Is Nova Scotia Heritage Day a Public Holiday?
Nova Scotia Heritage Day is a public holiday in the province of Nova Scotia, according to Holidays 2025. The celebration falls on the third Monday of February month. All businesses, retail stores, and shops, as well as the schools, and universities remain closed on this day. Some Public Transportations may also not follow their usual route. However, offices of the federal government continue to open on this day.
Nova Scotia Heritage Day Holiday History in Canada
Nova Scotia Heritage Day in Canada falls on the third Monday of February, thereby allowing the citizens of the province to relax on the long weekend. This short winter break provides them with the time to connect with their family, as well as learn more about their heritage. Not only does this encompass one’s customs and family traditions, but also events and places in Nova Scotia which added to the region’s history as well. The celebration is held on this Monday to remain in tandem with other areas which also celebrate this holiday as Family Day in Canada or President Day in the US. This helps the businesses to remain in sync.
Public Life on Nova Scotia Heritage Day in Canada
Nova Scotia Heritage Day is a declared statutory holiday. Therefore, people are often seen going out and enjoying the day with their family. Skiing, ice skating, ice hockey games, Winterfests, as well as art exhibitions, museum tours, and more are a part of the celebration. Every year, Nova Scotia Heritage Day usually has a theme, which pertains to (obviously) the heritage of the province. People and events honoured in the previous years have been:
- Viola Desmond (Canadian civil rights activist)
- Maud Lewis (Canadian folk artist)
- Joseph Howe (Nova Scotian politician and journalist)
- Nora Bernard (Canadian Mi’kmaq activist)
- Mona Parsons (Canadian actress, nurse, and member of an informal Dutch resistance network)
- Carrie M. Best (Black Canadian journalist and social activist)
- Joseph William Comeau (Nova Scotian educator and political figure)
- William Edward Hall (first Black Nova Scotian to receive the Victoria Cross)
- Rita Joe (Mi’kmaq poet and songwriter)
- Grand-Pré National Historic Site
- Africville
- Lieutenant Edward Francis Arab (grandson of the first few Lebanese immigrants)
Things To Do On Nova Scotia Heritage Day
If you are hoping to enjoy Nova Scotia Heritage Day in Canada, and are looking for something fun to do with your family, then here is a list of activities that you may delight in:
1. Sport Fishing
If you are looking for something to do on Nova Scotia Heritage Day 2025 and love fishing, then you should know that it is an open season this weekend. The province of Nova Scotia allows residents as well as non-residents to fish during this long weekend of February without a license. So go out with your family and catch a fish while enjoying your time together.
2. Visit Museums & Galleries
Various museums and galleries throughout the regions give special Heritage tours, as well as include other individual activities like dancing, shows, music, etc. on Nova Scotia Heritage Day in Canada. Go to your nearest or favourite museum, art gallery, etc. like the Museum of Natural History, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Pier 21, or The Discovery Centre in Halifax, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Yarmouth, and Ross Farm Museum in New Ross. Learn about the history of the place as well as about their heritage.
3. Snow Activities
Nova Scotia Heritage Day falls during February when Canada has turned into a winter wonderland. As a result, the holiday and the long weekend is a perfect opportunity for families to indulge in some winter sports and activities. You can go skiing this Heritage Day in Wentworth, Martock, Ben Eoin, or North Highlands Nordic Cross-Country Ski Facility. There is also the option of skating at the Old Sackville Arena or Emera Oval in Halifax, sledding in Newport Corner, or hiking at Miners Marsh, Kentville. Or combine a few and enjoy hiking and snowshoeing at First Lake Trail, or snowshoeing and lodging in Indian Brook.
4. Winter Festivals
Canada merely needs an excuse to set up their famous Winter festivals, and what is better than the long weekend in February. The theme of the fest usually relates somehow to that of the holiday. Thus, if you are looking for things to do on Nova Scotia Heritage Day, then you can savour the beauty that these events have to offer. Lower Sackville hosts the Sackville Snow Days, or there is the Family Round-Up Adventure at Hatfield Farm.
Nova Scotia Heritage Day Observances
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Mon | 18 February | Nova Scotia Heritage Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2020 | Mon | 17 February | Nova Scotia Heritage Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2021 | Mon | 15 February | Nova Scotia Heritage Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2022 | Mon | 21 February | Nova Scotia Heritage Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2023 | Mon | 20 February | Nova Scotia Heritage Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2024 | Mon | 19 February | Nova Scotia Heritage Day | Common Local Holiday |
| 2025 | Mon | 17 February | Nova Scotia Heritage Day | Common Local Holiday |
FAQs
1. What is open on Heritage Day in Nova Scotia?
On Nova Scotia Heritage Day some pharmacies remain open for reduced hours. But, retail stores, libraries, etc. are shut. Canada Post collects and delivers mail; however, garbage collection is moved to Saturday.
2. How do other provinces celebrate Nova Scotia Heritage Day in Canada?
The Nova Scotia Heritage Day which falls on the third Monday of February is collectively celebrated as Family day in Canada. However, in Manitoba it is known as Louis Riel Day, as Yukon Heritage Day in Yukon, and Islander Day in Prince Edward Island.
Tl;dr For those who only wish to know When is Nova Scotia Heritage Day in 2025? The date is 17 February, Monday.
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