HRM Parent Blog

Fancy feeling the love with your family this weekend? Here's some Valentine's event ideas just for families that I've come across. For Valentine's events for the grown-ups, check out the Coast's list. And if you know of any events that I've missed, please feel free to add them in the comment section below.

Be My Valentine Craft Table: This one has been happening everyday since the beginning of February and ends on Sunday. Stop by the craft table any time to make a valentine for your special someone. At Alderney Gate Library. Free.

Hugs & Kisses: At Keshen Goodman Library, you can cuddle up with a loved one and listen to sweet stories, songs and rhymes. Then, make a Valentine’s Day card to take home. 10:30-11:15am, Saturday February 13. Free.

Valentine's puppet shows: The puppet shows on Saturday at the Spring Garden Road library (10:30am) and Sackville library (2:15pm) are Valentine themed and free!

Dance Your Love: Barefoot Ecstatic Dance: This one is just as much for the grown-ups as it is for the kids. Children are welcomed at this dance event. 7:30-9:30pm, Saturday February 13 at DANSpace in Halifax. $10 or pay what you can.

Hearts for All: Create some special valentines for your art and also for special people you know at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia's Family Sunday. Go early - supplies ran out towards the end last year, so I'm told. 1-4pm, Sunday, February 14. Free for members; non-members pay regular admission.

Family Valentine's Party: Enjoy mini-updos, minicures, tattoos, face painting and more. 3-4:30pm, Sunday February 14 at Sharkey's Cuts for Kids in Bedford Commons. $10 per family of 4. Additional kids at $3.

Summer is coming to an end far too quickly for my liking. It's almost September! How did that happen? Sheesh. Guess we'd better enjoy our summer weekends while we can, eh? This weekend certainly isn't looking great for weather (hello Hurricane Bill - go away please!), but hopefully at least it'll hold off long enough to enjoy some of the wonderful family events on this weekend. I'll be off camping this weekend so I'm *really* hoping for good weather.

And on to a quick round-up for this weekend:

• alFresco filmFesto, Friday August 21 at 8pm, Halifax waterfront. This week's film is Peter Pan - A Disney Animated Original.
• Sambro Sou' Wester Days, Friday August 21 to Sunday August 23, Sambro. Celebrating the 251st Anniversary of the Founding of the Sambro Island Lighthouse. Lots of events for families, including parade, lighthouse tours, family carnival, rubber duck race, fireworks and more.
• Nuts4Ribs Festival, Saturday August 22 from 11am to 11pm, Halifax waterfront. The purpose of Nuts4Ribs is to raise awareness and educate men and their families about testicular cancer and raise funds which go to the Canadian Cancer Society in support of testicular cancer research and awareness in Atlantic Canada. Among lots of other things, there will be a children’s play area (complete with bouncers, games and activties) and lots of music.
• Eastern Shore Homecoming, Saturday August 22 from 10am to 4pm, Lake Charlotte. Come home to the Eastern Shore for a day of meeting friends and family, while learning about Eastern Shore heritage. Free admission.
• Safari Presentations, Saturday August 22 at 2pm, Keshen Goodman Library. All ages. Shake, groove and be spellbound as African performers entertain you with drumming, dance and storytelling.
• Incredible Picnic, Sunday August 23 from 11am to 3pm, venues all over Nova Scotia. Leave the day-to-day routine behind and get back to the roots of family, community, nature and good food. Food, live music, and children’s activities will ensure this is a memorable experience for you, your family, and friends.
• Shakespeare by the Sea, Point Pleasant Park. The Jack and the Beanstalk shows this weekend are on Saturday August 22 at 1pm and Sunday August 23 at 7pm.

Have a great weekend everyone!

 Lantern Festival, Photo by Alex Solak 

August continues to be packed full of fun family events here in the HRM. For Saturday, I'm torn between the Northern Lights Lantern Festival in north-end Halifax, with lantern making, bouncy castles, pony rides, face painting, music, fireworks and more, and the Community Potluck & BBQ for Newcomers and Residents at Halifax Common, with an international craft display, face painting, art-making, Korean and African drumming, a soccer game and more. Oh, decisions, decisions. Of course, they *are* at different times on Saturday, so technically we could do both...

Also on this weekend is the Seaside Festival in Sheet Harbour (it also continues until next weekend) and the Eastern Passage/Cow Summer Carnival. It's also the Busker's Festival first weekend and Family Sunday at the Art Gallery. Family Sunday is on my list for this weekend too - we always seem to keep missing it, but whenever we do make it, Alex loves it!

