🍽️ If you could just eat one thing...

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Good morning, Saint John. Heading into Juno weekend, gotta shout out Maestro Fresh Wes, nominated for Children’s Album of the Year for Rhyme Travellers: Back to the Time Machine, created right here in the city. The Junos go Sunday night on CBC, live from Hamilton.

Here’s the lowdown for the day:

Have a fantastic weekend!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

The month of March won’t last forever.

It’s RVR Days at Loch Lomond Mitsubishi, and right now you can drive away in a brand new Mitsubishi RVR for $199 biweekly, all in. That’s not a starting price or a “plus this, plus that” situation. It’s $199. All in.

The RVR is Mitsubishi’s compact SUV that somehow checks every box. Sporty look, smart tech, and one of the best on gas in the country. Perfect for Saint John winters, grocery runs, hockey gear, and everything else life throws in the back seat.

The only catch is...when March ends, this deal ends.

So if your current vehicle has started making new and exciting noises every morning, this might be the sign.

RVR Days are on now at Loch Lomond Mitsubishi. $199 biweekly. All in.

🎶 AREA 506 lineup locked in

After a full day of artist drops yesterday, AREA 506’s lineup is now locked in, with 25 bands set to take over the waterfront July 30 to Aug. 2.

If you didn’t follow along in real time (or tapped out after the fifth refresh), this video runs through each night’s lineup start to finish.

Early bird weekend passes are now on sale, with prices set to increase once this batch is gone.

⚡ Power grid getting an upgrade

Saint John Energy is rolling out a $19.5 million upgrade to the city’s power system, with roughly half funded by the federal government. The plan includes new underground equipment, improved outage tracking, and “self-healing” tech that can detect issues and reroute power automatically.

Work starts this year and will roll out in phases over the next few years, with crews aiming to keep disruptions to a minimum. The bigger picture here is more people switching to electric everything, and the grid needs to keep up. The real payoff should be fewer outages and shorter ones when they do happen.

🏆 Top clicks of the week

Monday - Love Little Spring Market tomorrow
Tuesday - Come From Away tickets on sale
Wednesday - New provincial fishing rules
Thursday - Envision SJ’s Year in Review drops

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I had two really good meals out this week and it got me thinking…

What’s the best dish in Saint John?

Not the best restaurant. Just the one thing you order every time without even looking.

For me, a few that always come to mind:

(Realizing now that I might actually be 75% poultry.)

What’s yours?

Hit reply with:
dish + where it’s from + why it’s the one

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Spring Tide Shantyfest | March 26-28
It’s go time for Spring Tide Shantyfest, with three days of music, workshops, talks, and pub sessions taking over uptown officially underway. With events spread across multiple venues and time slots, the easiest way to take it all in is to map out a bit of a plan ahead of time.

Here’s the full schedule with everything happening across the weekend.

St. Malachy’s presents The Sound of Music | March 26-28
St. Malachy’s Memorial High School is staging The Sound of Music across multiple performances from March 26-28, with Saturday’s matinee running 2-4:30pm. It’s the kind of big, familiar musical that tends to bring out parents, alumni, theatre fans, and anyone who can’t hear Do-Re-Mi without immediately being transported somewhere else.

Ride the Cyclone The Musical | March 26-28
Hampton High School Theatre Company is putting on Ride the Cyclone across multiple dates from March 26-28, with rush seating and a show that leans a little darker and weirder than the average school production. It’s recommended for ages 11 and up, runs about 90 minutes, and sounds like a solid pick for anyone into offbeat musicals with cult-favourite energy.

Fabric Easter Eggs Workshop | March 28
The Sewist is spending Saturday afternoon turning scraps into something a little more festive with a reusable cloth egg workshop running from 12-3:45pm at 62 Water Street. It’s open to kids and adults, no sewing experience required, and participants can bring their own fabric or use what’s in the studio. Basically, a crafty little afternoon for people who like spring decor with personality.

Just Like Heaven New Wave Matinee | March 28
Five and Dime is swapping late-night energy for a synth-soaked afternoon Saturday from 1:30-4pm with Just Like Heaven, a new wave matinee featuring Dillon Ryan & Friends. It’s got retro mood, daytime drinks, and a playlist lane built for anyone who likes their Saturdays with a little atmosphere and a lot of 80s-inspired cool.

The Dooryard Drifters at Wasted Day | March 27
Wasted Day Brewing is handing the stage to The Dooryard Drifters on Friday from 9pm-midnight for a night of Atlantic-flavoured rock and roll with a heavy Canadian streak. Advance tickets are $10, or $15 at the door, which feels pretty reasonable for anyone looking to close out the week with guitars, beer, and a little maritime swagger.

The Mike Biggar Jazz & Blues Revue | March 27-28
Mike Biggar and company are back at the BMO Studio Theatre March 27-28, with shows at 7:30pm both nights. The lineup promises jazz, blues, and R&B in that intimate room that tends to make everything feel a little closer and a little better. For local music fans, this is one of those dependable crowd-pleasers that usually lands well.

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📍 On Wednesday we shared this pic and asked if you knew where we were… and it stumped everyone. Guesses ranged from the Container Village to the City Market to some of the great art at Casa Latina, but it’s actually the backside of the marquee at the Imperial Theatre, as seen from Golding’s Lounge.

Share your local pics with us…tag @sjtoday on IG or SJTodayNewsletter on FB.

🌅 7:14am | 🌇 7:45pm

Today’s Tides 🌊

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Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone who has in fact let their backbone slide 🕺.

-Geoff Walsh - Publisher