The Insider's Self-Guided Tour for Tragically Hip Fans
By Rosalyn Gambhir
Dear Downtown Kingston,
There are places you visit and then, there are places that become part of you.
For so many of us, Kingston is home. It's where we decided to put down roots, where we grew up, where we fell in love, where we found our people and where, every once in a while, the soundtrack of our lives seems to be playing somewhere just around the corner. And if there is one band that has always understood the feeling of calling this place home, it’s The Tragically Hip.
This summer, Kingston is looking back on a moment that truly became ingrained in our city's history. Ten years after The Hip's final hometown concert at Springer Market Square on August 20, 2016, the Forever Hip campaign invites the community to come together and celebrate a band whose music, stories and unmistakable Kingston roots have become part of the city's identity.
Here, The Tragically Hip aren't just a band we listen to. They're part of Kingston, ever since their formation in 1984. Gord Downie, Paul Langlois, Rob Baker, Johnny Fay and Gord Sinclair weren't simply musicians who happened to meet here. Their Kingston connection became part of their identity and their music carried pieces of this city far beyond our limestone walls.
They're in the streets we walk, the places we gather, in our minds and the stories we tell. They're in the record shops where generations have searched for their next favourite album, in the murals tucked into downtown corners, in pubs where we raise a glass and in the memories of that unforgettable night when Springer Market Square became a sea of Kingston pride.
Consider this your very own Forever Hip tour through downtown Kingston that helped shape the band and the local community that continues to carry their music forward. If there's one thing we know about Kingston, it's that we love our local stories, we show up for our own and we know darn well how to celebrate the people and places that make this city feel like home.
And The Hip? Well, they'll always be one of ours.
Your Forever Hip Kingston Route
📍 City Hall → The Toucan → WHIT Kingston → Record Shops → Hip Murals → Tragically Hip Way → Gord Edgar Downie Pier → Springer Market Square
This isn't just a tour of places connected to The Hip. It's a chance to experience the Kingston they called home.
Go Back in Time at the Music From Miles Around Exhibit
If you're going to follow The Hip's story through Kingston, start right in the heart of downtown at City Hall with Music From Miles Around, a new yearlong exhibition from the City of Kingston celebrating the city's rich musical history. As Kingston marks a decade since The Tragically Hip's final hometown concert, the exhibition offers a closer look at the band and the city that helped shape their story, featuring never-before-seen artifacts, personal stories and behind-the-scenes pieces connected to Kingston's most iconic musical export.
Because The Hip's story isn't just about a band that came from Kingston, it's about five musicians who carried a little piece of this city with them wherever their music took them across the nation. And what better way to begin our journey than by discovering the Kingston that helped shape them?
Raise a Glass at The Toucan
Before The Tragically Hip became one of Canada's most cherished bands, their story was already taking shape right here in Kingston. The Toucan, a legendary downtown pub and a longtime part of Kingston's live music scene, was one of the early places where the band performed, making it a must-stop for any local or visitor looking to experience a little piece of Hip history.
Pop in for a pint and raise a glass to the band that went from playing local Kingston stages to becoming part of Canada's soundtrack.
Spot the Hip Murals Around Downtown
One of the best ways to discover Kingston is to keep your eyes open - new murals and vibrant tributes have been popping up across town.
📍 Chown Parking Garage
Across from Hotel Dieu on Brock Street, this mural was created by Tourism Kingston as part of the city's celebration of The Hip.
🎨 Wellington Street
Between Brock and Princess Street, find a colourful masterpiece by local Kingston visual artist Aaron Forsyth, aka EronOne, whose work can also be spotted around the city, influenced by pop culture.
🎸 Brock & Montreal Street
Right next to Zap Records and across from Hotel Dieu, you'll find another colourful tribute by Kingston artist Shane Goudreau.
📸 Tragically Hip Way
Head over to the Slush Puppie Place, where 6,700 Hip fans gathered for that unforgettable final hometown concert. Today, this is the ultimate Hip photo op, a chance to capture a little piece of Kingston music history and celebrate the band that made this city their home.
The Hip's story may have started decades ago, though that Kingston spirit is still alive in the local artists, musicians, makers and small businesses creating something special here today.
Take Kingstonian Richard Jones, of Thought of You Vintage, who transformed a vintage denim into one-of-a-kind wearable art. For his latest tribute, he spent 10-15 hours hand-painting all five members of The Tragically Hip onto a vintage Levi's denim jacket, creating a truly unique piece of Kingston music history while using his art to raise money for charity. It's just one example of how The Hip's legacy continues to inspire the creativity, generosity and community spirit that makes Kingston so special.
Shop Official Tragically Hip Merch at Downtown Shops
Keep the Forever Hip spirit going long after the music fades! Pop into WHIT Kingston, a downtown favourite owned by Cyndy Gibson and Rob Sinclair - regular supporters of Kingston's local music scene. By supporting the artists and creatives who make this city so special, this dynamic dup bring that same Kingston spirit to WHIT, where you'll find a cool mix of local finds and official Tragically Hip merch worth taking home.
