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The long, cold days of winter are slowly stretching toward spring, and many in the Kingston area have been hard at work planning for the season to come.
There are plenty of upcoming events to look forward to as the days grow longer. From concerts and markets to theatre and cruise experiences, March and April are chock-full of activities to fill your 2025 calendar.
Here, we highlight some amazing (very) early spring events you won’t want to miss:
Shop and support local at the Memorial Centre Farmers Market
Food, fun, and more can be found at the Memorial Centre Farmers Market every Sunday. Photos via Memorial Centre Farmers Market.
Every Sunday, the Memorial Centre Farmers Market showcases local vendors and products that are truly Canadian. From grocery and personal care items, to housewares and gift ideas, you’ll find everything you need for your weekly shop, and then some!
On March 9, stop by the market for a Kingstonlicious event. Michelin-starred Chef Eric Robertson will lead demonstrations showcasing his culinary skills using the finest ingredients from local farmers and producers.
Then, on Thursday, April 17, take in the Easter Evening Market and get all your goodies for the holiday weekend. There will be no Sunday market on Easter.
Looking forward, the market will move back outside on May 4, 2025. Join them under the trees with lots of amenities including a playground, splash pad, and dog park.
Before that date, visit the Market on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Memorial Centre grounds, 303 York Street. Learn more on their website.
Get the kids out of the house during March Break
Fun and friends will be found at BGC South East’s March Break camps. Photos via BGC South East.
Still looking for a March Break camp? BGC South East has a few spots left for their 2025 camps. Most of the spaces are for children 6 to 12 in Amherstview, with a few other openings across the Kingston region.
Children and youth will participate in engaging, hands-on activities led by qualified staff to promote individual creativity and provide social, emotional, physical, and intellectual developmental opportunities. Campers will engage in sports, arts and crafts, science experiments, and much more.
A youth camp for ages 12 to 15 is also available at the West End Community Centre (1300 Bath Road). Youth will participate in a week of sports, creative arts, and leadership activities, providing a safe space and healthy activities to keep youth engaged and having fun during March Break. See what’s available and register online through BGC South East – but don’t wait. Spaces will fill quickly!
Plan a night out at The Spire
The Spire has many upcoming events in their historic performance hall. Photos by Trinette Atkinson.
Whether you’re in the mood for comedy nights, theatre productions, or live music, The Spire offers events and happenings sure to please everyone.
Besides being home to the Cantabile Choir (whose upcoming concert is highlighted below), The Spire is a vibrant community hub for the arts and non-profit groups, and serves as one of Kingston’s best large performance venues.
More than a dozen special events will take place on The Spire’s performance hall over the next two months.
A few highlights in March:
Upcoming in April:
Take a look at their full event calendar and make plans to visit the magnificent historic building at 82 Sydenham Street.
Take in a local musical collaboration
Left: One of the Cantabile Choir ensembles rehearsing under Geoffrey Sirett. Right: The Gertrudes. Photos via Cantabile Choirs.
The award-winning Cantabile Choirs of Kingston and Kingston’s acclaimed “folkestra,” The Gertrudes, have joined forces in an exciting and innovative collaboration.
These two beloved Kingston musical forces have been working together on a series of projects that blend contemporary folk-rock music with choral traditions, aiming to define a new genre. The collaboration promises to elevate The Gertrudes’ unique sound while providing Cantabile’s choristers with an exciting opportunity to engage in contemporary music creation and recording.
Their year-long creative journey will culminate with a live performance, Great Canadian Songbook: Songs of Icons, on Saturday, Mar. 1, 2025, at The Spire in Kingston. From Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell to Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morissette, the Great Canadian Songbook will take audiences on a musical journey through the voices that have defined generations. Join us for a truly unique musical performance, with a diverse mix of beloved classics and contemporary chart-toppers.
Tickets are available through the Grand Theatre box office.
Take an early spring cruise through the 1000 Islands
City Cruises Gananoque offers tours throughout the 1000 Islands, including a stop at Boldt Castle (right). Photos via City Cruises.
With longer days and warmer weather just around the corner, now is the perfect time to plan your spring adventures. There’s no better place to experience the season than the Gananoque area, one of Canada’s top tourist destinations located in the heart of the 1000 Islands.
With its natural beauty and rich history, explore the 1000 Islands archipelago aboard a City Cruises Gananoque sightseeing cruise.
Starting mid-April on select days, visitors can choose from five different cruise options that will take them past iconic landmarks like Boldt Castle, Singer Castle, Millionaire’s Row, and the Statue of St. Lawrence – a hidden gem visible only from the water.
To learn more about the different tours and purchase tickets in advance, please visit https://www.citycruises.com/gananoque/.
Get out and ‘play’!
Both crafts and concerts will take place during Blue Canoe’s 2025 Juvenis Festival. Photos via Blue Canoe.
Blue Canoe’s Juvenis Festival is coming up quickly. From April 25 to May 4, take in a play or performance fully produced and performed by Kingston area youth.
The 2025 youth-led arts festival will feature the following:
Anne of Green Gables
Amélie the musical
Winnie The Pooh Kids
Twelfth Night
Find Yourself (a play written by Kingston Youth Shay O’Brien)
Battle of the Bands
Youth Film Night
Resonance (A dance project led by Kingston youth Ella Stotz)
Storefront Art Gallery at the Cataraqui Centre
Free arts workshops to be announced in the spring
Each event is headed by a Youth Project Leader between the ages of 13 and 30 and is supported by a local mentor. These events are bolstered by the partnerships Blue Canoe forms within the community, keeping the arts alive and offering professional opportunities for youth.
Blue Canoe will also be holding a Spring Fling event this April – keep an eye on their website for news and updates!
This article is sponsored content. The businesses above paid a fee to be included in this article. If you would like to be approached for opportunities of this nature, email [email protected].
Food, fun and festivals abound in the Kingston area as we head toward spring 2025
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