Spring is officially upon us in March, but May is the month where we can confidently pack away the snow pants and comfortably break out the shorts. May is always greeted with open arms as we celebrate the ‘unofficial’ kickoff to the summer –  May long weekend! Seasonal Farmers Markets start to come alive, and of course, May is Mother’s Day – let’s celebrate all the Moms in our lives!

What’s happening around our beautiful city in May? Enjoy our month-at-a-glance listing of ongoing events in May for Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville and beyond! If you are looking for more ideas, the Family Fun Halifax calendar is always being updated with the latest events. Also, each Wednesday, we publish our ‘Weekend Roundup’, of family-friendly events for the upcoming weekend. Happy May, everyone!

Billy Elliot the Musical (May-June): Neptune Theatre presents the winner of 10 Tony Awards and TIME Magazine’s ” Best Musical of the Decade!”, Billy Elliot.

The East Coast Music Awards (May 3-7): This year, Halifax will host the ECMAs, a five-day, non-stop musical celebration from May 3 – 7, 2023. There are multiple events, some of which are geared specifically toward families and all ages audiences.

ECMA Family Fun Fest (May 6): The ECMA Family Fun Fest presented by Downtown Halifax Business Commission, is a family-friendly day event that will feature jugglers, bouncy castles, face paints, popcorn, activity tables and so much more.

Halifax Mini-Con (May 6-13): Halifax Central Library’s Annual Halifax Mini-Con is a full-week all-ages celebration! Come dressed in your favourite costume or cosplay.

Open City Halifax (May 13): Halifax is throwing a party… and everyone’s invited! It’s Open City Halifax 2023.

Music That Makes Us Happy (May 13-14): Hear an upbeat variety of cheerful, orchestra music, including dance and ballet songs. Introduce your young children to a concert experience, Families can register for free concerts at symphonynovascotia.ca.

Blue Nose Marathon (May 19-21): The Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon welcomes all ages and abilities to its world-class running event that features six different runs.

CARSTAR Weekly Racing Series Season Opener (May 21): The CARSTAR racing series gets underway with its opening weekend at Scotia Speedworld.

Don’t forget, in addition to these events above, there are lots of ongoing activities at these great Halifax attractions:
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Discovery Centre, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Museum of Natural HistoryAfricville Museum, Halifax Central LibraryArt Gallery of Nova ScotiaShearwater Aviation Museum, Ross Farm Museum and Shubenacadie Wildlife Park.

Be sure to visit our calendar for current events happening in your community. Have a fantastic May everyone!