Open City Halifax 2025

Participating Downtown Halifax Businesses

• Argyle Fine Art - 1559 Barrington Street

  We'll have emerging artist Willow Glufka opening her first solo show at Argyle Fine Art from 1:30-3:30pm. COME meet the artist! We'll also have new paintings by Christine Hulme and glass works by Rachelle Paul. Catch us as part of the GALLERY HOP happening that day too!

  Website

• Ambassatours Gray Line - 1751 Lower Water Street

  Enjoy 20% off the Harbour Hopper Tour! Ticket prices on May 10 already reflect the 20% off promotion so there's no need to enter a promo code.

  About the tour:

  All aboard Halifax's most popular boat tour – the Harbour Hopper Tour - a fun, fast-paced adventure by land and sea! From your seat aboard this impressive, retrofitted military vehicle, you'll have unparalleled views of Halifax’s most noteworthy sites, beautiful landscape, and historic and modern architecture. Your knowledgeable and very entertaining guide will share historical facts and lesser-known stories about Halifax and will keep you somewhat entertained with the occasional knee-slapper. From the winding streets of Halifax, your adventure continues as you SPLASH into the Halifax Harbour. Your driver is now your Captain, and there’s more to explore so keep your camera ready for unique photo opportunities of our active harbour, Georges Island National Historic Site, the Halifax Waterfront, and more. This award-winning, fully narrated amphibious tour is one you won’t soon forget!

  Accessibility Notice: We operate a Harbour Hopper that can accommodate one wheelchair user per tour. To book this tour, and to ensure the accessible vehicle is available, please contact us directly at least 36-hours in advance by calling 902-420-1015.

  Book online at www.ambassatours.com/tours-experiences/harbour-hopper-tours

• Another Shop - 1715 Lower Water Street

  Sale on Sale - Buy 1 Piece = 10%, Buy 2 Pieces = 15%, Buy 3 Pieces - 25%

• Anchor City Rollers - 1549 Lower Water Street

  Anchor City on the Waterfront! Come meet our skaters, learn about roller derby and score some sweet merch! Find us at the Greens at Salter, 9:30am - 1:30pm.

• Antojo Tacos & Tequila - 1667 Argyle Street

  A fried buffalo chicken taco ($6) - delicious deep fried chicken tossed in buffalo sauce, severed on a corn tortilla, with slaw, ranch and green onion.

• Bird's Nest Cafe - 1547 Barrington St

  Portuguese Custard Tarts, our annual Open City tradition, will be back this year!  They sell out every year, so available while supplies last!  

• Brawta Jamaican Jerk Joint - 1567 Grafton St

   Spicy Jerk Chicken Challenge (Fastest time on record wins!) 

• Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 - 1055 Marginal Road

  Be among the first to experience our new exhibition, eat make share: a taste of immigration and share your feedback! Open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

• Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) - 1546 Barrington Street

  Stop by for some free face painting, balloon art and treats!

  Website

• Garrison Brewing Company - Seaport Taproom, Halifax Seaport, 1149 Marginal Road

  We will be hosting a Buddy's Deli pop-up at Seaport from 12-4PM. (Buddy's Deli is located at 5217 Blowers St. normally). They will be bringing some of their delicious subs for the pop-up!

  Garrison will be serving up a special "Beers of Summer" Flight for just $12 + tax.
  This five-sample flight features two of our current brews along with three exciting new releases - including a sneak peek of our new classic vodka based cooler ;)
   

  Learn More

• Halifax Citadel National Historic Site - 5425 Sackville Street

  Parks Canada is excited to welcome everyone back to the Halifax Citadel in 2025! Open 9am-5pm daily, visitors can join a guided tour, visit exhibits, historic rooms, the Army Museum and catch the noon gun, one of the oldest continuous noon guns in the world! Drop by the Coffee Bar and enjoy a delightful hot or cold meal, or a freshly made pastry. A warm and welcoming café with a distinctly 19th century flavour awaits. Check out the Regimental shop for a special souvenir or local craft, take a guided tour and enjoy the views from the top of Citadel Hill! Halifax Citadel, more than just a hill ;-)!

  Website

• Halifax Gallery Hop - Various Locations

  Join participating galleries for a day of art and special events. List of participating galleries in Downtown Halifax coming soon. Downtown galleries include:

  • Argyle Fine Art
  • Art 1274 Hollis
  • Teichert Gallery
  • The Prow Gallery

• HARVEST Clean Eats - 1625 Market St

  To be determined

• HFX e-Scooters - 1535 SaltYard Way

  15% off Scooter Rentals to and from the Waterfront

• House of Soli -5121 Sackville St

  Fashion & pottery showcase

• Kings Pier Vintage

  Leather shoe mini spa

  We'll polish any leather shoes that cross our threshold with our beautiful natural leather butter.  Come in and put up your feet for a few moments while we restore the lustre of your natural leather kickers.

  Website

• Layers Cupcakes - 1276 Barrington St, Halifax

  Free single cookie voucher with a purchase of a half dozen cupcakes 🧁🍪

  Website

• Live Music - Container Stage at Foundation Wharf

  Enjoy live music by talented local musicians on the Container Stage at Foundation Wharf on the Halifax Waterfront from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. It's the perfect soundtrack to your Open City experience!

• Market Price - Bishop's Landing, 1477 Lower Water Street

  Spring Sidewalk Sale - UP TO 75% OFF SALE ITEMS

  Website

• Mountain Equipment Company - 1550 Granville Street

  FREE bike safety check and Dry food samples on the sidewalk on Blowers St. Also handing out a return coupon for 15% off in-store purchases, and an in-store raffle on a Mountain Equipment Company back pack.

