Nestled on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Halifax, Nova Scotia, has always been a draw for LGBTQ2S+ Maritimers who wanted to escape small town life. As the region’s largest city, with a metro population of about 465,000, it offers anonymity (a bit, anyway) and an opportunity to build community.
It’s a pretty great place to escape to. About a two-hour flight from Toronto, and a popular U.S. cruise ship destination, Halifax is a scenic port city full of cultural institutions, historic sites, centuries-old buildings, amazing nightlife and a rich LGBTQ2S+ history. Home to many post-secondary institutions, it has a young population that loves to have a good time.
Those roots date back to just a few years after its founding in 1749 as a military town that grew up around the Halifax Citadel, a star-shaped British fortress sunken into the summit of the area’s highest point. That fortress is now a national historic site—and has been known as an early morning cruising spot for decades. The Halifax Rainbow Encyclopedia, a volunteer-driven online publication that chronicles the LGBTQ2S+ history of the city, notes that in December 1752, a local newspaper reported on the arrest of soldiers for what was referred to “sodomical practices.” While not an auspicious start, it shows that queer people have existed in Halifax at least since Europeans arrived there.
There is also the story of the SS Atlantic. A White Star Line passenger ship, it ran aground just south of the city in 1873, taking the lives of more than 500 people, including a sailor, presenting as a man, who was discovered to have been assigned female at birth. Their story formed the basis for the fictional 2022 graphic novel Call Me Bill by Nova Scotian Lynette Richards.
And you have to wonder what Oscar Wilde got up to in a town full of sailors, seamen and military men when he visited the city on a lecture tour in 1882 and stayed at a hotel that, in more modern times, was known as the Waverley Inn. In November 2023, it was announced the Waverley would be used to house 32 women and gender-diverse people experiencing homelessness.
More recent LGBTQ2S+ history includes the opening of Halifax’s first gay bar, Club 777, in 1970; the establishment of The Gay Alliance for Equality in 1972; and the first Pride March in 1978, which attracted 200 participants.
Like in many cities around the world, the last few years have been tough on Halifax’s LGBTQ2S+-focused nightlife. Two long-time stalwarts of the city’s gay nightlife, Reflections Cabaret and Menz & Mollyz Bar, closed, as did the short-lived Indulge Nightclub. Local LGBTQ2S+ publication Wayves reports there is a plan to open a new queer space soon.
But that doesn’t mean the city is lacking when it comes to queer culture. Its universities and colleges keep it young at heart. Additionally, queer Halifax has an active music scene, several independent theatre companies, a large artistic community and lively nightlife. Each spring it hosts Atlantic Canada’s largest queer arts festival, OutFest. Halifax Pride takes place annually each summer (July 18 to 28, 2024).
What to do and see
Stop by the Maud Lewis Gallery at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (1723 Hollis St., Halifax) to learn about Lewis, a self-taught folk painter who died in 1970. The small house that she and her husband lived in—all its surfaces painted by Lewis—was rebuilt in the exhibition space. Lewis’s story was turned into a 2016 movie, Maudie, starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke, and her paintings are highly collected. Be sure to visit the gallery’s other exhibits, including a large-scale work titled Miss Chief’s Wet Dream by Two-Spirit Cree art star Kent Monkman.
Located a few blocks from the art gallery, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic (1675 Lower Water St., Halifax) specializes in exhibits on the golden age of sail, the 1917 Halifax Explosion that devastated the city and the Titanic. Halifax has strong ties to the ill-fated ocean liner—many artifacts found floating after the sinking (some on display in the museum) and the recovered bodies of victims were brought back to the city. Also visit popular seafood restaurant The Five Fishermen (1740 Argyle St., Halifax), which was a funeral home at the time and had caskets stacked outside. Fans of the movie Titanic (parts of which were filmed in Halifax) may also want to visit Fairview Lawn Cemetery (3720 Windsor St., Halifax) where many of the victims were buried, including one J. Dawson.
Stroll along the Halifax Waterfront, which is lined with historic sites, public art, restaurants, bars and cafés. Start in the south at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market (961 Marginal Rd., Halifax), which is open on weekends only, to purchase handcrafted soaps, jewellery and leatherwork, before heading next door to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (1055 Marginal Rd., Halifax) where you can learn about immigration to Canada during the last century. Farther north along the waterfront are the shops and eateries at Bishop’s Landing. People are asked not to climb the tongue-shaped sculpture The Wave, but they do. For those hankering for sea shanties, you might hear a few at a pub called The Lower Deck (1887 Upper Water St., Halifax).
