🗞️ Halifax filmmaker on her vigilante sh*t

Happy Friday Halifax,

‘Tis the season for giving thanks and I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Halifax filmmaker (and Coast alum/all-around badass) Tara Thorne for bringing the scenario of my wildest dreams to life on the big screen.

That’s right, Mz. Thorne is on her vigilante sh*t (iykyk) and I couldn’t be more IN if my exotic shorthair’s little life depended on it.

The movie is Compulsus—a revenge queer drama that follows its protagonist on a vigilante crime spree! It stars Lesley Smith as a woman driven by rage (I mean—same) who secretly patrols the streets at night and takes revenge on abusive hipster men on behalf of the survivors who aren’t able to defend themselves.

Behold the glory…

This thanksgiving miracle opens tonight at Park Lane before opening in other Canadian cities in the coming weeks. Get your tickets HERE and I’ll see you there.

Have a safe and restful long weekend! 🍂

– Julie

P.S: The election is coming up very quickly, so I’ve put been together all of the resources we have to help you cast your votes on Oct. 19th. Check it out below!

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 13°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 13°

Next Day: 🌤️ 11°

🚗 Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

MUSIC

MusicNL award winner Valmy to tell stories from the in-between at Nowadays Festival

Several weeks ago at the Marigold Cultural Centre in Truro, The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer had the opportunity to see one of Newfoundland’s premier folk singers share her stories to a half-filled theatre.

On a stage decorated with moss and occupied by a lone amp and two guitars, the audience was graced with tales of wandering the coastline in search of answers; attempts to find solace in nature when the ceaseless stresses of life take up perpetual occupancy within the mind. This same storyteller, Valmy, will be performing a free concert at Morley’s Coffee in Dartmouth tonight at 5pm.

As East Coasters, we’ve all heard singer-songwriters who therapeutically talk of nature. For many of us, unkempt wilderness is but a stone’s throw away, and whether it be through hiking, camping, cycling, or a simple walk in the woods, we look to nature as not only a source of recreation but also inspiration. A breeze trying ever-so-hard to grasp the leaves of a tree. Waves wash along a shoreline, shifting intermittently from calm to turbulent. 

These images take up residence within us as we navigate the busy, harsh reality that can often feel entirely separate from the natural world, and while it has long been the goal of many a singer-songwriter to capture that particular essence, very few come as close to achieving it as Valmy.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Valmy on how nature impacts her music and her upcoming Nowadays Festival performance.

🤔 Need To Know

⚖️ A 14-year-old girl has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old boy near a Halifax mall earlier this year—the Crown is no longer seeking an adult sentence for the girl, who was initially charged with second-degree murder.

💉 Appointments to get vaccinated for influenza and COVID-19 are now available in Nova Scotia—people can book online, call 1-833-797-7772 or use the YourHealthNS app.

SPONSORED BY ALDERNEY LANDING

Halifax’s Ultimate Halloween Experience

The Bluenose Ghosts Festival is back at Alderney Landing for a month of eerie thrills! Featuring Halifax's scariest haunted house, a crypt ride, escape room, and more, the festival runs select nights from October 4th to 31st. Get ready for the ultimate Halloween adventure in Downtown Dartmouth!

EDUCATION

Who should you vote for in the CSAP elections?

It’s municipal election season and advance voting has begun. 

In Nova Scotia, municipal election season also means it's time to elect new French school board (or Conseil) trustees. The Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) has 13 elected seats this round—down from 18 in 2020—across 10 districts.

Candidates run to represent their districts while also sitting on a provincial Conseil representing the interests of all CSAP voters, families, and students in Nova Scotia. In this election, only two CSAP districts are contested while the other eight are acclaimed—meaning the number of candidates running is equal to the number of seats available, so no voting is needed. 

Halifax is one of those two districts with fewer seats available than the number of people running, so voting here is necessary. 

Not sure how to vote for a CSAP candidate? The Coast’s Lauren Phillips has everything you need to know about who is in the running and how to make your choice.

🗞️ In Other News

🍻 Halifax has placed sixth on Uber Canada’s annual ‘Party City’ list this year meant to reveal what Canadians get up to during their nighttime escapades—the ranking is based on the average number of late-night trips, between 10pm and 2am. 

⛈️ A maritimer living in Florida says he’s “never seen anything like this” as Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm.

🍎 A recent report that surveyed thousands of people found a majority of them cite food as an expense that has significantly increased in the last year—the report showed 46% of respondents who fall in the Gen Z demographic reported borrowing money or using savings to buy food.

⚖️ Halifax lawyer Billy Sparks—who died in March 2024 by suicide—allegedly groomed, extorted and sexually assaulted vulnerable clients with little money.

