With January in full swing and February just on the horizon, 2018’s weekends are starting to fill up. We at About Halifax recognize this. We pulled together a list of 5 events you need to check out in the first half of the year. Whether you like music, sports, or beer, we have you covered!
The East Coast Music Awards
With over thirty years of experience, the East Coast Music Awards are ready to take on Halifax once again. The ECMA’s began modestly as a day-long concert at a downtown bar and is now a 5-day event spanning many venues throughout the city! Along with the awards show, this year’s festival includes The Big Ticket show featuring Alan Doyle and The Export Buyers program featuring delegates from around the world, as well as various bars and clubs hosting festival-specific events!
This year, the 30th annual ECMA’s will take place in downtown Halifax during the first five days in May. Details of the entire event are not available yet, though you should expect five days entertainment, with the awards gala taking place at the Scotiabank Centre on Sunday, May 6th.
The Great Race
An idea that was once a movie is a real thing! This year, The Great Race will wind its way from Buffalo, NY, across New England and end in Halifax, Nova Scotia! Participants will race vintage cars through backroads of states and provinces to the finish line in Downtown Halifax.
The race rules do not share the route or final location until the race starts, though we imagine you will be able to observe the finish line somewhere downtown. Our best bet would be either at Grand Parade or near the Seaport Farmers Market.
To learn more about the race, and maybe even apply for 2019, click here!
TD Halifax Jazz Fest
There was significant news over the past week for the Halifax music scene, with The War On Drugs and Daniel Caesar both announced as the headliners for the TD Halifax Jazz Fest. Though the remaining acts are not yet released, Anderson Pak, Lauryn Hill, and City and Colour have all performed before, which only bodes well for this year’s lineup.
If you are planning a summer trip to Halifax, or are already booking plans those elusive summer weekends, keep your eyes on the official website. You will be able to find news about recently announced acts, when tickets are available, and any other relevant information leading up to the festival!
The Fourth Annual Full House Craft Beer Fest
This is perhaps the most anticipated event of 2018. Going into its fourth year, The Fourth Annual Full House Craft Beer Fest brings together the whose-who of Nova Scotian craft breweries. A $30 ticket gets you 12 drink tickets and three hours to sample different types of sweet homegrown Nova Scotian liquid. The best part is you get to keep the sampling glass!
The Full House Craft Beer Fest occurs during the with Nova Scotia Craft Beer Week, a ten-day all-out celebration of local breweries. Last years events included tap takeovers, beer-cocktail competitions, a booze cruise, hangover triage, and of course, the Full House Craft Beer Fest.
Tickets for the festival are available here. For a complete list of 2018’s Nova Scotia Craft Beer, you can find the schedule here.
The Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon
The Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon is almost old enough to drive! To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Halifax’s marathon, the Blue Nose is changing things up! We have summarized all of the changes below into bite-sized pieces.
- For the first time, runners have an option for a 15KM distance. This is perfect for the 10KM runner who wants a challenge but isn’t ready for a half-marathon!
- The race will return to Dartmouth! With The Big Lift in the rearview mirror, three of the five races will cross the Macdonald Bridge! The Full Marathon and 15KM will travel around Lake Banook while the 10KM route runs under the bridge before heading back to the finish line.
- After many comments about the hills, marathoner and half-marathoners will run the routes in reverse! Rather than finishing the race with a sampling of Halifax’s toughest hills in Point Pleasant Park, runners will tackle them first before heading to the North End. The new route will still be tough, but a little change of scenery never hurt anyone!
- The Active Living Expo has a new home! To celebrate the opening of the Nova Centre, the Active Living Expo, as well as finisher party, will occupy this new space! Participants will have to days to experience exhibits, specialty talks, and exclusive sales, as well as registration and race kit pickup! This will be one of the biggest public events in the Nova Centre’s short history, which will be a great way to kick off the summer event season!