Kingston offers lots of family-friendly things to see and do over March Break. From visiting a sugarbush to tackling an escape room, exploring a museum to taking in a game, March Break means fun in Kingston.

1. MAPLE MADNESS

1641 Perth Rd. (Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area)

Maple Madness will be running every weekend in March and throughout the week of March Break (2, 3, 9 – 17, 23, 24, 30, and 31). Activities include self-guided sugar bush tours, wagon rides, pancakes at the sugar shack, face painting, and maple-themed crafts and games. Online registration is required (entrance fee the day of is $5.25 for adults, $3.75 for children). See website for more event details and activities.

2. MARCH OF THE MUSEUMS

Various locations (See website for details)

Enjoy a week-long festival of museums in Kingston. This free event runs March 11 – 15 and is oriented toward families. Learn about the history of Kingston, get creative with crafts, enjoy shows and presentations, and have fun!

For added fun, try to “Find the Ducks” from March 11-15 (during each location’s hours of operation). There are 30 green ducks hiding at various sites. Once you’ve found the green ducks, don’t forget to snap a picture and share it with @kingstonmuseums on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

3. Kingstonlicious: sharable feast

Various locations (see website for more details)

Now until March 31, share a special meal with friends: explore the new Kingstonlicious menus at 35+ participating restaurants, cafés, breweries, and markets.

4. ESCAPE ROOMS

298 Bagot St. (Sherlock’s Escapes)

303 Bagot St (Improbable Escapes)

500 Gardiners Rd Unit 12A (Wonderland & Board Game Café)

Sherlock’s Escapes and Improbable Escapes offer in-person and online escape rooms. At Sherlock’s Escapes, try The Doctor’s Redemption in-person or Surviving Summer Camp online for an easier escape room experience. At Improbable Escapes, enjoy indoor, outdoor, and online escape room experiences. Try Seven Dwarfs: Minning Mission in-person (family-friendly for all ages) or The Triwizard Trials online (family-friendly for all ages) for a harder escape room experience. (See their websites linked above for more details)

Open: Sherlock’s Escapes Mon – Thurs (5:30 – 11 pm), Fri (4 – 11 pm), Sat and Sun (9:30 am – 11 pm) See Improbable Escapes hours online.

5. ROCK CLIMBING AT THE BOILER ROOM CLIMBING GYM

993 Princess St. Unit 12

Practice your climbing skills at The Boiler Room, Kingston’s indoor rock-climbing gym. This space has different options for all ages and skill levels, from beginners to Olympian-level climbers. The types of climbing available include auto-belays, top rope with off-harness belaying, and lead climbing. If you like your experience and want to do more, check out their kids and teens program and personal training.

Open: Mon – Fri (10 am – 11 pm), Sat and Sun (9 am – 9 pm)

6. THE FUN ZONE

541 Days Rd.

Gather the family and head to The Fun Zone to play arcade games, laser tag, virtual reality, and basketball, or explore their indoor play structure built for children (ages 3 – 10). A food counter is available to fuel up with a cold drink or snacks so you can continue playing. Find pricing for all activities on their website.

Open: Hours vary (see website for details)

 

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7. XTREME TRAMPOLINE

1525 Robinson Court

Enjoy Kingston’s trampoline park with your kids this March Break. Jump together on the main court, challenge each other on the dunk court and the dodgeball court, and take your little ones to the kiddie court. On Friday nights, enjoy lights and music plus a free drink during JR Xtreme night 7 – 9 pm (kids under 12) and Xtreme night 9 – 11 pm (12+).

Open: various hours (see website for details)

8. KINGSTON FRONTENACS GAME

1 The Tragically Hip Way (Slush Puppie Place)

Cheer on the Kingston Frontenacs on March 15 and 17 at Slush Puppie Place. Watch Kingston’s local hockey team as they play against the Peterborough Petes and the North Bay Battalion. Find more information and tickets on their website. Follow the Kingston Frontenacs on Instagram to stay updated on special events/happenings during their games.

 

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9. KINGSTON FRONTENAC PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMMING

Locations vary (see more event details on their website)

March Break programming at the Kingston Frontenac Public Library offers multiple events geared toward kids. Enjoy the Puppet Show Tour March 11 – 15 at various locations, on March 11(10:30 – 11:30 am) attend Maple Math with Blue Marble at the Isabel Turner branch, invent a voice-activated robotic hand using electronic building blocks on Thursday, March 14 (1:30 – 2:30 pm) at the Isabel Turner branch, and more.

