recommend checking out Trailhead Kingston. They offer everything from tents, outdoor furniture, equipment, and outdoor apparel.
WHIT Kingston started a Father’s Day collection online that has everything from funky socks and shirts to handmade pillows and wood resin maps featuring the surrounding lakes around Kingston. They offer curbside pickup and free delivery in Kingston when you spend $40 or more. Get inspired and start shopping today.
Celebrate the sounds of Kingston with a limited edition music poster in support of Joe’s M.I.L.L. Joe’s M.I.L.L. is a registered charity in Kingston, Ontario founded by musician, Wally High, in memory of his friend and band member, the late Joe Chithalen, who was a talented bass player in several well-known Kingston bands. Joe’s M.I.L.L. operates in tribute to Joe’s love of music, so that anyone who wants to can enjoy playing music as much as he did.
Spend some quality time on the water with Ahoy Rentals. They offer rentals for canoeing, kayaking, and stand up paddle boarding. If spending time on the water isn’t your favourite, they also offer bike rentals.
Hiking and cycling trails
What better way to spend time than to go on an adventure. Make the most of the beautiful weather by spending it outdoors exploring amazing hiking trails and conservation areas in and around Kingston. Kingston is also home to many great cycling routes for you to enjoy.
Treat Dad to a golf staycation. We’ve partnered with Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront and Holiday Inn Express West to offer two golf staycations that include rounds at Black Bear Ridge Golf Club, Loyalist Golf and Country Club, and Smugglers Glen Golf Club. One package even includes a free tasting at Spearhead Brewing Company!
Ah, patio season – the most wonderful time of the year. Sunshine, umbrellas, and cocktails! This year it looks a bit different as some restaurants may ask you to call to reserve your table in advance, arrive on time, limit your stay (i.e., two-hour maximum), physically distance when possible, and more. Make sure you check with each restaurant you’re interested in visiting beforehand.
Improbable Escapes has created four virtual escape adventures you can play at home and three outdoor adventures around Kingston. Work as a team to solve the puzzles while interacting with a live game-master in the physical game space for their virtual games. Outdoor adventures are physically distanced with your own household.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline healthcare workers have been courageously taking care of our community and doing so while facing a shortage of personal protective equipment.
Kingston Glass Studio owners, Alexi and Mariel wanted to help fill this need as well as acknowledge the healthcare frontline workers’ incredible efforts. They heard about the program headed by Queen’s University medical students, where they use 3D printers to create PPE and distributing them to local medical facilities, and wanted to contribute.
They launched Hearts for Healthcare on April 14. “We felt the need to give back and thank those in our community who continue to work hard to protect us, keep us safe, and provide the essentials so that we can stay home during the pandemic,” says Mariel.
Hearts for Healthcare not only provides masks to frontline healthcare workers, it also gifts them with a uniquely designed glass heart. “With the single act of ordering a Heart for Healthcare: 100% of the donation goes towards purchasing supplies to create the various PPE needed for our healthcare workers, made by the dedicated team at 3D PPE Kingston via Queen’s University. And the heart itself is given to a frontline worker as acknowledgment, encouragement, and gratitude for all that they are doing,” explains Mariel. One heart is equal to 12 masks or 25 face shields. “To date, we have had over 240 Hearts for Healthcare ordered and over 140 have already been created and distributed to local frontline workers through various channels,” says Mariel.
Hearts can be gifted in a variety of ways. The team at Kingston Glass Studio disinfects each individual heart and can distribute them safely, donors can pick them up during curbside pickup hours: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 am to 3 pm, or they can be shipped outside of the Kingston area for $15 flat fee.
Do you know of a place in need of more PPE or a thank you? They are open to community feedback. “We are open to community suggestions for locations that would consider receiving and distribute the hearts to their colleagues,” says Mariel.
To learn more about their efforts, check out their website and social media pages: Website: kingstonglassgallery.com, Instagram: @kingstonglassgallery, Facebook: @kingstonglassgallery
With most creative spaces shuttered in the city, galleries, theatres, arts groups, and even individual artists themselves are still finding ways to connect with their audiences online.
