As I feel the cold crisp morning air, hear the leaves crunch under my feet, and reach for my favorite cozy sweater, I am reminded that Fall has arrived. For this week’s Gradifying Blog, I want to share some of my fall favorites with you, along with a few new things I hope to explore as the season unfolds.
- This October, our favorite independent movie theater has a fantastic spooky line up. First up, is a : On Oct 11 at 7pm, they are screening the Swedish Horror: The Phantom Carriage (1921) directed by Victor Sjöström and on October 12 at 1pm, the Comedy Matinee is Our Hospitality (1923) starring and directed by Buster Keaton preceded by the short film Never Weaken (1921) starring Harold Lloyd. What makes these screenings so special is that they have a live improvised piano accompaniment by If you enjoy witches, and love 90s cult classics, check out the double feature of ) on October 24 and 27 at 6:30. This event includes trivia, prizes and margaritas. Lastly, from Oct 22 – 31 they are screening the cult classic, where audience participation, props, and costumes are highly encouraged. Fun fact, my partner and I once won best costume as Janet & Brad. Rocky Horror Picture Show isn’t a film you can watch at home on your computer, it must be experience in person, with a theater full of people who have a passion for the film.
- : I have a furry family member named Charlie (who many of you have met) and we love to walk! This fall, we hope to try some of Kingston’s Free Self-Guided Walking Tours including Film, Literary, and Music Tours. As a Ph.D. student in the Film and Media Department I am planning to start with the Film Tour to learn a little more about my department’s history. And since it is October, I am looking forward to hearing how Dan Aykroyd’s great-grandfather’s séance in Kingston during the 1920’s inspired the movie, Ghost Busters. Of course, we will watch the movie following the tour!
- Last October, Q Move Crew and SGSPA took a school bus full of grad students to Fruition Berry Farm. It felt just like a school field trip, and it was just as fun! I came home covered in mud with a large $10 bouquet of sunflowers. It is a Queen’s memory I will always cherish. The farm offers good, wholesome, fall fun including wagon rides, pumpkin picking and their legendary corn maze. This year’s corn maze is full of CORNnections puzzles which are word puzzles that must be solved at each check point. The farm is a 20-minute drive from Kingston, is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4 pm until October 27th. Last admission is at 3:30 PM. The cost is affordable at $6 per adult or $3.50 for groups of 15 or more.
- : Picking apples sounds like the perfect fall afternoon activity. You can Pick Your Own Apples, with medium bags (holding over 10 lbs) available for $20, and large bags (holding over 20 lbs) for $40. Between the store and the Pick Your Own Apples, they have 15 varieties of apples available including many unique ones such as Lobo, Shamrock, Sweet Tango, Cortland, Empire, Macoun, Liberty, Crimson Crisp, Idared and Nova Spy. Their local farm store is in an 1830’s log cabin and has a many of my favorite fall treats including, Apple Fruit Leather, Fresh Pressed Apple Cider, Apple Pie and Butter Tarts. Yum! Waddell Apple Orchard is a 20-minute drive from Kingston and is open daily 10am -4 pm.
Whether you’re catching a spooky movie, getting lost in a corn maze, or picking the perfect apple, bundle up and enjoy all that Kingston has to offer this fall.