If you’ve ever spent a summer in Kingston, you know if there’s one thing Kingston can do is give you a summer experience like no other. The city is bursting with creativity and artistic talent, making for a season full of innovation and inspiration.
Since The Journal doesn’t publish until the end of August, we’ve rounded up some of the best events around the city you won’t want to miss.
Kick and Push Festival comes back for its 10th season
The Kick & Push (K&P) Festival is an innovative event that pushes the boundaries of traditional theatre. Running from July 25 to Aug. 18, its 10th season promises to engage audiences in unique ways.
At K&P, you might find yourself in a living room instead of an auditorium or be invited to join a friendly game of basketball on stage. The festival aims to redefine what theatre can be, offering immersive and interactive performances.
Launched in the summer of 2015, the K&P festival has become a standout attraction in Kingston. It explores hidden secrets within downtown landmarks and demonstrates the transformative power of immersive theatre.
Kings of Queen’s to take over The Mansion
Kings of Queen’s, the band featuring Stephen Swim, ArtSci ’23, Nico Pare Eng ’25, Lachlan Pope ArtSci ’23, Coleman Campbell, ArtSci ’23, and Sean Pollen, Sci ’23, have delighted their fans with new music this summer that’s worth listening to 24/7.
Their latest EP, Social Experiment, and single “Untold,” released in July, electrify the air with songs that will compel you to dance, bop your head, and move your body, no matter how hard you resist it.
Kings of Queen’s is set to embark on their “World Domination Tour” in August, starting in Montreal and taking over The Mansion on Aug. 18 in Kingston, with their final show in Toronto.
Whether you’re a fan of their music or not, this is a show you won’t want to miss.
Women’s Art Festival Celebrates its 41st year
Celebrating its 41st year, the Women’s Art Festival honours women’s creativity in the arts with free community programming, including live music, art installations, and a vibrant marketplace that showcases Kingston’s creative artists. The festival will take place in the open fields of City Park on Aug. 10, featuring more than 150 local artists and musicians.
The festival’s roots date back to Kingston’s late 1970s when a group of women aimed to highlight and promote the talents of women artists.
If you find yourself with no plans that weekend, bring a friend and spend the day appreciating and supporting women’s contribution to the arts.
Echoes of Devotion elevates African art
A striking new mural, Echoes of Devotion, by Scarborough artist Anthony Gebrehiwot will be displayed on the side of Richardson Hall, celebrating and strengthening African identity beyond the continent while enriching the Agnes’s African Art collection.
The mural incorporates multiple generations and timeframes—the present in the figure of Winsom Winsom, the past in the central Ansante Akauba figure and the Iroke Ifa divination tappers, and the future through rising gold dust.
The piece invites viewers to reflect on its elements and consider how looking back at a creative, hopeful, and wondrous past can inspire us to envision and shape our future.
Tags
Agnes Etherington, Art Festival, Kings of Queens, Music
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