How is it already August?! Over the past two months we’ve loved seeing so many familiar faces, welcoming new friends, and watching connections grow through all of our events. Here’s a look back at what we got up to in June and July.

In June, we hosted a special Book Club at Bide Awhile Animal Shelter, where together we raised $1,098.50 to support the animals in their care. We also hosted our largest Fiction Book Club to date with Yesteryear, learned Jazz Funk dance at House of Eights, launched our first Hike Club with a hike along the Lake William Trail, and enjoyed some relaxed summer hangouts with our Pet Meetup and Casual Crafting at The Commons.

In July, we kicked off the month with True Crime & Dine, explored Point Pleasant Park during our first Photo Walk, hit the trails for our second Hike Club along the Musquodoboit Trailway, put our book knowledge to the test at Bookish Trivia: The Sequel, came together in multiple groups to watch the Halifax Pride Parade, and welcomed author Joanna Thurlow to Romance Book Club to discuss her novel Forever Is the Sweetest Con.

Thank you to everyone who joined us over the past two months! We still have lots of fun summer activities on the calendar, and we can't wait to see both familiar and new faces as summer continues.

Upcoming Events

🍽️ July 31 - Cookbook Club: Half Baked Harvest

They say the best friendships are built around the dining room table!

Join us for our very first Cookbook Club, where we’ll each make a recipe from Half Baked Harvest and bring it along to share with the group. We’ll enjoy a delicious potluck while chatting about the recipes, our favourite ingredients, cooking tips, and all things food. Come hungry, bring your favourite Half Baked Harvest dish, and leave with some new friends!

As with any potluck among friends, we can’t guarantee that dishes will be free from allergens. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, please use your best judgment.

When: Friday, July 31, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Where: Halifax Commons Community Room
RSVP: https://HalifaxGalsandPalsCookBookBookClub.eventbrite.ca

🥾 August 1 - Summer Hike Club: Cape Split

Join us for the third hike in our Summer Hike Club series as we take on one of Nova Scotia’s most iconic trails! Located about 1.5 hours from Halifax, Cape Split is a 13.2 km round-trip hike rated moderate in difficulty, with gentle but steady inclines through beautiful forest, several scenic look-offs, and a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the Bay of Fundy.

We’ll meet at the Cape Split trailhead. Bring a packed lunch to enjoy at the lookout, along with plenty of water, sunscreen, bug spray, layers, sturdy hiking shoes, and anything else you’ll need for the day. As always, we’ll be moving at a comfortable pace and leaving no one behind. We’ll also create a group chat and Google Sheet to help coordinate carpooling.

When: Saturday, August 1 at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Cape Split Provincial Park Trailhead
RSVP: https://AugustHikeClub.eventbrite.ca

🎨 August 6 - Still Life Drawing

Join us for an evening of drawing, snacks, and good company! We’ll each bring an item related to the theme “Summer” to create a collaborative still life, then spend the evening sketching together. Between rounds, we’ll rearrange the display to inspire new drawings and fresh perspectives.

Some drawing supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring your favourite materials. There will also be music and snacks to keep things relaxed. Whether you’re an experienced artist or just looking to try something new, all skill levels are welcome - this event is just as much about socializing as it is about drawing!

When: Thursday, August 6 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Halifax Commons Community Room
Tickets: https://HalifaxGalsandpalsStillLifeDrawing.eventbrite.ca

🧶 August 11 - Casual Crafting at The Commons

Bring your current craft project and join us for a relaxed evening of creativity and conversation! Whether you’re knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, painting, or working on another project, everyone is welcome. Feel free to stay as long or as little as you’d like. Bring a blanket, snacks & drinks, and enjoy a casual summer evening with fellow Gals & Pals.

No RSVP is required - we’ll post our exact location at The Commons before 6:00 p.m. in case you have trouble finding us.

When: Tuesday, August 11 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Halifax Commons

🕺 August 15 - Breakdancing Workshop

Ever wanted to learn to breakdance? Join us for a beginner-friendly workshop at Light House Arts Centre! No experience is needed - just come ready to learn something new, have fun, and meet some new pals.

When: Saturday, August 15 at 12:30 p.m.
Where: Light House Arts Centre
Tickets: https://Halifaxgalsandpalsbreakdancingworkshop.eventbrite.ca

🎤 August 19 - Gals & Pals Talent Show

Join us for an evening celebrating the incredible talent within the Gals & Pals community! Whether you’re taking the stage or cheering on your fellow members, it’s sure to be a fun, relaxed night filled with music, laughter, and creativity.

Each ticket includes a voucher to use at the Trident Café, so grab a drink or a treat while you enjoy the performances!

When: Wednesday, August 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Trident Booksellers & Café
Tickets: https://HalifaxGalsandPalsAugustTalentShow.eventbrite.ca

🏖️ August 22 – Beach Day

Join us for a relaxing day at the beach! Bring your sunscreen, snacks, a towel, and anything else you need for a day in the sun. Whether you want to swim, read, play games, or simply relax and chat, we’d love to have you join us.

Sign up for free to be added to an Instagram group chat where you can connect with other attendees beforehand and arrange rides if needed. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll postpone to Sunday, August 23 and share any updates in the group chat.

When: Saturday, August 22 at 10:00 a.m. (rain date if needed is Sunday, August 23rd)
Where: Crystal Crescent Beach Provincial Park
RSVP: https://Galsandpalsbeachday2026.eventbrite.ca

📚 Upcoming August Book Clubs

Join a book club by grabbing a ticket through the links below! New and returning book club members are always welcome.

