10 Things To Do in Halifax This September

The Halifax Fringe Festival is back for its 35th year with an impressive lineup of entertainment. The festival happens over 11 days across multiple venues with 60+ productions performing over 350 accessible, unjuried, and uncensored individual performances. There’s something for everyone to enjoy at this iconic festival, including theatre, music, circus, dance, comedy, education, and more.

Later this month, Prismatic Arts Festival will showcase and celebrate innovative work by Indigenous artists and artists of colour from across Canada, bringing audiences vibrant, boundary-pushing new works in theatre, dance, music, film, visual arts, media arts, and spoken word.

Halifax Fringe Festival | August 27 – September 7 | Multiple locations

Prismatic Arts Festival | September 26 – October 5 | Multiple locations

Cheer on the HFX Wanderers, Halifax Tides, and the Halifax Mooseheads at a thrilling game that will have you on the edge of your seat.

HFX Wanderers Home Games | September 1, 20 | Wanderers Grounds

Halifax Tides Home Games | September 6, 13, 27 | Wanderers Grounds

Halifax Mooseheads Home Games | September 20, 26, 27 | Scotiabank Centre

Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of these family-friendly festivals. Dive into a new cuisine and sample authentic gourmet delicacies, enjoy traditional music and dance, and browse artisanal goods to take home with you. With so much to enjoy, there’s no better way to experience the diverse culture of the Halifax region.

Festa Italiana | September 5-6 | Italian Canadian Cultural Association of Nova Scotia

Mosaic Festival of Arts and Culture | September 20 | Foundation Wharf

Get ready to sip, savour, and learn about wine at the Halifax International Wine Festival. Grab your friends and get tickets to a tasting session where you’ll be able to sample from a selection of over 250 wines from near and far, including a selection of premium non-alcoholic wines. With your ticket, you’ll also get to enjoy gourmet bites from a number of local eateries. If you’re looking for a fun excuse to get out, look no further.

Halifax International Wine Festival | September 6 | Halifax Convention Centre 

In 2019, Jan and Christiane Teerling purchased a property that would transform their lives. Originally from Germany, the long-time deer farmers sought to expand their operations but faced limitations in their home country. A worldwide search for the perfect land led them to Nova Scotia. This month, they’re inviting you in for a feast you won’t want to miss.

Cruise out along the rolling hills of Musquodoboit Valley to Lindsay Lake Farms for their Great Bison Kitchen Party this month, where you’ll get the chance to tour the farm and meet the friendly giants who roam the land. You’ll settle into a gourmet three-course dinner, where you’ll have the chance to try the bison, paired with seasonal delicacies from the surrounding land, and hear stories about the farm, the food, and the people behind it all.

Make a getaway out of it and stay in a cozy cottage on the farm for the ultimate weekend recharge.

Great Bison Kitchen Party | September 6 | Lindsay Lake Farms 

Grab your popcorn and get ready to binge-watch some of the best local and international films during the 45th Atlantic International Film Festival.

This year’s festival will showcase over 100 feature and short films at the Cineplex Cinemas Park Lane over 8 days, and some can conveniently be streamed to watch from the comfort of your home if you don’t feel like going out. The week will also be filled with fun evening parties that are free to attend, making for the perfect night out with your pals.

Atlantic International Film Festival | September 10-17 | Multiple locations 

This month, step into the world of watercolour at Open Water 2025, an international juried exhibition presented by the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour. From September 11 to October 2, the Teichert Gallery will showcase over 40 stunning works, highlighting the range and beauty of this often-underappreciated medium. Featuring artists from across Canada and beyond, this show is a must for art lovers, collectors, and curious minds alike.

Fun fact:  King Charles III is an honorary member of the CSPWC, and 75 Canadian watercolours now live in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle, with 25 more set to join in 2026.

Later this month, explore one of the most beautiful coastal drives in the Halifax region and meet the artists who call it home on the Surfside Studio Tour. This free, self-guided tour invites you to explore homegrown creativity in the coastal communities of Lawrencetown, Seaforth, Grand Desert, and beyond.

Over the course of the tour, you’ll step inside local studios and workshops to see where the magic happens – whether that’s at a potter’s wheel, behind a painter’s easel, or beside a blacksmith’s forge. From ironwork and woodwork to textiles, photography, and screen-printing, this is a chance to watch creativity in action and engage directly with the artists shaping the culture of the Eastern Shore.

Open Water 2025 | September 11 – October 2 | Teichert Gallery

Surfside Studio Tour | September 28 | Multiple locations 

Dive into a weekend of salty air and coastal culture at the first-ever Maritime Heritage Festival, happening this month on the Halifax Waterfront.

Centred around the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, this free, family-friendly weekend brings Halifax’s ocean stories to life through music, history, and hands-on activities. Explore pop-up museum displays and tour historic vessels. Get your hands wet at the Back to the Sea touch tank, meet Raina the Mermaid, and enjoy interactive displays from more than 25 marine and heritage organizations. There’s even youth boat building in action, led by the new MMA Boat School.

Live music performances run throughout the weekend and include everything from shanties and Celtic tunes to military bands and newcomer choirs. Keep an ear out for the Stadacona Band, Yarmouth Shantymen, Halifax Newcomer Choir, Boarding Party, and more.

Maritime Heritage Festival | September 13-14 | Multiple locations 

Canadian indie alt-pop artist Rich Aucoin is bringing his signature sound to a one-of-a-kind setting – an immersive thermal circuit experience that blends chill vibes with deep beats.

Climb aboard the Alderney Ferry and make your way to Nature Folk, just steps from the terminal, to unwind in style as Rich spins a live DJ set, soundtracking your evening of saunas, soaks, and serenity. Whether you’re stretching out with friends or soaking up the scene solo, here is where you’ll find the perfect blend of rhythm and relaxation.

Space is limited, so grab your tickets, gather your crew, and treat yourself to the coolest way to warm up this September.

Rich Aucoin: An Exclusive Thermal Circuit | September 19 | Nature Folk

Grab your lederhosen and raise a stein – Garrison Brewing’s 17th Annual Oktoberfest is back and bigger than ever, bringing a five-day Bavarian bash at The BG (The Halifax Beer Garden), filled with beer, bratwurst, and beats.

Expect long picnic tables, warm pretzels, and live music from The Roving Steins and other high-energy oompah bands. With over 10 Garrison craft brews on tap – including seasonal favourites – and a full German menu of cozy classics, like schnitzel and spaetzle, to keep you fuelled between stein-holding showdowns, yodel-offs, and hammerschlagen battles.

Admission is totally free, and costumes are encouraged – lederhosen and dirndls are welcome. Whether you’re coming for the games, the food, or just the pure joy of dancing under string lights by the ocean, this is the waterfront party Halifax waits for all year.

Oktoberfest | September 17-21 | The BG  

If your idea of a perfect weekend includes dancing under the stars to the sound of bass drops and big-name headliners, Magnetic World is calling.

This three-night festival lights up the Garrison Grounds with a massive mix of EDM, hip hop, and more, featuring global stars like Dom Dolla, 21 Savage, and The Kid Laroi. Add in an epic crowd, local talent, and an electrifying energy, and you’ve got one of Halifax’s hottest music weekends of the season.

Magnetic World | September 26-28 | Garrison Grounds