Between the many festivals, vibrant nightlife, sporting events, and concert venues, there is no shortage of things to do in Kingston. The thriving local arts scene is evident through the many art galleries and performing arts venues.
Theatre lovers have their choice of Kingston things to do thanks to the Grand Theatre at 218 Princess Street. The theatre opened in 1879 and underwent a major restoration in the mid-2000s. The Kingston Symphony Orchestra performs here, as do many traveling Broadway musical productions. The Domino Theatre in the Harold Harvey Centre started off as a movie theatre, but has morphed into a playhouse. The Domino produces seven plays every winter.
It’s impossible not to mention the many festivals in any Kingston guide. The Kingston WritersFest, held every September at the Kingston Holiday Inn Waterfront, draws in authors like Michael Ondaatje and Vincent Lam. The Kingston Canadian Film Festival, located on the Queen’s University campus, is the largest stand-alone showcase of purely Canadian movies.
Kingston deals can be found at the downtown section of Princess Street, which is full of small art galleries, locally run bookstores, and boutiques. After working up an appetite while shopping, stop at the Pita Pit, decked with its signature green awning, and order a fully customized flatbread sandwich.
No guide to Kingston is complete without mentioning the many activities that outdoors enthusiasts can participate in. There are several exploratory tours of the 1,000 Islands region of Lake Ontario as well as the lake itself, which hosts a wide array of water sports, including waterskiing, boating, and fishing. The Kingston 1000 Islands Cruise Line offers an Island Lunch Cruise, a Riverfront Revue Dinner Theatre Cruise, and a Heart of the Islands Cruise.
Attending a sporting event is one of the most common things to do in Kingston. The city is home to the Kingston Panthers Rugby Football Club, the Royal Kingston Curling Club, and the Kingston Frontenacs hockey team.