Clutching the baggies full of change their Great Aunt gave them, the boys wander through the midway taking it all in. Which game looks like they could actually win the stuffed banana? Throwing darts at balloons, knocking the bottle off the shelf, or the fishing pond? Then there’s cotton candy. And the rides, no fair is complete without the rides! My boys make their choices (they each won a stuffed banana and some other unidentifiable stuffed critter, and decided that no, they could not possibly share one bag of cotton candy) All four of us took a ride on the ferris wheel before heading over to the petting farm, the demolition derby and to check out the displays of pies, jams, quilts and carrots. September 17 – 20th marks the 185th annual Kingston Fall Fair. For some of us, yes, it is all about the rides, games and cotton candy. But for others, it is much more. 12 year old Tristan Dier is a member of the Frontenac 4-H club, and has been working with a yearling heifer, “Blowing Smoke” since early spring. His duties include feeding and grooming her, while at the same time training her for show. He is gearing up for his third show at the Kingston Fall Fair. “My job is to get her ready, walk her around the ring and then stand for the judges. They mark us on showmanship and conformation.” Showmanship falls to him, he gets marked on his confidence, knowledge and presentation. Conformation is up to the cow; is she healthy & strong? That shows that Tristan has done a good job of caring for her. “It’s a bit scary being judged, but the cow will feed off my emotion, so I have to hide it,” Tristan tells me. Last year he came home with a third place win in the Supreme Division. Seeing as this year, the Fair is paying tribute to cattle, Tristan has an important role. This year’s schedule of events include a performance by Mary Lambert, a family singer/songwriter/performer, on Thursday at 11am and 1pm, a youth obstacle course the same day at 5pm, demolition derbies Thursday and Sunday evenings and musical performances Friday and Saturday evening. A vendors market, a variety of displays, rides, carnival games and food vendors are open during the whole fair. As for Tristan and Blowing Smoke, things are looking good for them, as Blowing Smoke is pregnant, quite possibly with twins! Hopefully, after his showing, Tristan has a chance to let loose in the fairgrounds, and enjoy a bag of hard earned cotton candy.
This will be my third year as a volunteer for the Kingston WritersFest and I look forward to another fall writing “pick me up.” Imagine being surrounded by book-lovers and authors; getting great advice on editing, publishing, and developing narrative; and getting excited all over again about creating new worlds of stories. Here is my Writing Workshop Wishlist:
#1: Armand Garnet Ruffo
Every year I find a writing workshop that seems specially attuned to what I am currently working on. This is the case with event # 25 Writing Creative Biography: Using Myth, Legend, and Tall Tale . Armand Garnet Ruffo takes creative liberties in writing Norval Morrisseau: Man Changing Into Thunderbird—a poetic biography about a troubled but talented Ojibway artist. Ruffo will offer insight on straying from the strict realism of biography or memoir to incorporating myth, legend, or tall tale into the “story” of a life.
Ruffo is currently an associate professor of English at Queen’s University, he teaches Aboriginal literature and creative writing.
#2: Daniel Wells
I especially enjoy workshops hosted by editors because they tell you—without mincing words—how it really is in the “writing world.” Bring ideas and be prepared to learn something new about what gets published and what doesn’t from Canadian editor and publisher Daniel Wells with event #51 New Writers’ Roundtable.
Wells is founder of the famed independent Canadian press, Biblioasis, which has developed a reputation as Canada’s premier short story press. He also collaborates with writer and editor Alex Good to solicit and edit, Canadian Notes and Queries. Photo: Kim Moir
#3: Priscila Uppal
As I was flipping through the poetry section at E.J. Pratt library as an undergrad at U of T, Priscila Uppal’s book Ontological Necessities jumped out at me because of its blend of deep philosophical thought with simple interactive speech. I was very happy to see that Uppal is offering two writers workshops here in Kingston, and I especially look forward to event #27 Writing Poetry for Grownups. This is a practical, hands-on workshop that requires bringing along your work in progress (old or new). I expect some great advice and inspiration from this talented and dynamic poet.
Priscila Uppal is a professor at York University’s Department of English and the author of two novels, The Divine Economy of Salvation and To Whom It May Concern; ten collections of poetry; and a memoir, Projection: Encounters with My Runaway Mother, which was shortlisted for the Hilary Weston Prize and the Governor General’s Award. Photo Credit: Daniel Ehrenworth
#4: Joan Thomas
For the novelists out there (or Nanowrimo’s?), Joan Thomas’s event on pacing your novel will provide ample motivation to return to that old manuscript tucked behind your desk. Thomas, who was first acclaimed as a book reviewer for the Globe and Mail, has received extensive praise for her first novel, Reading by Lightning. While she will be focusing primarily on pace at this workshop, Thomas is known for her depth of character development and for her seamless integration of history with fiction. There is much to learn here for the seasoned writer and first time novelist, and much to be revived in that story you left unfinished. Join her in event #44: Pacing Your Novel: Keep Readers Turning the Page.
Joan Thomas is also author of Curiosity, which was named a Quill & Quire Book of the Year and was nominated for the ScotiaBank Giller Prize; and author of The Opening Sky, which won the McNally Robinson Prize for Book of the Year, became a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction, and won “Best Book of 2014” on CBC Books, Vancouver Sun,Winnipeg Free Press, and Metronews lists. Photo Credit: Bruce Thomas Barr
Big Name Events
Writing workshops aside, the big names coming this year are:
Jamie Kennedy is an acclaimed Canadian cook and author of JK: The Jamie Kennedy Cookbook. He currently lives in Toronto, where he spends time cooking, writing, and helping charities such as Empty Bowls and Feast of Fields.