Point Pleasant Park (5530 Point Pleasant Dr., Halifax), located at the southern tip of the peninsula, is a 75-hectare wooded area with 39 kilometres of trails, military ruins and ocean views. It’s also home to the Shakespeare by the Sea theatre group (5480 Point Pleasant Dr., Halifax), which puts on outdoor shows each summer. At Crystal Crescent Beach Provincial Park (220 Sambro Creek Rd., Sambro Creek), there are three white sand beaches; the third and farthest away is a naturalist area where you can strip off and get your tan on.
Where to stay
There is no shortage of downtown hotels within walking distance of the most-popular attractions. The Lord Nelson Hotel & Suites (1515 South Park St., Halifax), located across from the Halifax Public Gardens (Spring Garden Road and Summer Street, Halifax), has a tree-filled Victorian-era garden dating back more than 150 years. This historic hotel, which first opened in 1928, has stylishly designed rooms and an on-site restaurant serving English pub fare; it’s also pet friendly.
Two newer properties have more modern amenities. The Sutton Place Hotel Halifax (1700 Grafton St., Halifax) has 262 guest rooms and suites, an outdoor terrace with a hot tub, and is connected to the Halifax Convention Centre. Located on the waterfront, the Muir, Autograph Collection (1709 Lower Water St., Halifax) has a wellness centre, gallery and restaurant, and even a yacht and a motorboat on which guests can book tours around Halifax Harbour.
Where to eat
Lauded by the likes of film star Elliot Page, who grew up in Halifax, The Wooden Monkey (1707 Grafton St., Halifax; No. 305, level two, 40 Alderney Dr., Alderney Ferry Terminal, Dartmouth) now has two locations. The restaurants pride themselves on dishes made using locally grown organic produce and suppliers that use sustainable agriculture practices. The menu has gluten-free and vegan options, including a rice bowl with veggies, slaw, hemp seeds and tamari.
Located in Bishop’s Landing, The Bicycle Thief (1475 Lower Water St., Halifax) serves North American flavours, including lots of seafood, with Italian style. It’s part of a group of restaurants that includes pizza spot Ristorante a Mano (1477 Lower Water St., Halifax) and La Frasca Cibi & Vini (5650 Spring Garden Rd., Halifax), which has a large selection of old- and new-world wines.
At the Glitter Bean Café (5896 Spring Garden Rd., Halifax), the Fairy Latte is made with vanilla, rooibos, rose tea extracts and sprinkled with edible glitter. They also have house-made sandwiches, soups and baked goods. But this LGBTQ2S+ social hub is not merely about the food. The café is also home to a queer-centred community library and a queer-owned consignment shop, the Has Bin.
Where to party
Although Halifax has no capital-G gay bar at press time, several local bars and event spaces around the city host drag, queer and queer-friendly events. Visitors can find times and venues through Eventbrite, the Halifax Rainbow Encyclopedia’s event listings or local alt publication The Coast. You’ll also find many non-bar activities in these listings.
Good Robot Brewing (2736 Robie St., Halifax), the Seahorse Tavern (2037 Gottingen St., Halifax) and Gus’ Pub & Grill (2605 Agricola St., Halifax) regularly host drag shows, while The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse (5136 Prince St., Halifax) sometimes hosts drag brunches.
For live music, The Carleton (1685 Argyle St., Halifax) brings in well-known east coast performers along with international artists. The intimate space sells out fast, so be sure to check its performance calendar to see who is playing during your visit.
For a kinky all-genders (though straight majority) night out, Nightshade throws naughty fetish-goth-BDSM-costume dance parties throughout the year at different venues, including Atlantica Hotel Halifax (1980 Robie St., Halifax).
Night Spa Halifax (2199 Gottingen St., Halifax) is a clothing-optional, mixed gender, private members spa that hosts special nights, such as Masc (for men and thems), Femmes and Themmes (women and thems) and the Next Generation (for those who are 19 to 35) among others. To attend, you need to apply online for a membership.
Where to shop
Founded in 1988, Venus Envy (1727 Barrington St., Halifax) is a bookstore and sex shop that proudly calls itself queer all year long. The store has books on sexuality, as well as sex toys, health and gender-affirming products. They regularly host workshops.
Pick up a bottle or two of JD Shore Rum, which is made by LGBTQ2S+-owned Halifax Distilling Company (1668 Lower Water St., Halifax). They’re beloved for their cream rums (including S’mores flavour and something minty called After Eightish).
Strange Adventures Comics & Curiosities (5110 Prince St., Halifax; 101 Portland St., Dartmouth) has two locations with new and second-hand comic books, graphic novels, toys, board games, card games and more. Both locations are steps from the ferry terminals, so it’s easy to stop by while on the way to a ferry ride across the harbour.
