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The Coast | News, events, restaurants, concerts and Burger Week for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Home of the Best of Halifax Reader's Choice Awards, the award-winning independent newspaper covers the Halifax news, politics, events, concerts, movies, restaurants, and nightlife scene.
Once the Junos called it curtains, we should’ve known this would be next: The East Coast Music Awards, a music festival, awards ceremony and local industry booster in equal measures, announced today it’s cancelling its 2020 event in St. John’s, Newfoundland as COVID-19 concerns continue. “We are admittedly devastated to cancel this event and our…
After announcements from PM Trudeau and the province today, Halifax Regional Municipality’s mayor Mike Savage, CAO Jacques Dubé and Erica Fleck, division chief of emergency management with Halifax regional fire and emergency, gave an update. Things are changing rapidly—but here’s where HRM stands as of Monday afternoon. 1 All Halifax public library branches are…
At a press conference today outside his home in Ottawa, prime minister Justin Trudeau announced new measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. He says as the virus continues to spread “we’ve decided to take increasingly aggressive measures.” The first step is closing the Canadian border to non-residents of Canada with…
On March 6 I was at Pete’s on Dresden Row, and a prettttyyy cute/put-together guy stood behind me. It seems you got impatient and went to grab some chocolate near the checkout, and when you returned to the line you offered me some. 🙂 You said you needed energy, LOL, hence the chocolate. I turned…
To the lowlife scumbag that brought a nasty hateful pneumonia into the No Frills or Superstore, know that you fucked the only vacation I had after three years of hard work. Stay the fresh hell HOME when you are sick and don’t bring your fucking germs on those of us with pre-existing conditions. When Covid-19…
Sunday afternoon the province gave a coronavirus media briefing. It looked a lot like Friday’s briefing, with four officials—premier Stephen McNeil, health minister Randy Delorey, and both the chief and deputy chief medical officers of health, Robert Strang and Gaynor Watson-Creed respectively—sitting in a row, behind microphones, in front of Nova Scotia flags. But where…
Nova Scotia announced its first three COVID-19 cases earlier today. (At this point they are technically presumptive—i.e. a local positive test hasn’t yet been formally confirmed by the national lab.) The province’s Facebook post, below, says all the cases are “related to travel.” An update will be webcast at 3pm. This morning, the federal government’s…
OK: the traffic-funnelling system used on the Dartmouth side of the Macdonald Bridge resembles a demolition derby. And selfish, risk-taking drivers who race from the left side to the one green-lighted lane on the right just make a shitty situation worse. You inconsiderate assholes jumping the queue may end up two or three or four vehicles…
From the moment the Diamond Princess was identified as a coronavirus hotspot, cruise ships have been a target of concern. “Avoid all travel on cruise ships” is the headline that’s been on official Canadian government travel advice since February. The advisory then explains why: Cruise passengers include travellers from around the world who may…
I can barely believe that in three short months I’ll be your wife. My mom likes to tease me for it, but I love that our story began with a lovesick 14-year-old girl doodling her first name and your last in the margins at school. Can’t wait to try out that signature again in June. —…
Over 2,000 medical cases from cruise ships last year in HRM. How many this year when the COVID-19 laden boats reappear? — Who Knows
The nicest guy in rock ‘n’ roll just made a playlist on Spotify, saying via Facebook “A friend was asking me for recs for these anxious times, so I made a playlist today.” Rich, we appreciate you. Get some headphones in your ears or make your living room the hottest disco around. Related Stories
At this morning’s press conference on Nova Scotia’s coronavirus preparations, premier Stephen McNeil and Robert Strang—the provincial chief medical officer of health—talked about the 811 phone line. The 811 system takes pressure off hospitals by letting citizens connect with a registered nurse from the comfort of their phones. But the volume of calls about COVID-19…
