Halifax

Today	Thursday	Friday
Chance of Rain 18°/12°	Chance of Rain 20°/6°	Partly Cloudy 17°/6°

Canada > Atlantic Canada > Nova Scotia > Halifax

STAY, DINE, DO: Find a hotel, restaurant or attraction.

Listings to get the most out of the city: where to dine, what to see, where to shop, and more.

April Hot Dates in Halifax

La Cage aux Folles

Continuing through May 6: He was an artist of considerable talent, yet H.M. Rosenberg’s work has been all but forgotten in the last 150 years. In Europe, he absorbed the influence of Duveneck, Whistler, Sargent, Bocklin, Bastien-Lepage and Gauguin. In 1896, he moved to Nova Scotia and produced much of the work comprising the Rosenberg exhibition at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia on Hollis Street.

April 4: Miami rap force Pitbull makes a very rare visit to Halifax, sharing the stage with Flo Rida (with Tyler Medeiros), Mohombi and Nayer.

April 4–29: Viewpoint Gallery: Photographer Cathy McKelvey explores the world of child’s play in the exhibition Let’s Play.

Editor’s Choice: April 10 to May 27: Neptune Theatre on Argyle Street wraps up its season with La Cage aux Folles. The hilarious and touching musical tells the story of Georges, the owner of a glitzy and “exotic” nightclub in the French Riviera and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction—the glamorous chanteuse Zaza.

April 13: Symphony Nova Scotia: The orchestra presents Maritime Fusion, sharing the stage with singer/songwriter Sarah Slean.

April 14: Jerry Seinfeld: Arguably the greatest stand-up comic of his generation, Seinfeld makes an extremely rare visit to Halifax.

April 14: In a busy month on the Halifax entertainment scene, this is one show that anyone with ‘90s-music nostalgia won’t want to miss. Influential San Francisco alt-rockers Third Eye Blind play an intimate show in the Schooner Showroom at Casino Nova Scotia.

April 15: Bryan Adams: The legendary Canadian rocker is on his first cross-Canada tour in 20 years, bringing his old band back together.

April 22: Saint Cecilia Concert Series: The Cecilia String Quartet collaborates with Jeunesses Musicales to perform Sensibility & Brio.

April 25 to 28: The Halifax Comedy Fest returns, highlighting up-and-coming local comics alongside top national acts. Highlights include the Opening Gala (hosted by Samantha Bee) at Casino Nova Scotia, Comedy All-Stars (hosted by Gerry Dee) at the Casino shows at Yuk Yuk’s with Halifax’s own Brian Aylwar, the Seahorse Tavern and the Lower Deck; plus the Gala Finale, hosted by Mark Critch and scheduled to air on CBC TV.

April 27: Stars on Ice: An exhibition by some of the world’s top figure skaters, including 2010 Olympic gold medallists and World Champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and four-time World Champion Kurt Browning.

April 27, 28: Symphony Nova Scotia’s annual Beer and Beethoven concert is a rite of spring in Halifax. Offering a casual coda to the season, the orchestra moves to Cunard Centre for a relaxed waterfront concert with dancing, comedy and yes, beer.

April 29: The Dartmouth Community Concert Association showcases married pianists Lucille Chung and Alessio Bax, one of the best piano duos of their generation. It’s sure to be a magical show at the Woodlawn United Church as they join forces on one piano.

Hot Dates

Jim Petrie, Petrie’s Halifax Feast Dinner Theatre

Continuing through March: Art 1274 Hollis, just steps from the train station on Hollis Street, is a friendly little artist-run gallery, highlighting local talents. This month, it spotlights paintings by Heather Crout and Golumba Kim.

Continuing through May 6: Artist H.M. Rosenberg’s work was almost forgotten: the last 150 years have all but erased him from the historical record. Yet he was an artist of rare talent. In Europe he absorbed the influence of Duveneck, Whistler, Sargent, Bocklin, Bastien-Lepage and Gauguin. In 1896, he came to Nova Scotia and produced a broad body of work. Discover him in the Rosenberg exhibition at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia on Hollis Street.