Nino Ricci
Photo: Virginia de Vasconcelos
Among many acclaims, Nino Ricci’s novel Lives of the Saints has been published in seventeen countries and nominated for the Giller Prize. His fictional retelling of the life of Jesus won the Trillium Award and was a Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year.
Diane Ackerman
Diane Ackerman is an American Poet, essayist and naturalist who this year received the P.E.N. Henry David Thoreau Award for Nature Writing for The Human Age. In 2012, she was a finalist for both a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Critics Circle Award for One Hundred Names for Love, a non-fiction account of her writer husband’s struggle with stroke and his ensuing aphasia.
Roch Carrier
Photo: Sarah Scott
Renowned storyteller, Roch Carrier, is recent author of Montcalm & Wolfe: Two Men Who Forever Changed The Course Of Canadian History. The Québécois admits that the two men are rather similar and would have gotten along “after the battle.” Roch is a novelist, playwright and children’s author; former director of the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Librarian of Canada; a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada; an Officer of the Order of Canada; and has won the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.
Other Events
I also suggest purchasing tickets to the International Marquee and to the Robertson Davies Lecture (with a promising-looking talk this year by Tomson Highway on aboriginal literature). Even if you are unable to enter a “big” event, I can assure you that all the events have something to offer. Sometimes the smaller events allow you to get more time to chat with the author, or even to speak about your own work and get personal advice. Last year, I attended a French event and have not yet forgotten the incredible story of horror, welcome, and survival by Vietnamese-Canadian Kim Thuy. I also ruminate from time to time over the workshop hosted by Martha Baillie, where she contrasted parts of her novel to tangible artifacts like a whale skeleton made out of plastic chairs. It is out of these encounters that I entered 2014 with imagination and energy for a whole new writing year.
Purchasing Tickets
If you would like to make your own wishlist of favourites, check out the Kingston Writers Fest website at www.kingstonwritersfest.ca. Tickets can be bought at the door, though I recommend buying tickets for big name shows as early as possible. All tickets have been on sale since June 25.
The 2014 International Marquee with Wally Lamb recounting some humorous book signing memories.The packed June 25th event that marked the start of 2015 ticket sales. Photo: George Forsyth
There’s still some summer left to enjoy in beautiful Kingston, and September promises to be an excellent month for a weekend getaway! Below is our monthly list of 50 things to do in Limestone City and includes some fantastic theatre productions, a ton of great festivals and events, some hands-on experiences for the makers in the crowd and much more.
Theatre
2. Go see Calendar Girls featuring an all-star Kingston cast at The Grand Theatre (September 9 – 19) 3. Join award-winning author and playwright Drew Hayden Taylor for an outside-the-box master class, Writing Playful Playscripts (September 23) 4. Experience an inspiring start to the season at the Kingston Grand with Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff (September 27)
Music & Entertainment
5. Head to Confederation Park and experience Music in the Park (September 1) 6. Make your way to Fort Henry for Preshow on the Bistro featuring River City Junction (September 2) 8. Experience a Latin Jazz Trio at Sounds at St. Andrews (September 5) 9. Show off your otherwise useless knowledge base at Trivia Night at The Brooklyn (Sunday nights) 11. Enjoy the music of Jerry Lee, Fats Domino and Ray Charles on the Jerry Lee, Fats and Ray Rock Lunch Cruise (September 24) 12. Go see four-time JUNO Award winner Jane Bunnett at The Isabel (September 29)
Festivals & Events
14. Enjoy some live music, performances, artist demonstrations and more at the Kingston Multicultural Arts Festival (September 6) 15. Support Queen’s Shinerama’s Shine Day, Sidewalk Sale and Tour of the Town to benefit Cystic Fibrosis research (Various Dates) 16. Celebrate workers and their families in the community with a Labour Day Parade & Free Picnic (September 7) 17. Get creative at the 3rd Annual Paint the Town! Plein Air Art Creation Weekend (September 11 – 13) 18. Enjoy the midway, agricultural displays and shows, entertainment, children’s activities, crafts and lots more at the 185th Annual Kingston Fall Fair (September 17 – 20) 20. Join award-winning journalist and author Patricia Pearson as she addresses the universal curiosity about what happens after death and the question of whether there is another kind of life after we cease to breathe at When We Die: A Journalist Investigates (September 23) 22. Check out Kingston’s art galleries after usual business hours with Art After Dark (September 25) 23. Participate in free children’s workshops, stone carving demonstrations, displays, entertainment from Ireland, Harvest Fest, tours and more at Irish Canadian Dry Stone Festival (September 25 -27)
Shopping
26. Pick up some local fare at the Kingston Public Market (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) 28. Join the Odessa Agricultural Society as they hold their first ever Harvest Farmers Market at the Odessa fairgrounds (September 19 – October 9) 29. Discover old world foods and unique finds at Cooke’s Fine Foods & Coffee (Monday – Saturday, open seasonally on Sundays)
Wine & Food
30. Check out Luther Wright & the Wrongs at Pan Chancho’s Backyard BBQ & Band Series (September 3) 32. Indulge in some tapas while practicing Argentine Tango at Tango Nuevo (September 26)
History
34. Experience one of Fort Henry’s world-famous Sunset Ceremonies (September 2) 35. Take a walk in Sir John A’s Footsteps with a historical walking tour courtesy of Salon Theatre Production (September 3) 37. Take a tour of beautiful and historic Kingston City Hall (Check for hours) 38. Explore the fascinating history of Canada’s Federal penitentiary system at Canada’s Penitentiary Museum (Check for hours)
Sports & Outdoors
40. Spend some time at the region’s favourite garden party featuring culinary delights, wine tastings, martinis and more at Fare for Friends (September 13) 41. Scale Canada’s highest indoor climb at The Boiler Room (check for times)
Hands On
42. Make mugs, not war at a Tuesday Throwing Pottery Class (September 15 – 29) 43. Learn how to silversmith from the masters at Alchemy House Jewellery (September 22 onwards) 45. Learn the skills needed to wield a paintbrush, pens or pencils with a Beginners Art Class at the Kingston School of Art (September 13, 20 & 27)
Museums & Art Galleries
47. Experience Hands on Nature, a travelling exhibit from the Royal Ontario Museum that is all about biodiversity (September 1 – 5) 48. Check out turn that brown upside down, an installation of new and recent sculpture and 2D work by Toronto-based artist Katie Bethune-Leamen at Modern Fuel Gallery (September 1 – October 3) 49. Explore Under New Management’s Video Store exhibition at Union Gallery (September 15 – November 7) 50. Discover a wide ranging collection of marine artifacts and exhibits, a significant fine art collection and much more at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes (Check for hours)
Do you have an event that you would like covered in October’s list of 50 things to do in Kingston? Send us an email to info@kingstonlobby.com!
