10 Things to Do in Halifax This October

October in Halifax is filled with ways to celebrate Mi’kmaw History Month, experience art across the city, hear live music, and taste the flavours of fall. From festivals and museum visits to hockey games and Halloween events, there are plenty of ways to make the most of the month across the Halifax region.

1. Celebrate Mi’kmaw History Month

Discover Mi’kmaw Culture in Kjipuktuk / Halifax

Celebrate Mi’kmaw History Month with Tribal Fusion Art at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Create your own Indigenous glass art, take part in a smudging ceremony, and join a guided tour of the artists’ Welcome to Turtle Island installation. You can continue learning about Indigenous history and culture through exhibits at museums across Halifax.

Indigenous Glass Art Experience with Tribal Fusion Art | October 1 and 16 | Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

Pjila’si | Throughout October | Museum of Natural History

Ta’n me’j Tel-keknuo’ltiek: How Unique We Still Are | Throughout October | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic

Fortress Halifax: A City Shaped by Conflict | Throughout October | Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

Ta’n a’sikatikl sipu’l: Confluence | Throughout October | Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

Treaty Space Gallery | Throughout October | Anna Leonowens Gallery, NSCAD University

2. Hunt for vintage finds

Vintage Shows and Shops in Halifax

Light House Arts Centre - 1800 Argyle St 2nd Floor, Halifax, NS

Browse clothing, accessories, records, home décor, collectibles, and more from vintage sellers at The Curio Collective Fall Vintage Show. The two-day event brings vendors from across the region to the Light House Arts Centre, giving you plenty of racks and tables to search for something unique.

3. Spend a fall day at Memory Lane Heritage Village

Memory Lane Heritage Village

5435 Clam Harbour Rd, Lake Charlotte, NS

At the Nova Scotia Forest Festival, discover the many ways Nova Scotians connect to the forest through their livelihoods, housing, recreation, food, and heritage. Watch live horse logging demonstrations, try axe throwing, take part in hands-on activities and heritage demonstrations for all ages, and watch local businesses compete in the Golden Axe-Throwing Tournament.

Return to Memory Lane later this month for the Fibre Arts Festival and shop, learn, and find inspiration from regional vendors.

Nova Scotia Forest Festival | October 3 | Memory Lane Heritage Village

Memory Lane Fibre Arts Festival | October 17 | Memory Lane Heritage Village

4. Fill your October with live music

Celebrate African Nova Scotian music at the ANSMA Awards, featuring live performances by Adina, Jupiter Reign, and more. Later in the month, catch The Black Keys at the Scotiabank Centre, The Sheepdogs with Halifax singer-songwriter Braden Lam, Celtic music at the ReJigged Festival, and plenty more live music across the city.

Shore Club Live Shows | October 2, | 3, | 10, | 24 | Shore Club

28th Annual ANSMA Awards Show | October 8 | Light House Arts Centre

The Black Keys Peaches ’N Kream World Tour | October 14 | Scotiabank Centre

The Sheepdogs with special guest Braden Lam | October 16 | Light House Arts Centre

The Sheepdogs with special guest Braden Lam | October 17 | Light House Arts Centre

ReJigged Festival | October 22–25 | Sanctuary Arts Centre

Alex Cuba & Symphony Nova Scotia | October 23 | Rebecca Cohn Auditorium

LOUD WOMEN Fest Halifax | October 24 | The Seahorse Tavern

Jimmy Rankin – Song Dog: 25th Anniversary Tour | October 30 | Light House Arts Centre

5. Experience Mooseheads hockey

Cheer on the Mooseheads

1800 Argyle St, Halifax, NS

Hockey season at Scotiabank Centre. Catch the Halifax Mooseheads as they hit home ice six times this October.

Halifax Mooseheads Home Games | October 8, 10, 16, 18, 23, 24 | Scotiabank Centre

6. Connect with Halifax through its fall flavours

Fall Dining in Halifax

Learn how local landscapes shape the food on your plate through two immersive experiences. On Gather & Graze with Terroir & Wild Ecotours, explore forests and shorelines near Halifax while learning to identify edible plants, mushrooms, seaweeds, and other wild ingredients. The four-hour experience also includes forest bathing and a six-course seasonal lunch prepared by a local chef and served on the beach.

Later in the month, head to Lupin Dining & Pantry for the Eastern Shore Harvest Food Festival. Wander through the restaurant’s garden and sample dishes from 10 chef-led food stations with paired beverages inspired by the seasons, the garden, and the surrounding coastal landscape.

Gather & Graze | October 11 | Terroir & Wild Ecotours

Eastern Shore Harvest Food Festival | October 24 | Lupin Dining & Pantry

7. See Halifax in a new light at Nocturne

Downtown Halifax, the North End, and Downtown Dartmouth become open-air galleries during Nocturne, a visual art festival that brings energy and creativity to public spaces across the city. Explore art installations and performances as eventgoers fill the city’s streets, shops, galleries, and unexpected spaces.

Nocturne | October 15–18 | Multiple locations

8. Get into the Halloween spirit

October brings spooky markets, family activities, ghost tours, costume parties, and live music across the Halifax region. Browse handmade and Halloween-themed goods at local markets, take the kids to the Museum of Natural History’s annual party, or explore hundreds of LEGO creations at BRICKSPLOSION.

For something more immersive, join storyteller Dusty Keleher for The Halifax Ghost Walk, a journey through the city’s historic streets filled with stories of ghosts, folklore, and spirits.

Family-Friendly Festivals and Markets

Annual Halloween Party at the Museum of Natural History | October 25 | Museum of Natural History

Halloween BRICKSPLOSION 2026 – The Halifax LEGO® Fan Event | October 31-November 1 | Dalhousie Student Union Building

Ghost Tours and Immersive Experiences

Halifax Citadel Ghost Tour: Dare to Be Scared | Call to book | Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

The Halifax Ghost Walk | Every night in October | Begins at the Old Town Clock

Halloween Parties and Nightlife

The Halifax Witches Ball | October 30 | The Sanctuary Arts Centre

Halloween Party with The Relics | October 31 | Bearly’s House of Blues & Ribs

9. See the colours of fall on a hike

Halifax’s Most Stunning Coastal Hikes

Take in Halifax’s autumn colours while exploring coastal landscapes and peaceful wooded trails. Hike Polly Cove or the High Head Trail, follow the Musquodoboit Trailway and tackle the more challenging Admiral Lake Loop, rewarding yourself with sweeping views of the surrounding forest. To stay closer to Downtown Halifax, walk among the changing leaves in Point Pleasant Park.