5 ways you can help protect Halifax Harbour
This story was updated in June 2023. It was first published Aug. 3, 2022. Ah, the Halifax Harbour. My first memory of it isn’t riding the ferry, watching fireworks over it or crossing the bridge, although I’ve done all that too. No, for me, it’s this 2006 commercial where an anthropomorphic wave tells Haligonians to…
Where to go stargazing in Nova Scotia
This story was updated in June 2023. It was first published Aug. 17, 2022. Did you know that Nova Scotia has some of the darkest skies in North America? That’s because the province is home to two official stargazing reserves, where the night sky shines in full glory because pesky artificial light pollution is limited.…
How to get into camping in Nova Scotia’s great outdoors this summer
This story was updated in June 2023. It was first published Aug. 9, 2022. One of the best things about living in Canada is that there is a lot of land, and we know how good being in nature is for us. It’s no wonder being in nature is an essential part of our lives.…
Ticks are “coming back with a vengeance” in Nova Scotia
Changing leaves and a crispness to the air are just around the corner. But the arrival of autumn brings more than the return of pumpkin spice and apple picking. After taking a break during the hotter months, ticks are back on the scene. We’ll start seeing a lot more ticks once the weather begins to…
Halifax, meet Bartees Strange: The new rockstar prototype
There’s no one more taken by surprise with the sudden success of Bartees Leon Cox (who performs under the name Bartees Strange) than the Washington, D.C.-based musician himself. Given the way his resume and bucket list collated since he landed on Stereogum’s 2020 Artists To Watch list—opening for the likes of Courtney Barnett and Lucy…
What and who to watch for as the 2022 Venice International Film Festival opens
The illustrious Venice International Film Festival opens tonight, August 31, with its 79th edition running through September 10. The renowned Italian film fest, directed by Alberto Barbera, brings a dazzling lineup of international film stars together for screenings both in and out of competition. The highly sought-after Golden Lion award is given to the top…
Back-to-school is approaching, and post-secondary students still can’t find a place to live in Halifax
The beginning of fall classes is just a week away, and many post-secondary students are still scrambling to find somewhere to live as they face skyrocketing rents, a dwindling housing supply off-campus and waitlists for residences on-campus. Robyn McGrath, a paralegal student at Eastern College, has been couch surfing for months while searching for housing.…
How Halifax’s post-secondary institutions are dealing with COVID this fall
Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Robert Strang, recently spoke to reporters about his worry that people have become too complacent when it comes to preventing the spread of COVID and still recommends masking up when indoors and in large crowds. However, with the worrisome news that public schools across the province will…
Julie Aubé brings flower power to the 2022 Halifax Urban Folk Festival
When Julie Aubé arrives at The Carleton on August 29 for her Halifax Urban Folk Festival show, she’s bringing a sonic time machine with her. A third of the acclaimed, Acadian/New Brunswick folk trio Les Hay Babies, Aubé is no stranger to building vintage-doused walls of sound (there’s a reason why she describes the band…
A buzzy movie starring The Sex Lives of College Girls‘s Amrit Kaur to shoot in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia’s film industry continues to boom as a new, buzzed-about flick announces its arrival: Me, My Mom & Sharmila—the debut feature of director Fawzia Mirza—is set to start shooting in the province later this year. Based on Mirza’s stage play of the same name, the film traces 48 hours in a woman’s life as…
This weekend, Mocean Dance is going to change your idea of what dance can be
When it comes to public perception in Halifax, “they think that street dance is not art—and I need the people to recognize and give the same value to it [that they give] other styles,” says Carolin Mateus, one half of Mocean Dance’s current emerging artists-in-residency program. While break dancing is beloved by our city, a…
HRM transportation committee talks transit safety, recruitment
The transportation standing committee has requested a staff report on “opportunities and challenges related to public safety in the Halifax Transit system and options to mitigate these challenges.” “The pandemic has hit everybody; I think folks are a little shorter with one another,” said Councillor Tony Mancini when putting the motion up for debate. He…
Here’s all the nominees for the 2022 Music Nova Scotia awards