Please note that due to the current (and evolving) situation with COVID-19 and the provincial government’s recommendation to limit mass gatherings over 150 people, many of the events we ticket for on Ticket Halifax have been postponed or cancelled. We are working with our partnering organizers and venues to execute accurate messaging to our ticket…
Symphony Nova Scotia announced today the rest of its 2019-2020 season will be cancelled. If you already had tickets to a cancelled event, the cost of them can be donated to the Symphony, as the loss of shows means revenue loss for the organization. Or, you can contact the box office to have your ticket…
With heavy sauce we bring you a Halifax Burger Week update from Burger Week HQ here at The Coast. Due to ongoing COVID-19 updates, we have decided to postpone #HFXBurgerWeek. This decision wasn’t made lightly. There is currently no directive from Public Health to keep eaters out of restaurants but the situation around dining out…
A t a press conference in Halifax today Premier Stephen McNeil and chief medical officer Robert Strang gave an update on Nova Scotia’s response to COVID-19. There are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus yet in Nova Scotia, but Strang said its arrival in the province is “inevitable.” McNeil announced that all public sector employees…
Hours ago, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer Robert Strang said at a press conference that while there’s no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province yet, he expects the virus will arrive here eventually. In the meantime, he urges that public gatherings must be kept to a maximum of 150 people. That means many concerts,…
A few weeks ago, I submitted a bitch about pipeline protestors causing my propane to be rationed. The bitch was never posted. I figured that maybe you had more important things to do or more important bitches to publish. Oh boy was I wrong! You just posted a bitch about socks over pants. WTF? Are you really…
Saturday, March 15 was supposed to see Saskatoon overrun with some of the most luminous stars in Canadian music as the 49th Juno Awards doled out statuettes that look sorta like The Oscar dude doing a ribbon dance. Instead, the doors of the SaskTel Centre will be closed, as CBC Music says the awards are…
The NSHA and Nova Scotia’s department of health announced on March 11 that anyone who has travelled outside of Canada—therefore at risk of coming in contact with COVID-19—should pay close attention to their health for 14 days after returning home. There are still no reported cases in Nova Scotia, but the NSHA is setting…
After ten years on Agricola Street, Obsolete Records was booted from its ramshackle storefront last fall in the most anticlimactic way possible. “Someone was parking out back, and drove into some support beam,” says Obsolete owner Ian Fraser. “And the building’s owner decided to just tear it all down.” The news wasn’t a total surprise:…
I didn’t know unicorns came in pairs. Thanks for the incredibly hot Saturday night. We’re still all spiced up from it. Keep being authentic, and come back and play soon. ; — Compass & Rose
R. Grunwald March 17, 7pm Halifax Central Library, 5440 Spring Garden Road Free After more than a decade in the Canadian music industry, R. Grunwald (née Robbie Grunwald) is finally going solo. Releasing his piano-driven debut album Oma earlier this month, the musician is visiting Halifax on Tuesday to perform compositions from the moving and…
What it is The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) AKA COVID-19 was first found after cases of pneumonia were reported in Wuhan, China. Human coronaviruses are common, and typically associated with mild illnesses like the common cold. This one hadn’t been found in humans before December. The symptoms Symptoms are: Fever, cough and difficulty breathing. They can take up…
From the outside it’s nothing more than a large white cargo van, but inside, 71-year-old Gail McGinnis has done her best to make it feel like home. In 2018, McGinnis sold her house and most of her belongings to try out living in her van. “I could have rented an apartment, but I didn’t want…
Sitting at a table in Chives Canadian Bistro on Barrington Street, Stephanie Ogilvie exudes confidence—a pair of bold, black-framed glasses rest on her face in a way that projects an “I know my shit, don’t test me” vibe. But they may serve the opposite purpose: keeping a bit of distance between her and the world.…
The Coast is rounding up the buildings and projects so you can know about them before they’re towering over your backyard. Ben’s Bakery redevelopment An eight-storey plus a penthouse mixed-use building with apartments and street-front businesses, townhouses and a six-storey Berkeley assisted-living residence are planned for the 10,000-square-metre lot between Quinpool Road, Pepperell, Preston and…