🗓️ Things To Do This Weekend

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

🗓 Nowadays Festival: Nowadays is a non-profit organization curating music culture events in Dartmouth Nova Scotia. | Oct. 10-13  

🗓 Halifax Live Comedy Club Grand Opening With Ryan Belleville: One of the stars of the hit Netflix show Workin Moms—where he plays fan favourite Lionel—GQ magazine called him one of the best comics working today and he’s in Halifax for the grand opening night of Halifax Live! | Oct. 11 | 7pm | $25

🗓 Tenille Townes Live: Immerse yourself in the soulful melodies and captivating storytelling of Tenille Townes as she takes the stage in Halifax. With a voice that resonates with raw emotion and lyrics that tug at the heartstrings, Townes is known for her ability to connect deeply with her audience. | Oct. 11 | 8pm | From $28

🗓 Dave Sampson Live: Enjoy pop and folks songs delivered with a captivating and authentic voice that could blow down a brick house. Sampson writes with his heart on his sleeve and his knack for crafting simple ear-worms and his high-energy shows have been winning him fans from coast to coast. | Oct. 11 | 8pm | From $28

 🗓 The Man in Black - A Tribute to Johnny Cash: With his great physical resemblance, baritone voice and precise body language, Shawn Barker slips into the shoes of the original and brings the personality and spirit of Johnny Cash to life in a one-of-a-kind show. The dynamic concert features Barker embodying the character throughout the evening, as he revisits each era of Cash's career. | Oct. 12 | 8pm | From $40

🗓 2024 Halifax Paranormal Symposium: Get ready to embark on a journey into the mysterious world of the paranormal with a lineup of renowned experts in their field. Whether you're a seasoned paranormal enthusiast or just curious about the unexplained, this symposium promises a day of discovery and intrigue. | Oct. 12 | 8:30am | $125

🗓 Jordan Davis - Damn Good Time World Tour: Multi-Platinum, CMA award-winning artist and current reigning CMA Song of the Year winner Jordan Davis is bringing his world tour to Halifax. | Oct. 12 | 7pm | $72

🗓 Improv Comedy Show at The Board Room Cafe: Improvised comedy inspired by board games off the shelves of the Board Room Cafe. Third Bridge improv team consists of the talented improv instructors and professional performers of Spontaneity Improv Company. | Oct. 13 | 8pm

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🛳️➡️ The Zim Iberia container ship arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 6:20am and leaves for New York at 10pm.

➡️ The Nolhan Ava container ship leaves Halifax for Argentia at 4:30pm.

➡️ The Oceanex Sanderling container ship leaves Halifax for St. John’s at 5pm.

🛳️➡️ The Emerald Princess cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 8am and  leaves for Canadian seas at 5pm.

➡️ The Morning Lynn vehicle carrier leaves Halifax for Manzanillo at 6pm.

➡️ The Seabourn Quest cruise ship leaves Halifax for Canadian seas at 6pm.

🛳️➡️ The Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 10am and leaves for Canadian seas at 7pm.

🛳️ The Algoscotia oil tanker arrives in Halifax from Sydney at 6:30pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍳 Brunch is finally back at Studio East and just in time for the long weekend! Try some unique takes on classics like the Bao Benny (bao bun with two soft poached eggs, thrice cooked home fries and hollandaise) or Punjabi Egg Shakshuka (two coddled eggs simmered in spiced cashew tomato sauce with bell peppers, caramelized onions, avocado, cherry tomatoes and grilled naan).

🥛 The Milk Cake from Dessert Yard is taking the city by storm and quickly becoming a Halifax classic: a delightfully light cake soaked in a three milk mixture in a variety of flavours, like pistachio, caramel and strawberry white chocolate.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🍷 Finding a gap in the market and being sharp enough to fill it with your product or service is every entrepreneur’s dream, and the smartest way to identify that gap is by solving your own problems. That’s exactly what Shevaghn Darcy is doing with Cellar Events—her self-proclaimed “business baby”—and the event company that is bringing a new wine fair to the Halifax Convention Centre on Oct. 19. The Coast’s Julie Lawrence spoke with Darcy about her vision for the event, the wine and food on offer and her partnership with Alice House.

🎤 The second-annual Nowadays Festival in Dartmouth officially kicks off today with an incredible lineup of musicians and poets from around the country. Having started last year hoping to fill a void left by the Halifax Pop Explosion, Nowadays features an array of artists from vastly different genres and styles in venues across Dartmouth. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more on the Nowadays Festival, running from Thursday, Oct. 10 to Saturday, Oct. 12.

💙 A Nova Scotia woman has defied convention by hosting her own living funeral, allowing people to celebrate her while she's still around—she has been approved for MAID, but has not chosen a date yet.

⚖️ A Halifax-area couple has been ordered to pay a woman nearly $61K in damages plus $4K in costs for a dog attack in their house—the victim was a VON nurse who suffered puncture wounds and needed ongoing psychological treatment.

That’s it!

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