 

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10. THE SCREENING ROOM

120 Princess St.

The Screening Room offers $5 kid-friendly movies throughout March Break. Screenings are My Neighbor Totoro (March 11 – 14), Barbie (March 11, 13, 15), The Land Before Time (11, 12, 14, 15), Tangled (March 11, 12, 14, 15), Looney Tunes Cartoon (March 11, 13 – 15), Napolean Dynomite (March 12 – 14), and Up (March 12 – 15). Kids’ combos (small popcorn + juice box) will be $5 ($5.60 with HST). Visit their website for more details.

11. THE HAUNTED WALK

200 Ontario St.

Go on a 75-minute March Break ghost tour, including the original haunted walk of Kingston March 8 – 16 (7 pm). Take a guided stroll through Kingston and learn about the spooky history and stories about each location (hotels, courtyards, and burial grounds). See more details on their website.

12. KINGSTON TROLLEY TOURS

209 Ontario St.

Enjoy a one-hour guided trolley tour (no stops) through downtown Kingston covering all of the city’s historic old town and downtown shopping district. Tours begin from 209 Ontario St. on March 16 and 17 at 11 am and 1 pm. See ticket option on their website.

13. Activities at The Rocking Horse

193 Princess St.

Enjoy some family fun at The Rocking Horse during March Break. Make a caterpillar suncatcher and collage at Crafty Craft (March 11), make gifts for your besties at Friendship Bracelet Making (March 13), and learn about growing/caring for plants and start growing your own at Get Growing (March 15). Each workshop is about 45 – 50 minutes. All supplies are provided. See their website for more details.

Enjoy a variety of Family Day weekend activities and experiences in Kingston. From catching a Kingston Frontenacs game to making art with the kids, there is something for every family to do.

The stuff stories are made of

PumpHouse Museum (23 Ontario St)

Feb 16–17, 10 am–5 pm

On Friday and Saturday of the long weekend, visit the PumpHouse Museum from 10 am to 5 pm to explore its current exhibition, The stuff stories are made of. This exhibit showcases objects from the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum, the PumpHouse, civic, art, and archaeology collections.

Dine on us!

Various locations

All weekend long

Dine on us with a $100 Visa gift card when you book your stay through select packages. Use your gift card towards a meal out with your family at this year’s Kingstonlicious locations. Enjoy tasty bites at your favourite Kingston restaurants, cafés, markets, and breweries. (On February 18, all menus switch to shareable themed menus – perfect for the whole family to enjoy.)

Book a $100 Visa package

See all Kingstonlicious menus and participating Kingstonlicious locations

Family Day at the Tett: Tett Centre for Creativity & Learning x Draw by Night Kingston

Tett Centre (370 King St. W.)

Feb 19, 10am–1pm

Head to the Rehearsal Hall (Room 203) at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning for a family social drawing party. The Tett Centre and Draw by Night Kingston are supplying all the drawing tools for you and your family to get creative. Try family-friendly colouring sheets or get creative, drawing on tables covered with paper.

Over, under, and round and round (Kingston Handloom Weavers & Spinners)

Tett Centre (370 King St. W.)

Feb 19, 10 am–1 pm

Also in the Rehearsal Hall of the Tett Centre, learn how to handweave with your family at the KHWS activity Over, under, and round and round.

Family Day at the Kingston Potters’ Guild

Tett Centre (370 King St. West)
Feb 19, 10 am–1 pm

While you’re at the Tett Centre, head to suite 207 (2nd floor) to create mosaics inspired by Kingston’s cultural history. Using unused mosaic tiles, paint your own piece of mosaic, or take home a glazed piece of mosaic art created for the ceramic art installation at the Richardson Bathhouse.

Abstract workshop

Birdgirl Arts Studio (77 Princess Street, 2nd floor)

Feb 19, 1–4 pm

Create an abstract masterpiece with artist and arts educator Shannon Dickie at the Birdgirl Art Studio. You and your family will create your mixed-media abstract through layers of pencil crayons, custom-mixed acrylic paint, and paint markers. Tickets include two price points, for families of 2 to 3 ($125) and families of 4 to 5 ($150). Purchase your tickets online.

There will be a 30-to-45-minute break to let the layer of acrylic paint dry. While you’re waiting, check out nearby coffee shops for you and your kiddo to grab a beverage.

Lord of the Rings trilogy marathon: The Screening Room

The Screening Room (120 Princess St.)