It’s gonna be a heck of a party in Sydney this November as Nova Scotia Music Week celebrates its 25th spin ’round the sun. The multi-day stint of industry events and live showcases will be held from November 3-6, capped off by the annual Music Nova Scotia awards. The provincial music prizes cover everything from…
WATCH: Halifax singer-songwriter Magnolia captures late summer vibes with new music video
Magnolia–the moniker of singer-songwriter Sophie Noel, a Halifax transplant by way of the Yukon—is about to be your new fave. Want proof? Her debut EP from back in the spring, Confluencer, provides ample sonic evidence, with its alt-pop-meets-new-folk sound. But before the defence rests, we have one final item for you to review: Magnolia’s newest music…
Hopscotch Festival 2022 announces JPEGMAFIA will headline September event
Hopscotch Festival—the city’s premiere hip hop festival—had high hopes to meet with its 2022 event slate: After all, in this year’s off-season alone, the fest brought two of the biggest names in modern rap—Freddie Gibbs and Conway The Machine—to Halifax for sold-out gigs. Today’s lineup announcement proves the annual event can keep the good times…
For Rouge Fatale, life’s a drag
When Jason Spurrell—who performs under the drag name Rouge Fatale—took to the stage in a gown for the very first time, it was on a dare. “I had one dress, one wig. One pair of heels. I didn’t know I needed an evening gown, I didn’t know anything,” they recall, ice clattering in their glass…
Everything you need to know about Halifax Regional Council’s August 23rd meeting
There will be no notable debates or council ratings this week. This Tuesday, instead of watching council, I was attending the funeral of a friend. Kathleen Jones, you will be missed. There’s always latent anger with funerals. Especially ones for people who were “supposed” to die after the people who attended their funeral. So if…
FIN Atlantic International Film Festival announces full 2022 program slate
Every fall, FIN manages the juggling act of bringing hundreds of movies to the big screens of Cineplex Park Lane, providing a list of the hottest Hollywood hits-in-waiting and must-see local features alike. For a film buff, it’s the type of one-stop shopping that’ll get you up to speed on what’s bound to end up…
“They’re just walking zombies”—bus drivers are bearing the brunt of an understaffed transit service
Throughout the summer, staffing shortages at Halifax Transit have led to an increasing number of cancelled bus trips. The city cut services twice in July and once in August, accumulating a total of 75 cancelled trips affecting 34 routes across HRM. Because of the shortage, transit operators are being forced to work overtime to keep…
First look at Bar Sofia’s huge new patio
If you have any lingering doubts about the health of Halifax’s restaurant scene as it emerges from two years of indoor gathering limits and social distancing, a visit to Queen’s Marque on a summer evening ought to give you some hope. Here, in the shadow of the luxurious Muir hotel, Toronto-based hospitality group Oliver &…
Q&A: How one independent Halifax theatre company took its show on the road—and had the best summer ever.
This article was independently produced by our editorial team with financial support by LÜVO wines in 250ml cans—unpretentious, refreshing and perfect for adventures! Locally grown, all natural, gluten-free, & vegan. Try Sparkling Rosé, L’Acadie Pinot Grigio, Cold Press Red, Muscat+Mint, Piquette+Peach and Piquette+Berry. Not to be that person who quotes themselves, but when I saw…
Here are all the musicians in the running for Music Nova Scotia’s 2022 Artist-In-Residence
Correction: The Coast published an earlier version of this story stating Kxng Wooz was in the running for this year’s artist-in-residence award when he was the winner of last year’s competition. We regret the error, and have corrected and updated the story below: Five of Halifax’s hottest acts are vying for the prestigious Music Nova Scotia…
Everything you need to know about the 2022 Halifax Fringe Festival
To describe Halifax Fringe in a word, one might say “community.” But since that doesn’t tell you an awful lot, we’ll use a few more: The un-juried, uncensored festival allows anyone in (or at least, anyone who coughs up the application fee and finishes their script). It’s a playground for the city’s theatre-makers, a place…
Everything you need to know about the 2022 Halifax Urban Folk Festival
It’s been many a year since the Halifax Urban Folk Festival’s programming fell squarely within the genre boundaries its name implies—but the 2022 version of the fest sees an even-more-elastic approach, with the lineup boasting hip hop scenesters and indie rockers alike. Known for its intimate showcases at smaller venues like The Carleton and for…
Review: Aquakultre brings back the house party with Don’t Trip
I almost didn’t go, if you want to know the truth. A full two hours after the start time of the first house party I’d been to since the pandemic began, I was swiping lipstick and changing my shoes, still deciding if I’d show up. See, by the time June 2022 rolled around, I’d been living…
Nova Scotians rate Tim Houston one year after his big election win
The election that brought Tim Houston to power as premier of Nova Scotia was a year ago—August 17, 2021. To mark the occasion, we asked readers of The Coast Daily email newsletter to share their thoughts on Houston’s performance. And readers obliged, sending in dozens and dozens of emails. Three main themes emerged from this…
Halifax’s north end is now full of community art banners
Art is what elevates the every day, as anyone who’s ever appreciated a painting or has gotten lost in a song can attest. Halifax’s North End Business Association knows this, too—and is proving it quite literally, with its community art banner project that displays new works hoisted high on lampposts along North Park Street. The…
7 Halifax artists on the lasting legacy of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill
Where were you the first time you heard Jagged Little Pill? Can-rock queen Alanis Morissette’s third studio album was more than just her breakthrough—it was a world-shatterer, changing the music industry’s expectations of women while showing another side of girl-led grunge. One of the best selling albums of all time (and the first-ever Canadian record…
FIN Atlantic International Film Festival announces dates, 2022 event format
If fall’s arrival in Halifax has a smell, it’s as much buttery popcorn as it is pumpkin spice: September always hits its stride when the FIN Atlantic International Film Festival returns, taking over screens at Cineplex Park Lane with hundreds of offerings from here and far. This year promises to be no different: This week,…
3 Halifax art world MVPs are currently starring in national exhibits
The old saying that good things come in threes has certainly held true for recent exports from Halifax’s art scene: After two-time Sobey award shortlister Jordan Bennet unveiled an ambitious mural at the Ontario University of Craft and Design—alongside a solo exhibition at OCAD’s gallery—two more local artists have secured a spot in Ontario galleries.…
Nocturne announces new Executive Director and Artistic Director
Nocturne, the annual festival that sees Halifax transformed for a handful of nights through the work of countless artists, is undergoing a transformation of its own. Yet another example in the deluge of local arts organizations and festivals switching up their leaderships, the visual art event announced its incoming Executive Director—and a new operational structure.…
People’s Park has been fenced off
In the wee hours of the morning on Friday, August 12, city staff, with the “support and assistance” of Halifax Regional Police, fenced off Meagher Park, aka People’s Park. This comes after eviction notices were given to residents on July 5, a deadline to vacate the park on July 17 and nearly a month of…
Everything you need to know about the 2022 Art of Disability Festival
Independent Living Nova Scotia’s annual celebration of the community of people with disabilities is turning 10 this year. To mark the decade, a huge array of artworks made by Canadians with disabilities will be showcased. There will also be some online programming rounding out the fun, from paint nights to a bingo night. Here’s everything…
Everything you need to know about the 2022 Bicycle Film Festival Halifax
This article was independently produced by our editorial team with financial support by LÜVO wines in 250ml cans—unpretentious, refreshing and perfect for adventures! Locally grown, all natural, gluten-free, & vegan. Try Sparkling Rosé, L’Acadie Pinot Grigio, Cold Press Red, Muscat+Mint, Piquette+Peach and Piquette+Berry. If the newly sprouted bike lanes around town are anything to judge…
How Solitha Wallace is helping Halifax fashion glow up
Solitha Wallace has been shaking up Halifax’s fashion scene since the mid-2010s, when the model, runway coach and show producer moved to the city for school and was met with an industry so homogeneous—even by fashion’s slim margins of inclusivity—that, as she told The Coast in 2018, “When I first moved here I didn’t think…
Halifax Fringe Festival opens the box office for its 33rd annual event
There’s lots going on over at Halifax Fringe HQ today, between the announcement of the new festival Executive Director Sara Graham *and* the official opening of the box office for this year’s event. The uncensored, unjuried festival brings live performance and art in an ever-growing variety of mediums to spaces across Halifax’s downtown and north…
