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November in Halifax brings moments to reflect and the first signs of the holiday season. Honour those who served at a Remembrance Day ceremony, browse local holiday markets, and take in festive light displays. Meet your favourite author, cheer on Halifax’s sports teams, catch a holiday classic on stage, or make time to unwind at a spa or settle into a historic pub.
great for families
1. Discover a new story in Halifax
Join authors from across Canada, the United States, and beyond for the AfterWords Literary Festival. Enjoy readings, conversations, panel discussions, and workshops at venues across Halifax, Dartmouth, and Millbrook.
Throughout the month, explore Halifax’s independent bookstores to find your next read, attend a storytime session, or enjoy an evening of books and live music.
AfterWords Literary Festival | November 1–8 | Various locations
Book Reading & Live Music – BRIDEEN | November 14 | Trident Booksellers & Café
Storytime! with Woozles | Every Tuesday | 6240 Pepperell Street, Halifax
great for families
2. Get your sports fix
Cheer on the Mooseheads at the Scotiabank Centre, or watch Atlantic Canada’s top university men’s soccer teams compete for the AUS championship as the Dalhousie Tigers look to defend their title on home turf.
Halifax Mooseheads Home Games | November 6, 7, 14, 15, 27, 29 | Scotiabank Centre
AUS Men’s Soccer Championship | October 29 – November 1 | Wickwire Field
great for families
3. Take time to reflect this Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day honours those who served and sacrificed in times of war, conflict, and peace. Attend a local ceremony on November 11 and observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m.
Gather at Grand Parade to honour veterans and remember the fallen, or visit the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site for a 21-gun salute at 11 a.m., followed by the traditional noon gun. The Army Museum will also be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Remembrance Day Ceremony | November 11 | Grand Parade
Remembrance Day Commemorations | November 11 | Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
great for families
4. Browse local goods at a holiday market
Get a head start on your holiday shopping at markets across Halifax, meet local makers, find a thoughtful gift for someone on your list, and pick up a seasonal treat for yourself.
Christmas at the Forum | November 5–8 | Halifax Forum
Seaside Christmas | November 13–15 | Multiple locations, Eastern Shore
Agricola Street Holiday Market | November 15 | Agricola Street
Holiday Atlantic Maker Market | November 20–21 | Cedar Event Centre
Warm Up to Winter Market | November 21 | Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum
7th Annual Christmas in Spryfield | November 21–22 | Spryfield Lions Rink
Early Christmas Market | November 22 | Halifax Brewery Market
Halifax Crafters Winter Market | November 27–29 | Pier 22
Christmas at the Ex and Festival of Trees | November 28 | Halifax County Exhibition Grounds, Middle Musquodoboit
great for families
5. See a holiday classic come to life on stage
Catch two holiday favourites at Neptune Theatre this November. Follow the Grinch’s adventures in Whoville or revisit the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas The Musical | November 12–January 10 | Neptune Theatre
Dickens’ A Christmas Carol | November 26–December 27 | Neptune Theatre
great for families
6. Get into the holiday spirit
The holiday season gets underway in Halifax this November with parades to tree lightings and festive light displays. Bundle up and head out to celebrate with communities across the region.
Glow Halifax | November 19–January 2 | Halifax Exhibition Centre
NS Power Holiday Parade of Lights | November 21 | Downtown Halifax
Light Up Bedford Parade | November 22 | DeWolf Park
Halifax Christmas Tree Lighting | November 28 | Grand Parade
Sackville Christmas Tree Lighting | November 28 | Acadia Park
great for families
7. Spend a festive evening at Evergreen Festival
Evergreen Festival returns to the Halifax Waterfront with an outdoor holiday market, live music, and interactive games. Explore the light displays and warm up with a toasty drink from a participating café on Spruce’s Evergreen Cocoa Trail.
Evergreen Festival | November 27–December 20 | Multiple locations
8. Unwind at a spa
Take a break from the November chill at a Halifax spa. Try a cold plunge, book a relaxing massage, or spend an afternoon moving between hot and cold pools in a thermal circuit.
9. Visit a pub with a past
Pull up a chair at one of Halifax’s historic pubs. Enjoy a drink, settle in for a meal, and discover the stories and local legends behind some of the city’s longtime gathering places.
10. Check out a new business
From neighbourhood cafés to independent shops, there are new places to discover across the Halifax region. Check out these recent openings and businesses coming soon.
Coffee Club | 2849 Robie Street, Halifax
Jane’s Next Door | 1650 Grafton St, Halifax
JM Gems | 1470 Lower Water Street, Halifax
POP & MAC Studio, Boutique & Treats | 5126 St. Margaret’s Bay Road, Upper Tantallon
Sea Lily Cafe | 26 Post Office Rd, Porters Lake
Star of the Sea Cafe | 1842 Lower Prospect Rd, Terence Bay
More things to do in Halifax this November
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Welcome to Halifax
P'jilita'q wla Kjipuktuk
Land Acknowledgement
Halifax is in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. The people of the Mi’kmaw Nation have lived on this territory for millennia, and we acknowledge them as the past, present and future caretakers of this land. Historically, a land acknowledgment is a traditional practice shared amongst Indigenous groups to recognize the Indigenous land and territory they are visiting. Today a land acknowledgement remains a way to express one’s gratitude to the Indigenous people for being stewards of the land that we live and work on.