What's open, what's closed on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day in Halifax

Halifax Regional Municipality will host its annual New Year's Eve celebration at Grand Parade starting at 9:45 p.m. on Saturday.

The free event will feature JJ Wilde and Devon Cole and will end with a fireworks display. Halifax is one of four cities selected to be part of CBC's national New Year's Eve broadcast this year.

Here's what's open and closed on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 in the Halifax area:

Food and drink

• Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market: Open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 31, closed New Year's Day.
• Gateway Meat Market: closing at 6 p.m. on Dec. 31, closed on Jan. 1.
• Atlantic Superstore: closing at 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve, closed on New Year's Day.
• Sobeys: closing at 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve, closed on New Year's Day.
• NSLC: closing at 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve, closed on New Year's Day.
• Moosehead Cold Beer Store on Windmill Road: open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. New Year's Eve and noon to 8 p.m. New Year's Day. 

Pharmacies

• Shoppers Drug Mart: Most stores are open both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Operating hours may vary.
• Lawtons Drugs: Most stores are open on Dec. 31. Operating hours may vary on Jan 1.
• Guardian: some locations are open. Please check with your location to confirm hours of operation.
• The Medicine Shoppe: some locations are open. Please check with your local store to confirm.
• Costco: both the Halifax and Dartmouth locations are closing at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31. Both are closed on Jan. 1.
• Walmart: all locations closing at 6 p.m. Dec. 31. All locations are closed Jan. 1.

Public services

• Garbage, organics and recyclables collection services will not be affected by the holidays.
• The household special waste depot will be closed on New Year's Day, reopening on Jan. 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
• The Otter Lake waste facility, the municipal recycling plant, and the composting facilities will be open on New Year's Eve with regular hours, but closed on New Year's Day.
• All branches of the Halifax Public Libraries are closed New Year's Day.
• The Halifax Regional Municipality's 311 contact centre is closed to general inquiries on New Year's Day, but residents can still call 311 for urgent concerns about transportation, municipal operations, facilities, animal services and illegally parked vehicles.
• Halifax's in-person customer service centres located at Alderney Gate, Bayers Road and Musquodoboit Harbour recreation centre and library are closed Jan. 2.
• On-street parking is free on Monday, Jan.2, however drivers must abide by other posted signs.

Transit

• Halifax Transit will offer free, extended bus and Alderney Ferry service on New Year's Eve from 6 p.m. until various end times depending on route, usually around 2 a.m. Jan.1. Last ferries will depart Alderney at 1:30 a.m. and Halifax at 1:45 a.m. There is no Woodside ferry service on Jan. 1. 
• Halifax Transit buses will operate on holiday service schedules on New Year's Day. This is the same as the Sunday reduced service schedule. Check online for individual route information.
• No ferries will be running on New Year's Day.

Malls

• Halifax Shopping Centre, Mic Mac Mall, Park Lane Mall, Scotia Square, Sunnyside Mall, Bedford Place Mall and Dartmouth Crossing are closed on New Year's Day. Some malls will close early on New Year's Eve.

Recreation facilities

• Many recreation facilities will be operating on irregular schedules between Christmas Eve and Jan. 2. Call ahead to your local facility in advance to check holiday operating hours.
• The Emera Oval has opened for the season, and holiday skates will tentatively be held on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, weather depending.

Canada Post

• All post offices will be closed and there is no collection or delivery of mail.

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