The Tett Centre, for instance, is offering its popular open studios via Zoom, while the Agnes Etherington Art Centre has launched a range of digital programs, like Agnes Learns, which uses artworks from its collection to inspire kids to get creative. Likewise, new west end business Tie One On Creativity Bar has a variety of craft kits to buy, and Improbable Escapes has digital escape rooms that you can solve from your couch.
Here, in their own words, are the organizers of these four online creative spaces to tell us what they’re offering and how they’re dealing with the shift to digital. (Note: some interviews were edited for length and clarity.)
Tie One On Creativity Bar – Natasha Reid, Owner
Give us a breakdown of your online offerings right now, Natasha.
We have food and drink options for takeout and delivery and also our craft kits, which we’re offering more and more of. Some of the kits are from different artists in Kingston. One kit that’s really popular right now is the spring-wreath-making kit. It comes with flowers and instructions and everything that you need to make a spring wreath for your home. We also have candle-making kits, and then we have some macramé kits too from Hitch Collective, as well as essential oil diffuser bracelets. So just little projects that people can do at home.
What have been the biggest challenges of switching to an online model?
I’m very tech challenged, so it’s been quite the experience trying to set this all up. The other challenge I faced initially was that there was no way to package the food we had available for takeout because most of it was in bulk. So, I’ve had to reach out to my food reps to ask how we can get things packaged differently, and we’ve sort of overcome this challenge by ordering things more as retail portions than as wholesale portion. So, for instance, we recently added red pepper jellies from Top Shelf Preserves in single serve portions to our charcuterie takeout option.
I know you support a lot of local products and artists. Why is that important to you?
It’s double-sided. One, I like to keep it local because that way I know that I’m helping out families and people in Kingston. Even when it came to making my signs for the bar, I reached out to some sign companies and then I remembered that my friend makes signs, and I would rather give him the money because I know exactly where it’s going. Two, it’s part of supporting and building the local community.
We’re all trying to help each other out right now, especially with all of us having to change our business model. That’s excellent to see, and it has been a great side effect through this whole thing.
What are you most looking forward to when things get back to “normal?”
I’m looking forward to opening my doors again. We were only open for three weeks before we had to close, so we were just making a name for ourselves. And because the business that I have is sort of different — you can come in and do crafts and enjoy some food and a good drink — I’m really excited to be able to show more people what we’re all about. I’m optimistic that we won’t have to close our doors forever, but I also don’t know that for sure.
Tie One On Creativity Bar 1329 Gardiners Road, Suite 109 613-384-3959 tieoneoncreativity.com
Agnes Etherington Art Centre – Shannon Brown, Program Coordinator
What is Agnes Learns all about, Shannon?
AGNES Learns is a new digital resource for children and families that uses artworks from the Agnes collection to inspire fun ways to explore, understand, and get creative. The program takes the form of short educational videos that stimulate the imagination. Accompanying each video is a lesson plan which features unique and creative activities to try at home. The videos and lesson plans are playful, but also grounded by Ontario Curriculum links. We will be adding to this program weekly through mid-June. The videos and lesson plans are targeted for children in grades 1–8.
How do you decide on the theme for each week?
We wanted this program to highlight the breadth of the Agnes collection. Agnes holds over 17,000 works of art, with major concentrations of contemporary and Indigenous art, and Canadian, European, and African historical art. The program features works from each of these areas including types of art that children may be less familiar with such as quilt making or installation pieces. Each week we focus on a specific aspect of art or art making, but connecting the whole program is a focus on the senses and imagination. Imagination is integral to creativity and we encourage children to let their imaginations run wild and explore ways of experiencing art beyond seeing.
Why did you want to offer this?
We’re passionate about sharing the transformative power of art, and it’s especially important to share this with young people. Typically, we welcome students to the museum through our school programs for grades 1–8, but, of course, these can’t go ahead for the time being. However, we have a rich catalogue of educational tours at our disposal — we’ve developed AGNES Learns allowing us to share them with a wider audience. We also want to increase accessibility to engaging arts education for those who have limited opportunities to visit the gallery, whether that’s a result of COVID-19 or any other reason. We hope AGNES Learns will be a resource for teachers and families who are looking for original arts education.
What other digital activities at Agnes can people check out from home?