August 4 - Fiction Book Club – The Girl with a Thousand Faces by M. H. Ayinde
RSVP: https://AugustFictionbookclub.eventbrite.ca

August 16 - Romance Book Club – Fossil Feud by Margot Wood
RSVP: https://HalifaxGalsandPalsAugustRomanceBookClub.eventbrite.ca

August 20 - Romantasy Book Club – The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen
RSVP: https://AugustRomantasybookclub.eventbrite.ca

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or have questions for us?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our events? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow our community together. 🌈

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May was mainly a lead up to our big party celebrating our official non profit status! We launched our merch and held our book clubs plus a fun decoupage dish craft event, and then partied the night away with over 125 people last Friday, with some awesome vendors, crafts and a killer dance floor.

Upcoming Events

🐰June 13 - Casual Pet Meetup

Join us for our pet meet-up at the Commons! Bring your pet to hang out on the grass with us, we’ll be relaxing, chatting, and enjoying the sun ☀️

All pets that are friendly with other animals are welcome! No RSVP needed. We hope to see you there! 🐶🐱🐰

• Where: The grass on Trollope St. across from Citadel High

• When: Saturday June 13 11am (rain date June 20 11 am)

🧶 June 16 - Casual Crafting

Join us for an evening of crafting outside! We’ll meet at the commons at 6:30pm. (The spot closest to the DeeDees, lookout for our sign!) Bring your current project; whether it be knitting, crochet, watercolours, cross stitch etc. Feel free to stay as long or as little as you’d like. Bring a blanket, bring snacks and drinks. No need to RSVP for this event! We will post what area we’re at before 6pm in case you don’t see us (feel free to send a message), mark your calendars!

A rain date is set for Thursday June 18th. If the weather is looking bad we will post on Instagram so watch out!

🚶‍♀️‍➡️June 20- G&P Walk Downtown

Join us for a casual walk on the waterfront where we’ll enjoy the ocean views. This is a great low stress event for new and returning pals.

We will meet at the Seaport market on the waterfront on Saturday June 20 at 11am. DM us on Instagram or shoot us an email to RSVP and we’ll add you to the group chat.

👯 June 27 - Beginner Dance Class

Join us for a beginner friendly jazz funk dance class with House of Eights! We’ll start with a warm up led by the instructor and then we’ll breakdown a short piece of choreography. After the class we will have time and space to hang out and get to know each other better. Grab your ticket on Eventbrite before they sell out!

When: Saturday June 27th 1-3pm
Where: House of Eights Dance Studio 5562 Sackville Street Halifax
Price: 15$

🥾June 28 - Summer Hike Club: June

Hi Friends! Join us for the first of our summer hike club series starting in June where we’ll hike Lake William Trail in Waverley for a total of about 9km out and back. We will meet at the parking lot at the entrance of the trail at 9am on Sunday, June 28th. RSVP to join us on Eventbrite!

This trail is a gravel path with minimal elevation, a great place to start your hiking journey. More details on the hike here: https://www.halifaxtrails.ca/lake-william-trail/

Bring your own water, snacks and sunscreen and any other gear. We’ll be moving at an easy pace and leaving no one behind!

📚 Upcoming Bookclubs

Join a book club by grabbing a ticket via the links below! New and returning book club members always welcome.

• June 6 - Special book club at Bideawhile Animal Shelter - We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

• June 18 - Romantasy book club - Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

• June 21 - Romance book club - Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

• June 30- Non Fiction book club - Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

• July 7 - Fiction book club - Kindred by Octavia Butler (eventbrite tickets coming soon!)

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or have questions for us?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our events? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

At the end of March we held our biggest event yet, when almost 80 people came out for Bookish Trivia night at Chainyard cider. We were so impressed with all your bookish knowledge and can’t wait to hold our next trivia event in the summer. We also had a lovely brunch gathering, painted notebooks and did some casual crafting in the cozy space run by our pals at Merrytime Music. We talked about books of course, and we launched our new website!

Upcoming Events

🥳 May 29 - Gals and Pals Party!

Gals and Pals is officially a non-profit and we are planning to celebrate! Join us for a party at the Saint Mary’s Boat club on Friday May 29th @ 6pm. This is a welcoming event designed for our community, and it will be a great time even if you come on your own, or if this is your first event with us. Take this as a sign to come out and start building your community!

This will be our largest, most exciting event yet! Come dressed to impress; there will be dancing, food vendors, non alcoholic drinks, a craft table, books, and Gals & Pals official merchandise for sale!

Some of our confirmed vendors include Shore Peddlin selling ice cream from their ice cream bike, The Thirsty Reader popping up with their little mobile bookshop, Naguara Halifax selling empanadas and arepas, and Barkeep sampling & selling their No-No Spritz mocktail!

Grab your tickets now to ensure you get your spot, we hope to see all of the faces we’ve gotten to know over the years and new ones too! Ticket price includes entrance to the event, access to the craft table, and a night you won’t soon forget! Tickets available now on Eventbrite.

🚶‍♀️‍➡️May 9 - G&P Walk Downtown

Join us for a casual walk on the waterfront where we’ll enjoy the ocean views. This is a great low stress event for new and returning pals.

We will meet at the Seaport market on the waterfront on Saturday May 9 at 11am. DM us on Instagram or shoot us an email to RSVP and we’ll add you to the group chat.

🧶 May 12 - Casual Crafting

Do you have a craft you’ve been meaning to learn but have been too intimidated or too busy? Now’s your chance! Bring it with you on Tuesday May 12 and master a new craft in a supportive environment!

Don’t have a new craft but want to work on that sweater you’ve been knitting for 6 months or the watercolour painting you’re currently obsessed with? That works too!

