Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry

I am normally not an emotional man, yet the Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry evokes an emotional response in me.

Right after the cannon roared out over the waters of Lake Ontario and the thunder of the big base drum and the snap of the snares ricocheted around the parade square in Lower Fort Henry in Kingston, the sound touched something in me.

What a show and what a welcome to the world famous Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry!

For two hours I watched enthralled as the performers drilled, faced an enemy and had a mock battle complete with the flash/bang of the big cannons and the steady rat-tat-tat of the soldier’s rifles as they formed their block and repelled attackers. Reload – fire, reload – fire, reload – fire. Amazing!

From the – literally – opening gun sounded until the final and poignant last lament the almost two hours of entertainment flew by. It was worth every minute spent, and the cash for the parking fee and the price of admission to the Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry.

Held in Kingston’s Fort Henry every Wednesday night in July and August, the Sunset Ceremonies started promptly at 7:30 pm.

Come early to the Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry

Come a bit early as you will enjoy wandering parts of the Fort and seeing folks in period costumes enacting life in the Fort circa 1867 before the show begins.You can also purchase an all-day pass which gives you access to the whole Fort, or just a Sunset Ceremonies ticket, which allows access to the Lower Fort and the show itself.

It was magic to enjoy the spectacle as the hot summer day morphed into a pleasant, cool evening, with gentle breezes wafting in off Lake Ontario.

I must caution you that the performance is loud. Bring tissue or ear plugs for sensitive ears so you’ve got a solution handy if you need protection.

The fireworks that light up the night like an artillery barrage cap a perfect evening.

Oh, did I mention that there’s a “Soldier’s Canteen” to provide food and drink, and the “Garrison Store” lets visitors pick up a little something more substantial than memories
to remember their visit by?

There’s seating at ground level and around the walls of the Fort. We sat directly across from the entrance archway, beside the cannon at ground level. As far as I’m concerned, we had the best seats in the house.

I want to very much thank Peter Mykusz, of Toronto tributevideo.com, who is an HD Cameraman and Live Webcaster to mobile devices. He wrote in and offered the use of his video about the Sunset Ceremony. You can see it below, and it’s well worth the watching, to give you a taste of the live Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry, Kingston.

Fort Henry Sunset Ceremonies 2011, Kingston, Ontario, Canada from Peter Mykusz on Vimeo. 

Visit and take in the marvellous Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry, Kingston. For up to date information about the Sunset Ceremony, please visit www.parks.on.ca and follow the links to the Fort Henry page.