Communally enjoying art in Kingston healed me this summer.
Thursday evenings in Kingston this summer were a time for families and friends to gather in Springer Market Square at King and Brock St., celebrating cinema and community. On Thursday, Aug. 28, The Wild Robot was supposed to take to the big screen behind City Hall for the final showing of Downtown Kingston’s Movies in the Square summer series.
However, the showing was cancelled due to rain with no alternative dates announced, according to a post from Downtown Kingston’s Instagram, late in the day on Aug. 28.
I’ll admit that when I decided to live in Kingston over the summer, I was prepared to be bored. With most Queen’s students retreating to their hometowns until the fall semester, I anticipated tumbleweeds rolling down Princess St., and a city that tucked itself into bed at 7:30 pm sharp each night.
The rest of this story is classic: I realized incredible local offerings like Movies in the Square were taking place around me all summer and found myself more and more at home in Kingston. Now, like most Queen’s students who’ve been treated to the magical secret of a Kingston summer, I’m a proud defender of my city.
READ MORE: Summer in Kingston is a must
I was struck deeply by how healing it felt to find my place in Kingston. My mighty Queen’s ego didn’t take a beating; it dissolved, slowly, during a summer of events like Movies in the Square.
When I showed up for my first movie of the summer, Legally Blonde, on July. 3, I found hundreds of people gathered in comfortable conversation, sharing blankets and popcorn. It was an environment that forced me to relax, pull up a chair, and share the joy of great storytelling with the same people who share my home.
Unfolding weekly throughout the summer, Movies in the Square offered a chance for community members to be silly and embrace what they love. Gathering week after week became a ritual for me.
On Aug. 7, I caught Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. An older couple in front of me wore matching racing jackets inspired by characters from the film, clearly homemade. Adults and older teens snickered conspiratorially at the film’s raunchier jokes, while kids and parents alike cheered for Ricky Bobby’s victory.
My friends warned me I wouldn’t enjoy the film’s “dad humour.” When the credits rolled, I cried.
To be clear: I wasn’t only touched by the artistry of Talladega Nights. I was touched by the enthusiastic audience, the unique attention the City of Kingston pays to art and the importance of enjoying it communally.
Whether through public installations, live music, or free movie showings, Kingston knows how to make art accessible.
When Kingstonians show up, it’s clear that for them, art is important.
Tags
downtown Kingston, Film, movies in the square, summer activities
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