Oh, Canada! Halifax Pride and Beyond

The beauty of Halifax lies in its modesty. The Nova Scotian capital is the biggest city in the Maritime Provinces, though still far from the bustle of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Yet its magic lies in being somewhat off the radar, an east coast outlier where every traveler can find a fresh experience to call his or her own.

Situated prominently on the Atlantic Ocean, Halifax started as and remains a major maritime hub. Its busy port led to rapid growth as far back as the 18th century, making it a main entry point for European and other immigrants into North America. That influx of people laid the foundation for the city's now historic architecture (or what remains of it) and firmly rooted what would become generations of residents.

Today's Halifax is a proud city that enjoys its rich heritage, offers amazing gastronomic experiences and is home to beaches and cool seaside sights. Best of all, it welcomes travelers of all stripes, including a steady stream of LGBT travelers.

Maritime Pride

My first of several visits to Halifax was a mid-July trip a few years ago to check out its annual LGBT Pride Festival. (Side note: Delta flies direct between New York's LaGuardia Airport and Halifax all summer, and there's a direct summer ferry between Portland, Maine, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.)

I kept my Pride expectations low, anticipating a small cluster of people with banners and a few related queer parties that would hopefully introduce me to a handful of gay and lesbian locals.

A strong dose of optimistic reality hit on my ride from the airport, when my cab driver told me that Pride is the city's biggest and most fun parade of the year, even bigger than the one marking Canada Day on July 1. While he admitted being heterosexual, he was surprisingly informed about the strong gay community, even telling me that lesbians seem to outnumber gay men in Halifax - a theory rarely heard in any city, and one that immediately boosted my enthusiasm.

I've visited Halifax several times since, and I think the cabbie was right. Pride is a big deal in this town - not just during the 10-day festival, but every day. It helps that this is a bit of a college town, with loads of extra-liberal students spreading the word and building support for LGBT rights. (Halifax also claims the lovely Ellen Page as a native.)

So Pride ends up being a sort of culmination of year-round queer activities and community spirit, and puts on engaging events from panels and lectures, to sports and tournaments, to fundraisers and parties at local gay bars, as well as a flirty cruise in Halifax Harbour.

The parade itself takes over the main drag of Barrington Street, drawing upward of 150,000 spectators and marchers that include local officials as well as nonprofits, the Halifax Fire Department, area businesses, and more. By the time the big closing-night party comes along, it feels like a few thousand of your closest friends have taken over Garrison Grounds to dance the night away. It's easy to see how this town is home to Canada's fourth-largest Pride celebration in Canada.

Beyond the Parade

For those who can't make it to the 2016 Pride Festival (July 14 to 24), there's still plenty of gay appeal. In the hip North End neighborhood, Gottingen Street is the strip that's home to Menz & Molly Bar, a fun club where you can dance and chat up cute local queers in the plush lounges. Next door, the Company House is a lesbian-leaning, all-welcoming caf� by day and bar with live music by night.

For LGBT-friendly accommodations, Halifax Backpackers is part hostel, part caf�. The latter is called Alteregos, and they have great veggie-forward food, in addition to a steady flow of gay and lesbian clientele. Just Us Coffee (with multiple central-Halifax locations) is a local chain for gays getting their daily dose of caffeine and baked treats.

Head downtown to Salter Street for drinks at Reflections Cabaret, a live music and dance club venue that caters to LGBT travelers - though the music mix usually features house and hip-hop music, with happening "Audio Therapy" parties on Thursdays. If you're looking for bigger shows, check out the Seahorse Tavern, one of the city's more historic, large-scale venues that has staged the likes of Arcade Fire, Billy Bragg and Guided By Voices.

Check out www.RainbowHalifax.com to learn more about LGBT Halifax year-round highlights, and www.DestinationHalifax.com for tips on planning your trip.