• Neptune Theatre School -1593 Argyle St

  We’re kicking things off with our annual BABY RAVE—a high-energy dance party just for our littlest superstars—running from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at Neptune Theatre. Head to the Scotiabank Stage doors any time during that hour, and we’ll guide you to our stroller drop-off before welcoming you into our exclusive toddler dance club!

  After the rave, stick around from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM for a whole lineup of family-friendly fun happening just outside the Scotiabank Stage. Enjoy theatrical mask-making, sing-alongs, puppets, chalk art, bubbles, and more! 

  Website

• Nova Scotia Loyal - 1549 Lower Water Street

  Join Nova Scotia Loyal from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM as they support and promote various local vendor booths across the Halifax Waterfront. Come out and show your love for local businesses!

• NSCAD Art Supply Store - 1870 Hollis Street, Halifax

  Receive a $10 NSCAD Art Supply Store giftcard when you spend $100 in store (one giftcard per customer when you spend $100 in store before tax

• NSCAD University - 1107 Marginal Rd.

  Artist for a Day is a free day of fun, hands-on art making for all ages and all experience levels. At Artist for a Day, you can try your hand at printmaking, sculpture, stop motion animation, embroidery, painting, quilt making, ceramics, drawing, jewellery making, cyanotype, join a virtual dance party with 3D imaging, and so much more! 

• Pazzo Ristorante - 1566 Barrington St

  Porchetta Sandwich - finely sliced pork belly, crackling, salsa verde, sourdough

• Rousseau Chocolatier - 5151 South St, Halifax, NS B3J 1A2

  Decadent Homemade Hot Chocolate. This indulgence is made with real fine French chocolate, top with real whipped cream and laced with ribbons of our homemade salted butter caramel and chocolate sauce. We are even making our own tuile!

• Sketti & Ball Co - 1584 Argyle St

  TBD

• Spirit Spa - 5150 Salter St, Halifax

  Tax free!

  Website

• Stubborn Goat Gastropub - 1580 Argyle Street

  Build Your Own Mac & Cheese for $5!

• The Board Room Game Cafe - 1256 Barrington Street

  The Board Room Game Cafe is offering a Buy 2 Get One Free deal in our retail store, 15% off Chain Reactions Disc Golf Sale, and coffee and treats specials all day!

  *some exceptions may apply

  Website

• The Prow Gallery - 1479 Lower Water St., Unit 185, Bishop's Landing, Halifax

  The Prow Gallery is featuring artist Cathy McKelvey as she paints live to music in our gallery space. Drop in to experience her unique talents and take in all that our gallery has to offer. We represent Canadian artists from across the country! Join in on the local Gallery Hop featuring 11 commercial galleries in Halifax and Bedford. 

• Teichert Gallery

  Fabulous Florals: As part of the Halifax and Bedford Gallery Hop, Teichert Gallery is celebrating spring with a collection floral artwork. Artist Brian Sloan will be offering an interactive painting demonstration in the gallery from 11-12, and 1-2.  Our Feature Show for May, Upside Down & Inside Out by Patrizia Berdkan, will be on display on the gallery. Upside Down & Inside Out plays with the familiar—a house, a tree, a landscape—but bends the rules. These abstract, colorful paintings turn tradition on its head, sometimes quite literally. Homes float, shift, and defy gravity, their bold forms infused with the energy of mid-century modern design and the neon glow of the ‘80s. Some pieces pulse with electric color, while others invite quiet curiosity. And since the works can be flipped, every perspective is the right one.

  Website

• The Ten Spot - 5165 South St

  Offering 20% off all canadian retail brands!  Complimentary mimosas + treats for those who have an appointment booked on may 10th (while supplies last) 

• Trattoria Vesso - 1299 Hollis Street

  10% off Take-Home Eat and Eat Neapolitan Pizzas 

• Venture Thrift Boutique - 1595 Dresden Row

  Sidewalk Sale

• Walter’s Snack Bar - 1533 Barrington Street

  Beer, Wine, & Cocktail Specials!

• Wet Nose Images - 1549 Lower Water Street

  Bring your furry friends to the Helipad on the Halifax Waterfront between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM for free professional photos by Wet Nose Images! In partnership with the SPCA Foundation—donations are welcome and appreciated.

• Zilawa Foods - Halifax Seaport Market

  At Zilwa Foods, we are passionate about sharing the flavors of Mauritius Island through our handcrafted baked goods, using family recipes. For Open City 2025, we are excited to bring a taste of the island to Halifax with a selection of our signature treats at the Halifax Seaport Farmers Market.

  We always love sharing our food with the community, so there will be plenty of displayed samples for anyone curious to try something new. For this special event, we are thinking of creating 'Tropical Bundles' of our Napolitaine cookies—delicate, buttery shortbread filled with jam and topped with a smooth icing glaze. We experiment with new flavors every week, and for Open City, we will embrace tropical ingredients like guava, coconut, pineapple, lychee and more, and shape them into unique designs that reflect our island roots. We are also launching a new line of exotic cupcakes, pairing tropical flavors in an interesting way that we can feature for the event.

  In addition to these specials, we’ll have our traditional Mauritian treats, such as Cassava Pudding, Macatia, Banana Tarts, and Traditional Mauritian Cake.

  Throughout 2025, a portion of our Napolitaine cookie sales will be going towards Indies World, a non-profit that rescues and cares for stray dogs in Mauritius, Switzerland, and France. What makes this event even more special is that it gives us the chance to do even more for the cause and help promote their mission of rescuing and caring for these animals. We’re grateful for the opportunity to support this important work while sharing the flavors and culture of Mauritius.

  We are looking forward to being part of Open City and hope to see many new and familiar faces stopping by to discover a little taste of Mauritius!