Halifax’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration moves to Emera Oval on Halifax Common. This will be the first time that the city’s New Year’s Eve concert and national broadcast will be held here.
Most stores close early on Sundays.
Halifax’s annual New Year’s Eve extravaganza will be held at Emera Oval this year.
The event, usually held on a grand parade in front of City Hall, is moving because the area is currently being used as a tent encampment amid the city’s housing crisis.
Evening family skating begins at 10 p.m. Musical entertainment begins at 11 p.m., headlined by Rankin McInnis.
At the end, there will be fireworks and a countdown to the new year.
There will be additional skating from 7pm to 9pm, and from 9pm there will be a countdown and fireworks display for families with young children.
New Year’s Embankment City Hall has been canceled This year, given the housing crisis, local councils used the funds to fund meals for people sleeping in tents.
Here are the business and closing days for December 31st and January 1st in the Halifax area.
Eating and drinking
- Seaport Farmers Market: Closed Sundays.
- Gateway Meat Market: Closes Dec. 31 at 6 p.m., closed Jan. 1.
- Atlantic Superstore: Closes Dec. 31 at 6 p.m., Jan. 1.
- Sobeys: Closes at 7pm on December 31st and January 1st.
- NSLC: Closes December 31st at 5pm, January 1st.
- Moosehead Cold Beer Store/Windmill Road: Open Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Jan. 1 from noon to 8 p.m.
pharmacy
- Shoppers Drug Mart: Most stores are open on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Business hours may vary.
- Lawton’s Drug: Most stores open December 31st. Business hours may vary from January 1st.
- Guardian: Some locations are open. Check to see opening hours.
- The Medicine Shoppe: Some stores are open. Check to see opening hours.
- Costco: Halifax and Dartmouth stores will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 and close on Jan. 1.
- Walmart: On Dec. 31, all stores will close at 6 p.m. All stores will be closed on January 1st.
public service
- HRM will not have trash, organics or recyclable collection services on New Year’s Day.
- Regular collection will resume on Tuesday, January 2nd.
- Special household waste collection points will be closed on New Year’s Day and will reopen from 9am to 4pm on January 6th.
- The Otter Lake Waste Facility will be closed on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
- The city’s recycling plant will close on January 1st.
- All Halifax Public Library branches will be closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
- Halifax Regional Municipality’s 311 Contact Center will be closed to general inquiries on New Year’s Day. Residents can still call 311 if they have urgent concerns about transportation, municipal operations, facilities, animal services or illegally parked vehicles.
- Halifax’s in-person customer service centers located at Alderney Gate, Beyers Road and Musquodoboit Harbor Recreation Center and Library will be closed starting January 1st.
- Street parking will be free on Monday, January 1st. However, drivers must obey other posted signs. In the event of a weather event, a winter parking ban will apply.
Transportation facilities
- Halifax Transit will offer free extended bus and Alderney ferry service from 6pm on New Year’s Eve until various ending times depending on route (usually around 2am on January 1st).
- The Access-A-bus service will also offer free fares after 6pm until the end of normal operating hours. For more information on late-night transportation options, please visit Please visit this page.
- The last ferry leaves Alderney at 1:30 a.m. and Halifax at 1:45 a.m.
- The Woodside ferry will not operate on December 31st.
- Halifax Transit buses will operate on a holiday schedule on New Year’s Day. This is the same as the reduced schedule on Sunday. Check online for specific route information.
- Ferries will not operate on New Year’s Day.
mall
- Halifax Shopping Center and Mic Mac Mall will close at 5pm on December 31st and remain closed from January 1st.
- Park Lane Mall, Scotia Square, Sunnyside Mall, Bedford Place Mall and Dartmouth Crossing will be closed on New Year’s Day. Some malls close early on New Year’s Eve.
recreational facilities
- Many recreational facilities have been operating on holiday schedules since Christmas Eve and will continue through January 2nd. Please call ahead to confirm holiday hours.
- Emera Oval is open all season, weather permitting. Holiday skates are scheduled for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, weather permitting.
canada post
- All post offices will be closed and mail will no longer be collected or delivered.
