Get ready for Feb Fest 2019
Downtown Kingston comes alive every February for its annual Feb Fest. Each weekend during the month of February will see fun and exciting events taking place in and around Market Square.
This fabulous winter celebration is put on by the Downtown Kingston! BIA and has been a February staple for the past 15 years. It serves as a great pick-me-up during what can feel like a dreary few months.
Schedule of Events
Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 is the first day of fun. Winter Park opens in Boucher Park with some ice slides and snow sculptures for the kids to enjoy on their PA day. You can watch the ice and snow artist work in Market Square all day!

Kurt Browning is the star for this year’s Imagination on Ice, taking place on Saturday, Feb 2. You can watch him, along with up and coming local talent, beginning at 1 p.m. In the evenings, head back to Market Square for DJ Skate Nights – strap on your skates and get active to some great tunes.
Sunday, Feb. 3 you can catch the Polar Plunge in Confederation Park. At 11 a.m., local personalities will brave the cold water of Lake Ontario in an effort to raise money in support of the Special Olympics.
The second weekend is all about hockey! At 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7, the puck drops for the annual Carr-Harris Cup at the Leon’s Centre.
Hockey Day in Kingston is happening Saturday, Feb 9. Local atom-aged boys and girls will be taking to the ice in the morning to show off their skills in Springer Market Square. The afternoon will see the Historic Hockey Tournament take place with teams from CFB Petawawa, Queen’s, and RMC. Maple Leaf Bobby Baun will also be at the Square signing autographs. This year Kingston is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kingston’s Red Barons – a group of pioneering women’s hockey players. It sure sounds like a full day on the ice!
Have you ever tried curling? Well you can on Friday, Feb. 15 and Saturday, Feb. 16 in the Square! And Sunday, Feb. 17 will celebrate art with An Artsy Afternoon. Check that out in downtown businesses and galleries.
The last weekend will host some other winter activities such as ringette. You can stay up to date by visiting the event page on the Downtown Kingston! website.

In between these fabulous events be sure to check out Toast to Tapas at participating downtown restaurants or take advantage of some learn-to-skate sessions on the Market Square rink. Beavertails, horse drawn wagon rides, and fireside warming stations will be available throughout the month as well.
As a family, we try to get out to some of these events every year. The ice slides and sculptures are often around beyond the festival time (depending on the weather), so there is usually ample opportunity for sliding. Be sure to arrive early for the skating events – they can be quite popular. And check the schedule for the Beavertails – that will be available closer to the event.
Looking for other winter activities to do around town? Visit Family friendly winter activities in Kingston for some great suggestions.
Jessica is a busy working mom who enjoys writing, editing, and blogging. She loves raising her family here in Kingston and tries hard to get out to all the amazing events around town. You can find more of her writing on her blog A Modern Mom’s Life, and see what she gets up to with her family on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!