Rock returns to the hill: Halifax Music Fest begins Friday

The first annual Halifax Music Festival is hitting the stage on Friday.

This weekend, the sound of rock music returns to the Garrison Grounds in Halifax, N.S.

The first ever Halifax Music Fest gets underway this Friday, marking the return of large-scale concerts to the site at the foot of Citadel Hill.

Headlined by Nickelback, Lenny Kravitz, and The Killers, the three-day outdoor festival will be a milestone weekend for Halifax’s live music scene.

“We just really want to get this hill back into action again,” said Louis Thomas of Sonic Entertainment Group in an interview with CTV Atlantic’s Katie Kelly. “It’s crazy to think Nickelback last played here in 2007. It’s just really great to have them back, and have them really support the notion of coming back here.”

Nickelback headlines Friday night, topping a lineup that includes The Glorious Sons, Big Wreck, and Tenille Townes. Saturday features Terra Lightfoot, Amanda Marshall, Ben Harper, and Lenny Kravitz. Sunday closes with Said the Whale, Lights, Alvvays, and The Killers.

Thomas says the event has already drawn major interest from across the Maritimes. “Lots of people from outside the province are coming in for sure,” said Thomas. “We know New Brunswick likes rock.”

Construction is currently underway on-site, with fencing, food vendors, and a massive stage being installed. VIP ticketholders will have access to elevated decking, flushable washrooms, and a dedicated entrance.

“The VIP is fantastic,” said Thomas. “It’s all high-end.”

One of the weekend’s most anticipated performances comes from Canadian pop-rock singer Amanda Marshall, who spent part of her childhood in Halifax.

“The summer that I turned 11, my dad got a job in Halifax,” Marshall told CTV Atlantic’s Katie Kelly over zoom. “I spent three of the greatest pre-teen years of my life there.”

Marshall’s mother worked at the Lord Nelson Hotel, just a block from the Garrison Grounds.

“To get to come back now and play in this particular place, in a place that I’m familiar with, is so exciting,” said Marshall. “We’re so excited about it. It’s gonna be great.”

For organizers, the goal goes beyond one great weekend.

“We want to be able to do this again next year,” said Thomas. “The notion is… live here and experience everything here.”