After a lengthy closure, The Ostrich Club (5529 Young Street) re-opened last month in the Hydrostone with a completely redesigned interior, a more intimate vibe and a slightly more booze-forward focus, “blurring the line between bar and restaurant,” according to owner Rachel Knox. The cocktail list has expanded under bar manager Lindsay Jones, formerly of…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PISCES (February 19-March 20) I suspect your fantasy life will be especially potent in the coming weeks. Your imagination will have an enhanced power to generate visions that could eventually manifest as actual events and situations. On the one hand, that could be dicey, because you can’t afford to over-indulge in fearful speculations…
If you’ve ever wanted to quiz your brewer on the finer points of mash and hops while downing a pint, Propeller Brewing’s new Quinpool Tap Room and Cold Beer Store has got you covered. When the new space opens—the date is TBD, but within the next two weeks—one of its highlights will be a small…
Q I’m a cis bi woman, and I mainly have sex with people with penises. I have a really gross problem. It’s been an issue for as long as I’ve been sexually active—but in the past few years, it seems to have gotten worse. If I am being penetrated vaginally, especially if it’s vigorous (which…
Consider: All over this country are places where you can find a cluster of brewers, and we’re not just talking about East Vancouver. Hell, Dartmouth has two such hot spots: Lake City, New Scotland, Battery Park and Brightwood downtown; and Wright Avenue’s Upstreet, Moosehead, Propeller trifecta. But we bet nowhere else in Canada has as…
If your favourite beer could tell a story, what would it be? Roger Mittag, the creator of Prud’homme Beer Certification, believes that everything done in the beer industry is about storytelling. “Beer goes back many, many thousands of years, and gives us a tremendous amount of history and adds to conversation,” he says. “Beer is…
Tatamagouche x Team Stilly Collab Release Party Hit up Stillwell’s Barrington Street location for this stationary booze cruise featuring cellar re-releases, brand new beers, three casks and the debut of a staff collaboration brew. Mar 14-15, noon-2am, Stillwell Beer Bar, 1672 Barrington Street FemmeBrew Competition Party Knock back a pint of the winning suds at…
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, these beers and ciders—which are presented in no particular order—should be available at NSLC and/or private liquor stores around Halifax until supplies run out. When in doubt or desperation, check with the individual brewery/cidery. Eight Bells The Church Brewing Co. The newest beer from Wolfville’s newest brewery is rooted in old…
Nova Scotia Craft Beer Festival March 21, Cunard Centre, 961 Marginal Road nscraftbeerfest.ca It’s only been five years since the Nova Scotia Craft Beer Festival started life as “Full House,” with just a handful of brewers. That first event, in 2015, was intended to launch the summer beer season and introduce a few new beverages…
Rose Cousins w/John Paul White Mar 19, 8pm Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, 6101 University Avenue $28-$33 Rose Cousins’ fifth full-length album, Bravado, opens with a track bright as orange marmalade called “The Benefits of Being Alone.” It’s an upbeat anthem for anyone who doesn’t share their breakfast table or their Netflix account with anyone special and…
Although access to reproductive-health care, specifically abortion, is a hard-fought right protected by the Canada Health Act, we know that there continues to be barriers to that access. Bubble zone laws remove one barrier by prohibiting protest and harassment in the areas immediately surrounding hospitals, clinics and other facilities that provide abortions and reproductive services.…
After wandering through the Halifax music scene over the last three-plus years, Nomadic Homes is ready to release something permanent, something settled. “I slowly kind of started to develop a grasp on how I actually wanted to bring the sounds that were in my head into fruition,” says Chris Rayner, the brains and hands behind…
If you’ve recently been on Halifax Kijiji you may have seen this odd listing: “Gold imported toilets 4 left!!!” The popular ad, which was recently removed from the website, displayed a white-and-gold, floral-patterned throne—a far cry from the stark white pots us lowly peasants are wont to piss in. Each toilet, according to the seller,…
