Students will be swept off their feet on Sept. 29 when the Fall for Kingston Music Festival takes place in City Park.  

The festival, which runs from 12 to 10 p.m., is a fundraising event for Hospice Kingston, an organization that services patients with life-limiting illnesses and their loved ones. 

The day will be filled with food, art, activities, and entertainment from local bands, including headliners Busty and the Bass. 

Seventy-five percent of Hospice Kingston’s funding comes from grants, donations, and events like Fall for Kingston.

Proceeds from the festival will allow Hospice Kingston to continue to provide a much-needed “continuum of care” to people, and to build the first Palliative Care Centre and Hospice Residence in Kingston. 

“It’s got everything you want to do on a Saturday,” Benjamin Leslie, Donor Relations Coordinator for Hospice Kingston, told The Journal over a phone interview.

The organizers aim to make the event affordable and accessible to students as well as families. Going forward they will focus on adaptability. 

This is the first year Fall for Kingston will run, replacing Hospice Kingston’s past Chilifest fundraiser. The rebranding intends to attract a wider demographic with music, a variety of food, vendors, and even tattoo artists.  

The festival hopes to spotlight local talent ahead of their headliner. 

Kingston bands—including The Dan Taylor Band, Kasador, and The Wilderness—will open the festival, before the show’s main event. 

Busty and the Bass will then take the stage with a unique electro-soul and hip hop sound. Since winning Canada’s Top University Band in 2014, they’ve enjoyed international success and toured North America and Europe.  

Fresh off their debut album release last year, they will join fellow headliners Monowhales and Ralph at the festival. 

Leslie is optimistic about the event.

 “We have the real potential to reach a lot of people,” he said. 

Popular local restaurants and breweries will be on site serving up their specialties alongside Ontario-based food trucks. Favourites will include Tango Nuevo, Olivea, mio gelato, Harper’s Burger Bar, Chien Noir and Atomica. 

Those looking for a shopping experience will find vendors and artists selling a variety of products in the park.  

Improbable Escapes will be setting up a portable escape room. The Loft Girls fashion truck will also be on site. Other visitors can drop by a psychic to see what the future holds for them.

Meanwhile, tattoo artists will be setting up shop and working on a first come, first serve basis. Flash tattooing will allow attendees to be inked on the spot, making the festival’s memory more permanent. 

If tourists are hoping for some music and food next weekend, Fall for Kingston could be an excellent place to spend their money in support of the comfort and care for someone near the end of their life. 

“It’s going to be high energy,” Leslie said. “We wanted to highlight the city of Kingston.”

Tickets for the festival are $20 in advance on Eventbrite or $25 at the gate.