The 2024 JUNO Awards in Halifax was more than a week-long celebration of Canadian music and culture; it was our opportunity to build a lasting legacy for the local music industry while showcasing the best event experiences that we could offer. Initiatives like the JUNOS Wavemaker Tour, JUNO Fest, the JUNO Block Party, the Red Carpet Gala, and 2024 JUNO Opening Night Awards at the Halifax Convention Centre ensured a lifetime of impact.
Behind the Red Carpet
The Halifax Convention Centre was proud to host the JUNO Red Carpet Gala on March 24 and the 2024 JUNO Opening Night Awards on March 23, an elevated celebration of emerging artists, industry veterans, and players behind the scenes – from producers to songwriters to legendary music executives. After media sessions on the Red Carpet, our Convention Centre Ballroom was transformed for more than 1,300 guests for the live CBC broadcast. After a gala meal crafted by our Culinary team, featuring local Atlantic salmon, the celebration included a performance of “East Coast Family” by Halifax-based artist Jah’Mila, joined by Nova Scotia’s Owen O’Sound’ Lee, Wendy MacIsaac, and Morgan Toney. Nominated for Reggae Recording of the Year, Jah’Mila reflected that reggae is “alive here in Canada, and it will continue to be alive.” Halifax lawyer Chip Sutherland was awarded the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for his decades of work empowering and supporting emerging artists. The 2024 Opening Night Awards was a special event for Canadian musicians, which also allowed our teams to deliver an exceptional level of service on a national scale. An event of this magnitude takes expertise to be successful, and we rose to the occasion.
"The guest experience was nothing short of spectacular. I heard rave reviews of the food at the 2024 JUNO Opening Night Awards, which is rare, let alone for the first time CARAS has ever served fish! From the greeters to the wait staff to the event managers, every staff member was pleasant, helpful, and highly professional.”
– Allegra Swanson, Host Committee Chair & Executive Director, Music Nova Scotia.
On Sunday, the Halifax Convention Centre again hosted the Red Carpet, this time before the 2024 JUNO Awards at Scotiabank Centre. It was a glamourous display of Canadian talent and style. Over 1,000 guests – from Halifax movie star Elliot Page to Blue Rodeo front-man Jim Cuddy – met with dozens of media outlets from across Canada, all catching a glimpse of the stars. Performers and award show attendees were then shuttled from the Convention Centre to Scotiabank Centre, a logistical and organizational accomplishment.
Making it Last
“The JUNOS provided us with a platform to showcase our traditions and ensure they continue through investments in the growth of music in Atlantic Canada. Not only did the JUNOS create so many amazing moments leading up to and throughout JUNO Week, we are confident the JUNOS will leave a lasting impact and legacy on our local music industry, our communities, and our region as a whole.”
- Suzanne Fougere, Host Committee Vice Co-Chair & Executive Vice-President, Halifax Convention Centre
For hundreds of years, music has been synonymous with who we are as Nova Scotians. The 2024 JUNOS and all its components provided the province with a platform to showcase this tradition and ensure it continues through investments in the growth of music in Atlantic Canada. The long-term programs and signature initiatives developed for the 2024 JUNOS will support long-term growth of the region’s African Nova Scotian musical communities, whose histories, legacies and contributions have enriched the province for over 400 years.
“It was important for our membership of Black creatives and industry professionals to be part of the biggest night in Canadian music. They made connections through the mentorship programs, gained exposure through the Music Industry Discovery Program, and saw how music business was conducted at the Chair’s Reception and Opening Night Awards Gala. We can continue to build on this and keep it alive.”
- Julien Matwawana, Executive Director, African Nova Scotian Music Association
As a shared effort between the industry, our partners, sponsors, municipal and provincial agencies, and our community, the Halifax Host Committee ensured that the 2024 JUNOS in Halifax will be felt for years to come. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to event attraction and for embodying the spirit of collaboration in event hosting, Vice Co-Chair of the 2024 JUNO Halifax Host Committee, Suzanne Fougere (Executive Vice-President, Events East) was presented with the prestigious Champion of the Year Award at the 2024 Event Atlantic Excellence Awards. Her leadership was key to bringing the 2024 JUNO Awards to Halifax, an event that will shape the industry landscape in our region and continue to drive economic inclusion and community growth in Nova Scotia long-term.
"Halifax was one of the best JUNOS we've held in years. The Halifax Convention Centre made the JUNOS a true success.”
- Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS
