🐾 Queen Square favourite moves in

Good morning, Saint John! A class of Baltimore preschoolers picked Canada for their first imaginary trip abroad. They packed luggage, showed their passports, “flew” north and tried butter tarts. Their teacher figures they chose us because they already know how to spell red.

Here’s the lowdown for the day:

Let’s get it!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

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Seniors get their own week 👏

New Brunswick’s first Seniors’ Week runs through October 3, with National Seniors Day on Thursday. The province says it’s meant to recognize older New Brunswickers and encourage them to stay active and connected.

The announcement doesn’t include any events or new programs. It’s a reminder to spend time with the older people in your life, check in on a neighbour or thank someone who cares for seniors.

A six-year stitch in time 🧵

More than 200 quilts filled the Quispamsis Lions Club this weekend for the Kennebecasis Valley Quilters’ Guild’s 44th annual show. Lorette Cole won Best in Show for a scene of Amish men cutting ice that took six years to make. She hand-painted fabric for the horse and jeans, then spent two weeks planning a single embroidered chain.

The theme was “Scrap Happy — No Piece Left Behind,” though some of the finished pieces looked more suited to a gallery than the foot of a bed. CBC has photos, including an ocean quilt with rope and shimmering details worth a closer look.

Moosehead makes a border run 🍺

Moosehead has been hustling beer from Saint John into the U.S. ahead of today’s scheduled ban on Canadian imports. CEO Andrew Oland says about 15% of its beer normally heads south, and what’s already there should last until late October or early November. He’d rather keep brewing it here than make Moosehead in the U.S.

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The Red Barkery comes to Saint John 🐾

If your four-legged friend isn’t pulling you to The Red Barkery tent every Sunday, you must be doing the Queen Square Farmers Market wrong. At least, that’s what we imagine your dog would say.

The homemade dog treat business has moved to Saint John. Owner Amy Walton started baking for her own dog in 2022, then gave the extras to friends’ dogs. “They kept asking for more,” she told SJ Today. Social media orders led to pop-up markets and, earlier this year, a gold finish in an Excellence NB vote.

Amy still makes everything herself while working full time. The Red Barkery, named for her old dog whose name was, Red, sells bones, donuts, pupcakes, cakes and Bark Bites. Those last ones seem to be the furry favourite, “They are like mini doggy timbits and the pups love them,” Amy tells us. 

She plans to return for Queen Square’s final two Sundays, ending Thanksgiving weekend. Next up is a Halloween pop-up at dog-friendly In Pursuit on King Street on October 31, with treats and a dog costume contest. She’ll be back for Uptown Sparkles, too.

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Theatre Talk Tuesday 🎭

Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of The Dubliners | September 29
The music and story of Irish folk group The Dubliners take over the Imperial Theatre for performances at 1pm and 7pm. A cast of Irish musicians plays favourites including “Whiskey in the Jar,” “The Irish Rover” and “Rocky Road to Dublin” in a show celebrating more than 50 years of the band’s influence. Tickets are listed at $59, $64 and $69.

Sarah Hagen | October 1
Pianist Sarah Hagen brings the work of women composers into the spotlight at 112 Princess Street at 7:30pm. Her recital features music by Clara Schumann, Cécile Chaminade and Marianna Martines, along with the stories behind their compositions. It’s part of the Live @ The BMO Music Series.

Magnificat | October 2
Choreographer Marie Chouinard and her dance company bring Bach’s Magnificat to the Imperial Theatre at 7:30pm. The 35-minute work moves between full-company sequences and smaller trios, duets and solos. Tickets are $45, or $40 for members.

Watch This! with the Saint John String Quartet | October 4
The Saint John String Quartet is giving this concert something extra to look at. Watch This! pairs Haydn and contemporary works with the premiere of Tether: New Brunswick Resonance, a collaboration among composer Emily Kennedy, animator Graeme Patterson and writer Gemma Marr. Live music, textile stop-motion animation and storytelling draw on the Bay of Fundy’s tides and our connections to this place. It starts at 2pm in the Port Saint John Gallery at the Saint John Arts Centre.

Once Upon a One More Time | October 8–10
Harbour View High School is turning classic fairy tales upside down with a musical powered by Britney Spears hits. Cinderella, Snow White and their fellow princesses set out to rewrite their stories and find a new happily ever after. Performances begin at 7:30pm Thursday through Saturday at 305 Douglas Avenue. Tickets start at $30.

📍Discover tons more upcoming events across the Saint John region.

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📸 Kaeleigh Styles | 📍 City Hall

Seeing your local pics like this makes our day! If you’ve got a great shot on your camera roll, hit reply and send it our way!

🌅 7:20am | 🌇 7:08pm

Today’s Tides 🌊

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Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone who needs a sweet Canadian treat this week 🥮!

-Geoff Walsh - Publisher