It’s clear from the moment you walk into Waterfront Gifts & Apparel that it isn’t your typical gift shop. Sure, there are the expected tourist staples: brightly coloured ‘Kingston’ magnets, mugs emblazoned with trolleys and cruise ships, and subtle nods to the city’s penchant for limestone via Kingston-branded coasters. But that’s essentially where the tourist gift shop cliché ends and something refreshing and unexpected takes over. Waterfront Gifts & Apparel itself is rather beautiful, actually; open, airy and meticulously merchandized with an expansive wall of windows and skylights bathing the store in natural light. And while undeniably gorgeous in its appointments and products, it still maintains a relaxed atmosphere that encourages customers to snoop around.
There are a ton of awesome products just waiting to be found.
Every surface in the store features something unique and locally-minded, with almost every product sourced from a Canadian merchant or artisan. At Waterfront Gifts & Apparel, you’ll find items from the likes of Cate & Levi, Shiva’s Delight, Ark Imports and Whitewater Premium Candle Co. to name a very select few. The shelves are a virtual ‘who’s who’ of established Canadian brands, while still leaving room for lesser-known businesses to be discovered. In terms of apparel, Waterfront Gifts offers an extensive collection for customers to choose from. Here, you’ll find it all: Kingston-branded graphic t-shirts you will actually want to wear, colourful knit hoodies, hilarious boxer shorts, premium bags, and perhaps most impressively: awesome onesies you simply won’t be talked out of buying. Everything is distinctly Canadian, but without blatantly hitting you over the head with thousands of maple leafs or ‘eh’s’ in giant block lettering.
Elegant and affordable jewellery make for the perfect gift.Lots of beautifully-crafted bags to choose from.Waterfront Gifts & Apparel carries the full line of Shiva’s Delight bath and body products.We’d wear this.Great collection of Cate & Levi puppets.The awesome scents of Whitewater Premium Candle Co.
But perhaps what truly elevates Waterfront Gifts & Apparel above your typical tourist trap gift shop is their vast collection of gifts you actually want to buy, whether for yourself or someone else. This isn’t just a store for tourists – locals should also definitely find plenty of reasons to come back. From beautifully silkscreened pillows and ornate jewellery, to an impressive assortment of entertaining items (think cocktail mixes and Canadian poutine gravy) and drink ware (Group of 7 coffee mugs? Yes, please), you’ll be hard pressed to leave the store empty-handed. So whether you’re new to town, or a seasoned regular – check out the offerings at Waterfront Gifts & Apparel (248 Ontario Street). You’ll be pleased that you did.
Stone City Ales celebrated its first year in the craft beer business this past July, and already the accolades are pouring in. In April 2015 the brewhouse, bottle shop and tap room received both second and third in the West Coast IPA category at the Ontario Brewing Awards, which is virtually unheard of in Ontario’s uber-competitive IPA world.
A big reason for that praise is the guy behind Stone City’s suds: Head Brewer Justin da Silva. A native of Pickering, Ontario, da Silva first got a taste for brewing while working at Ottawa’s Clock Tower Brew Pub after graduating from the University of Ottawa. His travels to the beer meccas of the world—Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK—certainly helped develop his love of brewing, too.
He went on to work as a brewer at Ottawa’s Beyond the Pale Brewery and as an eastern Ontario sales rep for Burlington’s Nickel Brook Brewery, where he saw firsthand the demand for craft beer that wasn’t being filled in Kingston. Enter Ron Shore, who also saw the demand and looked to fill it with his own brewery in Kingston and da Silva, the man he hired to develop the recipes that would become the core of Stone City’s ales.
I recently caught up with da Silva to learn more about why he joined Shore’s brewery, his approach to brewing and what’ll be on tap soon at Stone City Ales. Here’s what he had to say:
What was it that attracted you to Stone City Ales in the first place?
I always really liked Kingston. I grew up sailing in Pickering and had come to CORK [an annual sailing festival in Kingston], so there were always fond memories of this city. I was also open to a change, and this was an opportunity to do something new and brew my own recipes. Plus, Ron [Shore] and I seemed to be pretty like-minded about what we wanted to drink.
How would you characterize that approach to beer?
