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Good morning, Saint John! A truckload of squid spilled across a Rhode Island road, leaving behind a traffic jam, and massive cleanup. We love calamari as much as the next newsletter, but that is squidiculous.
In todays edition:
Quispamsis is reimagining your commute 🚧
Uptown riders can recharge their batteries 🔌
Three towns fired up for free music this week 🔥
Let’s get it!
-Geoff Walsh, Publisher
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NEWS NOTES
🚧 Hampton Road makeover starts Monday
A major overhaul of Hampton Road begins Monday, with construction starting between Peat Drive and McCarron Drive. Traffic will be reduced to one alternating lane with flaggers during the day and temporary lights overnight. COMEX Route 52 riders should also expect delays.
It’s the first phase of Quispamsis’s “Reimagine Hampton Road” project, which will eventually stretch from Campbell Drive/Pettingill Road to McCarron Drive. Plans include new underground pipes, better walking and cycling routes, improved accessibility, trees and upgrades to Landing Court.
Businesses will remain open, but noise, dust and a little extra quality time in traffic are all on the way. Work will continue through this construction season and into 2027.
🚲 E-bike charging lands on Water Street
SJ Energy has installed a five-bay bike locking and e-bike charging station near the AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village on Water Street. Riders need to bring their own charging cable, but the pilot is intended to make e-bike trips into Uptown more practical alongside the city’s new cycling infrastructure.
There are no plans for additional stations yet. SJ Energy tells SJ Today it will monitor how much the Water Street unit is used before considering an expansion.
We first spotted the station and started asking questions back on July 2. The full details finally rolled in August 20, but hey, at least nobody ran out of battery waiting.
🏒 Sea Dogs add two cheaper season-ticket options
The Sea Dogs have introduced two lower-cost ways to attend all 32 home games this season. Adults can grab a ‘no-frills’ pass for $299 plus taxes and fees, with seating in select upper-bowl corner sections and none of the regular membership extras.
Fans 13 and under can get a full season-ticket membership for $200 all-in. The season begins on the road September 18, with the home opener set for Friday, September 25 at 7pm against the Moncton Wildcats at TD Station.
*Nothing in this section is sponsored, just things you need to know. We’ll always let you know if items are sponsored.
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EVENTS
What’s Happenin’
Here are a few things to look forward to this week. Don’t forget to send us your events any time!
MONDAY
Blood Donor Clinic | August 24
Canadian Blood Services is holding a donor clinic in Quispamsis beginning at 2pm. Appointments and full location details are available through the event listing.
KV Walkers’ Final Summer Walk | August 24
KV Walkers wraps its summer season with one last free community walk through the Kennebecasis Valley. Meet the group at 6:30pm, bring a friend and take the route at whatever pace keeps the conversation comfortable. Check the KV Walkers Facebook page for this week’s starting point.
TUESDAY
506 Firesides | August 25–27
Brent Mason hosts three free, all-ages acoustic evenings beside the water this week. Bring a chair, settle in near the fire and enjoy about 90 minutes of live music, or pack an acoustic instrument and join the jam yourself.
👉Hampton: August 25 at 7pm | Riverside Lighthouse Centre
👉Quispamsis: August 26 at 7pm | Meenan’s Cove Beach
👉Grand Bay-Westfield: August 27 at 7pm | Brundage Point River Centre
Summer Sewing Studio: Fashion Designer Camp | August 25–28
Young designers can spend four days turning sketches into actual clothing inside Chavah Lindsay’s Grand Bay-Westfield studio. The camp covers pattern drafting, fabric selection, garment construction and professional sewing techniques, with materials included and a mini runway show to close the week. It’s open to ages 10 and up, with limited space available.
WEDNESDAY
Teen Pottery on the Wheel | August 26
Teen artists can get both hands into wheel throwing during a workshop covering centring, shaping, trimming and glazing. The beginner-friendly session starts at 6pm at the Saint John Arts Centre; participants can purchase a 25-pound sleeve of clay for $35.
