Press Releases

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) announced today its Halifax plans for Aboriginal Day Live & Celebration and launched the event’s new website. The free events are Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21, 2014, and are part of Canada’s largest celebration of National Aboriginal Day.

The Lighting of the Sacred Fire welcomes the event on the evening of June 20. Listen for and follow the beating of Mi’kmaq drums that will lead you to one of the eight multi-coloured wigwams where the fire will be lit. Stay awhile to learn the cultural significance of this sacred ceremony.

The all-day event takes place on June 21 along the Halifax Waterfront and kicks off at 12:00 p.m. with a cultural showcase in celebration of National Aboriginal Day and a live evening concert at 8 p.m. The event welcomes all nations, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, to join the celebration. The journey is a visual narrative of culture and history through arts and performance.

Wigwams will transform the Halifax Waterfront into a cultural experience featuring the First Nations of the area. Be sure to partake in the basket weaving, quillwork, storytelling, traditional games and enjoy the performances between Sackville Landing and the Sands on Salter. The Sackville Stage will keep all entertained with a full roster of music and dance performances by Eskasoni Cultural Journeys, and Chef Ray Bear will host the Taste of Mi’kma’ki with his lip-smacking traditional food sampling. Also,Friends United and other artisans will showcase their unique creations.

Government support has helped make it possible to travel with Aboriginal Day Live & Celebration to Halifax. The Government of Nova Scotia has made a valuable contribution to the event as a Regional Presenter. The celebration also receives support from the Government of Canada through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency as Regional Presenter and Waterfront Development Corporation as Regional Official Partner.

“Nova Scotia is excited and proud to welcome APTN to Halifax as they celebrate Canada’s aboriginal culture with a national audience,” said Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil. “Our province has so much to offer as a cultural destination for visitors. This is an opportunity to honour the rich traditions of Mi’kmaq and aboriginal people in our province and share their stories with the whole country.”

The new look of the website also includes an expansion of the Aboriginal Day Live & Celebration social media team. Whether it be on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr or Instagram (to name a few), all are invited to share pictures and posts via your computer or mobile device. You might even have your photo or tweet added to part of our live broadcast of Aboriginal Day Live.

For full details on Aboriginal Day Live & Celebration and the new website, visit aboriginaldaylive.ca

The Halifax entertainment lineup for the evening’s Aboriginal Day Live concert will be announced at a special press conference on May 6, 2014.