CBC is taking the Halifax Regional Police to court
An investigative reporter for CBC Nova Scotia, Shaina Luck, is taking the Halifax Regional Police to court to appeal a decision that denied her access to information request—something any member of the public can do under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. HRP refused the request entirely, so now the public broadcaster…
The fight over bikes, trees and cars in Halifax’s south end
There’s an old saying that goes, “You can have it fast, you can have it good, you can have it cheap: Pick two.” There’s a similar conundrum with the city’s plans to build a new network of bikeways in the south end. The city has put forward a number of design concepts, all with different…
How to throw the ultimate Halifax movie night
Maybe it’s the humidity that has you retreating into the welcoming cave that is your living room, or maybe you’re a bit tight on cash right now but still want to have a sweet summer soireé. Maybe you got really into film during the pandemic, making the most of your increased screen time. Or maybe…
Sara Graham announced as new Executive Director of Halifax Fringe Festival
Things are busy these days at Halifax Fringe HQ, as the unjuried and uncensored theatre festival gets ready for its 33rd annual event. While curtain time isn’t until September 1 (the fest’s 2022 dates are Sept 1-11), a new star has already emerged in the form of Fringe’s new executive director, Sara Graham. Taking over…
Everything you need to know about Halifax Regional Council’s August 9 meeting
Council is back for a meeting that almost didn’t happen. In this meeting, councillors reviewed a major policy document, allowed rooming houses, talked about parking (natch), and gave some money to community groups. Although the regional plan review is large, it is not yet law, and the issues it will inevitably cause won’t really be…
Longfellow Restaurant brings elevated farm-to-table fare and classic pies to Grand Pré
“In the Acadian land, on the shores of the Basin of Minas/ Distant, secluded, still, the little village of Grand-Pré/ Lay in the fruitful valley,” wrote Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his epic poem, Evangeline. A story set amidst the Acadian mass deportation from Nova Scotia in the 1700s, the poem’s young heroine, Evangeline, is still…
Symphony Nova Scotia announces pre-sale for its Fusion series; free waterfront shows
When Symphony Nova Scotia announced its upcoming 2022-2023 season slate back in May, it also mentioned tickets to the popular Fusion series—which sees the symphony teaming up with local musicians of note to create genre-blending live shows—would go on sale August 17. Luckily for those who can’t wait any longer, though, a release from SNS…
Matt Steele wrote 2022’s song of the summer. Here, he debuts a must-see acoustic video version.
Matt Steele has this summer’s vibe on lock. The genre-agnostic singer-songwriter’s latest, called “Vintage Photo Filter” captures the current atmosphere of trying to make the most of these sunny days while also feeling trapped in the churn of making content. “To me, the moment right now is: We’re all kind of burned out on social…
Grand Oasis announces Grand Reunion finale weekend headliners
This article was independently produced by our editorial team with financial support by LĂśVO wines in 250ml cans—unpretentious, refreshing and perfect for adventures! Locally grown, all natural, gluten-free, & vegan. Try Sparkling RosĂ©, L’Acadie Pinot Grigio, Cold Press Red, Muscat+Mint, Piquette+Peach and Piquette+Berry. There’s still lots of August left, we promise—but for those looking to…
Mocean Dance releases a call for artists
Mocean Dance is looking for artists from all disciplines to take part in preliminary research sessions that will shape its next project, a participatory public work. Currently titled PLAY and created by Halifax artist Jacinte Armstrong, the finished artwork will “invite artists and audiences to share space and time, and to make something together while exploring…
5 new songs by Halifax musicians you need to hear
Your playlist called. It’s bored. It wants a make-over, a glow-up, an injection of freshness. But lucky for you, while the same ol’ same isn’t cutting it anymore, a handful of Halifax musicians have released new tunes you need to hear. Add these to your queue and discover the latest grooves you’ve been missing: Chudi…
Support local theatre *and* trick out your apartment with Neptune’s annual yardsale
After the curtain falls on closing night, it’s easy to imagine the no-longer-needed set of a play sitting wistfully, Beauty and The Beast-like: A stage full of Lumières and Cogsworths already missing the dissipated audience. But you can help save these bits of furniture from such a fate, thanks to Neptune Theatre’s annual yard sale.…