THURSDAY
Big Book Sale: Early Bird Evening | August 27
Readers who prefer first pick can shop the Big Brothers Big Sisters book sale at TD Station before the main doors open. The ticketed preview runs from 5–8pm, with early-bird passes available online or at The Write Cup in Market Square.
FRIDAY
5th Annual Saint John Sea Glass Festival | August 28–29
Collectors, artists and beachcombers take over Market Square for two days devoted to treasures tumbled smooth by the Bay of Fundy. The festival features sea-glass vendors, beach trips, workshops, speakers, contests, raffles, food and live music from 10am–7pm Friday and 9am–4pm Saturday.
Big Book Sale | August 28–30
Big Brothers Big Sisters fills TD Station with gently loved books ready for new shelves. Shop from 10am–8pm Friday, 10am–6pm Saturday or hit Sunday’s 10am–1pm Fill a Box Day. Cash, debit and credit are accepted.
AREA 506 as FOLK | August 28–29
Three all-ages concerts take over the waterfront across Friday and Saturday. The East Pointers lead Friday night with Josh Bravener & The Hypochondriacs and Big River Ramblers; Lennie Gallant heads Saturday afternoon before The Barr Brothers, Gift Horse and Abby McCartney close the weekend Saturday night. Individual shows start at $40, or a $79 weekend pass gets you into all three.
SATURDAY
Air Show Atlantic | August 29–30
Look up. Way up. The Snowbirds headline two days of aerial action at the Saint John Airport, joined by the SkyHawks parachute team, vintage Spitfire, Hurricane and Mustang aircraft, aerobatic teams, skydivers and more. Gates open at 10am, flying runs from noon–4pm and the grounds close at 5pm both days. General admission is $47.50 plus taxes and fees, youth tickets are $20 and children under 12 get in free with an adult.
Passport to Parks: Little River Reservoir | August 29
Little River Reservoir gets an afternoon of free family fun with canoeing and kayaking, face painting, basketball, volleyball, Benny Bubblz and live music from Pandemonium Steel Band. The City’s Passport to Parks event runs from 1–3:30pm at 27 Pipeline Road, with August 30 set as the rain date.
Introduction to Insect Pinning | August 29–30
Forgot Me Not Oddities teaches participants how to pin exotic butterflies and beetles and arrange them into framed artwork at The Forgotten Fern Oddities, 96 Princess Street. Sessions begin at 6pm Saturday and Sunday, cost $30 and include the finished piece you’ll take home. Space is limited, so contact the shop to reserve a spot.
SATURDAY
Queen Square Farmers’ Market | August 30
Queen Square fills with produce, flowers, eggs, cheese, local meat and food from around the world from 9am–2pm. Come with a shopping bag, an appetite or a friend who will inevitably make you stay for lunch.
Big Book Sale: Fill a Box Day | August 30
The final morning of the Big Book Sale is for readers who measure restraint by the box. Fill a Box Day runs from 10am–1pm at TD Station, closing out the annual fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
*Nothing in this section is sponsored, just things you need to know. I’ll always let you know if items are sponsored.
YOUR PICS
PETS ABOUT TOWN 🐾
Archie may not be about town, but he is snug as a pug on a rug, and that’s all we really need.
Show us your pets living their best life in the Saint John Region….hit reply and send us your pet pics!
SIDE NOTES
🌅 6:27am | 🌇 8:27pm
Today’s Tides 🌊
Low Tide | 3:55 AM(Mon 24 August) | 1.85 m(6.07 ft) |
High Tide | 10:06 AM(Mon 24 August) | 6.63 m(21.75 ft) |
Low Tide | 4:14 PM(Mon 24 August) | 2.1 m(6.89 ft) |
High Tide | 10:24 PM(Mon 24 August) | 7.11 m |
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Thanks!
Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone you ink would enjoy it 🦑
-Geoff Walsh - Publisher