I’m a big fan of brewing American-style beers, so we do a lot of hop-forward pale ales and IPAs. And I’m a pretty big fan of Belgian beers, too. Ron has come around on them; he’s getting into them quite heavily.
What is it about Belgian beers that attract you?
I just find their flavour profile is quite interesting. You get those spicy and fruity notes coming off the yeast, and there are hundreds of Belgian beers, from pale ales to saisons to all of the different kinds of sour beers. Their approach is that you can put whatever you want into beers—there’s no limit to what you can do. Whereas with British and German brewing, it’s much more: “This is how we do it, this is how we’ve always done it and this is how we’re going to continue to do it.”
Has your approach to brewing changed at all since you arrived at Stone City Ales?
Not so much with how I like to brew, but we’ve done some tweaking. When we were doing our pilot brewing, for example, we were having terrible results because the limestone in the area adds this mineral quality to the beer that we found made the beer a little bit too bitter. So now we have a big system and a really good filter, and we’ve had to adjust how we brew the beer to make up for the water. But overall, it’s quite nice to work with this water; I find it makes for good beer.
Other than the water, what other local ingredients to you use in the beers?
We work with a fair amount of Canadian malts, and in the fall we’ll be working with Pleasant Valley Hops in Prince Edward County, which we’re really excited about because for the most part there’s not an abundance of hop yards in this area. We also work with a local farm, Salt of the Earth. We give them all of our spent grain to feed to their livestock, and in the summer we’ll be getting some of their produce to use in our kitchen. Last year, we did a pumpkin beer and used a bunch of their pumpkins, and in the wintertime, we did a cranberry spruce beer and used spruce that they foraged off their property. We’re hoping to utilize even more of their produce in our beer room and tap room soon.
What else is in store over the next couple of months? Anything you can tell us about what’ll be on tap?
We’re releasing our “Hundredth Brew” very soon. It’s going to be a special IPA, and it should be a pretty hoppy beer—100 IBU since it’s our hundredth brew. And we’re actually going to be doing our first sour beer very soon. It’ll be a Belgian sour saison, so it’ll be a little bit tart. We’re also going to be releasing some of our barrel-aged stuff that we’ve been storing for months and months. So we’ve got lots of good stuff going on.
Joined by the Ceremonial Guard from Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, Kingston’s Fort Henry Guard will perform in a world famous joint venture starting at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2015. This joint performance is one of the season highlights and celebrates Fort Henry’s long standing relationship with the Ceremonial Guard. The Fort Henry Guard Drums, Drill Squad and Artillery Detachment band will meet the Foot Guards and Bandsmen of the Ceremonial Guard to present a professional, precise and rarely viewed event celebrating Kingston’s military culture and traditions. The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks finale. The Ceremonial Guard is a unit of the Canadian Forces that performs a variety of public duties in Ottawa between late June and the end of August. All the members of the Ceremonial Guard are fully-trained members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), many with deployments on international operations. Soldiers from more than 70 Canadian Army regiments make up the 2015 Ceremonial Guard. The Band of the Ceremonial Guard is part of the CAF Primary Reserves. It forms each year to provide musical support for the Changing of the Guard ceremony on Parliament Hill. Relax and Dine before the show at Fort Henry’s new Battery Bistro Patio overlooking Lake Ontario and the City of Kingston. For more information or to book your package, call the Customer Service Team at 800-437-2233. Event admission is $25 Adult (13-64 yrs); $20 Senior (65 yrs +); Youth (6-12 yrs) $20. Children 5 years and under are free. All prices are plus HST. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended. Tickets can be purchase online at www.FortHenry.com.
Quick Facts
The St. Lawrence Parks Commission, an agency of the Government of Ontario, operates facilities in 16 municipalities stretching from Kingston to the Quebec border, including Upper Canada Village, Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Crysler Park Marina, Upper Canada Golf Course, Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary and 12 campgrounds and day-use areas including the Long Sault and 1000 Islands Parkways. Located at the junction of Highways 2 and 15 (Exit 623 off Highway 401 then south on Highway 15), Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada is managed by The St. Lawrence Parks Commission, an agency of the Government of Ontario.
If you haven’t heard already, there’s a lot happening in Kingston in August! Take your pick from the choices of festivals and events, enjoy the local arts scene, sample some of Kingston’s fine cuisine, or treat yourself to an evening of spectacular theatre. Whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it in Kingston – and then some. Without further ado, check out our list of 50 Things to do in Kingston in August!
