September in Halifax is packed with festivals, concerts, food events, and cultural celebrations that showcase the city’s vibrant spirit. Kick off the month with the Halifax Colour Festival or taste your way through Dumpling Fest.
Credit: Memory Lane Heritage Village
Enjoy world-class performances at the Atlantic International Film Festival and Symphony Week, then wrap up with the Halifax Urban Folk Festival.
Whether you’re looking to celebrate local heritage, savour global flavours, or soak in live performances, Halifax has you covered this month.
Fun things to do in and around Halifax in September 2025
- Listen to concerts by artists from around the world. Halifax Urban Folk Festival takes place from September 29 to October 5, 2025.
- On September 18, 2025, enjoy a Cookhouse supper followed by a free local history talk as part of the Heritage Spotlight Series. Dinner reservations are needed, but the talk is open to all. While the Heritage Village buildings will be closed during the talk, the grounds will be open for an evening stroll.
- Tantalize your taste buds at a selection of restaurants in Halifax to taste different kinds of dumplings and more! Dumpling Fest Halifax takes place on September 10, 2025.
- The legendary Bastid’s BBQ is back, and it’s going to be one epic summer party. From delicious sips to a killer hip-hop lineup, this one-day-only event promises non-stop fun under the sun. September 14, 2025 @ Ferguson’s, 1028 E Fremont Street, Halifax.
- Join Tree Canada on Saturday, September 27, in Halifax for a National Tree Day planting event as part of the biggest celebration yet. Volunteers will plant trees, remove invasive species, and connect with nature, with support from Tree Canada experts. Gloves and shovels are provided, and the event is free to attend.
- Get ready to twist your mind and challenge your thinking in Brain Benders, a one-day camp experience packed with hands-on activities that explore the fascinating world of puzzles, optical illusions, and brain games! PD Day Camp takes place on September 29, 2025
- Indulge in an English-style Afternoon Tea experience every weekend in Halifax. Enjoy freshly baked scones, clotted cream, local jams, and tea, followed by artisanal chocolate. Drop in on Saturdays or Sundays without reservations at Eastern Tea Bar.
- Come join us at Monte’s Showbar Grill for a night of hard rock by musicians from our local community. Support your favorite local bands and discover new ones while enjoying some refreshing beverages and a bite to eat. Friday, September 12, 2025.
- Imagine the magic of endurance sport while surrounded by lush forests, flowing rivers, peaceful lake waters and a unique cultural landscape rich with Mi’kmaw stories and traditions at Nova Scotia’s beloved Kejimkujik National Park. Whether a first-time participant or a seasoned veteran this venue is sure to inspire! Keji Multisport Festival on September 13 to 14, 2025.
- For lovers of art, the next two weeks will be a busy time catching up with the over 350 performances spread across 10 venues. Halifax Fringe Festival on August 27 – September 7, 2025.
- Celebrate the 11th annual “Halifax Colour Festival” with colours, dance, and music on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
- Watch free puppet shows at the Public Library.
- Get ready for a jaw-dropping, toe-tapping spectacle! Bear Grease takes the 1978 musical, Grease, on an Indigenous joyride, with fashion that slays, humour that tickles your funny bone, and music that makes you groove! It’s a rez makeover for the beloved characters, keeping the authenticity alive while adding a burst of cultural flair. September 30 – October 5, 2025
- Time travel back to the 1970s at the Grafton Street Dinner Theatre until October 18, 2025.
- Join Mi’kmaq artisan, Todd Labrador, his family, and the Kejimkujik team, as they launch the birch bark canoe built this summer at the Birch bark canoe Shop, Merrymakedge (P4). September 6, 2025
- Agricola Open Street Sunday takes place on Sunday, September 7th, from 12-4 pm. Agricola Street will be transformed into a pedestrian-friendly space featuring live music, tasty food, and opportunities to shop local in a car-free setting.
- Join the Chebucto Hiking Club for a 10 km hike of the Castle Rock Trail on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
- Cellists Bryan Cheng and Leonard Disselhorst bring their exciting “Global Grooves” program to Halifax on September 27, 2025. This performance blends jazz, tango, folk, and classical genres, showcasing the cello’s remarkable range and this duo’s chemistry.
- Running September 23 – October 12, 2025, Mischief follows Brooke as she juggles mystical ancestral visits, life at her uncle’s convenience store, and a community fight to remove a colonial statue. Caught between her Mi’kmaw heritage and the legacy of a city founded on its attempted destruction, she seeks balance and identity. This thoughtful comedy explores resilience, stereotypes, and the strength to embrace one’s roots in a modern world.
- The annual Symphony Nova Scotia Symphony Week is a community music festival that celebrates Nova Scotia’s connections, collaborations, and creativity with free concerts and events for all ages across the region. September 13 – 14 & 16 – 17, 20 – 21, 2025
- Alderney Landing Fire & Water Cultural Festival is taking place on September 19 – 20, 2025.
- Now on the Fountain Hall Stage in Neptune Theatre, Mamma Mia! stars Julie Martell as Donna in the beloved story of a daughter’s search for her father on the eve of her wedding. Set to ABBA’s timeless hits, the musical delivers a joyful tale of love, laughter, and friendship. With three possible dads and one unforgettable trip down the aisle, Mamma Mia! is a feel-good experience you won’t want to miss!
- Magical Portals: Fairy Doors and Miniatures from Jennifer Eames & Nikki-Dee Maggio will be on display now at The Craig Gallery until September 28th, 2025.