You may also spot a piece of Kingston's Hip history in the form of a #GordStrong sign, signed by locals and visitors alike back in 2016. Take a moment to read through the messages, you'll find words that evoke every emotion, from heartbreak and sadness to love, gratitude and joy. It's a small but powerful reminder of just how deeply Gord and The Hip connected with people in Kingston and around the world. And if you're in town during the special anniversary weekend in August, keep an eye out for WHIT Kingston at Spring Market Square, where the Forever Hip spirit will continue to bring our community together.
You can also pop into the Visitor Information Centre by Confederation Basin to browse Kingston souvenirs and merch.
No love letter to Kingston's music scene would be complete without a little record shopping. Spend an afternoon browsing the shelves at local music shops such as:
📍 Brian's Record Option - 381 Princess St, Kingston, ON
📍 Something Else Records - 207A Wellington St, Kingston, ON
📍 Zap Records - 20 Montreal St, Kingston, ON
You never know what you'll find, a well-loved Hip album, a vintage concert poster, a well-loved Hip album or that one record you've been searching for forever. There's something special about buying music locally. It's slower, definitely more personal, you can chat directly with the owner and a little more unexpected than simply clicking "add to cart." And you never know - you might walk out with the perfect soundtrack for your next Kingston adventure.
Take in the Beauty of Gord Edgar Downie Pier
After you've admired the murals and snapped your photos, make your way toward Breakwater Park and the Gord Edgar Downie Pier by taking the Waterfront Trail.
Named in honour of The Tragically Hip's beloved frontman, the pier is certainly a place to pause, take in the Kingston shoreline and reflect on Gord's connection to this place. Gord lived in proximity to the original pier and was a passionate advocate for protecting Canada's waterways. This stretch of shoreline has become a focal point in what makes Kingston feel like home - a place for residents and visitors alike to take in the beauty of the lake. Gord shared that deep connection to the water, making this a fitting place to remember his Kingston roots and the causes he cared so deeply about.
Take a moment here. Look out over the water and imagine Kingston on August 20, 2016 - thousands gathered in the heart of the city, united by music, community and a band that had spent decades giving Canadians a soundtrack to their lives.
Your Journey Ends in Springer Market Square
From the waterfront, make your way back into the heart of downtown to Springer Market Square. This is where the journey comes full circle.
On August 20, 2016, thousands gathered here for The Tragically Hip's final hometown concert - filled with emotions on all scales. A city came together to celebrate five band members who had spent decades carrying a piece of Kingston with them wherever their music took them.
Stand here for a moment and imagine it: the music, the crowd, the energy, the feeling of a hometown coming together for one unforgettable night.
Ten years later, you can still feel that night here. Look down and you'll find the inlay stone marking where it all happened. It's one of those little pieces of Kingston history that makes you stop and think about just how special that night really was.
Look down and you'll find the inlay stone commemorating that historic final hometown concert.
Some nights become memories. That one became history.
Turn Up the Volume This August for Forever Hip Festivities
The celebration continues! This August, Downtown Kingston will come alive with a multi-day celebration honouring The Tragically Hip and their incredible connection to the city, bringing locals and visitors together to remember, celebrate and make a few new memories of their own. The lineup includes:
🎸 Rockin' the Square - August 20
🎤 Forever Hip in the Square - August 21
📺 Concert viewing party of The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration - August 22
If you were there for the original concert, watched from home, discovered The Hip years later, or simply love a good Kingston summer night surrounded by your community, this is your invitation to join in. Because that's the thing about Kingston: we know how to show up for our own. And when it comes to The Hip, we're talking about one of our own.
There are countless songs that could soundtrack a Kingston summer. But The Tragically Hip gave us something more lasting: a collection of songs that became part of the Canadian experience and a reminder of the power of coming from somewhere and carrying that place with you.
Their music has taken us from Bobcaygeon to New Orleans Is Sinking, from Ahead by a Century to Courage. But somehow, the story always comes back to the same place.
The Hip belonged to Kingston and Kingston belonged to The Hip. But maybe that's the beautiful thing about home: it isn't something you leave behind. You carry it with you. When you come back, you find that the people, places and memories are still here, waiting for you.
Ten years on, we're still here.
Still listening, remembering, gathering in the Square, finding new reasons to love this city, supporting the artists, musicians, makers and small businesses that keep this city creative and alive.
So this summer, whether you're a lifelong Kingstonian, a former student who still considers this place home, a visitor discovering the city for the first time or someone who simply believes that the best memories are made with good music and even better people, come downtown and join us.
Take the route. Find the murals. Dig through the record bins. Grab a souvenir. Raise a glass. Stand in Springer Market Square. Share a story. Sing a song. Stay awhile. Support local. Let downtown Kingston be part of the story.
Forever Hip. Forever Kingston.
Rosalyn Gambhir
I’m a daydreamer, a foodie, an adventurer, and an explorer. But most of all, a tourist in my own backyard of the limestone city rediscovering old favourites and hidden gems. As a proud Kingstonian for over a decade and an alumna of Queen's University, I has thrived in this vibrant community, which has fueled her creativity and passion for building a strong online community and supporting local businesses through my blogging, social media and freelance writing.