12. Catch a free lunchtime concert in Confederation Park (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) 13. Spend an evening at Olivea enjoying some Tuesday Night Jazz (Tuesdays) 16. Join Chris Alfano and his band for a night of live music and dancing, featuring the swinging sounds of jazz visionary Benny Goodman on a Lunch or Dinner Cruise (August 6) 17. Experience the musical stylings of Deborah Schuurmans during St. George’s Cathedral Summer Concert Series (August 6) 19. Go see The Paul DesLauriers Band play some live blues on the DOX Patio (August 7) 20. Take in some live blues on the DOX Patio with Chuck Jackson and the All Stars (August 14) 21. Go see Guardians of the Galaxy at Movies in the Square (August 20) 22. Go see Mr. Hulot’s Holiday at The Screening Room (August 23) 23. Spend an afternoon enjoying gospel blues and lunch on the water (August 27)
Theatre
25. Take a walk in Sir John A.’s Footsteps and stroll through Kingston’s most iconic attractions (Wednesdays to Sundays) 26. Head to Market Square for Auto Show, presented by Convergence Theatre (August 1) 27. Check out The Kick and Push Festival’s Tall Ghosts and Bad Weather at St. Paul’s Anglican Church (August 5) 28. Driftwood Theatre proudly presents Hamlet, the world’s most famous play, like you’ve never seen it before (August 7) 29. Go see the family-friendly adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ presented by The Queen’s Barefoot Players (August 10) 30. Relive the magic of Queen with It’s A Kinda Magic, a recreation of Queen’s 1986 World Tour concert at The Grand Theatre (August 18)
Wine & Food
32. Enjoy a guided tour of the member wineries of Prince Edward County Wine Growers Association with a County Sips Wine Tour by Ian (Contact for dates) 33. Grab some friends and head to Atomica‘s patio for some cocktails (Every day) 34. Try some authentic German cuisine from Amadeus Cafe on their beautiful patio (Every day)
The Arts
35. Spend some time at the Summer Exhibition at the Window Art Gallery, Kingston School of Art (August 4 – 30) 36. Take a free Summer tour focused on New Views of Female Identity at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre (August 6)
The jig’s been up about the Wolfe Island Music Festival (August 7 – 8) for years now, and yet it still feels like this is Canadian music’s best kept summer secret. Maybe it’s because you have to take a 20-minute ferry from downtown Kingston to get there. Or that once you arrive, there are only a few thousand people with you to get up close to musicians who have ranged from Sarah Harmer to Shad. Whatever the reason, this year’s secret will be safe with headliners Constantines, Operators and Hayden, along with 19 other bands performing on 4 stages during the 2 days. Tickets go from a reasonable $50 Friday pass to a $125 full weekend pass with camping, but if that’s not enticing enough, here are 5 more reasons to check the fest out:
1. Two Days, Four Stages
Bahamas performing on the main stage in 2013. (photo: Matt Forsythe)
This isn’t one of those music festivals you go to for just one or two headliners. Both days are packed with Canadian indie music darlings you may know and up-and-comers you’ll want to know more about. The fortunate problem you’ll have, especially on Friday, will be which stage to choose. There’s the always raucous Wolfe Island Hotel stage, where alt rockers Limblifter will headline on Friday night. There’s the quieter St. Anne’s Hall and St. Margaret’s Hall, where Mo Kenney, Wax Mannequin, Spencer Berton and Brendan Philip will croon away on Friday night. And there’s the main stage, a community baseball diamond, a perfect fit for roots legends Elliott Brood on Friday evening, and everyone from Constantines, to Hayden, to Lowell, to Taylor Knox from noon to midnight on Saturday.
2. Constantines Return
Saturday’s headliner Constantines should not be missed. (photo: Flickr/Martin Cathrae)
I know I just wrote this isn’t a festival for seeing one or two headliners, but if for some reason you can’t get there on Friday or you keep missing the ferry on Saturday, make sure you’re at least there for Saturday’s headliner. Constantines’ last appearance at the festival was in 2006, and for my money they were worth the ticket price alone. Sounding like some mashup of The Clash, Fugazi, Bruce Springsteen and The Replacements, the Guelph art-punk band has been consistently blowing the roof off Canadian venues since the early aughts. The Weakerthans’ John K. Samson called them the best live band he’s ever saw, and I’d have to agree. Newcomers might start with Young Lions, Shine a Light and Nighttime/Anytime.
3. Intimacy
It doesn’t get more intimate than this: Pup frontman Zack Mykula at the 2014 Wolfe Island Music Festival. (photo: Matt Forsythe)
The biggest thing going for the festival — other than the always stellar lineup — is how close you feel to each of the bands that play there. The small venues and main stage baseball diamond play big roles in that intimacy, but so to do the bands themselves. It’s never rare seeing a drummer chat up a fan over a beer after a set, or a lead singer gladly head into the crowd to belt out a tune, or an entire band relax on a blanket beside you, just as happy to see who’s onstage. Of course the small crowd — never more than a few thousand people — keeps things intimate too, but more than anything, it may simply be that Wolfe Island’s tight-knit and relaxed island vibes just rub off on anyone who sets foot there.
4. A Free Boat Ride
The Wolfe Island Ferry heading towards downtown Kingston. (photo: Flickr/Liz)
Unless you’re a long-distance swimmer, the only way to get to Wolfe Island is via boat — not that that’s a bad thing. Who doesn’t like taking a boat ride in the dog days of summer, especially when it’s free and taking you to great music? The gentle 20-minute crossing from downtown Kingston, along with the warm rays and cool breeze aboard, is the perfect intro to those relaxed, intimate vibes you’ll experience once you arrive on the biggest of the Thousand Islands. Check the ferry schedule for times, but do try to get there early as it only holds about 55 cars and 330 passengers per trip. If you do miss it, though, festival organizers will have a new Festival Express Boat, which will depart on the half hour from the dock beside the ferry and on the hour from Wolfe Island. Plus, there’ll be a DJ onboard!
5. Camping
Depending on where you set up your tent, you might get a view of the main stage. (photo: Flickr/Simon Clayson)
If you have a tent, you won’t have to worry about making that last ferry at the end of the night. And you won’t have to stumble too far to find your abode since the camping area is right beside the festival site. Camping is also a great way to meet your fellow festivalgoers, some of whom you might just find yourself dancing or singing up a storm with at the nearby main stage. A general admission weekend pass with camping will set you back $125, and note that there are rules you’ll have to abide by, including no campfires, loud music or alcohol. Remember, too, that there are no 24-hour convenience stores on the island or late-night pizza joints, so bring some food if you think you’ll get hungry late at night. Head to wolfeislandmusicfestival.com for all of the festival details, including the full music lineup.
