Halifax Natal Day Weekend 2009

In Nova Scotia, we know that summer is turning a corner when we hit Natal Day....so it looks like the corner is coming up, this weekend, August 1,2 and 3 is the Natal Day Weekend, a big civic holiday in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Halifax is a party town, and this is a parteeeee!! Natal Day weekend is a fine old time in Halifax, a city founded in 1749.

The party officially gets underway on Thursday at noon with the Alexander Keith's Natal Day Festival Official Kick Off at Sackville Landing on the Halifax Waterfront.

At 4:00 the Q104 Concert begins at the Natal Day Festival Tent with lots of East Coast Rock music!

On Friday August 1st check out the Blues Bash from 4 pm - 12 at the Festival Tent.

On Saturday the Annual Esso Amateur Talent Show starts at Dartmouth Alderney Landing Events Plaza at 2:00 p.m. This is always a great opportunity to see some up and coming talent, vying for prizes of $1200, $600 and $300 The finals are from
7:00-8:30 p.m.

The Black Freedom 175 Concert happens at the Natal Day Festival Tent from 3:30-12:30 on Saturday.

Saturday night is the fireworks concert at Alderney Landing starting at 9:15 with Blueberry Grunt.

The Halifax Natal Day Fireworks start at 10 p.m. Saturday August 1st with great views from either Dartmouth or Halifax waterfronts.

From the Fireworks Saturday Night there are ongoing parites and fun for the next two days, including the bridgewalk, concerts, tea parties. Don't miss the great concerts going on at the Festival Tent on the waterfront and the Canadian Forces Halifax Rock Fest 2009 on Citadel Hill Sunday afternoon. That's gonna be good, in honor of our deployed military men and women with bands Our Lady Peace, Sloan, Finger Eleven and Chickenfoot. You can get more details at Halifax Rock Fest

The road races, a tradition on Natal day as long as there has been a Halifax Dartmouth Natal Day, start at 8:00 a.m. on Monday at Ochterloney Street in Dartmouth. It is one of the oldest consecutive road races in Canada. My grandfather ran in these races. Registered runners will get a t-shirt! Find out the details Here

There is a pancake breakfast on Monday morning at the MacDonald Bridge Toll Plaza starting at 8:00 until 9:30 a.m.

At 10:00 a.m. get yourself situated to watch the 114th Pepsi Natal Day Parade. It starts on Novalea Drive in Halifax, crosses the MacDonald Bridge, and ends at Sullivan's Pond in Dartmouth. It's always a big parade with floats, bands, and even some clowns....in addition to the Mayor and members of the Regional Council...difficult to tell them apart, but the clowns wear face paint usually....

Banook Lake will be in it's glory on Monday with the 114th Dartmouth natal Day Regatta, from 9:00 to 4:00 on Monday.

Andrew Gillis & The Jump Band will be jumping at Sullivan's Pond Park at 12:30-1:00
Also at Sullivan's Pond in Dartmouth from 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. you and your family can enjoy the Pirates of Sullivan's Pond Family Fun Day. Wear your pirate costume and see some animated readings of "The Terrible Horrible Smelly Pirate but children's authors, Carrie Muller and Jacqueline Halsey. There is lots going on, including a prize for the best dressed pirate and pirate family.

Don't forget the Bridge Walk from 2:00-4:00 on Monday, rain or shine!

The Mayor's Tea Party starts at 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Sullivan's Pond. It's a pirate tea party, with live entertainment.

Sullivan's Pond Park is also the scene for the AFM-MPF Dartmouth Natal Day Concert from 3:30-8:00 p.m. Alex Vaughn & The Swell Guys, Frank McKay Band and Stuart MacLean.

Closing out what will have been a fabulous Natal Day Weekend is "Tribute Night" starting at 3:00 p.m. and running until 1:00 a.m. at the Natal Day Festival Tent, presented by Alexander Keith's on the Halifax Waterfront. Great music tributes to some of the legends, from Joe Murphy,(Blues Legends) Gypsy,(Fleetwood Mac) Abby Road, (The Beatles) Love Guns, (KISS) and Dirty Deeds, (AC/DC) There is a $3.00 cover charge for this one!

There ya go, everything I could find on the Halifax Natal Day Festival! But if you need to know more, call 490-6776.