🏆 Saint John made the shortlist

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Good morning, Saint John! Scientists have confirmed dogs can tell when we're happy or sad by looking at our faces. Dog owners everywhere responded by looking at the animal currently judging them from the couch and saying, Obviously!

Here’s the lowdown for the day:

Have a fantastic weekend!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

Elvis Presley died 49 years ago this Sunday, but New Brunswick tribute artist Thane Dunn has spent much of his life keeping the music, moves and rhinestones alive.

His first Elvis performance came in Grade 6, when he finished second to a French immersion clog-dancing group wearing wooden shoes. Thane grew up in Moncton with Elvis’s music playing at home and spent one summer repeatedly watching his father’s Aloha from Hawaii recording, singing into a hairbrush and studying Elvis in the mirror.

“There just was this weird connection with Elvis,” Thane told SJ Today. “It felt like he was a part of my family.”

Classmates teased him for looking like Elvis, and later, while singing songs by the Doors and Rolling Stones in bands, audiences began to say he sounded like him, too. That resemblance eventually became a career.

Thane won the Collingwood Elvis Festival, then the world’s largest Elvis competition, in 2008 and later won it a second time. Since then, he has performed across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

“There’s so much more to him than putting on a suit and white boots,” Thane said. “There’s really a craft to it.”

That craft includes studying the stories, emotion and movements behind Elvis’s songs, plus a serious commitment to the wardrobe. Thane owns recreations of every costume from the 1972 documentary Elvis on Tour and has a new White Fireworks suit coming for his September 12 performance at Imperial Theatre.

Music is the family business for Thane and his wife, both professional musicians based in New Brunswick. Their 11-year-old son is already singing, too.

Thane estimates he has performed at Imperial about 18 times and the upcoming appearance is billed as his final Saint John show, though he isn’t retiring. He plans to tour more of Canada with his band of Maritime musicians.

“I’m just excited about the future,” Thane said. “It’s a cool thing to be able to say that you make a living making people happy.”

For Saint John, the last show has a simpler meaning…“It’s a thank you. The people in Saint John have really been so good to me.”

Princess Street is looking a little more colourful this summer thanks to some seriously talented young artists. Nineteen original pieces created by students from nine local schools and organizations have been transformed into banners lining the street between Sydney and Water as part of Uptown Saint John’s 2026 Box Art Project.

Take a stroll, check out all 19 and see what the next generation of local artists has created.

⚓ Port Saint John cruises into awards race

Port Saint John has been named a finalist for North America’s Best Cruise Terminal at the 2026 World Cruise Awards.

Saint John is up against heavyweight ports including Miami, Vancouver, Montreal, Galveston and New York and New Jersey. The nomination recognizes the welcome offered to cruise passengers and crew, from the waterfront terminals to the easy stroll into Uptown and the Bay of Fundy region.

Voting is open to the public and cruise industry professionals until August 21. Public voters must register and be at least 16, while verified industry votes count double.

🏆 Top clicks of the week

Monday - West Side Days is on now
Tuesday - Fundy Fringe Fest kicks off next week
Wednesday - Rothesay citizen survey results
Thursday - Crafting swap happening this weekend

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WHAT WE’RE DOING THIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY

Hospice Summer BBQ | August 14
Bobby’s Hospice is firing up the grill at 385 Dufferin Row from 11:30am–1pm, with every lunch helping support patient care. Eight bucks gets you a hamburger, hot dog, chips and water, with entertainment, raffles and a 50/50 adding a little extra to the lunch break.

Third Shift | August 14–16
Saint John gets a little weird after dark as Third Shift fills the city with contemporary art, projections, performances and interactive installations. The annual arts festival takes over familiar spaces in unexpected ways, with plenty to discover as you wander around Uptown this weekend.

Outdoor Concert Series with Dram & A Draw | August 14
Dram & A Draw bring Maritime folk, Celtic flair and kitchen-party energy to Hampton Brewing Co. Friday night. Expect tight harmonies, stomping rhythms and several good reasons to raise a glass when the outdoor show gets underway at 8pm.

SATURDAY

Kingston Farmers Market | August 15
More than 80 New Brunswick vendors fill the Kingston Farmers Market with fresh produce, salmon, grass-fed meats, baking, crafts and food from around the world. It runs from 8am–1pm, so bring a shopping bag and maybe don't make breakfast plans beforehand.

Quinzou 2026 | August 15
Celebrate Acadian Day on the Saint John waterfront with a free evening of music, karaoke and plenty of Acadian pride. Plywood Joe takes the stage at AREA 506, and we're told there'll even be Acadian Alpine cans available, because some traditions deserve to be preserved. It all starts at 6pm.

SUNDAY

African Culture Festival | August 16
The African Culture Festival brings a full afternoon of culture and community to the Saint John waterfront beginning at noon. Head to the AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village for a Sunday celebration showcasing African culture right in the heart of the city.

Founders Cup | August 16–22
Canada’s top Junior B lacrosse teams descend on TD Station Sunday as Saint John hosts the Founders Cup national championship. The Saint John Rapids welcome teams from across the country for a full week of big hits, fast breaks and a national title on the line, with the championship final set for Saturday.

🎪 More events than we can fit in one newsletter…find them here!

_{^{*Nothing in this section is sponsored, just things you need to know. We’ll always let you know if items are sponsored.}}

📍 On Wednesday we shared this pic of what everyone seemed to think was blueberries. And yes, while we love everything McKay’s has to offer down in Pennfield, this was actually the scoreboard at Memorial Field...a weird and obviously difficult-to-decipher shoutout to the AJ’s Saint John Alpines, who were battling the Moncton Mets in the playoffs this week. Sadly, the Alpines were eliminated after two tough losses in the best-of-three series.

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Today’s Tides 🌊

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Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone who doesn’t have a dog judging them for being on their phone this early 🐶.

-Geoff Walsh - Publisher