Everything you need to know about the Bangladesh Festival 2022
History is being made in Halifax this weekend! The first-ever Bangladesh Festival in Nova Scotia is happening in the city. If you want to participate in a weekend of culture, food and music, here’s everything you need to know before attending. What is the official name? Bangladesh Canadian Friendship Society’s Bangladesh Festival 2022. What is…
Q&A: Halifax actor Deivan Steele is taking Hamlet back to basics
It’s hours before opening night of Shakespeare By The Sea’s Hamlet, the first drama the venerable theatre has staged since pre-pandemic times (and which will run until September 3 at Point Pleasant Park). When The Coast reaches Deivan Steele (who’ll be playing Hamlet himself) by phone, the actor is equal parts excitement and nerves, celebrating…
How to celebrate Acadian Day 2022
Quinzou 2022—also known as Acadian Day to the anglophones out there—is rapidly approaching. Ever since 1881, Acadians have gathered on August 15 to celebrate their unique culture, heritage and roots. The first party was held in Memramcook, New Brunswick—and while we obviously didn’t RSVP, we’re confident it was a heck of a live music show,…
Everything you need to know about the canoe world championships
‹ Left Center Right Resize Cancel Crop 300 x 50 ✖i › This article was independently produced by our editorial team with financial support by LÜVO wines in 250ml cans—unpretentious, refreshing and perfect for adventures! Locally grown, all natural, gluten-free, & vegan. Try Sparkling Rosé, L’Acadie Pinot Grigio, Cold Press Red, Muscat+Mint, Piquette+Peach and Piquette+Berry.…
Neptune Theatre announces two audition notices
Before Neptune Theatre launches its 60th season this fall, it is hard at work building air-tight casts for a catalogue that ranges from family focused musicals to indie dramas. Today’s announcement of two audition notices proves it—while reminding Halifax actors it’s not too late to shoot their shot for a role on the region’s biggest…
Ashley McKenzie’s Queens of the Qing Dynasty will have its North American premiere at TIFF 2022
Fans of the bleak, beloved Werewolf can finally stop drumming their fingers and checking their watches: Cape Breton writer-director Ashley McKenzie’s second feature, Queens of the Qing Dynasty, is one step closer to a screen near them as it makes its North American debut at next month’s Toronto International Film Festival. A story about the…
Meet the local scientist changing the narrative for cancer
If you were to enter Dr. Paola Marignani’s lab at Dalhousie University, you’d find every surface covered in writing. That’s because she sees the process of coming up with an experiment the same way an artist maps out their vision before touching the canvas. “Art and science are the same to me, there’s no difference…
There’s a free music fest and block party happening in Halifax’s north end this weekend
This weekend is going to be an absolute scorcher: A heat warning for Halifax metro area says temperatures are going to climb into the mid-30s for the next few days. But while you’re reaching for a pitcher of ice water, Halifax streetwear label and community incubator Family Over Fame is ready to throw the mercury…
The politics of imagination
There’s a joke on the internet in left-wing circles: “How did you get radicalized?” And the reason it’s a joke, albeit not a funny one, is because the answer is always something mundane. For example, there is probably someone reading this article who knows just enough about surveillance capitalism; has just enough information on how…
CBC renews two beloved, buzzy series made in Nova Scotia
When the CBC released its fall television slate, it wasn’t just a list of all the storylines that’ll unspool over your TV screen as the leaves change. It was also an accidental confirmation of how red-hot the film industry in Nova Scotia is these days: Alongside long-running Can-con staples like Murdoch Mysteries and Heartland, the…
Police action is “imminent” to remove handful of tenters from People’s Park
In the two weeks since the July 17 deadline to vacate Meagher Park, AKA People’s Park, the city has grown tired of the civilian-led response. Now a police eviction of residents at the park appears inevitable after a special regional council meeting on Tuesday, August 2. When council interrupted its summer break for a virtual…
Alderney Gate Library unveils new public art piece
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jason Skinner (@jason.a.m.skinner) Downtown Dartmouth has no shortage of attention-grabbing, neck-craning, selfie-worthy artworks—the sorts of pieces that imbue a sense of place and make the everyday all the more considered. As of Friday, though, these murals and story-high quotes got some company: Alderney Gate Library debuted…