We’ll meet at Freeman’s Little York at 3671 Dutch Village Road at 7pm. Tickets are 7$ on Eventbrite, and all ticket sales revenue will go towards making future events more affordable!

🎨 May 19 - Decoupage Dishes

How it works: we will provide fabric, trinket dishes, Modge Podge glue, scissors and paint markers, everything you need to make a quilt like pattern on a trinket dish! Lots of people come alone to our events so take this as a sign to step out of your comfort zone and craft in community!

• When: Tuesday May 19th @ 6:00pm

• Where: Sugar Marmalade 1452 Brenton St Halifax

• Price: 25$ (all materials included)

Tickets available through Eventbrite in our bio or our website. Grab yours before it sells out! Tickets are non-refundable so pass your ticket to a friend if you can no longer make it or let us know with notice and we may be able to fill your spot!

📚 Upcoming Bookclubs

Join a book club by grabbing a ticket via the links below! New and returning book club members always welcome.

• May 5 - Fiction book club - The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard

• May 21 - Romantasy book club - The Ascended by Bree Grenwich

• May 24 - Romance book club - And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison

• May 26 - Non Fiction book club - Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or have questions for us?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our events? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

Coming to you with a special substack to share that Gals and Pals is officially a non-profit and we are planning to celebrate! Join us for a party at the Saint Mary’s Boat club on Friday May 29th @ 6pm.

This will be our largest, most exciting event yet! Come dressed to impress; there will be dancing, food vendors, non alcoholic drinks, a craft table and books and Gals & Pals official merchandise for sale!

Some of our confirmed vendors include @shorepeddlin selling ice cream from their ice cream bike, @thethirstyreader popping up with their little mobile bookshop, and @naguarahalifax selling empanadas and arepas…with more to come!

Grab your tickets now to ensure you get your spot, we hope to see all of the faces we’ve gotten to know over the years and new ones too!

Ticket price includes entrance to the event, access to the craft table, drinks and a night you won’t soon forget!

Get your ticket here!

Oh, March…the never ending cycle of fake spring and winter! The weather hasn’t been holding us back much (check out those brave pals on our monthly walk during that snowstorm) and we’ve had such a blast. Our regular book clubs were lively as always! We also held a Galentine’s day party at Creme, we swapped recipes and created custom scrapbooks for our future cooking adventures, and we had a cozy crafting evening at Merrytime Music. It was awesome, and April is shaping up to be that way as well (just hopefully with fewer snowstorms).

PS - We’ve got some big news coming out in April and exciting events on the horizon so keep an eye on our Instagram and for a special announcement coming soon! 👀

Upcoming Events

🥞Apr 12 - Ladies Who Brunch

Put on your best (fancy hats and dresses encouraged) and join us for an afternoon brunch at Almonak Restaurant in Halifax’s North end. Your ticket includes any brunch main from the menu. Let’s celebrate Spring together!

Tickets are 35$ and available through Eventbrite.

🚶‍♀️‍➡️Apr 11 - G&P Walk Downtown

Join us for a casual walk on the waterfront where we’ll enjoy the ocean views. This is a great low stress event for new and returning pals.

We will meet on the waterfront on Saturday April 11 at 11am. DM us on Instagram or shoot us an email to RSVP and we’ll add you to the group chat.

🧶 Apr 17 - Casual Crafting

Do you have a craft you’ve been meaning to learn but have been too intimidated or too busy? Now’s your chance! Bring it with you on Tuesday March 17 and master a new craft in a supportive environment!

Don’t have a new craft but want to work on that sweater you’ve been knitting for 6 months or the watercolour painting you’re currently obsessed with? That works too!

We’ll meet at Merrytime Music Studio at 5558 Sullivan Street Halifax at 7pm. (Unfortunately this space is not accessible as it is up a flight of stairs). Tea and light snacks will be provided :). Tickets are 7$ on Eventbrite, and all ticket sales revenue will go towards making future events more affordable!

🎨 Apr 23 - Notebook Painting

Join us for a casual evening where you’ll decorate a notebook and connect with some new pals! All supplies + snacks and drinks provided!

We’ll be crafting in the HRM multipurpose room at the Commons (5816 Cogswell Street) Tickets are 25$ and available on Eventbrite now.

💃 Apr 25 - Contemporary Dance Class with House of Eights

Join us for an afternoon of dancing and socializing at the House of Eights in Halifax!

The class will run for 1 hour with a 10-15min warm up followed by learning choreography to a contemporary dance.

There will be time to chat before the class and after dancing we’ll gather outside the studio room to get to know each other better! Tickets are 15$ and available on Eventbrite now.

📚 Upcoming Bookclubs

Join a book club by grabbing a ticket via the links below!

• Apr 7- Fiction book club - Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen

• Apr 19- Romance book club - The Night We Met by Abby Jiminez

• Apr 23 - Romantasy book club - Scars Beneath a Serpent’s Scales by Nicole Platania

• Apr 28 - Non Fiction book club - The Molecule of More by Daniel Lieberman

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or have questions for us?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our events? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

I’m sending this out early this month to make sure that our Gazette subscribers get a chance to access our March events before they are sold out, so February is still going strong! Despite being early, we’ve done so much these past few weeks and have loved seeing all of you out and about. We held our largest book club ever, with 30 people showing up to discuss Water Moon (the verdict at my table: cozy, studio ghibli-esque adventure that didn’t always stick the landing but still fun to read); we ran our first book speed dating event which was such a huge success we’ll definitely do it again; and we filled up 2 Crows Oxford with crafters for the second month in a row. Oh, and our president Janine was on CTV’s Your Morning Atlantic chatting all about the amazing G&P Community!

Still a lot more to come and we hope to see you at an event soon!

Upcoming Events

Mar 12 - Recipe Scrapbooking

Join us for an evening of recipe scrapbooking!

How it works: everyone will send us one of their favourite recipes and we will print them out in advance for people to use in their scrapbooks. We will provide all the materials including scrapbooks to make your own recipe book.

We’ll chat about why we love the recipes we brought and what we love to cook!

• When: Thursday March 12th @ 6:30pm

• Where: Sugar Marmalade - 1452 Brenton St Halifax

• Price: 30$ (all materials included)

Tickets available through Eventbrite. Grab yours before it sells out!

Tickets are non-refundable so pass your ticket to a friend if you can no longer make it or let us know with notice and we may be able to fill your spot!

*This is an accessible venue that does not offer alcohol*

Mar 14 - G&P Walk Downtown

Join us for a casual walk on the waterfront where we’ll enjoy the ocean views. This is a great low stress event for new and returning pals.

We will meet on the waterfront on Saturday March 14 at 11am

DM us on Instagram or shoot us an email to RSVP and we’ll add you to the group chat.

Mar 17 - Casual Crafting

Do you have a craft you’ve been meaning to learn but have been too intimidated or too busy? Now’s your chance! Bring it with you on Tuesday March 17 and master a new craft in a supportive environment!

Don’t have a new craft but want to work on that sweater you’ve been knitting for 6 months or the watercolour painting you’re currently obsessed with? That works too!

We’ll be releasing the ticket and venue info shortly so keep an eye out on our socials, all ticket sales revenue will go towards making future events more affordable!

Mar 24 - Bookish Trivia

Come join us for a fun, friendly trivia night all about books!

Whether you’re bringing a whole team, arriving with a small group of friends, or showing up solo, you’ll be surrounded by people ready to make new friends and share a love of books. We’ll run through three rounds of trivia about all things bookish.

The details:

• Trivia begins at 7:00 pm and runs to approximately 9 PM

• Arriving around 6:30 gives you time to get settled and order food or drink

• Tickets are $11, food and drinks sold separately

• Maximum team size is 6 people

• Seating is assigned, so if you already have your team, make sure you book together.

We have released some tickets early only for Gazette subscribers! At checkout on eventbrite use the promocode SUBSTACK to reveal the tickets. And make sure to book together with your team if you’re bringing one!

Upcoming Bookclubs

Join a book club by grabbing a free ticket via Eventbrite!

• Mar 3 - Fiction book club - Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell

• Mar 19 - Romantasy book club - The Silversmith by L.J. Claren (tickets coming soon!)

• Mar 22 - Romance book club - Just For The Cameras by Meghan Quinn

• Mar 31 - Non Fiction book club - One Day, Everyone Will Have Been Against This by Omar El Akkad

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or have questions for us?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our events? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

Snow couldn’t stop us in January! We held 9 events in January with 180 new and returning pals. We started off the month with our walk on the waterfront, held some cozy evenings working on bullet journals for the new year, got creative at our largest crafting drop in yet where so many of you wanted to join that we had to expand to a second venue, and wrapped up the month by singing our little hearts out to Fleetwood Mac. Oh, and of course in the middle of all that we held our four regular book clubs. This little community keeps expanding, and we are working hard to keep making fun and unique opportunities for connection.

On that note, Gals & Pals is growing! Do you want to join us as a volunteer event coordinator or website designer? Check out more details on our Instagram, then send us an email if you think you’re the right fit!

Upcoming Events

Feb 7: G&P Walk Downtown

Join us for a casual walk on the waterfront where we’ll enjoy the ocean views. This is a great low stress event for new and returning pals.

We will meet on the waterfront on Saturday February 7th at 11am

DM us on Instagram or shoot us an email to RSVP and we’ll add you to the group chat.

Feb 11 - Book Speed Dating

Join us for an evening of making new friends and adding some new reads to your TBR shelf! No actual dating - this is a space for friendship and book inspiration, for women and LGTBQ+ folks.

How it works:

• Show up with your favourite book - new or one you’ve loved for a long time - that you want to share with other book lovers

• We will pair you up and cycle through short conversations with prompts to chat about your books

• Finally, mingle and have some snacks while making a custom bookmark

Snacks and a drink (coffee or tea) will be provided.

Tickets are non-refundable so pass your ticket to a friend if you can no longer make it or let us know with enough notice and we can see if we can fill your space :)

• When: Wednesday, February 11th. Doors open at 6pm and the event starts at 6:30pm.

• Where: Lucy’s Hydrostone Cafe, 5517 Young St, Halifax

• Price: 25$, including snacks and coffee or tea. Tickets are sold out but you can join the waitlist here to be the first to be notified if room opens up.

Feb 17: Casual Crafting Drop In

Do you have a craft you’ve been meaning to learn but have been too intimidated or too busy? Now’s your chance! Bring it with you on Tuesday February 17th and master a new craft in a supportive environment!

Don’t have a new craft but want to work on that sweater you’ve been knitting for 6 months or the watercolour painting you’re currently obsessed with? That works too!

We’ll meet at the Yeah Yeahs/ 2 Crows at 2983 Oxford Street at 6:30pm.

Sign up via Eventbrite, all ticket sales revenue will go towards making future events more affordable!

Feb 25: Galentine’s Day Party

Join us on Wednesday February 25th to celebrate Galentine’s day in style at Crème Halifax. Your ticket includes a slice of cake, a mocktail or tea and a DIY Valentine bar.

• Where: Crème Halifax 1341 Lower Water St Halifax

• When: Wednesday February 25th at 7pm

• Price: 35$ - Tickets are sold out but you can join the waitlist here to be the first to be notified if room opens up.

Upcoming Bookclubs

Join a book club by grabbing a free ticket via Eventbrite!

• Feb 3 -Fiction book club - Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

• Feb 19 - Romantasy book club - Daggermouth by HM Wolfe

• Feb 22 - Romance book club - Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

• Feb 24 - Non Fiction Book Club - Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or have questions for us?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our events? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

Even with the holidays we managed to pack in seven events in the first half of the month! We had spirited discussions in three different book clubs, strolled through the Evergreen festival downtown and met up at the Moxy Hotel to chat and snack before leaving for the holidays. We partnered with Blue Bridge Bake Shop to learn how to make beautifully decorated holiday cookies and we had an evening of painting candles and decoupaging glass ornaments at Sugar Marmalade. Thank you for choosing to take time out of the busy month of December to spend some time building community with us!

Upcoming Events

January 12th and 19th- Bullet Journalling Nights

Join us for an evening of bullet journalling to start off the new year right. Set up your bullet journals with everything you’d like to track or journal about in 2026. We’ll make New Years Bingo cards and fill them with all of the fun things we’d like to do in 2026.

Dates: Monday January 12th and January 19th @ 6:30pm

• Location: Trident Cafe and Booksellers, 1256 Hollis Street Halifax

• These events are currently SOLD OUT but you can join the waitlists here or here

January 29th - Casual Crafting Meetup at Yeah Yeahs/ 2 Crows

Join us for an evening of crafting and pizza! Bring whatever project you’ve got on the go - whether its knitting, watercolour, collage or anything in between! Make sure to RSVP to this one because there’s a capacity on our venue and spots are going quick!

• When: Thursday January 29th at 6:30pm

• Where: Yeah Yeahs/2 Crows 2983 Oxford Street Halifax

• Price: Free! Reserve your spot here before they go (or join the waitlist if you’re a bit too late!)

January 30th - Sad Girl Choir Sing Along Evening

We’re collaborating with Merry Time Music Co. for a special one night Sad Songs Choir. This drop in choir is all about big feelings, community, and singing your heart out in a cozy, low pressure space. No experience needed, just bring your voice and your emotions.

We’ll start with a warm up, learn the parts, break for tea, and end with a big cathartic sing through. The song will be announced when tickets go live.

• When: Friday January 30th 7–9pm

• Where: Merry Time Music Co. 5558 Sullivan St. 3rd floor (Please note this event is on the 3rd floor and the building does not have an elevator.)

• Price: Pay what you can $15-$25. Tickets will be live soon so check our Instagram or shoot us an email if you don’t have socials!

February 7: G&P Walk Downtown

Join us for a casual walk on the waterfront where we’ll enjoy the ocean views. This is a great low stress event for new and returning pals.

We will meet on the waterfront on Saturday February 7th at 11am

DM us on Instagram or shoot us an email to RSVP and we’ll add you to the group chat.

Upcoming Bookclubs!

Join a book club by grabbing a free ticket via Eventbrite!

• January 18th- Romance book club -Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

• January 22nd - Romantasy book club - Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas (currently on a waitlist, but often space opens up so don’t hesitate to sign up!)

• January 27 - Non Fiction Book Club -The Village Effect by Susan Pinker

• February 3 -Fiction book club - Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or have questions for us?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, event pics, and book club updates!

Halloween led us into November with our back to back instalments of our first Murder Mystery evening, where we dressed in Gatsby inspired gear and hunted down the killer among us. We hosted two more nights of our blind date with a book dinner, one of our most popular events from last year where we all wrapped up a favourite book and swapped with fellow book lovers. Our book clubs were fiesty as usual and our community kept growing!

Upcoming Events

Dec 6 - Cookie Decorating Workshop

Join us for a class with Blue Bridge Bake Shop to learn how to decorate 5 winter themed cookies! ❄️ Learn the basics of outlining, flooding and detailing various cookie styles

• When: December 6 7-9:30pm

• Where: Halifax Central Common Multi-Purpose Room, 5816 Cogswell St, Halifax

• Tickets are sold out, but you can join the waitlist via eventbrite.

Dec 6 - G&P Walk to Evergreen Market

Join us for a casual walk on the waterfront where we will stroll through the festivities at the Evergreen market! This is a great low stress event for new and returning pals.

We will meet on the waterfront on Saturday, Dec 6th at 11am.

DM us on Instagram to RSVP and we’ll add you to the group chat.

Dec 8 - Craft & Connect Night

Join us for a crafty community night to paint some custom candles or ornaments (which make great holiday gifts)! All materials will be provided, and food and drink will be available for purchase.

• When? Monday, December 8th at 7pm

• Where? Sugar Marmalade Halifax

• Tickets are sold out - but you can join the waitlist via eventbrite.

December 16 - Holiday Drop in

Join us for a casual drop in evening to ring in the holiday season together! Whether you’ve joined us this year for a book club, craft event or anything in between, or you are looking for a casual first event, drop by and spend a little time relaxing and catching up before the end of the year.

• Where? The Moxy Hotel Restaurant at 5147 Cogswell St.

• Grab your free ticket via eventbrite to let us know you’ll be joining in!

January 12 - New Years Bullet Journal

Join us for an evening of bullet journalling to start off the new year right. Set up your bullet journals with everything you’d like to track or journal about in 2026. We’ll make New Years Bingo cards and fill them with all of the fun things we’d like to do in 2026.

• Date: Monday January 12th @ 6:30pm

• Location: Trident Cafe and Booksellers, 1256 Hollis Street Halifax

Two ticket options:

• $11 for materials only and bring your own journal

• $35 for materials and a Leuchtturm1917 bullet journal

This event will be smaller so if we sell out fast we’ll add a second date! Tickets are non-refundable so pass your ticket to a friend if you can no longer make it :)

Tickets on sale via eventbrite so grab your spot today!

December Book Clubs

Join a book club by grabbing a free ticket via eventbrite!

• Dec 9 (snow date) - Fiction book club - Milktooth by Jamie Burnet ( a local author!)

• Dec 16 - Romance book club - Good Spirits by B.K. Borison

• Dec 18 - Romantasy book club - The Everlasting Alix E. Harrow

• Non-fiction book club is taking a break in December! Our next meeting will be Jan 27th and we’ll be discussing The Village Effect by Susan Pinker if you want to get a head start over the holiday.

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  Want to join the Gals and Pals community or an event?

  👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

  👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

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  Spread the Word!

  Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

  P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, event pics, and book club updates!

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In October we got a little spooookkyy with a thriller pop up bookclub, a pumpkin painting / tarot reading event and a murder mystery dinner! Slightly less spooky but still super fun were our book clubs and our regular waterfront walk. Now that we are all back in town we’re thinking about the next couple months winding down 2025 (how is that possible??) with some great events over the next couple of months.

Also, we tested out Bounce to manage our event tickets last month but it was too buggy! We are going back to Eventbrite for all our events. You can find all the links on our IG bio or in this newsletter.

Upcoming Events

October 30 - Crafting Meetup

Do you have a craft you’ve been meaning to learn but have been too intimidated or too busy? Have a sweater or a watercolour you’ve been meaning to work on for the last 6 months? Bring it to our casual crafting meetup to make some progress in a supportive environment.

We’ll meet at 6:30pm at the Stillwell Freehouse (2534 Agricola St). No need to RSVP, we’ll see you there!

Nov 13 and 20 - Blind Date with a Book

Back by popular demand we are hosting a ‘Blind Date with a Book’ dinners. Wrap up one of your favourite books and write some clues as to what it’s about on the wrapping. We’ll have a white elephant style book swap and enjoy some great food and conversation!

PSST - The first date sold out so quickly that we opened a second on Nov 20th and subscribers are getting first dibs before we add it to our IG. Sign up via Bounce, space is limited!

Nov 15 - Walk on the Waterfront

Join our lovely volunteer Emma for a casual stroll along the waterfront. Send us an email or DM to join so we know how many to expect. The walk will begin at the Seaport Market at 11am.

Dec 6 - Cookie Decorating Workshop

Join us for a class with Blue Bridge Bake Shop to learn how to decorate 5 winter themed cookies! ❄️ Learn the basics of outlining, flooding and detailing various cookie styles

• When: December 6 7-9:30pm

• Where: Halifax Central Common Multi-Purpose Room, 5816 Cogswell St, Halifax

• Tickets are $45 per person, which includes all supplies as well as snacks and drinks

Tickets will be posted on our Eventbrite within the next week, follow us on Eventbrite to be notified . Tickets are non-refundable, so if you’re no longer able to make it pass it along to a pal! We look forward to seeing you there!

Dec 8 - Craft & Connect Night

Join us for a crafty community night to paint some custom candles or ornaments (which make great holiday gifts)! All materials will be provided, and food and drink will be available for purchase.

Tickets are non-refundable, so if you’re no longer able to make it pass it along to a pal!

• When? Monday, December 8th at 7pm

• Where? Sugar Marmalade Halifax

• Cost is 25$ and you can purchase your ticket now via eventbrite.

November Book Clubs

• Nov 4 - Fiction book club - The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Rollins

• Nov 20 - Romantasy book club - A Touch of Gold and Madness by K. L. Devore

• Nov 23 - Romance book club - The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore

• Nov 25 - Non-Fiction book club - Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or an event?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, event pics, and book club updates!

Subscribe now

September Recap

September was a slow month for us as many of the admin team were on vacation; Janine in Slovenia and Ontario, Christine in PEI and Japan and Jillian in PEI. We managed to keep all of our bookclubs running though thanks to our lovely volunteers (thanks Kaitlyn, and Zoé!). We even had a super popular pop up book club for the new Hunger Games book and Jillian was able to host her first book club (I think she may be hooked!). Looking forward to seeing all of your lovely faces this fall, we’ve got lots planned!

October Events

Oct 18- Walk on the Waterfront

Join our lovely volunteer Emma for a casual stroll along the waterfront. Send us an email or DM to join so we know how many to expect. The walk will begin at the Seaport Market at 11am.

Oct 20 - Pumpkin Painting and Tarot Cards

Join us for an evening of pumpkin painting and tarot card reading with Twelfth House Tarot at Coffee Street in Dartmouth.

Purchase your ticket via the link in our bio! Tickets are $25, which includes a drink from the cafe, a tarot reading and all pumpkin painting supplies. Tickets are non-refundable so if you’re no longer able to make it pass it on to a pal!

• Where: Coffee Street Dartmouth

• When: Monday, October 20th at 7pm

• Cost: 25$

• Book your ticket on Bounce today, space is limited.

Oct 27 - Murder Mystery Night

Jazz, gin, money and…murrrderrr! It’s 1923, and the party seems endless at Jay Glittersby’s New York mansion...until a shot rings out, and an unwelcome guest is found dead. Was the motive revenge, jealousy, or greed? Is the murderer a dancer, a jazzy musician or a slyly deferential server?

Join us for a night of laughs, intrigue and great conversations while we solve the mystery together. 1920s theme costumes (think Gatsby, flappers, black and gold) encouraged but not required!

• Where: Trident Booksellers and Cafe

• When: Monday, October 27th at 7pm

• Cost: 20$

• Book your ticket on Bounce today, space is limited.

• Note: A second date has been added on November 3rd due to popularity!

October Book Clubs

• Oct 7 - Fiction book club - Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• Oct 9 - Pop-up Thriller book club - Adrift by Lisa Brideau (with guest appearance from the author)

• Oct 16 - Romantasy book club - In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy

• Oct 19 - Romance book club - Kindling by Bonnie Woods

• Oct 28 - Non-Fiction book club - The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story Of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds And Our World by Max Fisher

Note: You can still email or DM to sign up for book clubs but soon we will have bounce links with free tickets for these events too!

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or an event?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, event pics, and book club updates!

Subscribe now

Despite being peak vacation month, we held seven events in August and got to hang out with over 125 of you! We soaked in the sun at the beach, crafted in the park, chatted about books, reset our goals with new vision boards and walked the waterfront together. It’s so exciting to see this community grow and all the new connections that happen at these events!

September Events

Sep 13: Monthly Walk @ the Waterfront

Meet us at the Seaport Market at 11am for a fun, casual walk along the waterfront. New and returning pals always welcome! DM us to let us know you’ll be joining and we’ll share exact details.

Sep 23: Pop-Up Book Club - Sunrise on the Reaping

In addition to our usual book clubs, we are running a special pop up book club event this month! We’re reading Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins - the thrilling Hunger Games prequel sharing Haymitch's story.

When: Tuesday, September 23 @ 6:30–8:30pm

Where: Location to be announced closer to the date - it will be in North End Halifax - Agricola Street area - easy to access by bus, driving, and walking.

This month’s discussion will be hosted by Jillian (@Swifty448).

As we’re expecting a lot of interest for this one, please RSVP via eventbrite here.

Whether you’re a long-time Hunger Games fan or just curious about the newest addition to Panem’s story, we can’t wait to see you. New and returning book club members welcome.

Sep 25: Drop-In Crafting

Join us for a casual evening to chat and work on that crafty hobby you’ve been picking away at (or wanting to start!)! No RSVP necessary, we’ll post details on the G&P instagram account closer to the date.

September Book Clubs

• Sep 2 - Fiction book club - The Leap Year Gene by Shelley Wood

• Sep 18 - Romantasy book club - A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan

• Sep 28 - Romance book club - My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner

• Sep 30 - Non-Fiction book club - Eve: The Disobedient Future of Birth by Claire Horn

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or any event?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, event pics, and book club updates!

July was full of good books, creative messes, and new faces! We hosted three lively book clubs—fiction, non-fiction, and a romantasy pick that all sparked plenty of discussion and debate—and got our hands dirty at three craft events. From shaping clay mugs with Beleza Ceramics (and sipping mocktails while we did it), to weather-defying crafting sessions outside at the Commons, to a vibrant vase painting night that welcomed lots of first-time Gals & Pals, it was a month that reminded us how great it feels to make things together.

August Events

Aug 2: Beach Day @ Rainbow Haven Beach

Due to overwhelming suggestions on our survey, we are organizing a day at the beach! Bring snacks, sunscreen, whatever you need to enjoy a day at the beach! DM or email us to RSVP so we know how many people to expect. If you do not have reliable transportation, let us know and we will try to arrange a ride for you. If you are able to drive let us know!

**note: If needed, a rain date (either Sunday or Monday) will be announced on our instagram account!

Aug 16 - Monthly Walk @ the Waterfront

Meet us at the Seaport Market at 11am for a fun, casual walk along the waterfront. New and returning pals always welcome! DM us to let us know you’ll be joining and we’ll share exact details.

Aug 18: Outdoor Crafting @ Citadel Hill

Join us for an evening of outdoor crafting at Citadel Hill near Ahern Drive. Bring whatever craft you like - knitting, embroidery, crochet, colouring, watercolour, etc. No RSVP necessary! Bring a blanket or chair, snacks and drinks. We will post the exact location before 6pm in our Instagram stories.

Aug 21: (re)Vision Boarding Evening

January feels like a lifetime ago, so we’re hitting reset with a (re)vision board night to refocus, recharge, and realign our goals for the second half of 2025. We’ll gather for a low-key evening of collage, conversation, and intention-setting, whether you're chasing big dreams, small shifts, or just need a moment to check in with yourself. We’ll have all the supplies you need, so just bring yourself (and maybe a friend) and and whatever version of your future you’re ready to map out.

Tickets are $20, DM or email us to snag your spot.

Location TBA - we will announce the location shortly, but it will be on the Halifax peninsula

August Book Clubs

• Aug 5 - Fiction book club - Beautyland by by Marie-Helene Bertino

• Aug 21 - Romantasy book club - The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig (WAIT LIST)

• Aug 25 - Non-Fiction book club - The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

• Romance book club is still on summer hiatus! Back soon

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or any event?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, event pics, and book club updates!

Subscribe now

June Recap

June went by in a flash! We had our very first knitting club at Trident Cafe, hosted by our very own Janine, where we learned the basics of knitting and cast on for our first project (see cat model above). We also held our four book clubs across the city and walked the waterfront together!

July Events

July 13: Mugs and Mocktails with Beleza Ceramics

Join us for a fun night of clay & hand-building your very own custom ceramic mug as part of the Halifax Gals & Pals and Beleza Ceramics collaboration!