The inaugural Kick & Push Festival is Kingston’s newest summer attraction, and you definitely aren’t going to want to miss this!
Six theatre companies have teamed up in a collaborative effort to fill downtown Kingston with exciting events that are unique to the city and include Theatre Kingston, Blue Canoe Productions, Single Thread Theatre Company, the Cellar Door Project and special guests Fixt Point and Convergence Theatre. Not only is this festival a theatre lover’s dream, but it’s perfect for anyone wanting to break away from the ordinary and try something new. Audiences will have the chance to become immersed in these performances like never before!
Ambrose
July 15 – August 15
On December 1st 1919, theatre tycoon and self-made millionaire Ambrose Small sold all of his theatres at a profit of 1.7 million. The next day, he disappeared and his body was never recovered. The mystery surrounding the true-story disappearance of Ambrose Small is explored as audiences go behind the curtains of one of his former properties: the Grand Theatre.
This performance is site-specific, meaning that it is developed uniquely for the various spaces inside the Grand Theatre. The audience is guided through the backstage and dark recesses of the Grand as they are immersed in the world of the story.
Tall Ghosts & Bad Weather is a dramatic exploration of The Lower Burial Ground at St. Paul’s Anglican Church. One site, two stories, 200 years apart. The Cellar Door Project is a historically motivated, site-specific theatre company, dedicated to reanimating local historical spaces. Following their plays in City Hall’s 19th century lockup, City Park, Queen’s Kingston Hall, the Royal Tavern, and a 1920s KP escape route, this production will explore the conservation efforts made by the Lower Burial Ground Restoration Society in 2008 in century old cemetery at St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Performing at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 137 Queen St (at Montreal St). Please note: this performance takes place outdoors in the evening. Audiences are encouraged to wear long sleeves and bring bug spray to avoid mosquitoes. Presented by: The Cellar Door Project Written by: Sean Meldrum Directed by: Mariah Horner Get Tickets
A Chorus Line
July 22 – 26
This ten time Tony Award winning musical brings you into a Broadway audition as 17 hopeful performers give everything they have for an innovative director who is looking to cast an all “chorus” Broadway Musical. A Chorus Line provides a glimpse into the personalities of the performers and the choreographer as they describe the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers and performers.
Audiences have the option to “Join the Line” – a special ticket that allows them to enter through the stage door and be up onstage with the characters for the first few numbers of the show before finding their seats.
Presented by: Blue Canoe Theatrical Productions Directed by: Mike Sheppard and Joey Graff Book by: James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante Music by: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics by: Edward Kleban Get Tickets
Autoshow
July 28 – August 12
Loving, fighting, working, sleeping, eating, planning, waiting, escaping, dying… what else goes on inside your car?AutoShow invites you to move through its cycle of short plays throughout Springer Market Square, taking you right inside the small intimate spaces where the stories unfold. Seven plays. Seven cars. One amazing night. Created by: Convergence Theatre Produced by: The Kick & Push Festival Directed by: Aaron Willis and Rebecca Benson Get Tickets
SHIPWRECKED!
July 29 – August 2
“Recreating the pleasures of nineteenth-century platform entertainment with a tart contemporary twist, Donald Margulies’ SHIPWRECKED offers a self-promoting fabulist a forum to inform and persuade, and it delights in both respects.” —Variety. The adventurous Louis de Rougemont invites you to hear his amazing story of bravery, survival and celebrity that left nineteenth-century England spellbound. Dare to be whisked away in a story of the high seas, populated by exotic islanders, flying wombats, giant sea turtles and a monstrous man-eating octopus. SHIPWRECKED examines how far we’re willing to blur the line between fact and fiction in order to leave our mark on the world. A celebration of the imagination, Shipwrecked is 90 minutes of non-stop adventure-filled fun for the entire family. Presented by: Theatre Kingston Written by: Donald Margulies Directed by: Brett Christopher
Kingston museums and art galleries are pleased to present two dates with extended evening opening hours this summer. “Museums at Night” has long been a popular event in many European countries and now, Kingston visitors and residents can experience their own heritage and culture institutions in the evening from 5-8pm on Thursday July 9th and Thursday August 6th 2015. As an added bonus, Kingston Trolley Tours will be offering extended operating hours on these evenings. Leave the car at home, and enjoy a relaxing evening touring beautiful Kingston and visiting many of its museums and art galleries with friends and family. This event is being organized by the Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries, and Historic Sites, in partnership with Kingston Trolley Tours.
Participating Sites:
Modern Fuel Artist-run Centre
Established in 1977 as the Kingston Artists’ Association Inc. (KAAI), Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre is a non-profit organization facilitating the presentation, interpretation, and production of contemporary visual, time-based and interdisciplinary arts. Modern Fuel aims to meet the professional development needs of emerging and mid-career local, national and international artists, from diverse cultural communities, through exhibition, discussion, and mentorship opportunities. 370 King Street West, Suite 305 613.548.4883 Website
Union Gallery
Features exhibitions from Queen’s Fine Art students as well as professional artists. Queen’s University, Stauffer Library Building 613.533.3171 Website
Murney Tower
Built in 1846 as part of the defensive Martello tower fortifications of Kingston, this museum has 3 floors displaying a collection of military and domestic artifacts of 19th-century. King Street West at Barrie St. 613.572.5181 Website
Museum of Health Care
Explore this fascinating museum and National Historic Site, or take a guided tour, to learn about the history of health and heath care in Canada. Education programs available.
