Things To Do in Kingston

Patrons enter Bronson & Bronson to discover troves of camouflage, clothing, and equipment that helps paintballers and hunters keep their aim steady. Acrylic gladiators can slip a paintball mask ($39+) over their head to guard against enemy ammo or crayons. CO2 tanks ($35) launch colourful salvos, and Broadheads arrow tips ($50) help archers chase bull's eyes. Heads vanish as they don camouflage hats ($25+); full-body ghillie suits ($50+) outfit customers in leafy, plant-like garb so they can finally attend a gala at their local botanical garden. Though not included with today's Groupon, paintball enthusiasts can return with their freshly purchased gear to go to battle on Bronson & Bronson's outdoor fields, which open in April.

The guides at Black River Outfitters prize their namesake waterway for both its natural beauty and its reliability in keeping rapids flowing even through the drier summer months. Thus, from May through October, they organize 7-mile jaunts through Class III and IV rapids, for which they provide everyone from neophytes to experts with all necessary equipment and rushes of adrenaline. Following each zigzag down the river, a bus takes their adventurers back to the base, where they watch a photo slideshow of the trip and indulge in complimentary ice cream.

Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises' fleet of boats meander the waterways just off of the Kingston waterfront with dozens of different cruise options. From sightseeing and dinner cruises to dance parties, the schedule boasts watery sojourns every day of the week, with late-night shindigs on Fridays and Saturdays in the summer. In addition to their group cruises, the team also runs ships as private charters, each voyage boasting custom music, entertainment, and bar services.

With one of the largest snow tubing hills in northern New York, Maple Ridge Snow Park entertains families and winter weather fanatics with its prowess for cylindrical recreation. Careen down 1,200 feet of packed sky powder while enjoying the stomach-flipping thrills from the 100-foot vertical drop. Save energy for the descent and let a complimentary tube tow drag your raft back up the hill and away from the snow angels lobbing snowballs at the bottom of the knoll. The outdoor center is equipped with a warming area complete with game tables, concessions, and body-snuggling temperatures to thaw out chilled appendages.

Patrons enter Kingston Glass Studio and Gallery to discover the handmade work of more than 30 North American artists, including unique glass creations that focus on various styles, shapes and colours. Adorn freshly cut evergreens in a candy-cane design that reflects twinkling lights across its crimson hues, or place a bucket beneath a green-glass icicle in case it melts back into sand. An on-site studio beckons visitors over for daily demonstrations, in which local artisans use pipes to transform glowing glass into semi-transparent vases or summon flames by loudly gossiping about dragons in order to render glass beads. After selecting their five ornaments, customers can peruse the other artwork that occasionally sprouts from the store's exposed stone wall, including paintings, sculptures, and vases.

The Kingston Canadian Film Festival celebrates local and national productions with a three-day presentation of new movies, film receptions, and director and cast discussions. Film enthusiasts explore the life and career of the late Nell Shipman in "On a Grand Scale," a curated exhibition that probes her theatrical contributions as an actress, writer, director, and inventor of the scrolling credit. The silent-film-era artist, known for portraying strong female characters throughout her 13-year career, starred in more than 20 films, including movies based on James Oliver Curwood stories. As the clock tolls 4 p.m., audiences make their way into a darkened theatre for a showing of Shipman's Back to God's Country— a taboo-shattering 1919 silent film set in the Arctic wilderness—which will be paired with live musical accompaniment and fake indoor blizzards.