Continuing through June: Director Jim Petrie, the Petrie behind Petrie’s Halifax Feast Dinner Theatre on Salter Street, has written dozens of sidesplitting musical comedies over the years. His latest, Pirates of the Cape Breton, is a swashbuckling good time with an East Coast twist.

March 23: Symphony Nova Scotia The Symphony teams up with the Gypsophilia septet for an evening of “gypsy indie jazz.”

Editor’s Choice: March 28 to 31: The sport’s top competitors meet in the Bluenose Squash Classic. A glass court on stage at the Dalhousie Arts Centre will host the action for a world-class tournament that may be Halifax’s best-kept sports secret.

March 30: Spatz Theatre at Citadel High School on Bell Road hosts Ballet Jörgen’s production of heart-wrenching tragedy Anastasia.

Hot Dates: New Year’s Eve

Grand Parade square in downtown Halifax, in front of Halifax City Hall, hosts Atlantic Canada’s biggest New Year’s Eve party. Festivities begin at 9:30pm, with live entertainment and a spectacular fireworks show at midnight.

Hot Dates: Art highlights

"Belmont Park" at the MSVU Art Gallery.

Continuing through November 20 at Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery: Works by photographer Lisette Model (1901–1983), famed for her shoot-and-run portraits of strangers.

Continuing through November 27 at Dalhousie Art Gallery: Stealing the Gaze features symbolic portrait photographs and video installations by Canada’s most celebrated Native artists.

Hot Dates: 5 for music lovers

Finger 11.

November 18: Canadian rockers Finger Eleven, best know for hits like “One Thing” and “Paralyzer,” perform at Casino Nova Scotia on Upper Water Street.
November 26: The Dartmouth Community Concert Association hosts the multi-talented Rhapsody Quintet at Woodlawn United Church. The ensemble performs light classical, salon, musical theatre, movie music, jazz, tango, klezmer and more.
November 27: Soft-rock dreamboat James Blunt, best known for “You’re Beautiful” and “Goodbye My Lover,” makes a rare visit to the Halifax Metro Centre.
December 4: Performing in Halifax for the first time, the Mastan Group offers an “uplifting, mesmerizing” performance of Persian music.
December 9: New Orleans music legend Dr. John (joined by the Lower 911 band) rocks Casino Nova Scotia.

Hot Dates: Funny guy

In the midst of a third-successful season of The Ron James Show, the acerbic comedian hasn’t lost a bit of his sharp edge. On November 4 and 5, Ron James returns home to Halifax for two nights of raucous comedy, as he deconstructs a world gone mad.

Hot Dates: Perpetual motion

Live Art Dance Productions is in the midst of a busy season of contemporary dance, with three shows at the Dalhousie Arts Centre on University Avenue. On November 2, BJM Danse from Montreal offers an evening of playful jazz dance. Following them on November 18, contemporary dancers Bill Coleman and Laurence Lemieux perform three works by James Kudelka. And from December 1 to 3, O Vertigo makes its Halifax debut with Onde de choc, a “hymn to the body’s internal forces.”

Hot Dates: On fire for flamenco

Photo: Jennifer Payne

The Fall for Flamenco Festival, October 22 to 30, celebrates everything flamenco with: stomping feet, coiling wrists, scrumptious tapas, roses, guitar melodies and soulful song. Check out free concerts, local talent features, workshops, master classes, and an authentic flamenco performance with guest artists from Spain.

Hot Dates: Play time

Murray McLauchlan performs at Casino Nova Scotia on October 21.

Casino Nova Scotia on Upper Water Street posts slot machines and table games galore, but it’s also one of Halifax’s busiest entertainment venues, with live concerts in the Schooner Showroom. Highlights this month include multi-instrumental singer/songwriter Murray McLauchlan on October 21 and the CMT Hitlist Tour on October 22. The unique concert showcases some of the hottest young names in Canadian country: Dean Brody, Aaron Lines and Deric Ruttan.

Hot Dates: Editor’s Choice

The Thermals at the Halifax Pop Explosion.

Running from October 18 to 22, the Halifax Pop Explosion is one of Canada’s coolest music festivals. It showcases top indie acts from across the country performing at small venues around the city. Highlights include The Thermals, a collaboration between Amelia Curran and Symphony Nova Scotia, Stars, Thee Oh Sees and many others.