32 George Street, Ann Baillie Building National Historic Site 613.548.2419 Website
Bellevue House National Historic Site
Visit the 1840’s restored house and gardens of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister. Exhibits in the visitor centre commemorate his life and career, and costumed staff present the daily life of the Macdonald family. 35 Centre Street 613.545.8666 Website
Kingston City Hall National Historic Site
Take a free guided tour of magnificent Kingston City Hall, built in 1841-43 when Kingston was the first capital of Canada. 216 Ontario Street 613.546.4291 X1520 Website
Royal Military College of Canada Museum
Established in 1961, the current RMCC Museum occupies space in the Fort Frederick Martello Tower (ca 1846), with modern environmental storage and work spaces elsewhere. Additional displays are mounted throughout the College buildings, and on Point Frederick where National Historic Site plaques describe the Naval Yard, the Point Frederick Buildings and the Kingston Fortifications, now part of the UNESCO Rideau System World Heritage Site. Hwy 2 East, on Royal Military College grounds 613.541.6000 X3555 Website
Canada’s Penitentiary Museum
Built in 1873 as the Kingston Penitentiary Warden’s residence, “Cedarhedge” now houses Canada’s Penitentiary Museum. Investigate the history of Canada’s federal penitentiaries. It’s time well spent! 555 King Street West (enter off Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd. South) 613.530.3122 Website
Frontenac County Schools Museum
Visit a one-room school classroom of the 1890-1910 era. View displays of artifacts, schoolbooks, equipment and photographs. Experience social and school life as children did in pioneer days. 414 Regent Street, Barriefield, Ontario (across the causeway from downtown Kingston) 613.544.9113 Website
Pump House Steam Museum
The Pump House Steam Museum is located in one of Canada’s oldest original water works – where steam-powered pumps provided the first running water to Kingston residents from 1850. Only six similar preserved water pumping plants remain in North America. 23 Ontario Street 613.546.4291 X1666 Website
Miller Museum of Geology
A collection of the Earth’s rocks, minerals and fossils (including a dinosaur exihibit), and an overview of the geological history of the Kingston area. The newest exhibit highlights the oldest known animal fossils from Mistaken Point, Newfoundland. 36 Union Street, Miller Hall at Queen’s University 613.533.6767 Website
MacLachlan Woodworking Museum
The MacLachlan Woodworking Museum holds the most extensive, nationally significant collection of woodworking tools in Canada. 2993 Hwy 2 East (at Grass Creek Park) 613.542.0543 Website
The Kingston Association of Museums, Galleries, and Historic Sites, Inc. (KAM) is a not-for-profit, collaborative group of member institutions from the Kingston region. KAM exists primarily to raise public awareness, through the facilitation of collective marketing, promotion, and joint programming initiatives on the behalf of its membership. KAM is also engaged in supporting its membership through the dissemination of information and professional development training related to museum/gallery/historic site function and operation. KAM’s member institutions range from federally owned sites with professional staff, to sites which are member owned and volunteer operated. Some operate seasonally; others are open year round. Many sites have specialist collections which range anywhere from local, to national, to international significance. In addition to built (architectural) heritage, KAM members’ collections include: archaeology, earth sciences, fine art, trade and technology; education, marine, medical, military, and sports history.
When a month kicks off with fireworks and ends with motorcycles flying through the air in front of City Hall, you know you’re in prime festival season. Especially when there’s an outdoor art showcase, a buskers rendezvous and a food fest peppered in between. Here’s the lowdown on ten festivals you shouldn’t miss in Kingston this month.
Canada Day
July 1, 2015: Downtown
Most of the Canada Day festivities will happen in and around Confederation Park. (Photo: Marcus Jeffrey/Flickr)
It’s fitting the first capital of Canada will host one of the most jam-packed Canada Days in the province. The day kicks off at 9 am with the annual Limestone Mile, a three-race running event for kids and adults that starts on King Street and ends at City Hall. At 11:30 am, head to Princess and Barrie and join the people parade as it heads toward City Hall. After, you’ve got your choice of seeing who wins a 2015 First Capital Award, live music in Confederation Park, wagon rides and way more. Stay in Confederation Park for one of the best views of the fireworks at 10:15 pm (another good spot is Fort Henry). downtownkingston.ca
Pan Am Cultural Festival
July 1 – 4, 2015 @ Fort Henry
The Pan Am Games in Toronto are right around the corner (July 10 – 26), and there’s no better place to get in the spirit — in Kingston, at least — than at this free, four-day event. This celebration of Pan American music, dance, art, sport, history and community will feature everything from Caribbean pan drumming, to interactive workshops and demos in the Sports Zone, to Canada’s “Queen of R&B and Soul” Jully Black. Plus: a special torch ceremony on July 2nd and free access to Fort Henry programming all four days.
Artfest
July 1 – 4, 2015 @ City Park
A few of last year’s artists, including Lory MacDonald (seated), the show producer. (Photo: Artfest Kingston)
Now in its fourth year, Artfest, a free, all-ages outdoor event will feature more than 150 Canadian artists, plus live music, mural painting, children’s and adult art programming, international food, and new art projects. New features this year include the Easel Invasion, a chance for anyone to try painting under the guidance of an artist; Family Picnic Table, where families decorate a picnic table under the direction of artist Sabrina Parrish; and Poets @ Artfest, a series of live poetry readings throughout the weekend.
One Act Festival
July 3, 2015, 7:30 pm @ The Domino Theatre
One play, one night, one chance to represent Domino Theatre at the Eastern Ontario Drama League One Act Festival. That’s what’s at stake for playwrights Dylan Chenier, Sara Beck and Lyn McCauley at this 7th annual theatre festival. Each play has 10 minutes to set up and 5 minutes to tear down, and a panel of judges, with the help of the audience, will select one of the three short plays to move on. $20.