Feb 19 – show times:

• 10 am, 10:15 am: The Fellowship of the Rings (2 hours 58 min)
• 2 pm, 2:15 pm: The Two Towers (2 hours 59 min)
• 6 pm, 6:15 pm: The Return of the King (3 hours 21 min)

Gather at The Screening Room for a day-long movie marathon featuring The Lord of the Rings trilogy. While you’re there, get some tasty popcorn, drinks, and treats at the canteen for your movie day. General admission is $11.95 plus HST per screening. Stay for all three for $38.85 plus HST and receive a coupon for a medium popcorn. See more ticket pricing online.

Kingston Frontenacs vs. Barrie Colts Family Day game

Slush Puppie Place (1 The Tragically Hip Way)

Feb 19, 2 pm

Bring the family and cheer on the Kingston Fronts as they go up against the Barrie Colts. The centre also will have family fun activities running on the main concourse.

Price: $15.18 – $41.50

Book now and receive special offers when you book your stay using our Kingston Frontenacs Game Day family packages.

(Sold out) Teddy Bear Hospital

Museum of Health Care (32 Goerge St.)

Feb 19, 9 am–4 pm

Bring your kids and their favourite stuffie for a hands-on experience with crafts and activities. Trained “teddy doctors and nurses” will examine your toys’ bumps and bruises and make them feel better. This is a great activity for kids up to age 11. Time slot registration is required. Book your timeslot online.

Family Day activities – City Of Kingston programming

Various locations

Feb 17–19

Enjoy tot swim time or family badminton at Artillery Park Aquatic Centre, public skating or Family Day Zumba class at the INVISTA Centre, and more special city programming at Kingston’s recreation and leisure facilities. Learn more online.

Family Day weekend scavenger hunt

Visitor Information Centre (209 Ontario St.)

Feb 17, starting at noon

Come to the Visitor Information Centre for a family day scavenger hunt and a free hot cup of cocoa. The scavenger hunt starts at noon. Entries will be accepted until 3 pm. All participants who finish the scavenger hunt will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a prize bag (Kingston merch and local gift certificates). Anyone is welcome to stop by for a cup of hot chocolate (not only scavenger hunt participants).

See all available family packages.

Kingston film festival runs Feb. 1–10

Reelout, Kingston’s queer film festival, returns February 1 for its 25th season. This year’s ten-day festival showcases more than 85 films from across Canada and around the world.

The festival kicks off with a gala shindig on February 1 at the Broom Factory, hosted by Kingston drag king Dare De LaFemme. Film screenings run every day from February 2 to 10 at The Screening Room. There are 28 unique film programs over the ten days, with a variety of feature-length and short films, dramas and documentaries. The opening night film, PeaFowl, comes from South Korea, and is paired with a Canadian animated short, Embrace the Moon.

Although most of the films screened at Reelout are recent productions, there are a few retrospective films of note this year. Dreamers of the Day is a 1990 romance by Patrica Rivera Spencer that was filmed mostly in Kingston. Skin Deep is a 1995 psychological drama by Midi Onodera. Both of these filmmakers will be in attendance at the screenings of their films.

Individual tickets and festival passes for Reelout are now on sale.

Reelout is now the second largest film festival in Ontario and Kingston’s longest running film festival (by a year – the Kingston Canadian Film Festival celebrates its 24th anniversary in 2024.)

Now in its fourth year, Kingstonlicious is a season-long culinary festival pairing premier prix fixe menus with curated culinary events across the city. Participating restaurants, cafés, and breweries offer something for every budget and taste.

Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Light bites. Experience how delicious Kingston is this winter.

January 15 to February 17: a world of flavours

Dig into the international tastes of Kingstonlicious between January 15 and February 17. From cozy, feel-good dishes to mouthwatering multicultural menus, Kingston’s restaurants have crafted a world of flavours.

Score Pizza offers a delicious Kingstonlicious meal deal for $25. Choose from one of their four signature fired sandwiches, including balsamic chicken (chicken topped with bacon, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, spinach, pesto mayo, and balsamic drizzle). Pair your sandwich with a Caesar salad or a “build your own” salad and a bottled non-alcoholic drink or Score’s housemade lemonade.

Chez Piggy changes its three-course Kingstonlicious menu weekly: its tour of world cuisine kicks off on January 21, with roasted mushroom toast, roasted dry-brined chicken with “peasant” salad, and a hand-rolled lemon truffle, for $60 per person. The special Kingstonlicious menus are offered Sunday through Thursday.

Crazing something sweet? Mio Gelato offers a trio of Italian classics for $25: raspberry sorbeto, pistachio gelato, and stracciatella gelato (sweet cream with chocolate crackle).

