Event type: Exhibition

This show is a foray into the imaginary urban forest: an ode to the gritty, the night shadows, the sudden splash of colour when the sun hits, the concrete and the unexpected tags glorious in their irreverence. A month-long residency in the mecca of Canadian ceramics at Medalta, Medicine Hat, Alberta, under the immense Prairie skies, affirmed Gigi Wenger’s exploration of these opposites, these contrasts, these colours.

Originally from British Columbia, Gigi Wenger is a multidisciplinary artist who lives and works in Québec City. Exploring different materials and techniques, she strives to provoke a true letting go on the part of the artist.

Providing a physical manifestation to the idea of invisible, unpaid, and emotional labour: “Domestic Duties of the Ghost” grants insight into the alienation, otherness, and oddity of domesticity through humour as it answers the long-asked question “Do you think the house just cleans itself?”. A satirical glance upon the “invisible” labour that is often expected of women in domestic settings, we must question if the work done for the home was paid, respected, understood, and valued, would society be able to function carrying the cost?

Kristen Elizabeth Donoghue-Stanford (she/her) is a Canadian artist currently residing in Caledon, ON. She is a multidisciplinary artist who predominantly works in bronze casting, textiles, and installation. Influenced by feminist literature, Gothic fiction, and an abundance of horror films, she seeks to analyze womanhood and femininity as inherently Gothic and utilize it as a method to reclaim agency and autonomy.

Opening Reception: September 14, 1–4 pm

Humanity and the complexity of life are central themes in Dam’s figurative work. From challenges in relationships to inter-connections between humans and their surrounding environment, Dam continues to focus on and highlight the complexity and challenges in human interactions in her on-going works. Centred on relationships, they act as a social commentary and an essay about life.
Grace Dam is a Canadian artist based in Toronto. Her focus is oil and acrylic paintings, in figurative and abstract style; her practice extends to include photography, works on paper and other supports beyond the traditional burlap. Dam splits her time between Toronto and Western Canada.

Opening Reception: September 14, 1–4 pm

Kingston Pen Tours is excited to announce the return of Pumpkinferno, the family-friendly fall event, for its second season. Taking place at Kingston Penitentiary on select evenings from September 27 to October 30, 2024, this beloved fall tradition is back and better than ever. This must-see Kingston event will feature five brand-new exhibits of hand-carved artificial pumpkins, along with many fan favorites from previous years.

As the sun sets, Kingston Pen Tours transforms the historic site into an enchanting wonderland, with 13 brilliant pumpkin sculpture exhibits and more than 100 glowing displays against the limestone walls. Both children and adults will marvel at how Kingston Penitentiary is transformed into a place of magic and light under the night sky.

This year’s display of over 7,000 pumpkins will feature five brand-new exhibits, including Timber Trail, showcasing a variety of trees; vibrantly colored happy clowns in Clown Town; Mercury in Retrograde, an homage to the legendary band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury; Jack’s Lair, with jack-o’-lanterns lining the entrance of the penitentiary’s shop dome; and Mega Munchies, a drool-worthy ode to snacks.

About Pumpkinferno

Originating at Upper Canada Village more than 10 years ago, “Pumpkinferno” is an award-winning experience. The carved pumpkins you will see at Pumpkinferno are realistic, artificial pumpkins, whose forms have been shaped from molds of real pumpkins.

The pumpkins have been designed and carved by a talented group of young artists from the Eastern Ontario region. These designers and carvers were selected based on their penchant for design, whether in their field of study or as a personal hobby. They embark on this monumental project every spring, designing, carving, and constructing the amazing array of pumpkin-carved installations you will discover on your tour. Each spring through summer, a group of new and returning designer/carvers create all that you will see that is new and vibrant, added to our collection of amazing exhibits at Pumpkinferno!

Kingston Pen Tours Pumpkinferno Event Details

Pumpkinferno will operate select evenings from September 27 to October 30, with tickets sold in 30-minute entrance time slots.

September 27 to October 10: 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

October 11 and October 12: 7 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

October 13 and October 14: 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

October 17 to October 30: 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. with Fridays and Saturdays to 9:15 p.m.

Pumpkinferno closes at 11 p.m.

General admission: $16 to $21 HST

Fort Fright returns to Fort Henry, transforming Kingston’s 18th-century garrison and National Historic Site into a spine-chilling haunted house. The Fort Fright scare attraction presents a nightmarish realm of creatures and monsters using more than 50 movie-style, quality animatronics, dynamic special effects, intense sound and lighting and many costumed scare actors.

Fort Fright Dates/Times:
Last entry between 9:15 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
September 27-29, October 4-6, 11-13: 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.
October 18-20, 25-30: 6:45 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets starting at $25 HST.

For those looking for even more of a fright, Dark Nights are back with two additional nights. Experience Fort Fright in complete darkness, with only a single eerie flashlight to light the way, providing an ultimate thrill for the bravest of souls.

Dark Nights Dates/Times:
Last entry between 9:15 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
October 10, 17: 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.
October 24, 31: 6:45 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets: $30 HST.

