Downtown Kingston Gets Festive

The ice rink at Springer Market Square has officially opened. The rink appears to be a great spot to spend a Saturday night with some friends. A lively mix of Christmas tunes and the top forty hits are played over speakers so that everyone can enjoy
some music while they skate.

The rink is located just behind City Hall, and outdoor lighting as been set up. Holiday cheer surrounds the rink as several of the trees have been decorated with festive lights – including a very large evergreen! Bleachers have also been placed right next to the ice for those wishing to watch the activity on the ice.

Change rooms are available for those looking to store their belongings. The city asks that people bring their own locks for the lockers that are provided. They would also recommend that large groups call ahead to, “get the maximum enjoyment from their outing."

Looking to warm up? Plenty of coffee shops, including Starbucks and Coffee & Company, are just a short walk away. Downtown Kingston also offers many restaurants, so dinner and skating is always an option.

I definitely recommend checking out Morrison’s, which is directly across the street from City Hall, if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat or are out for brunch. Ontario Street is lined with restaurants for a more formal meal.

My friends and I enjoyed the meals we had at The Raging Bull. The chicken parmesan plates were huge, and the staff were incredibly nice. Several Italian restaurants are available, such as Frankie Pestos (also on Ontario Street), Atomica and Olivea on Brock Street. Those looking for steak can hit up The Keg, located across from the ice rink, while a more casual dinner atmosphere is available at Lonestar on Ontario Street.

The rink is open from 8AM to 10PM, seven days a week. Springer Market Square is one of Kingston’s most popular outdoor ice rinks. In addition to this rink, skating is also available at Victoria Park, City Park, and Polson Park. Details can be found here.

Springer Market Square is located at Brock Street and King Street. This location is often used during the year for the Farmers Market, or the always popular Movies in the Square event.


Submitted By: Christina Hewitt

The Panthers of Notre Dame Brings Broadway to Kingston

The holiday season in Kingston takes on a bit of a different meaning to me each year. When some people are hanging up lights and out at malls, I can only think about one thing – high school production season.

Monday, I got the chance to preview Regiopolis-Notre Dame’s production of Hairspray, and if I could borrow a line from Tracy Turnblad herself, the show is “afrotastic”!

While this is the school’s most vibrant show in a few years (Les Miserables was put on in 2009 and Fiddler on the Roof in 2008), it also takes on the role of Kingston’s first production of Hairspray.





Although I wasn’t around back then, the show is exactly what I feel like the sixties was all about: fun, vibrant, and had wicked dancing and music. It was easy to see just how much the cast loved what they were doing up there, which in my opinion, helps the show be so much better (because who really wants to see a show when the heroine isn’t enjoying herself).

Hairspray, which was both a movie (released in 1988 and 2009) and a Broadway musical, is set in 1960’s Baltimore, a time of values, and a time for change. Overnight a plus-sized girl, Tracy Turnblad, becomes a teen sensation when she appears on the local “Corny Collins Show”, but can she take out the show’s reigning princess and fight for equality while maintaining her hair?

Hairspray runs Wednesday, December 14th to Saturday, December 17th at 7:00 pm with a Saturday matinee at 2 pm at Regiopolis-Notre Dame, 130 Russell Street. You can visit http://www.reginotredame.ca/ for more information.

- submitted by Kylie Allport

Showvember in Kingston

Kingston's K-Rock Centre was on a roll in November announcing no fewer then seven upcoming events including:

Gigantour Feat. Megadeth – February 5th, 2012
Deep Purple – February 9th, 2012
Hedley w. Karl Wolf & Kay Mines – February 23rd, 2012
Jann Arden – March 13th, 2012
Harlem Globetrotters – April 4th, 2012
Johnny Reid – May 11th, 2012
Mamma Mia – July 9th – 10th, 2012

Great gift ideas! Click here for ticket info.

Here's a coupon for the Gift Giving Show we mentioned!

Gift Giving Show @Fort Henry

It's That Time of Year Again 
You know it is almost Christmas when the Gift Giving Show at Fort Henry comes around! This year the annual event lasts for three weeks in December, allowing you amble time to find that unique gift. Last weekend kicked off the annual historic event with over 20 vendors, all ranging in products, from jewellery, wood-crafting, quilts, sweaters, fine art, food  to wine. The participating artists offer truly one-of-a-kind items, making the Gift Giving Show the place to shop this holiday season. 

Skip the Mall before Christmas
Fort Henry is not just a museum but also a spectacular historic site, get the true feeling of 19th century military life as you walk room to room shopping, soaking in the atmosphere! This year marks the first ever Victorian Holiday Festival, which runs in conjunction with the well-established Gift Giving Show.

Event Details
The Gift Giving Show runs Friday 5:00PM - 9:00PM | Saturday 10:00AM – 7:00PM | Sunday 12:00PM - 5:00PM | from December 2 -18, 2011.  Don't miss out!

Check out more information on the Gift Giving Show and Fort Henry click here 

Shop & Stay!
Make a weekend out of it in, look up convenient Kingston accommodations that work for you and plan your unique shopping spree.

Click here for a full accommodations breakdown

Q in Kingston

Where will it be? Hamilton? Guelph? London? Kingstonians want it most of all. CBC Radio’s Jian Ghomeshi has invited cities across Ontario to put together the best invitation for him to come to their city and broadcast ‘Q’ live. The winning location will be announced on ‘Q’ on Thursday, December 8 and Kingstonians are warming up the Grand Theatre in the hope of welcoming “Q to K-town.”









The contest began organically on Twitter, with friendly jabs between London and Kingston residents, arguing about who would do a better job hosting the popular show and iconic host. Upon seeing the tweets, Ghomeshi made it official, and announced he would pick a city in Ontario on December 8th, based on who made the best case for their town on social media networks like Twitter and Facebook.

The campaign has gone viral with Kingstonians posting pictures of a miniature cut-out Jian having adventures across the city, and tweets reminding Ghomeshi of all the incredible artists, writers and musicians who call Kingston home, and the incredible history of the city.

Now the City of Kingston Cultural Services department - which manages the Grand Theatre, the most likely venue for a live airing of ‘Q’ - is upping the ante, asking Kingstonians to write a short open letter to Jian explaining what he’ll love about Kingston and why he should bring his show to the Grand Theatre. Letters will be sent directly to Ghomeshi at CBC headquarters. Letters should be emailed to jfossitt@cityofkingston.ca no later than Tuesday, December 6 at 9:00 a.m. They can also be faxed to 613-542-4633.

Kingstonians are also invited to film a video appeal to Jian at 1 pm on Saturday December 3rd outside the Grand Theatre.

Miniature Jian cut-outs are available for download on the Grand Theatre website at kingstongrand.ca

If the campaign is successful and ‘Q’ comes to Kingston, a winner will be randomly selected from all letters received to win two tickets to Jian’s Grand Theatre show! No matter the outcome, four lucky winners will receive two tickets to a Grand Theatre Presents show.

- Steph Earp, Communications Officer City of Kingston