Connect With Us! Home of the Weekend Wrap-Up!
It’s the height of summer and the goings on about town reflect that to the max. The family has no excuse to be bored this weekend as Halifax has become festival city, sand city, and kids even have the opportunity to make believe and build their own darn city! Experience Africa, Pop-Up Adventure Play, sandcastles, and Pride! Nothing costs anything, we double-checked, the word free is mentioned seven times in this Weekend’s Wrap-Up.
- Performers are coming from far and wide—Ghana, the Caribbean, the Congo, and Montreal to name a few places—to participate in the return of the Africa Festival of Arts and Culture! There’s no admission Friday through Sunday at the Sackville Landing on Lower Water Street to be immersed in the culture of people of African descent. AFRIFEST features daily drumming workshops, performances by Carson Downey, Map Ginen and the African Queens, and authentic food!
- Pop-Up Adventure Play is starting their Canadian tour in Halifax and want you to learn about play and the kids to … play! The concept, in a nutshell, is this: playing is fun. At Halifax Central Library, learn more about the UK-based playwork movement with Suzanna, Morgan and Andy for a public talk titled, “The Wonderful World of Adventurous Play” on Sunday from 2-3:30. Click here to register. On Monday if you’re free, there’s a free workshop (for grown-ups) at the Pavilion on Halifax’s South Common hosted by Pop-Up Adventure Play and Adventure Playgrounds HYZ, “Play Playwork and Adventure Playgrounds: A Story about Risk in Play”. Alex, the local playwork guy, has reserved 10 spots for Urban Parent followers, so shoot him an email—adventureplaygroundyhz@gmail.com to sign up!AND THEN let the kids loose to play on the South Common! Loose Parts Pop-Up Play Adventure is going on from 1:30-4 on Monday afternoon. Kids will create their own fun outdoors and experiences with loose parts materials on hand—cardboard boxes, tape, milk crates, sticks, tires, jump ropes, nets, tarps, and more. There is no charge, but please register.
- There is sandcastleicious fun on Friday AND Saturday! This Weekend Wrap-Up’s Roadtrip Recommendation takes you not too far past Dartmouth to Fisherman’s Cove for their Beach Day. As long as the weather is fair, they’ll have a scavenger hunt, a sandcastle contest, and more throughout the afternoon on Friday. The events are free, but there’s lots of awesome stuff to buy in the cute little shops on the boardwalk in Fisherman’s cove.On Saturday Irving is hosting Sand City by bringing over 100 tonnes of sand ideal for sandcastle building to Alderney Landing from 11-3. Watch a professional sand sculptor create a masterpiece, get photos taken with the Halifax Mermaids until 1, and spend some quality time with Nemo and Dory. Everything is free, including the BBQ! Enjoy underwater themed face painting, animal balloons, and a DJ spinnin’ tunes all day long.
- Celebrate with Pride that kids these days have the freedom to be whoever they want to be! Get downtown on Saturday at 12:30 for the start of the 5km Rainbow Run and cheer on the colourful and fabulous participants or join in the fun by registering for $10. The route runs from South Park St. to Spring Garden Rd. to Barrington St. to Upper Water St. and back.Then the big ticket event (that just so happens to be free) of the Halifax Pride festival, the Pride Parade! Beginning at 1 on Saturday afternoon, march along colourfully from Upper Water St. to Barrington St. to Spring Garden Rd. to South Park St. But wait, there’s more! Following the parade, gather at the Garrison Festival Grounds for more free fun! From 3-6 check out the mainstage music, drag, and dance performances, food trucks, and an expanded kid’s area with face painting, petting zoo, arts, crafts, and kid-friendly entertainment.