This show is a foray into the imaginary urban forest: an ode to the gritty, the night shadows, the sudden splash of colour when the sun hits, the concrete and the unexpected tags glorious in their irreverence. A month-long residency in the mecca of Canadian ceramics at Medalta, Medicine Hat, Alberta, under the immense Prairie skies, affirmed Gigi Wenger’s exploration of these opposites, these contrasts, these colours.

Originally from British Columbia, Gigi Wenger is a multidisciplinary artist who lives and works in Québec City. Exploring different materials and techniques, she strives to provoke a true letting go on the part of the artist.

Providing a physical manifestation to the idea of invisible, unpaid, and emotional labour: “Domestic Duties of the Ghost” grants insight into the alienation, otherness, and oddity of domesticity through humour as it answers the long-asked question “Do you think the house just cleans itself?”. A satirical glance upon the “invisible” labour that is often expected of women in domestic settings, we must question if the work done for the home was paid, respected, understood, and valued, would society be able to function carrying the cost?

Kristen Elizabeth Donoghue-Stanford (she/her) is a Canadian artist currently residing in Caledon, ON. She is a multidisciplinary artist who predominantly works in bronze casting, textiles, and installation. Influenced by feminist literature, Gothic fiction, and an abundance of horror films, she seeks to analyze womanhood and femininity as inherently Gothic and utilize it as a method to reclaim agency and autonomy.

Opening Reception: September 14, 1–4 pm

Humanity and the complexity of life are central themes in Dam’s figurative work. From challenges in relationships to inter-connections between humans and their surrounding environment, Dam continues to focus on and highlight the complexity and challenges in human interactions in her on-going works. Centred on relationships, they act as a social commentary and an essay about life.
Grace Dam is a Canadian artist based in Toronto. Her focus is oil and acrylic paintings, in figurative and abstract style; her practice extends to include photography, works on paper and other supports beyond the traditional burlap. Dam splits her time between Toronto and Western Canada.

Opening Reception: September 14, 1–4 pm

Kingston Pen Tours is excited to announce the return of Pumpkinferno, the family-friendly fall event, for its second season. Taking place at Kingston Penitentiary on select evenings from September 27 to October 30, 2024, this beloved fall tradition is back and better than ever. This must-see Kingston event will feature five brand-new exhibits of hand-carved artificial pumpkins, along with many fan favorites from previous years.

As the sun sets, Kingston Pen Tours transforms the historic site into an enchanting wonderland, with 13 brilliant pumpkin sculpture exhibits and more than 100 glowing displays against the limestone walls. Both children and adults will marvel at how Kingston Penitentiary is transformed into a place of magic and light under the night sky.

This year’s display of over 7,000 pumpkins will feature five brand-new exhibits, including Timber Trail, showcasing a variety of trees; vibrantly colored happy clowns in Clown Town; Mercury in Retrograde, an homage to the legendary band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury; Jack’s Lair, with jack-o’-lanterns lining the entrance of the penitentiary’s shop dome; and Mega Munchies, a drool-worthy ode to snacks.

About Pumpkinferno

Originating at Upper Canada Village more than 10 years ago, “Pumpkinferno” is an award-winning experience. The carved pumpkins you will see at Pumpkinferno are realistic, artificial pumpkins, whose forms have been shaped from molds of real pumpkins.

The pumpkins have been designed and carved by a talented group of young artists from the Eastern Ontario region. These designers and carvers were selected based on their penchant for design, whether in their field of study or as a personal hobby. They embark on this monumental project every spring, designing, carving, and constructing the amazing array of pumpkin-carved installations you will discover on your tour. Each spring through summer, a group of new and returning designer/carvers create all that you will see that is new and vibrant, added to our collection of amazing exhibits at Pumpkinferno!

Kingston Pen Tours Pumpkinferno Event Details

Pumpkinferno will operate select evenings from September 27 to October 30, with tickets sold in 30-minute entrance time slots.

September 27 to October 10: 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

October 11 and October 12: 7 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

October 13 and October 14: 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

October 17 to October 30: 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. with Fridays and Saturdays to 9:15 p.m.

Pumpkinferno closes at 11 p.m.

General admission: $16 to $21 HST

Fort Fright returns to Fort Henry, transforming Kingston’s 18th-century garrison and National Historic Site into a spine-chilling haunted house. The Fort Fright scare attraction presents a nightmarish realm of creatures and monsters using more than 50 movie-style, quality animatronics, dynamic special effects, intense sound and lighting and many costumed scare actors.

Fort Fright Dates/Times:
Last entry between 9:15 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
September 27-29, October 4-6, 11-13: 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.
October 18-20, 25-30: 6:45 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets starting at $25 HST.

For those looking for even more of a fright, Dark Nights are back with two additional nights. Experience Fort Fright in complete darkness, with only a single eerie flashlight to light the way, providing an ultimate thrill for the bravest of souls.

Dark Nights Dates/Times:
Last entry between 9:15 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
October 10, 17: 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.
October 24, 31: 6:45 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets: $30 HST.