Though Kingsley is referred to as a "Steer" at Roadside Attractions, he is not. He is too big and too well muscled. In any event, there's a story behind how Kingsley came to be.
He is actually an advertising piece, placed along the Highway to advertise the Annual Kingston Steer Barbecue, held every year since 1960. The town barbecues steers whole and, after years of perfecting their technique, their barbecue attracts attendees from throughout Nova Scotia. The event has since grown into a festival with dances, parades, pageants, a circus, fairs, horse pulls, sports events and entertainment.
Kingston Steer Barbecue
The Steer BBQ was started in 1960 and its roots were best explained by L.B. Foster in the book "Echoes Across the Valley" - A History of Kingston and its Neighbors, Volume Two - published & distributed by the Kingston Historical Society.
According to Mr. Foster the Kingston Steer BBQ started with an initial comment from the late O.H. Armstrong - "Well now, you understand, somebody has to pay for this steer"...
...Over the years the Kingston Steer BBQ has added many events both on the day of the feast, and the days leading up to it. It became a very festive time as they held dances, parades, pageants, a circus, fairs, horse pulls, sports events and entertainment.
Local women and churches began donating home made brown bread, plus other food was added. Salads, coleslaw and vegetables. Burgers, fries and "burger bits" - (beef on a bun}, were added to the menu and by the 1980's three steers were being barbecued.
It was not long before Kingston had the reputation of having the largest Steer BBQ in Nova Scotia and the people who perfected the art of cooking these steers were travelling all over the world sharing their techniques.
The village erected up a large bull on the outskirts of the village to commemorate the Kingston Steer BBQ. Unfortunately this was badly vandalized, but the Bricklaying class at the Annapolis Campus in Middleton stepped up to recreate a two ton concrete bull which stands at the southwest corner of the village.
From Annapolis Valley Tourism