A bit farther afield is the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, which starts today and runs until Sunday. Everyday at 1:30pm there is a Children's Stage with entertainment for kids, along with of course all the awesome grown-up music from Lennie Gallant, The Marigolds, Stephen Fearing, The Dardanelles, The Nields and lots more.

If you are still looking for ideas, check out our activity calendar, find a new playground to hang out at with our Playground Directory, or go laze at one of HRM's beaches.

Have a great weekend!

This weekend is packed full of events - there's the Natal Day weekend festivities, but also a lot of non-Natal Day fun ones too. Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with long, lazy summer weekends hanging out doing nothing in particular (in fact, that's what I plan on doing this weekend), but in case you are looking for some inspiration...

This one isn't in the calendar, since Windsor isn't technically in the HRM and I never quite know what to do with these borderline ones (what do you think? where should I draw the line?). but I wanted to make sure you knew about it because it's quite big and it sounds like a lot of fun:

Windsor West Hants Summer Fest, Thurs July 30-Sun Aug 2: Train rides, giant bouncers, music, parade, face painting, parachute games, swimming, magic show, family picnic and more! Check out www.windsorsummerfest.ca for more information.

And these ones are in the calendar:

• The Nova Scotia In-Water Boat Show, Halifax waterfront
• Teddy Bear Picnic, Lake Charlotte
• Veggie Tales, Bayers Lake
• Eastern Passage/Cow Bay Summer Carnival
• Gold Panning Demonstrations, Lake Charlotte

Enjoy - and hope you stay dry! (Just couldn't make it without mentioning the weather at least once, sorry!)

I will not mention the weather. I will not mention the weather. Repeat. Breathe in. Breathe out. Aaaahhhh...

Sorry for the whining, but I just had to have my moment, ya know?

Now let's move on to the point of this post - events coming up this weekend! As always you can check our handy activity and event calendar for the HRM, but I also like to do these posts to highlight events recently added to the calendar that might be missed otherwise, special events, and events that aren't in the calendar because they either require registration or are technically out of the HRM area. So here we go:

• Women's Heritage Celebration: A weekend tribute to the heritage of women in rural Eastern Shore during the 1940s. Displays of domestic skills as well as women’s work outside the home. Hands-on opportunities to quilt, knit, stitch, knead bread, and wash the laundry! For example, children can try cross stitching a sampler and spool knitting. $4 per person, 12 and under free. 10am-4pm, Sat July 25, Memory Lane Heritage Village, Lake Charlotte. Contact 1-877-287-0697, info@heritagevillage.ca
• Halifax Pride Week: The festivities continue this weekend. Check out the Pride Parade in downtown Halifax on Saturday at 1:30pm, and then move on to the Community Fair at Garrison Grounds from 3pm. "Sponsored by Glo Promotions and Halifax Regional Municipality, this year’s Community Fair has something for everyone. From carnival games to celebrity dunk tank, inflatables to entertainment, there is something for the child in all of us." Free Admission. And on Sunday at from 1pm is the Pride Family Picnic, at Dartmouth Commons. This is an all ages picnic with free food! Free Admission.
• Fun for the Cure Family Fun Day: Fun for all ages! Come and enjoy games, 3-legged races, balloon toss, sack races, Dodgeball, road hockey, and much, much more! We will also be having a BBQ, cotton candy and popcorn! All monies raised will be in support of the CIBC Run for a Cure 2009. 11am-2pm, Sun July 26, Hubbards Rec Centre between Tantallon and Hubbards on old #3 highway, just off highway #103.
• Great Canadian Backyard Campout: This is the first year for this special family camping event, and it aims to encourage family camping in national and provincial parks, as well as our backyards and communities! On Saturday 100 people will be camping out at the Citadel in downtown Halifax. How crazy but absolutely wonderful is that?! Registration for this is required, and I apologize but I don't know if space is still available (I meant to check for you, I really did! whoops, sorry, sorry - especially since I've booked a spot for my family!). If you are interested, call the Trail Shop on 423-8736 or visit the Campout's website. And if you can't make the Citadel, camp out someplace anyhow - have a party with friends and camp in your backyard, or go to one of our many wonderful parks, and have lots of fun!
  

Whatever you do this weekend, have fun! (And yes, hope for good weather!)