Kingston’s Fort Henry ready for upcoming tourism season

The Victoria Day weekend is fast approaching, which signals the kickoff to Kingston’s tourism season, and one of the city’s most popular attractions is getting ready.

Fort Henry officially opens its gates this Saturday. The past 10 days or so have been busy at the limestone fortress — whether it’s the pipes and drums getting in tune or members of the guard getting in step, the work continues.

“When you step into Fort Henry, you step back into time over 150 years and you get to experience what it was like when Fort Henry was operating in 1867. And even if you just get a snippet of that, that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Greg Gouthro, product enrichment supervisor at the fort.

WATCH: Lumina Borealis opens at Fort Henry

1:57 Lumina Borealis opens at Fort Henry

Evan McDonnell is in his second year as captain of the Fort Henry Guard. He says that it’s still early but he likes what he sees so far.

“This group really seems to be up to the challenge of getting to what we refer to as guard standard, so at the level we need them to be for marching our sunset ceremonies or any of the other special events like the tattoo, or new this year is Cadence. Getting people up to speed for that, everybody so far seems willing and able to get to where we’d like them to be,” McDonnell said.

WATCH: Bill Welychka’s scary sleep-over at the haunted Fort Henry

5:24 Bill Welychka’s scary sleep-over at the haunted Fort Henry

Gouthro says there are new programs and events every year. Cadence, which will take place on Aug. 17, is one of them, and Gouthro calls it a musical journey through time.

This year marks the national historic site’s 81st season as a living museum.