Taste of Kingston
July 4, 2015 (11 am – 3 pm) @ Confederation Park
The King Street Sizzle crew will be at Taste of Kingston all day, but no word yet on what culinary wonders they’ll have up their sleeves. (Photo: LexnGer/Flickr)
Head downtown to the waterfront on the first Saturday of the month to help a good cause and avoid the most difficult part about eating out: deciding where to go. For 17 years now, Taste of Kingston has invited local restaurants to whip up $1 – $5 creations for visitors, donating all proceeds to the Boys and Girls Club or the Canadian Diabetes Association (this year’s recipient). The 2015 version will also feature live music, wrestling, improvised theatre, classic cars, a silent auction, a Kids Zone and more.
The Kick & Push Festival
July 6 – August 16, 2015: Varied Locations
The inaugural Kick & Push Festival is Kingston’s newest summer attraction! Six theatre companies are teaming up this summer in a collaborative effort to fill the downtown with exciting events that are unique to Kingston. Participating companies include Theatre Kingston, Blue Canoe Productions, Single Thread Theatre Company, the Cellar Door Project and special guests Fixt Point and Convergence Theatre.
Buskers Rendezvous
July 9 – 12, 2015: Downtown
Knife jugglers, flame throwers, hapless clowns and every other type of street performer in between will descend on downtown for Buskers Rendezvous, one of the most anticipated festivals of the year. Most of the action takes place on Princess Street, Sydenham Street and Ontario Street, as well as in Market Square and Confederation Park. Don’t miss: the fire show on Saturday at 10 pm on Princess Street between Division and Barrie. Cost: donation per performance.
Kingston Show N Shine
July 25, 2015 (12 pm – 5 pm): Outside City Hall
Just one of the adrenalin-pumping motorcycle performances from last year. (Photo: Kingston Show N Shine)
Attention all motorcycle riders, enthusiasts and thrill-seekers: here’s the festival for you. All afternoon, you’ll be able to get up close to custom bikes on display, take in a variety of motorcycle shows (stunts, anyone?), hear live music and chow down on delicious eats. The annual Show N Shine is a fundraiser for various charities and causes, and this year it’s dedicated to the “fallen heroes and wounded warriors of our military, police, fire and ambulance personnel.”
Limestone Genre Expo
July 25, 2015 (10 am – 5 pm) @ Ongwanda Resource Centre
This month’s festivals are so diverse there’s even one dedicated to genre fiction: the Limestone Genre Expo—the first of its kind in Kingston. Featuring guest authors, artists and publishers from Kingston, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and elsewhere, there will be panel discussions on science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery and romance, as well as writing and business workshops, readings, and, of course, lots of books for sale. $20 online; $25 at the door.
Fort Henry Tattoo
July 25, 2015 (7:30 pm) @ Fort Henry
Music is the cornerstone of the Fort Henry Tattoo, but military drills play a big role, too. (Photo: Jordan Whitehouse)
An outdoor drill and musical showcase in Fort Henry’s Parade Square that’ll have your heart pounding and your head ready for battle. Fife, brass, and pipe and drum bands will be on hand, including the Regimental Band of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, Fort Henry Guard Drums, Rob Roby Pipe Band and Highland Dancers, and Scantily Plaid, a Canadian Celtic rock roots band. It all culminates in a massed band grand finale with 250 performers and a fireworks display. $20 – $25. Kids 5 and under: free.
Another month, another list! With summer officially here, Kingston is the place to be this July with awesome Canada Day celebrations, 10 different festivals, plenty of live entertainment for all musical tastes, riveting theatre and much more. Check out the list below and spend some time with us in Limestone City in July!
6. Check out immersive theatre, late night panel talks, masterclasses and more as part of the First Annual Kick + Push Festival (July & August) 7. Celebrate Pan American Music, Dance, Art, Sport, History & Community with live entertainment on multiple stages at the Pan Am Cultural Festival (July 1 – 4) 8. Check out the Domino Theatre’s 7th Annual One Act Festival (July 3) 10. Spend the afternoon seeing what the young busking crowd is up to at the 5th Annual Young Peoples Buskers Festival (July 10) 12. Listen to readings by guest authors, artists and publishers from Kingston, Toronto, Ottawa, Peterborough, Montréal and other nearby genre fiction communities at the Limestone Genre Expo (July 25)
31. Go see the classic, The Pirates of Penzance at the Thousand Islands Playhouse (July 3) 32. Check out Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night presented by Queen’s Vagabond (July 8) 34. Experience The Kick & Push Festival with Ambrose at the Grand Theatre (July 15) 35. Witness a dramatic exploration of The Lower Burial Ground at St. Paul’s Anglican Church with Tall Ghosts and Bad Weather at the Grand Theatre (July 21) 36. Go see the ten-time Tony Award winning A Chorus Line at the Grand Theatre (July 22) 37. Experience one of North America’s most prominent piano duos with Duo Tergeon at The Isabel Bader Centre for Performing Arts (July 25)
Sports & Outdoors
39. Watch some soccer and cheer on your favourites at the Ambassador Cup Girls Tournament (July 4) 40. Get your fill of sailing at the Laser Masters’ World Championship (July 11) 41. Get out on the water with a canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard from Ahoy Rentals (7 days a week/check for hours)
Do you have an event that you want included in August’s list of 50 Things to Do in Kingston? Send us an email to info@kingstonlobby.com!
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