Canada Day 2025: Your guide to what's happening in the Halifax area

To help you plan your Canada Day, here's a list of what's open, what's closed and what's happening across the Halifax region on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.

Entertainment

The Halifax Regional Municipality is hosting numerous events and concerts across the city to celebrate Canada Day. 

• The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Parade will kick off at 10 a.m. from the Scotiabank Centre.
   
• Admission is free on Canada Day at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Museum of Natural History and Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. 
   
• The Halifax Common will host a Family Day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with children's games and bouncy castles. 

• The Canada Day fireworks will take place from 10 to 10:30 p.m., weather permitting. Fireworks can be seen from most locations along the Halifax and Dartmouth waterfronts.

• All Cineplex theatres are open.

Recreation

• Municipally operated outdoor pools, as well as supervised municipal beaches, will be open.
   
• The Bayers-Westwood, George Dixon, Isleville Street, Cole Harbour, Shirley's, Westmount and Sackville splash pads are open for the 2025 season.
   
• Pool and swim schedules are posted online. Many municipal recreation facilities, including the Canada Games Centre and Zatzman Sportsplex, will be closed on Tuesday.
   
• The Emera Oval will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Equipment lending will be available if weather and surface conditions permit.

Groceries

Gateway Meat Market: Open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Pete's Frootique: Closed.​​ 

Sobeys: Closed.

Atlantic Superstore: Closed.

Costco: Closed.

Walmart: Closed.

Drugstores: Some pharmacies are open but have limited hours.

Liquor and beer

NSLC: Closed, but local agency stores may be open.

Some independent alcohol retailers will be open, as well as craft breweries and other alcohol producers.

Malls

The following malls are closed on Canada Day:

• Halifax Shopping Centre.
• Mic Mac Mall.
• Sunnyside Mall.
• Bedford Place Mall.
• Park Lane Mall.

Halifax Public Libraries

All branches are closed.

Transit

Halifax Transit buses and the Alderney ferry service will be operating on its reduced-service holiday schedule. The Alderney Ferry will be free on Canada Day.

The Woodside ferry will not be operating.

Parking

On-street parking is free Tuesday. 

Waste collection

There will be no garbage, organics or recyclables collection on Tuesday.

Collection scheduled for that day was moved ahead to Saturday, June 28.

Banks

All banks are closed on Canada Day.

311 call centres

The 311 contact centre will be closed Tuesday for full service. However, urgent calls can still be reported. Regular operations will resume Wednesday.

In-person customer service centres will be closed Tuesday. They'll reopen with regular hours on Wednesday.