Make it a culinary getaway: visit Kingston this winter and receive a $100 Visa gift card when you book select overnight packages.

New signature events

Kingstonlicious 2024 offers six new culinary events, with Kingston chefs creating magical one-off menus, often in collaboration with guest chefs.

Mesa Fresca x La Condesa

Sun Feb 4, 11 am-4 pm

Mesa Fresca, Kingston’s Mexican-fusion restaurant, partners with La Condesa, Prince Edward County’s own cucina Mexicana. Explore the flavours of Mexico brought to life with local ingredients in this collaborative four-course feast (with vegan options). Mesa Fresca’s Andrew and Alison Scahill work with guests Samantha Valdivia and Matt Gilsenan of La Condesa to create a meal to remember. Raissa Sarkisian (Kingston’s Juniper Cafe) adds a delightful dessert to conclude the meal.

The Secret Garden Inn

Weds Feb 7, 5:30-8 pm

The Secret Garden’s Head Chef Rachael Johnston and Chef Andrew Kernohan have built upon the inn’s signature fondue experience to create a special five-course Moroccan feast. Inspired by the herbs and spices of Moroccan cuisine, and utilizing fresh, local ingredients, they have created a sumptuous meal – plus a signature cocktail – that will tantalize your tastebuds.

Miss Bāo Restaurant + Cocktail Bar x The Pine & Mockingbird

Mon Feb 26, 5 pm

Chef Bellen Tong of Miss Bāo welcomes special guests from Collingwood and Kingston to create a special Chinese Lantern Festival culinary event. Guest chef Jeremy Austin showcases his culinary training in China at his award-winning Collingwood restaurant The Pine (and soon-to-open restaurant Mockingbird). Chef Brent McAllister (Kingston’s AquaTerra) joins the collaboration to create innovative dishes that celebrate the end of the lunar New Year celebrations, and herald new beginnings as spring approaches.

HEIST Restaurant and Wine Club x Enoteca Sociale

Thurs Feb 29

Executive Chef Lindsay Skoropada of HEIST Restaurant and Wine Club welcomes Kyle Rindinella, Executive Chef of Enoteca Sociale, a Toronto restaurant known for its Roman cuisine. Together, they will create a sumptuous meal accented with selections from Heist’s impressive wine collection. The evening concludes with a special dessert inspired by Rome created by Kingston’s own Mio Gelato.

Black Dog Tavern x The Royal Hotel x Ontario Cidermakers

Mon Mar 4

Chef Andrew Varley of Black Dog Tavern hosts a culinary evening that pairs local cuisine with a variety of Ontario ciders. This event features a delectable surf and turf menu co-created by Executive Chef Albert Ponzo and Pastry Chef Sarah Villamere from The Royal Hotel in Picton. Ciders from Spy Cider House & Distillery (The Blue Mountains), Woodfolk Cider (Coldwater), Cold Creek Vineyards (Hillier) and Stock and Row (Bloomfield) will be paired with the dishes created for this event.

Wharf & Feather x DaiLo

Weds Mar 27

Chef Pankaj Bhatt of Wharf & Feather welcomes Chef Nick Liu of Toronto restaurant DaiLo, plus Kingston’s Chez Piggy Chef Rich Nicholas, to create a dining experience highlighting new Asian flavours. Chef Liu is known for his French-inspired Chinese cuisine, putting a new spin on the comfort food of his childhood. Together, these chefs have created an inspired menu that marries old favourites with new ideas and local ingredients.

February 18 to March 31: a shareable feast

From February 18 to March 31, enjoy Kingstonlicious menus crafted to bring you together. Snackable, shareable, and downright devourable, Kingston’s restaurants, cafés, and breweries are serving up charm and connection. Gather the family, cheers with friends, or make it a late-night date night.

Otter Creek Kitchen has a cozy date night meal for two, with two five-ounce Wagyu beef burgers with Wilton cheddar, large fries, and two drinks, all for $40.

Heist Restaurant and Wine Club offers a romantic four-course dinner for two, available Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. ($60 per person)

Choose from arancini or polenta fries to start, then share a pizza (mortadella or roasted veggie). Your entrée choices are braised short rib (served with creamy polenta, grilled radicchio, and red wine jus) or eggplant parmigiana (with tomato sugo, fresh basil, and seasonal vegetables).

Your sharable feast concludes with sticky toffee pudding, filled with cranberry and fig, and served with toffee sauce and crème anglaise.

See all prix fixe menus, signature culinary events, and $100 Visa packages on our Kingstonlicious page.