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*Paid Business Feature* The days are shorter and a chill is in the air, but Kingston area events are in full swing! After Halloween, it seems the holiday season is mere moments away, and there are plenty of late fall and holiday events coming up to help you get through the cooler season. Here, we highlight some fun and festive fall events and activities you won’t want to miss: Plan a night out at the Spire This fall, The Spire will be alive with a full complement of musical acts spanning the genres. From rock concerts to holiday celebrations, music lovers have plenty of choices this season. The Spire is a vibrant community hub for the arts and non-profit groups, and serves as one of Kingston’s best large performance venues. More than a dozen special events will take place in The Spire’s performance hall over the next two months, with a fun lineup coming in the new year! A few highlights in November: SOS -The ABBA Experience Pearl: A Janis Joplin Experience Ontario Festival of Small Halls presents: Junkhouse The Bowie Lives – Tribute to David Bowie Upcoming in December: Christmas with The Ennis Sisters Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons Cantabile Choirs presents: Holiday Magic Take a look at their full event calendar and make plans to visit the magnificent historic building at 82 Sydenham Street. Cantabile Choirs Presents Fascinating Rhythm Cantabile Choirs opens its 30th Anniversary Concert Season with Fascinating Rhythm, an electrifying celebration of energy and the irresistible power of percussion. The concert takes place Saturday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. at The Spire (82 Sydenham Street). Under the artistic direction of Geoffrey Sirett, Fascinating Rhythm fuses Cantabile’s renowned choral artistry with the thunderous pulse of the Japanese taiko drum. Guest percussionist Kyoko Ogoda joins the choirs on taiko and marimba, creating soundscapes that are bold and breathtaking. This high-energy program explores rhythm in all its forms — from intricate vocal patterns and delicate percussive textures to heart-pounding sound that fills the hall with rhythm and motion. Fascinating Rhythm captures the pulse that connects us all — a celebration of music’s universal rhythm and the vibrant spirit of community that has defined Cantabile for three decades. Tickets are available now at www.cantabilechoirs.ca Dine on the waterfront regardless of the weather Celebrate the season with waterfront dining at AquaTerra. The holiday lineup begins with Afternoon Tea on December 13 and 14. Enjoy expertly steeped teas, savoury bites, and sweet treats with a view of the harbour. Seatings run from 12:30 to 2 p.m. On Christmas Day, a special prix fixe menu showcases seasonal flavours, followed by a relaxed Boxing Day brunch made for unwinding. To close out the year, AquaTerra’s New Year’s Eve tasting menu and live DJ set the tone for a night of fine food and celebration. Private gatherings can also be hosted in the Dockview Room, the perfect space for intimate holiday events. There’s still time to reserve your date. And because good taste makes the best gift, starting November 1, get a $25 dining voucher for every $100 in AquaTerra gift cards. Learn more and make reservations at aquaterrakingston.com. Enjoy masterworks and holiday cheer with the Kingston Choral Society In 2025/26, the Kingston Choral Society brings music lovers more masterworks by the world’s greatest composers, which have become the choir’s hallmark, as well as newer works inspired by those classics. The season opens with Mozart’s Requiem, on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, featuring choir, soloists, and 4-hand piano. Audiences will experience this glorious music like they’ve never heard it before — an astonishing 4-hand piano transcription of one of the world’s most loved masterworks. Take in the Requiem in a completely new way – human, intimate, exposed, yet still thrilling and intensely moving. Featuring Clare Marion & Emily McPherson, piano, Kathryn Rose Johnston, soprano, Colleen Renihan, alto, David Walsh, tenor, and Bruce Kelly, bass. Also on the program: In Remembrance by Eleanor Daley, plus Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus. Before the performances of the beloved Candelight Christmas in December, the choir invites audiences to a KCS Christmas Party on Saturday, December 6. Enjoy seasonal favourites by the KCS Chamber Choir and the large group, selections from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol read by Peter Aston, an audience carol sing-along, and a bar to keep the evening Merry & Bright! For more details, or to purchase tickets, visit the KCS website. Celebrate the Season with Domino Theatre This holiday season, step into the warmth of Kingston’s community theatre with Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, running November 27 to December 13, 2025. Directed by Craig Norton, this charming sequel to Pride and Prejudice brings laughter, romance, and plenty of festive spirit to the Domino stage. Then in January, experience Wit, Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about grace, intellect, and what it means to truly live. Running January 15 to 31, 2026, Wit promises to move audiences with its honesty, humour, and emotional depth. Before the curtain rises on the new year, catch Domino Theatre in Kingston’s Nighttime Santa Claus Parade on Sunday, November 22! This beloved tradition lights up the city with music, floats, and festive fun. Watch for Domino’s float, celebrating creativity, community, and the magic of the stage. Looking for a meaningful gift? Share the joy of live performance with a four-pack subscription for the remainder of Domino Theatre’s 2025/2026 season. The four-pack includes Wit, Suite Surrender, The Comedy of Errors, and Very Heaven. It’s the perfect way to laugh, reflect, and support local arts all year long. Take in A Festive Celebration The Isabel Voices’ beloved candlelit concert returns to the Isabel stage! Join them for A Festive Celebration, and bask in the warm glow as voices, harp, string ensemble, and piano unite in a radiant program that weaves together winter stillness, warmth, and light—capturing the true spirit of the season. Two performances will take place on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, a matinee and evening show, and both will have complimentary festive refreshments. There will be a cash bar at the evening performance. This beautiful program features: “The Road” by Ola Gjeilo, featuring string orchestra, piano and harp “In the Bleak Mid Winter” a beautiful setting by Dan Forrest “By Night” by Elaine Hagenberg Many other seasonal favourites, featuring the virtuosic playing of the fabulous, Juno-nominated international harpist, Caroline Léonardelli. Livestream tickets are available for the evening performance so you can watch from the comfort of your own home, or no matter where you are! Don’t miss a single note! Season Tickets are available for both in-person and livestream performances. “We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be another spectacular candlelit evening of beautiful music!” said Dianna Bristol, Chair of The Isabel Voices. See Kingston at its most magical on a Christmas Light Trolley Tour Hop on the Kingston Trolley this holiday season for twinkling lights, festive sights, and a whole lot of holiday cheer. From December 4 to 31, enjoy a Christmas Light Trolley Tour through beautifully lit neighbourhoods and downtown streets. This festive tour showcases the city’s holiday spirit from the comfort of a heated, classic red trolley. Sing along to your favourite holiday tunes on the 75-minute journey as you take in colourful lights and seasonal displays that bring the magic of the season to life. Tours depart from Waterfront Gifts & Apparel at 248 Ontario Street, right in the heart of downtown Kingston. Arrive early to warm up inside and browse a unique selection of local gifts, maple treats, souvenirs, and holiday décor. Between December 4 and 16, tours run Wednesday to Sunday, and then daily from December 17 through 31. Four departure times are offered nightly starting at 5:30 p.m. Spots fill up quickly, so put booking your tickets at the top of your holiday to-do list! Reserve your spot at kingstontrolley.ca or call 613-549-5544. Coming with a large group? Private tours are also available for larger parties. Contact Kingston Trolley Tours to learn more.
