Festivities planned for New Year’s Eve in Halifax

Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, there’s something going on for everyone in Halifax on New Year’s Eve.

The city is ringing in 2019 with a variety of free events, beginning with skating, hot chocolate, music and face painting at the Oval.

Public skates are scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight, with two festive displays of fireworks – the first at 7 p.m. and the second at 12 a.m.

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The main event – a free concert and New Year’s countdown – will take place at Grand Parade later in the evening. A DJ will kick off the party with music and prize giveaways before celebrated Canadian artists Said the Whale and Zaki Ibrahim take the stage at 10:45 p.m.

The fireworks will go off when the clock strikes midnight as part of a live broadcast on Eastlink TV. Billy Comer, civic events co-ordinator for the Halifax Regional Municipality, said his team strives to make each New Year’s event bigger and better than its predecessor.

“I think (it’s about) constantly just staying diverse with the acts being unique and trying to bring in new artists that have had a big year,” he told Global News in advance of the celebrations.

“So Zaki with a brand new album, Said the Whale with a new single that just came out that’s gone viral, so just trying to make sure that you stay relevant within the year to celebrate a great year.”

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Said the Whale is a Juno Award-winning, Vancouver-based indie rock band, and Ibrahim is a soul, jazz and R&B artist who has been shortlisted for both a Juno Award and Polaris Music Prize.

Comer encouraged everyone to dress in layers as temperatures drop in the evening, and to take advantage of free bus rides and ferries after 6 p.m. through Halifax Transit.