Kingston Grand Theatre

The Grand Theatre in Kingston is both one of Ontario’s finest theatres and also a historic site. It was opened in 1902 and since then has been mesmerising visitors with various spectacular recitals.  

This historic theatre is one of the city’s major performing arts venues. The main theatre can accommodate and entertain up to 776 people with a grand stage and an orchestra pit.

The theatre’s mission is to foster the relationship between the city of Kingston and the music loving community that holds art and culture as a key ingredient in everyday life. Residents and visitors always have something unique and new to look forward to as every performance offers a distinctive experience. From comedy to country music, dance to jazz and blues to pop and rock, immerse yourself in the performances by artists of every genre.  

For up-to-date information and details on The Grand Theatre Kingston, we recommend you visit their website. For information about other places of interest to explore nearby, keep scrolling to see what Destination Ontario recommends. 

A couple enters the theatre from the street

More about Kingston Grand Theatre

Grand OnStage at The Grand Theatre is a carefully curated collection of performances by world-wide and Canada’s finest talents. This entertainment season takes place between fall and spring every year.

After you are done swaying to the tunes of The Grand Theatre’s musicians, here are some must-visit places in and around Kingston. Start with Fort Henry, a Historic National Site in Kingston that was built to protect the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard during the War of 1812. The site is located on Point Henry. Witness precision military demonstrations by the Fort Henry Guard, experience guided and fun tours, enjoy scenic natural settings, eat delectable foods, and shop at Kingston’s newest shopping district, The Trade Square. Dine on Kingston’s largest waterfront patio at Fort Henry that overlooks Lake Ontario, the Royal Military College and the City of Kingston. You can take a walk through the museum where the collections of British and Canadian military artifacts are housed. After you’re done exploring the fort, you can also opt for Kingston Trolley Tours.  

The campus of the Royal Military College of Canada encompasses the museum and is run by the college itself. It exhibits various collections of artefacts, research and records of the RMCC and includes the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard. Some of the items out of 7,000 plus collections date back to WWI. Head to Kingston Penitentiary next, which was once a maximum security prison. The prison was shut down in 2013 and it is now open to the public. Take a tour of this infamous jail that once housed some of Canada’s most notorious criminals and experience how life was like behind the bars.

One of Kingston’s most popular upscale restaurants is Chez Piggy. Its fresh quality meals have French influence. For the pizza lovers, Wooden Heads is known for sumptuous gourmet creations. Kame Sushi is a tiny and cozy Authentic Japanese Izakaya. This family-run restaurant serves flavoursome specialty rolls.  

Frontenac Provincial Park is located near the town of Sydenham, north of the city of Kingston. The park has a lot of well-groomed trails for hiking and other recreational opportunities including canoeing, swimming, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fishing and backcountry camping.

Want to go all-out? Treat yourselves to an amazing 30-minute helicopter tour. Or embark on a boat tour of the Thousand Islands and the Saint Lawrence River.

If witnessing local art impresses you, then know that the prestigious and historic Queen’s University has two galleries onsite. They focus on great artistic traditions from the past to present and feature the work of the students as well. One is the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, and the other one, The Union Gallery, is the student-run Union Gallery.

Historic Kingston City Hall is a stunning landmark that dates back to 1844. If you love guided walks, their 45-minute tours are available from May to October.

Go cafe hopping along Kingston’s main retail strip, Princess Street. It is lined with great bars, restaurants and cafes. Lake Ontario Park is great for rejuvenating and is the largest waterfront park in the city.

Some of the most popular festivals in the city include Kingston WritersFest, FebFest, the Limestone City Blues Festival and Artfest. Ontario Craft Beer Week takes place in July, and needless to say, it’s a must for craft beer lovers.

Last updated: August 18, 2023

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