For those interested in connecting to community and sharing creativity in a safe and welcoming online environment, we now offer a Virtual Art Hive @Agnes every Thursday from 4-5:30. This activity is for anyone 18+ who is looking to explore art and wellness during this time of physical distancing. They can sign up for upcoming weeks until May 28 on the website. We also offer our Digital Agnes platform where visitors can find new digital projects, curatorial research, talks, and tours including a number of videos from contemporary artist Carmen Papalia, including his “See for Yourself” non-visual tour. Our collection of over 17,000 artworks are online to enjoy and explore as are a number of Agnes publications including a free PDF download of Leiden circa 1630: Rembrandt Emerges which illuminates the early career of Rembrandt and his peers. Sign up for our Agnes newsletter and join us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for upcoming announcements and digital activities.
Agnes Etherington Art Centre 36 University Avenue 613-533-2190 agnes.queensu.ca
Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning – Danielle Folkerts, Marketing and Programming Coordinator
How do your online open studios work, Danielle?
Typically, on the second Tuesday of every month we get together at the Tett Centre for an open studio session. Since April, we have been hosting these free sessions via Zoom every Tuesday from 6:30 pmto 8 pm. Our goal with the program is to stay connected, encourage at-home art-making, prioritize self-care, and to promote personal and community wellness.We invite participants to grab a creative project and participate online. Participants work in a variety of mediums, including graphic design, painting, video, photography, 3D modelling, knitting, drawing, embroidery, punch needle, ceramics, colouring books, and more. In each session, we facilitate a warm and welcoming environment. We start with a check-in, and then we take turns discussing and sharing our current projects, techniques, workspaces, demonstrations, ideas, and questions. The program is interactive, and participants can engage in discussion, or sit back, create, and just listen.
What’s been the response to the virtual studios?
The response has been incredible! We have regulars who attend each session, and every session we welcome new faces too. The best part about going digital is that anyone can access our programming. We currently have people out–of–province attending our open studio sessions online. Each session is unique, and everyone is eager to learn and share creative resources.
Why did you want to keep doing the studios virtually rather than put them on pause?
We don’t know when our doors will reopen, so it was important to adapt as a charitable arts organization. We have been running Tett Tuesday Open Studio for nearly three years, and we wanted to stay connected to our community, especially during a time of crisis. Art-making is an incredible tool for managing stress, and our community needs art more than ever. The Tett Centre staff are staying present and supportive for our community artists, students, instructors, tenants, rental clients, and partners.
For those who would like to join in, any tips for making the most of a session?
Yes! All are welcome to attend. The program is free, and geared for ages 18+. We encourage participants to set up an art–making space in advance and tune in at 6:30 pm. You will also need to sign up for a free Zoom account. You can find the Zoom event details on our websiteor Facebook group. You can drop by for 30 minutes, or stay for the duration of the call. It is a fun and casual atmosphere, and the group has a great energy. Everyone is encouraging and supportive, and it has been a great place to get feedback, ask questions, or get inspired.
Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning 370 King Street West 343-266-0009 tettcentre.org
Improbable Escapes – Faith Begbie, Game Master
Can you give us a breakdown of your at-home experiences right now, Faith?
Our at-home services for customers include trivia, merchandise delivery, and a virtual escape room design. We run trivia throughout the week with a variety of themes and prizes to be won. Customers can sign up on our website and choose which trivia night they’d like best! This is a really fun way to be social, playfully competitive, and test your knowledge! Our virtual escape rooms currently include the Seven Dwarfs: Mining Mission and Neverland: Heist on the High Seas. Through Zoom, customers guide their game host through the escape rooms. Our game hosts are your hands! Tell them where to go, what to hack with the clues surrounding you, and how to progress further into your adventure.
What’s been the response to these experiences?
There has been an incredible response to both of these at home game styles. Our experiences have gone international, catching the attention and hearts of players across the globe! It’s been a really exciting and heartwarming experience to see people from around the world enjoying our experiences.
What’s been most challenging about switching from an in-person to an online model?
The most challenging aspects of switching from in-person to online would be finding a sufficient source to host these experiences, and how to make sure our escape rooms are still magical and enjoyable for teams when playing online.
Any news to share about upcoming offerings?
We have a third escape room coming to the online universe! Cure for the Common Zombie will be released for customers to play online with friends and family. We’re also hosting 90s’ trivia! All of our trivia themes can be found atwonderlandkingston.com/collections/events.
