The sounds of K-Town: something in the limestone
- Kingston is a vibrant music city with daily live performances in historic venues, deeply supporting local talent and known as the hometown of The Tragically Hip.
- This summer marks the 10-year anniversary of The Tragically Hip’s last show, featuring special events in August including concerts, singalongs, archival footage, and a rebroadcast of their iconic final performance in Springer Market Square.
- Beyond The Tragically Hip, Kingston offers a rich cultural scene with diverse live music at venues like the Kingston Grand Theatre, Isabel Bader Centre, and various intimate spaces, along with creative walking tours and maker meetups fostering arts and innovation.
- The city combines a dynamic culinary scene with its arts and culture, hosting festivals like Back to the Farm and Kingston Buskers Rendezvous, making Kingston a thriving community that celebrates creativity and live performance year-round.
Or, this city makes music.
There is a live performance virtually every day of the week, where the walls of historic venues resonate with the energy of live music. Kingston boasts a deep-rooted reverence for local talent, a place where artists and musicians share stories unique to this community.
There’s a signature sound to K-Town, something in the limestone. What else would you expect from the hometown of The Tragically Hip?
Forever Hip
This summer marks the 10-year anniversary of the Hip’s last show — when Gord Downie gave us his final performance in the city where it all began.
Expect a lineup of hip events in August, concluding with a rebroadcast of CBC’s The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration at 7:00 pm Sat., Aug. 22. Join the entire city and gather in Springer Market Square to relive one of the most iconic concerts in Canadian music history.
Other programming includes Forever Hip in The Square from noon to 10:00 pm Fri., Aug. 21, with archival footage shown on the big screen and an 8:00 pm airing of Long Time Running, the 2017 documentary of the band’s last cross-country tour.
Plus, Rockin The Square with Choir! Choir! Choir! from 7:00 to 10:00 pm Thurs., Aug. 20. Take part in the ultimate singalong, where the choir is the crowd and live tributes are performed by local artists like Miss Emily, The Abrams and members of Kasador.
A place to happen
Of course, Kingston is “Forever Hip” for more than The Tragically Hip.
It’s happening here, from open mic nights to music festivals, big-name acts to indie up-and-comers. Creativity and maker culture are foundational to this city’s identity.
The Kingston Grand Theatre has played host to performances of all kinds since 1902. Live performance is also nurtured at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts and Queen’s University, which supports the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, one of Canada’s leading art museums.
Beyond these landmark stages, Kingston’s live music ecosystem spans intimate acoustic spaces, local pubs and vibrant storefronts. You can discover the full roster of the city’s dynamic performance spaces at visitkingston.ca/music.
Creative Walking Tours offer residents and visitors the chance to explore parts of the city with creative influence, both locally and beyond. This includes literary, film, and music themed self-guided tours of Kingston’s artistic side.
There are Maker Meetups for creators and incubators for the next generation of entrepreneurs. If you’re into film and media, Kingston is the backdrop for scenes worthy of the big screen, rich with creative talent from videographers and designers to writers and storytellers.
Plan your Forever Hip getaway. Explore trip packages combining accommodations with signature experiences and attractions in Kingston.
Fresh made daily
The culinary and arts scenes are equally vibrant.
The sound, the style, the history, and the innovation align with the incredible cuisine prepared by the city’s favourite chefs. Kingston makes it fresh daily.
Ultimately, this is a city of crafters — those who create and take pride in the process. It’s a community that passionately supports arts, culture and performers in need of a stage, fueling the creative spirit.
You could say it is a place that awakens the artist within.
The only way to know for sure is to experience it for yourself. See a show at the Broom Factory or take a quiet stroll down Martello Alley. Rock out in the field at Back to the Farm, a beer and music festival hosted by MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Co., or take in the Kingston Buskers Rendezvous and the new Road Trip Music Festival.
And, of course, you won’t want to miss the honorary events for the 10-year anniversary of The Tragically Hip’s final concert. It’s the type of celebration that only happens once a decade, and it can only happen here in Kingston: Forever Hip.
VisitKingston.ca for things to do, where to stay and places to eat — plus trip packages and inspiration to make planning your getaway quick and easy.
This story was provided by Kingston Tourism for commercial purposes.