Top Five Things to See and Do in October 2015

The flocks of tourists have been replaced by droves of students. It’s getting darker earlier, and cooler by the day.  And to top things off, wretched Christmas decorations have already started to clutter department store shelves.  It must be October!  I for one welcome the arrival of October, mostly because I am a huge fan of  Thanksgiving dinner.  Forget the pumpkin pie, and all things pumpkin spiced for that matter.  I’ll take an extra helping of turkey and dressing.  With crisp apples, hearty squash and thick stouts now in season, the best flavours of autumn are readily available. Accordingly, we’ve once again sorted through the calendar upcoming events and handpicked the best festivals, activities and attractions in Kingston in October 2015.

Corn Maze, now through end of October: there’s no better way to lose yourself in the season, than by challenging one of the city’s two corn mazes.  The 10-acre maze at Fruition Berry Farm is open every Saturday and Sunday, from 10am until 4pm, as well as during the week by appointment or by chance.  Cost ranges from free for children under 4 to $5 per adult and $3 per person for groups of 10 or more.  Over on the island you’ll find the Wolfe Island Corn Maze, which allows you to crank up the difficulty level by attempting the maze at night with the aid of a flashlight.  Voted by our readers as the most anticipated thing to see and do in October 2015, now’s the time to navigate your way to adventure and friendly outdoor competition.

Fort Fright, now through end of October:  the annual transformation of Fort Henry into a haunted attraction makes our flesh crawl, and for good reason.  Voted by our readers as the second most anticipated thing to see and do this month, Fort Fright welcomes the brave few who dare to enter.  As you make your way through the storied passageways of the Fort, you’ll be met by an army of demons, the un-dead and unbelievable effects that permit the willing to communicate with the other side.  New this year is the escapee tour, where valiant visitors are led through a series of scares, which progress towards an attempted escape. Will you get out alive?

Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority’s Fall Colours Weekend, 11 October 2015: the fondest memories from my childhood at this time of year involve cramming into the family minivan and going for long drives to enjoy the natural splendour of fall foliage.  Kingston’s many species of deciduous trees are renowned for their awe-inspiring transformation from simple green to radiant reds, awesome oranges and far from mellow-yellows. Why not take in nature’s spectacularly colourful show at the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area, who happens to be hosting their Fall Colours Weekend over Thanksgiving.  In addition to hiking on the trails, the CRCA also has canoes and kayaks for rent.  What a great way to earn or otherwise burn off that extra helping of turkey or pumpkin pie.

Zombie Walk, 24 October 2015: Kingston’s annual Zombie Walk will feature a herd of brain-thirsty souls, stumbling in a semi-organized fashion from Skeleton Park through parts of downtown. Kids of all ages, along with their zombified pets, are invited to bloody themselves and show off their best zombie-shuffle and moaning skills. Participants are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations for the Kingston Youth Shelter, and of course, the best zombies will earn cool prizes! At the very least, this gets us thinking about Halloween costumes. The Zombie Walk takes place rain or shine, because everybody knows zombies aren’t afraid of the rain.

The Kingston Symphony’s Symphonic Spooktacular, 31 October 2015: join the Kingston Symphony this
Halloween for a rollicking party where audience members will enjoy both tricks and treats! This spooktacular concert is a first for the Symphony who will perform music inspired by demons, Godzilla, Edgar Allan Poe, and sweet, sweet candy! Come in costume and be amazed by the outfits and outlandish attire adorned by the conductor and performers.  This new tradition will be a great way to cap off the month, and celebrate post-handing out snacks to trick-or-treaters.

Photo credit to: Eric Bartholomew, Kingstonist, Christopher Howitt, Beth Jusino, Erin and Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism.