Downtown Kingston’s downtown pedestrian counts hit a record high this weekend with over 8,000 pedestrians passing the intersection of King Street and Princess Street during Princess Street Promenade.
Since January 2022, foot traffic downtown has been electronically monitored via laser counter at the intersection of King Street and Princess Street and used as a data point for the Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area (BIA). This past weekend, with the street closed to traffic for the Princess Street Promenade, the count was a record high in nearly two years.
This second 2023 edition of Princess Street Promenade overtaking Princess Street had over 100 businesses and community groups set up along the street. A long section of Princess Street was converted into a walkway and visitors were able to explore what Kingston has to offer in music, restaurants, and retail.
“Although it's not an accurate reflection of how many attended the event in total, it gives us a good idea of what kind of impact our events have on pedestrian traffic in the downtown core" said Marijo Cuerrier, Executive Director of Downtown Kingston BIA.
The count of 8,000 does not include people that were walking on the other side of the street or the road, meaning the numbers are significantly higher.
This is the second of three Princess Street Promenades planned for 2023, with another event set to take place on Saturday, Sept. 23.
Listen to the story below: