🗞 Atlantic Canada's biggest queer arts festival returns

Good morning!

You know that saying, “you don’t know what you got ‘till it’s gone?”

I don’t think I really realized how much I loved Halifax until I left it for a few years. In Ontario, I unwittingly became a volunteer brand ambassador for Halifax; I nagged all of my friends relentlessly to visit, talking up the food, the scenery, the vibe and—most importantly—the people.

And nothing captures that vibe quite like The Coast.

As far back as I can remember, The Coast has been the cornerstone of Halifax news and culture. It tells us what’s cool, what to see, where to eat. It places the city and its people at the heart of its stories. Simply put: If you love Halifax, you love The Coast. And it’s a long-time love affair for me.

That’s why I’m so excited to be joining The Coast team as Newsletter Editor. I want to continue to connect you, dear reader, to the news and information you need to make the best choices for you, your families and your communities. Plus, the events, food and music to enjoy every minute of life in Halifax to its fullest.

– Julie Lawrence, Coast Daily Newsletter Editor

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 7°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 13°

Next Day: 🌤️ 8°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

CITY HALL

“Trust the process”: Halifax councillors poised to pass budget focused on the future

For the past few years, Halifax has been tanking its municipal budgets. Some of that has been the result of poor circumstances—it would be unfair to judge HRM council too harshly, say, for financial choices made during the early days of COVID. But some of it is entirely a mess of council’s own making.

Now that the real estate market is slowing and the HRM’s usual windfall—the deed transfer tax, or the city’s cut of real estate deals when a piece of land changes hands—is drying up, the city’s one-lane strategy for core expenses is starting to bite us in the ass. Expenses are high, and money is tight. If Halifax was a sports team, it would look a lot like the hapless Philadelphia 76ers—right before the Sixers turned their years of misfortune into the generational talent of Joel Embiid.

But Halifax has its own version of “trust the process,” to borrow from then-Sixers GM Sam Hinkie. And as The Coast’s Matt Stickland writes, the HRM might finally be turning a corner when it comes to better governance—a chance we’ll begin to see with this year’s budget.

SPONSORED BY NSCAD UNIVERSITY

Tickets on sale for NSCAD's year-end festival

Don't miss out on NSCAD's two weeks of year-end MAYHEM: its Fashion Show, Film Festival, Student Art Award Gala – plus many more free exhibitions, like the must-see Grad Show. A pass gets you into all ticketed events, with special discounts for students. Passes are limited so get yours now!

ARTS & CULTURE

Atlantic Canada’s largest queer theatre festival returns to Halifax

These are busy days for Isaac Mulè. The Halifax-based artistic director and founder of OutFest—the largest queer arts festival east of Montreal—has been working for months, trading calls and emails with artists across Canada, booking concert venues and readying the stage for what will mark the festival’s third year in Halifax.

From today until Sunday, Apr. 28, OutFest returns to Halifax with its biggest slate of acts yet, ranging from stand-up comedy to dance solos to drag to queer Indigenous theatre. And while the festival will bring some of the buzziest new shows from queer Canadian playwrights to Halifax, it will also showcase some of the city’s brightest emerging talents.

Coast reporter Martin Bauman has everything you need to know about OutFest 2024—from the must-see shows to up-and-coming performers.

🗞️ In Other News

🚨 A Halifax man faces multiple charges after an early Sunday morning weapons call involving a hatchet. Police say the man was taken into custody without incident.

⛴️ The union representing Halifax’s ferry operators says burnout is leading to more frequent trip cancellations.

🏛️ Tim Houston has appointed Barbara Adams as Nova Scotia’s new justice minister and attorney general, just days after her predecessor resigned in controversy.

🚱 Halifax Water has put a cautionary boil water advisory in place for Middle Musquodoboit residents after a water main break. The advisory will be in place until further notice.

🥍 The Halifax Thunderbirds will begin their playoff lacrosse run on Sunday in Albany after a record-breaking regular season. Thunderbirds CEO John Catalano says he is excited about the team’s chances in the postseason.

💸 Ottawa has announced plans to increase taxes on capital gains, but what exactly does that mean and how will it affect you and your business?

💃 Live Art Dance and Kinetic co-present “Coastal Currents”, celebrating the amazing dance talent of our region. 4 choreographers share wonderfully vibrant work with Kjipuktuk/Halifax audiences.*

*Sponsored Post

🤔 Trivia Tuesday

🗓️ Things To Do

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

🗓 Anne of Green Gables: Catch Ballet Jörgen’s two-show production at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium this week. Dartmouth’s Hannah Mae Crudas, who’s retiring after 12 years of dance, plays Anne Shirley one last time. | Apr. 23-24 | 7:30pm | From $49

🗓 The Once w/ Kim Harris: The St. John’s folk trio hops over to Halifax for a show at The Stage at St. Andrew’s to tour their 2024 album, Out Here. | Apr. 26 | 8pm | $34.20

🗓 Halifax Wanderers Home Opener: See the Wanderers play Atlético Ottawa in their first home match of the 2024 Canadian Premier League soccer season. | Apr. 27 | 2pm | From $31.30

Have an event to share? Email us at [email protected].

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢 The 138,611-tonne ONE Cygnus container ship is expected to arrive in Halifax from Colombo, Sri Lanka, around 5:45am.

➡️ The CB Pacific oil tanker leaves Halifax for Montreal at 3pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥟 Charles Street’s enVie does vegan pad Thai and dumplings that make a perfect combo.

🍓 Sweet tooth? Try a dessert crepe from Dartmouth’s Portland Street Creperie.

🍴 St. Margaret’s Bay’s Labour Day Picnic Cafe offers maple pecan sticky buns that make the perfect weekend treat.

👀 In Case You Missed It

✈️ A Halifax-born journalist and former Canadian Forces Snowbirds member is getting a monument in her memory, almost 4 years after her tragic death. The stainless-steel monument, under construction in Kamloops, BC, is named “May She Soar” and depicts an actual-size RCAF CT-114 Tutor Snowbird plane.

🦈 Ottawa intends to move ahead with plans to restore the white shark population in Atlantic Canada, despite some scientists’ concerns that the DFO lacks a clear understanding of how many sharks are currently in these waters and where exactly they are located.

🎨 A Halifax-based artist is honouring the traditions of her Vietnamese parents through a variety of mediums and receiving critical acclaim.

That’s it!

Thanks for reading The Coast Daily today.

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another Haligonian.

And before you go, let us know: