Halifax, Nova Scotia: Atlantic Canada’s Gay Heart Celebrates Milestone

One of the friendliest spots in Canada (and that’s saying something considering how amicable our northern neighbors are generally speaking) is Halifax, Canada.

It’s also beautiful, rich in history and into its gay and lesbian culture. To wit, they are unspooling their first annual OUTeast Queer Film Festival this weekend (through June 17). And they celebrate the 25th anniversary of Halifax Pride July 20-29.

From the organizers:

• Halifax Pride is bound to be a crowd-pleasing festival that’s not to be missed; from the parade, the parties, and the cultural events like Queer Acts Theatre Festival and the Song Writer’s Circle, to sport events like the annual Dykes vs. Divas Softball Game, and symbolic events such as the vigil, flag-raising and inter-faith service.

There are LGBT-friendly and popular events all year round and great TAG-approved accommodations and terrific dining (seafood is a speciality, natch). Visit Rainbow Halifax for a few LGBT-specific and general travel planning tools.

Hello Sailor! A Must “Sea” Exhibit in Nova Scotia

Queen Mary crew members dress up, with "Jane" (centre), a steward from Liverpool, parading as the pin-up of one of Merseyside's football teams c. late-1950s. Picture courtesy of Oral History Archive at Southampton City Council/Ocean Pictures/Cunard.

I stumbled upon this exhibit while researching an article about the commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the Titanic.

Hello sailor! Gay life on the ocean wave at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in gay-friendly Halifax Nova Scotia  is

the first museum in North America to explore the lives of gay and lesbian mariners in this special exhibit. It combines an exhibit adapted from National Museums Liverpool (NML) in England with an exhibit created by the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The NML exhibit explores the unique subculture created by gay men working as stewards on British ocean liners from the 1950s to the 80s. The Canadian component compares that experience to the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex mariners in Canada up to the present day.

 

Tour of the Week: The 100th Anniversary of the Titanic’s Maiden Voyage

By Jeff Guaracino

Today’s cruise ship companies endlessly announce the “newest” or “world’s largest ships” but one passenger liner still captures our imaginations and respect, the RMS Titanic. The “unsinkable” ship struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, and sank on 15 April 1912, resulting in the deaths of 1,517 people.

Next year marks the 100^th anniversary of the sailing of Titanic’s maiden voyage. Several destinations, tour operators and exhibition companies are getting ready.

For the real deal, visit Halifax, Nova Scotia 

Princely Welcome in Canada’s Smallest Province

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com

With a scant 140,000 inhabitants, Prince Edward Island is Canada’s least populous and physically smallest province or state. An island which only OK’d the stunning, 8-mile Confederation Bridge, an architectural marvel, to the mainland of New Brunswick, another of Canada’s lovely Maritime Provinces, about 13 years ago, sort of likes to be left alone. But they also like — and genuinely welcome — tourists with nearly a million visiting from Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere per year.

How are they with the gays? Up till now it’s been largely don’t-ask-don’t-tell. But recent initiatives  indicate an authentic welcome to LGBT visitors, including the launch of their gay tourism association, GayPEI which is a great place for lesbian and gay tourists to start their research. I stayed at the stately Shipwright Inn, a historic, gay-friendly B&B (yummy pancakes!) run by a British ex-pat husband and wife team. Two nice gay-owned, gay-operated properties where you’ll feel very comfortable include Rainbow Lodge, probably a good choice for value seekers and the Cranford Inn, a four and a half star contemporary B&B, run by a lovely lesbian couple.

While you’re up there, why not combine a trip to P.E.I. with bustling lil Halifax. Its picturesque waterfront made our hotlist of 2010 Romantic Travel Destinations.