Memorable events in the Maritimes.
From music and culture to motorcycles and marathons, the tops of the Highlands to the ocean floor, there’s always something happening in Nova Scotia! Your Maritime Ferry Trail adventure is sure to be anything but boring with a special event for every taste all season long.
Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo
A show inspired by Military Tattoos given by military bands and display teams. It has taken place annually in Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax since 1979.
Where: Halifax
TD Halifax Jazz Festival
The TD Halifax Jazz Festival is the oldest jazz festival and largest summer festival in Atlantic Canada. The festival attracts up to 60,000 visitors, involves 400 volunteers and employs over 350 local musicians.
Where: Halifax
Harmony Bazaar Festival Women & Song
Harmony Bazaar began as a project of the Shelburne County Women’s Fishnet to provide a stage for female singers and songwriters. The festival grew into a weekend of activities including youth stages, workshops, industry dinners, art galas, theatre performances, and mentorships.
Where: Lockport
Digby Scallop Days
Digby Scallop Days, the area’s longest-running festival, is a celebration of scallops, the scallop fishing industry, and the people who brave the seas to harvest them. Digby Scallop Days is celebrated over a three day period starting on Friday and ending on Sunday.
Where: Digby
Chester Race Week
Chester Race Week is the largest keelboat regatta in Canada and has been presented by the Chester Yacht Club for more than 100 years. Race Week is a boisterous, busy time, with hundreds of participants and spectators enjoying the associated on-shore entertainment.
Where: Chester
Wharf Rat Rally
Hear the roar of 9,000 motorcycles at a festival that attracts over 30,000 visitors annually. More than 80 events in the heart of Digby include live music and entertainment, custom builders and contests, raffles, water sport demonstrations, and guided tours.
Where: Digby
Acoustic Roots Festival
The Acoustic Roots Festival offers a variety of acoustic music spanning the genres of Folk, Blues, Celtic, Country, and Bluegrass. The annual festival provides an opportunity to showcase Atlantic Canadian talent including a strong Cape Breton component.
Where: Grand Mira North
FIN Atlantic International Film Festival
One of Canada’s premier film festivals, this eight-day celebration of film, media, and music from around the world will mark its 40th year in 2020. It’s an immersive escape and celebration for movie lovers, filmmakers, and industry professionals alike.
Where: Halifax
Gran Fondo Baie Sainte-Marie
The Gran Fondo has quickly become the largest cycling event in Atlantic Canada, with 970 cyclists last year. Whether you’re a recreational rider, cycling tourist, or avid racer, this fun group grand tour is for anyone who enjoys cycling and beautiful scenery.
Where: Saulnierville
International Ukulele Ceilidh
With its resurgence in popularity, the music of the ukulele provides a unique and delightful sound. The Ceilidh encompasses workshops, concerts, jam sessions, and restaurant performers. Musicians travel from all over the globe to play at this gathering.
Where: Liverpool
Celtic Colours
Revel in a unique celebration of Cape Breton’s living traditional culture. Discover hundreds of events and activities in communities around the Island, with tens of thousands of visitors from over two dozen countries.
Where: Baddeck
Liverpool International Theatre Festival
Started in 1992, the Liverpool International Theatre Festival (LITF) is an amateur theatre competition hosted every two years in the town of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, at the historic Astor Theatre.
Where: Liverpool
Nocturne Halifax
Nocturne: Art at Night is a fall festival that brings art and energy to the streets of Halifax between 6 p.m.-midnight. The completely free annual event showcases and celebrates the visual arts scene in Halifax. The Nocturne Program Guide provides details about exhibitions in galleries and public spaces throughout the city.
Where: Halifax
Nova Scotia Music Week
With over 80 artists from various genres, Country to Hip Hop and everything in between, there’s something for everyone! Nova Scotia Music Week engages musicians, fans, and industry from around the world while showcasing the exceptional emerging and established artists who call Nova Scotia home.
Where: Truro