With a menu of specially crafted mocktails and a smorgasbord of tasty snacks to guarantee an amazing night creating something beautiful.

Get your tickets for mugs and mocktails!

July 21: Outdoor Crafting

Join us for an evening of crafting outside! We’ll meet at the commons at 6pm. Bring your current project, whether it be knitting, crochet, watercolours, cross stitch etc. Feel free to stay as little or long as you’d like. Bring a blanket, bring snacks. No need to RSVP to this event! We will post where we’re at before 6pm on the day via our Instagram account. Mark your calendars!

July 26: Monthly walk

We’ll be walking together along the waterfront, starting out at the Seaport Market at 11am. New pals and returning friends welcome! Join us for a casual stroll regardless of the weather.

July 28: Paint a Vase with Pals

Join us for a fun and creative crafty workshop where we'll paint vases together! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned artist, this hands-on session is the perfect way to express your style and unwind. We'll provide all the materials you need—just bring your imagination and get ready to add a personal touch to your own beautiful vase. It's a great opportunity to relax, create, and connect with others in a cozy, inspiring setting at Sugar Marmalade.

Tickets are 20$, DM or email us if you’d like to join! Gazette readers are getting an early preview of the event so let us know ASAP if you want to snag a spot.

July Book Clubs

• July 8 - Fiction book club -The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

• July 24 - Romantasy book club - Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

• July 29 - Non-Fiction book club - The Tenant Class by Ricardo Tranjan

• Romance book club is taking a summer hiatus, but watch for a special pop up book club coming for August!

Want to join the Gals and Pals community or any event?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, event pics, and book club updates!

Subscribe now

May was another great month! We hosted two charity events for local organizations. We raised over 1900$ for Bide Awhile shelter, thanks to those who donated prizes and books Garrison Brewing, Eastern Tea Bar, Egghead Books and Agricola Books - and to Dartmouth Cookie Co, who kept us going with delicious cookies and graciously donated part of her proceeds as well. We’re still dreaming about the cornflake cookies and those fluffball kittens! We also ran a Charity Spin Ride in support of Club Inclusion Preston, sweating it out for a good cause at Just Cycle Halifax.

And it was another month full of great reads - from Emily Henry to All Hookers go to Heaven to Phantasma to a comprehensive history of Salt - we read, we discussed, we laughed and debated. And we finally had our first outdoor book club of the year! Here’s hoping the weather continues to improve for more events in the sun.

Upcoming Events

Book clubs!

• June 19 - Romantasy book club - Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

• June 24 - Non-fiction book club - Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams

• June 29 - Romance book club - One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

• July 8 - Fiction book club - The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi.

Learn to Knit : June 16 & 23, 6:30pm at Trident Cafe (SOLD OUT!)

Our very own Janine is running a learn to knit event at Trident Cafe this summer. We’ll learn some basic stitches and then cast off on a simple project! This event is already sold out, but let us know if you’d like to be added to a wait list for our next knitting event!

Monthly Walk: June 14th at 11am

We’ll be walking together along the waterfront, starting out at the Seaport Market at 11am. New pals and returning friends welcome! Join us for a casual stroll regardless of the weather - though we are sending out positive thoughts for some sunny weekend weather at last!

How to Join?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, cute kitten pics, and book club updates!

Hey Halifax Gals & Pals! Spring is here, and we’ve got a purr-fect lineup of events to fill your May with fun, fresh air, and fantastic reads. Whether you’re a bookworm, fitness fanatic, or kitten cuddler, there’s something for everyone. Let’s dive in!

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📖 Fiction Book Club 📖

May 6th | 6 PM
Book: All Hookers Go to Heaven by Angel BH
Vibe: Dive into this bold, thought-provoking story written by a Nova Scotian. Newbies welcome!

💪 Charity Spin Class 💪

May 11th | 11:30 AM–12:10 PM
Where: Just Cycle Halifax
Cause: Club Inclusion (tickets via Eventbrite).
Vibe: Pedal for a purpose! Post-ride coffee crew optional but encouraged. ☕

✨ Romantasy Book Club ✨

May 22nd | 7 PM
Book: Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
Vibe: Magic, romance, and plot twists? Let’s speculate together. Bring your wildest theories!

🐱 Bide Awhile Cats & Book Swap 🐱

May 24th | 1–4 PM
Bring: A book (or three!) to swap.
Support: Bide Awhile Animal Shelter Dartmouth (by donation, minimum 10$).
Vibe: Snuggle adoptable kittens and refresh your bookshelf. Win-win!

🚶 May Walk 🚶

May 25th | 11 AM
Location: TBA (DM for details!)
Vibe: Stretch those legs, soak up spring blooms, and make new friends. Leashed pups welcome too!

🌍 Non-Fiction Book Club 🌍

May 27th | 6 PM
Book: Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
Vibe: Discover how a tiny crystal shaped civilizations. Spoiler alert: You’ll never look at your fries the same way.

🥰 Romance Book Club 🥰

June 1 | 11 am
Book: Great Big Beautiful Life - Emily Henry
Vibe: A blend of forbidden romance and multi-generational family drama, set against the backdrop of Hollywood glamour and small-town charm, evoking The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets Succession with Emily Henry’s signature warmth.

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How to Join?

👉 DM us on Instagram @halifaxgalsandpals

👉 Email halifaxgalsandpals@gmail.com

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Spread the Word!

Know someone who’d love our crew? Tag them on instagram or share this newsletter! Let’s grow this community together. 🌈

P.S. Follow us on Instagram for last-minute updates, cute kitten pics, and book club updates!

Subscribe now