- Catch Mark Normand on his Ya Don’t Say Tour on September 12, 2025, at the Dalhousie Arts Centre.
- The Maritime Heritage Festival is a free, family-friendly weekend of events and activities happening September 13 and 14 on the Halifax waterfront around the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic!
- The Halifax International Wine Festival is Atlantic Canada’s premier celebration of wine, food, and culture. With 250+ wines from around the world, including the Nova Scotia Loyal Pavilion showcasing local favourites and a Canadian Pavilion highlighting Ontario wines paired with Canadian cheeses, the festival is the perfect place to sip, savour, and discover. September 6, 2025
- Join us for a weekend of Italian food, fun, and culture at the Italian Canadian Cultural Centre on Agricola Street. The “Festa Italiana Halifax” delivers an experience of Italy that the entire family can enjoy. September 5, 2025.
- GOLDEN GIRLS The Laughs Continue will be at the Dalhousie Arts Centre from September 26 to 28, 2025.
- Join us this fall for spectacular performances in theatre, dance, music, spoken word, visual arts, and media arts by artists from across Canada. Prismatic Arts Festival is Canada’s only multi-arts festival featuring culturally diverse and Aboriginal artists! September 26 to October 5, 2025.
Prismatic Arts Festival
- Take some time out to spend time at the beautiful Halifax Public Gardens. Recognized as a National Historic Site, the Halifax Public Gardens is part of Canada’s Garden Route and covers over 16 acres in the heart of Halifax.
- Relax stress and have a good laugh at the Yuk Yuk’s.
- Visit the Discovery Centre to explore various galleries, go on a journey through the night sky, become an inventor/builder and enjoy various drop-in activities.
- Experience an unforgettable afternoon of music and storytelling at The Carleton on Sunday, September 7th, with award-winning artist Christina Martin, performing with her trio PLUS a string trio, together for one incredible matinée.
- See the region’s best comedians perform live in front of the bookers of one of Canada’s biggest and most prestigious comedy festivals. Halifax ComedyFest Local Showcase takes place on September 11, 2025
- Lynyrd Skynyrd: Celebrating 50 Years takes place at the Scotiabank Centre on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
- Experience the incredible talent of Spontaneity Improv performance teams during their September 25, 2025 showcase. Be astonished by their on-the-spot creations based on audience suggestions, and immerse yourself in the lively scenarios they bring to life on stage.
- Cheer Canada during the Davis Cup as they play Israel on September 12 – 13, 2025.
- The 2025 Mosaic Festival of Arts and Culture is a vibrant celebration of diversity, community, and belonging. Taking place in downtown Halifax, the festival brings together Indigenous, Black, immigrant, racialized, and religious minority communities through music, dance, storytelling, food, and art. September 20, 2025
- Visit Teichert Gallery from September 11 to October 2 to experience Open Water 2025, an international exhibition that recognizes, encourages, and nurtures excellence in watercolour painting.
- Sealed for Freshness is the story of five Midwestern women who believe in being good wives, good friends and good neighbors. They were raised to trade their dreams, hopes and desires – for social norms and now they want their dreams back! Their lives unravel during a hilarious Tupperware party gone awry. September 25 to October 11, 2025
- There is nothing else like seeing a movie. The excitement and the anticipation of what will happen and what would happen, Being transported away to places we would only dream of. Into stories that are yet to be told. Stepping into the dark. Letting our imagination travel to Worlds Unknown. Atlantic International Film Festival on September 10 – 17, 2025.
- Three of Canada’s brightest up-and-coming singer-songwriters – Elyse Aeryn, Maddisun & Angela Saini – come together from coast to coast for an intimate night of songs and stories at The Carleton on Thursday, September 25th.
- Visit the Maritime Museum of Nova Scotia. Experience stunning harbor vistas from the observation deck, meet Merlin Macaw, the amiable and vibrant Rainbow Macaw, and delve into Nova Scotia’s maritime heritage. Don’t miss the ongoing exhibition, Ta’n me’j Tel-keknuo’ltiek: How Unique We Still Are, which reflects how Mi’kmaw people remain connected to the lands and waters of Mi’kma’ki.
- Purchase your tickets to Luke Combs on September 18th in the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.
- Front man Bruce Vickery brings his Rasta Gumbo – R&B/Ska/Reggae/fun-night-out – band back to The Carleton on Saturday, September 13th. Help celebrate the end of Nova Scotia summer!
- Catch the Halifax Wanderers in action at the Wanderers Grounds!
- Kick off the first annual Maritime Heritage Festival with an unforgettable night of sea shanties, sea songs, and maritime music! Cassie & Maggie take the stage with special guests at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Also featuring – The Dory Bungholes (sea shanties), Steve Read, and more! September 12, 2025
- Join us at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, September 24th, when Wolfville’s The Church and Berwick’s Smokehouse brewing companies go head to head. Enjoy 5 courses prepared by Chef Mathias Probst, each one paired with two 4 oz brews selected by expert Brewmasters to complement the dish. Chef and Brewmasters will be on hand to speak about their pairings. You vote for the most successful pairing after each course, with the grand winner declared at the end of the evening.
- Walk, run, and roll in support of Cancer research. The Halifax Terry Fox Run takes place on September 14, 2025.
- Celebrate Arts and Culture in Nova Scotia during Culture Days on September 19 – October 12, 2025.