June is Pride Month and Kingston is welcoming an array of events and entertainment in celebration and support of the local 2SLGBTQI+ community. To help you keep track of everything going on, we’ve put together a handy guide for all-things pride. This year’s theme is “The Rainbow and Beyond: Stronger Together,” underscoring the 2SLGBTQI+ community’s unity and the importance of allyship.
Are we missing a Kingston Pride experience? Contact emilyca@tourismkingston.com to let us know so we can add it to the list.
Are you in need of some Pride merch to wear to these events? View our online shop for Kingston Pride merch. To see the full schedule and purchase your tickets to certain events, visit Kingston Pride’s website. Make sure to follow their Instagram and Facebook for updates about all the pride month festivities.
June 6 at 6 pm
Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises (248 Ontario Street)
19+
Kick off Pride by joining local drag queens on the Island Queen for a cruise along the St. Lawrence River. Enjoy drag, burlesque, and dancing performances hosted by Tyffanie Morgan and featuring talent like BeeWitched, Extraversion Olive Oil, Street Meat, and Jessie James. Purchase your tickets today.
Vibrant Voices Song Circle
June 7 from 1 to 3 pm
Kingston Library central branch (130 Johnson Street)
All ages
Join Max Gries—local queer and non-binary piano teacher—in this song circle intended to build community and foster belonging.
June 8 from 11am to 2 pm
East end of Kingston
All ages
Take to Kingston’s east end and hit the pavement with the free Pride Run! Take off or take it easy and walk the route that starts at Kingston East Community Centre and moves up Highway 15.
Craft night with Beaded By Ari
June 9 from 5 to 7 pm
Jeannie’s Place (844a Princess Street)
All ages
Bring your friends and family to this inclusive community centre in midtown Kingston to make your own colourful bracelet for Pride month. Beaded by Ari— a talented local artist who creates beaded bracelets from high-quality gemstones, clay, and seeds—will guide the creative process.
Games and trivia nights
June 10 – Pride trivia at The Grad Club (162 Barrie Street) from 5 to 7 pm
June 10 – Game night at Kingston Nexus (270 Bagot Street) from 6 to 9 pm
June 11 – Game night at Wonderland (500 Gardiners Road Unit 2A) from 6 to 9 pm
All ages
Join a game night with Kingston Pride! Bring some friends or join a table and meet new people at one of three locations: downtown at Kingston Nexus, The Grad Club located on Queen’s University campus, and Wonderland—Improbable Escapes west-end board game café.
Drag makeup class with BeeWitched
June 11 from 4 to 7 pm
Kingston Frontenac Public Library Central Branch (130 Johnson Street)
All ages
Perfect your approach to eyeshadow at this makeup class with a local drag queen. Bring your own makeup products and listen as BeeWitched walks you through the step-by-step process of painting your face like a queen.
Create and resist: queer activism in mini-forms
June 12 from 4 to 7 pm
Kingston Library central branch (130 Johnson Street)
All ages
Even small acts of opposition against oppressive forces are important in supporting the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Learn and embody what it takes to effectively enact queer activism at this event hosted at the downtown public library.
June 12 from 7:30 pm
Daft Brewing (768 Princess Street)
19+
Head over to Daft Brewing for a game of bingo hosted by local drag queen Rowena Whey. Enjoy Daft’s handcrafted brews while trying to fill a full row or column of your bingo sheet. The event also features performances and prizes, so be sure to stop by the local brewery on June 12 for some pride filled fun.
Queeraoke
June 13 from 8 to 11 pm
Daft Brewing (768 Princess Street)
19+
Kingston Pride and Daft Brewing come together to host Queeraoke! Take to the floor and belt out the classics, enjoy Daft’s delicious drinks, and kick back on the patio if you need to take a breather between tracks.
Kingston Pride Parade
June 14 from noon to 1 pm
Downtown Kingston
All age
The main event! Bring your family, friends, pets, and pride to this free parade. Join in on the annual march, starting at the Memorial Centre track and travelling down Princess Street to Ontario Street.
Community fair
June 14 from 10 am to 5 pm
Confederation Park (next to Visitor Information Centre, 209 Ontario Street)
All ages
The community fair brings together a variety of local vendors and performers to beautiful Confederation Park. Shop the tables while enjoying live music.
June 14 from 1 to 1:30 pm
City Hall Amphitheatre (216 Ontario St.)
All ages
Kingston Frontenac Public Library hosts a special storytime for children of all ages, featuring a range of inclusive books, stories, and songs that foster acceptance & embrace diversity.
June 14 from 7 to 10 pm
Visitor Information Centre (209 Ontario Street)
All ages
Round out this pride-filled day and head down to the Kingston waterfront to watch performances from talented drag queens.
Drag queen extraordinaire Rowena Whey will guide you through performances from Perla, Blowponey, Yuni Verse, Dare De Lafemme, and Bekka Blake. After enjoying the performance in the park, stop in to the Visitor Information Centre and grab some locally themed Pride merch.
June 15 from noon to 2 pm
Wharf & Feather (2 Princess Street)
All ages
Want to keep the Pride festivities going? How about brunch and a show?
Come out to Wharf and Feather and top up your week with a brunch hosted by local drag queen Rowena Whey. While you indulge in a caprese croissant or savour a smoked salmon bagel, enjoy drag performances from special guests like ProbleMatthew and Tyffanie Morgan. Purchase your tickets today.
Movies in the Square
June 19
Springer Market Square
All ages
ReelOut and Kingston Pride are back for another special edition of Movies in the Square. Bring a chair and your favourite snacks for a free, family-friendly movie projected onto a massive screen erected in the historic Springer Market Square.
Keep an eye on Downtown Kingston’s website to see what movie they’re screening.
Are you looking for Pride merch? Shop our Pride merchandise at the Visitor Information Centre: 209 Ontario St or online. 25% of Pride merch sales in June will be donated to Kingston Pride.
Make it a Pride Month getaway: explore packages at local Rainbow Registered hotels. Rainbow Registered is a program of the CGLCC, Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce. Rainbow Registered businesses have demonstrated that they are LGBTQI+-friendly and provide a welcoming and inclusive customer and staff experience. Explore more Rainbow Registered businesses in Kingston.
