Counting Down to the Holidays with Downtown Kingston's Giant Advent Calendar
There's a lot to love about downtown Kingston in December: twinkling storefronts, the buzz of holiday shopping, and a certain oversized calendar in Springer Market Square that has quickly become a seasonal favourite. Now in its fourth year, the Downtown Kingston Giant Holiday Advent Calendar is a way to celebrate the season, spotlight the local businesses that make our downtown special, and give back to the community that supports them all year long.
A Surprise Behind Every Door
Like the advent calendars many of us grew up with, ours counts down to the holidays one day at a time, with a local twist. From December 1 to 24, each day features a different downtown business and a prize valued at $100 or more, from shops and restaurants to spas and services. For the final days, we close the season with our biggest prizes, such as hotel stays, spa experiences, and dining.
Every day, one lucky community member wins, for a total of 24 winners by Christmas Eve.
Where to Find It
The calendar lives in two places. In Springer Market Square, a giant advent calendar display showcases each donated prize with a photo, the business name and address, and a short description, so visitors can stop by throughout December and see what's in store. Online, a dedicated webpage features every prize and participating business, making it easy to learn more about them and plan your next downtown visit. You'll also spot the calendar in participating stores, where tent cards at the point of purchase let you know that business is part of the program, and across Downtown Kingston's social channels, where we share every prize through our holiday video and photo campaign.
An Award-Winning Tradition
The Advent Calendar has been recognized by the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) with the Marketing Award of Excellence, an honour that reflects just how much the community has embraced it. And the numbers keep growing. Last year's calendar generated:
80,000 webpage views, more than double the year before (up 125%)
27,700 total entries, (up 32% from 2024)
608,000 social media views across Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, (up 10% from 2024)
13,900 social media interactions, more than double the year before (up 132%)
Behind those numbers are thousands of people discovering new favourite shops, revisiting old ones, and choosing to spend their holiday season downtown.
How the Calendar Promotes Participating Businesses
The Advent Calendar is a month-long marketing campaign. Each participating business is promoted through:
Springer Market Square display: your prize photo, business name, address, and description on the giant advent calendar
Dedicated webpage: your prize and business featured online so shoppers can learn more and connect with you
In-store tent card: displayed at your point of purchase to show customers you're part of the program
Social media campaign: your prize spotlighted in our holiday video and photo campaign on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
More Than Festive Fun
At its heart, the Advent Calendar is about connection. It gives shoppers a reason to explore, gives businesses a chance to shine, and showcases the generosity of a business community that gives back every holiday season. For participating businesses, it's also a proven marketing opportunity, putting their name in front of tens of thousands of people across four channels during the busiest shopping month of the year.
Want In?
Members wishing to participate can sign up by clicking the link below. All we ask is that you donate one item or experience valued at $100 or more, ideally something new or different from last year to keep the calendar exciting for returning visitors. Not sure what to offer? Reach out to Nayeli at events@downtownkingston.ca to brainstorm the perfect prize.
The deadline to sign up is October 16. Click here to sign up.