When the warm weather hits, Kingstonians – and Canadians – take advantage of every moment we can to spend time outside. The May long weekend traditionally kicks off days of swimming, hitting the hiking trails, nights around a camp fire, and time spent with family and friends. While not all of that is possible at the moment, Kingston’s local businesses have curated special offerings that will liven up any celebration – indoors or out. From barbecue to beer, they have everything you need to welcome the countdown to summer.
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May long weekends call for ringing in the coming of summer with celebratory cold drinks, smoky BBQ treats, and live music. And that’s just what you get with the next installment of the Kingstonlicious virtual event series.
For this one-time-only virtual experience, MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Co will join forces with Prince Edward County’s Stock & Row Cider (Bloomfield) and 555 Brewing Co (Picton) to create an exclusive six-pack curated to pair with a Texas-style BBQ extravaganza platter designed by Neil Highet of Smoke ‘N Barrel. Dig in while listening to live performance by Kingston musician Alex Mundy.
Black Dog Tavern will be offering a fried chicken dinner for the family that includes a large Caesar salad, family size fries and slaw, large mac and cheese, house ranch and bourbon jalapeno hot sauce. Add on a bottle of house wine or six-pack of tall cans for only $20 when you order!
The Everly’s cheese and charcuterie box for two is back and makes the perfect to-go picnic box. Featuring two artisan cured meats and two local cheeses, focaccia bread, seed crisps (gluten free), marinated olives, pickled ramps, and house mustard.
Victoria Day long weekend marks the unofficial start of grilling season! Elevate your backyard bound long weekend and make the neighbours a little jealous with a locally sourced, grill-ready BBQ kit + some local craft beers.
We’re all missing drinks on the beautiful patios of Kingston, but now you can bring the patio home with you for the long weekend. Lone Star is offering take-home Mar-Go-Ritas, with a litre of classic margarita mix and a 200 ml bottle of Hornitos Reposado tequila, house-smoked salt for rimming, and fresh sliced orange and lime wedges. They also have non-alcoholic options available. Both options serve six margaritas.
Skeleton Park Brewery has partnered with Hanna’s Meat Pies of Sydenham to bring you a delicious new craft beer and meal deal! While quantities last, get two, five-inch, locally made savoury pies with their Heritage Series mixed six-pack of 473 ml cans for $29.99, or four pies with a mixed 12 pack for $57.99. Delivery is available to customers in the greater Kingston area only.
Spearhead Brewing Company is helping you skip the lines at the LCBO and Beer Store during the long weekend. With Customer Mixer packs of six, 12, and 24 cans, you can choose your favourites, mix and match, and try something new! Kingston orders are filled within 30 hours, delivered daily between 4-9 pm with all orders placed after 3 pm will be included in the next day’s delivery batch. Contactless delivery is available with proof of ID required!
Enjoy Mio Gelato at home as part of our Kingstonlicious program! Their sorbetto cocktail kit includes a 750ml bottle of Pelee Island Lola Blush VQA (12%), two 1oz bottles of Aperol (11%), one pint of passionfruit sorbetto, and one bag of gummies.
Enjoy barbeque at home with meals from The Grizzly Grill including BBQ ribs, bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin and vegetable kabobs, chicken, pepper, and onion kabobs, and delicious sides.
Include Tango Nuevo in your long weekend plans. Their long weekend special is duck confit flatbread (confit duck leg, brie, basil cashew pesto, arugula pear parmesan, and house-made flatbread) and bacon -wrapped dates (crushed pistachios and balsamic reduction). They are open Thursday to Sunday from 3-9pm for takeout and delivery.
Fire up the grill and fill the cooler! As part of our Kingstonlicious program, Union Kitchen + Cocktails has BBQ packages ready to order for two or four people. Enjoy your choice of chicken, kebabs, salmon, or burgers; each package is ready to BBQ and comes with potatos, veggies, and a mixed green salad. Order by calling 613-547-5152.
Looking for more culinary packages? Check out our Kingstonlicious program and explore $45 prix fixe menus, from three-course dinners to lunch for the family. May’s menus feature fresh spring ingredients that are sure to make your mouth water.
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