The gang that ran Saint John’s docks

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Good morning, Saint John! Hope you had a fantastic New Brunswick Day and enjoyed both of our official holiday weather settings…rain and fog. Good news is it’s a short week with a lot of sunshine!

Here’s the lowdown for the day:

Let’s get into it!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

Some cravings are worth listening to. If you've been thinking about ribs this week, you're not alone. Or maybe it's a stacked burger, smoked brisket or a basket of wings calling your name instead.

Whatever you're in the mood for, Montana's makes it easy to turn an ordinary weeknight into a great supper. Grab the family, meet up with friends or claim a booth for yourself. Either way, you can leave the cooking to someone else and focus on the important part...do you have enough napkins?

Proudly locally owned and operated, Montana's Saint John is open daily from 11am.

🚧 Rockwood work gets underway

Rockwood Park is getting some behind-the-scenes plumbing work starting today. Crews will begin moving equipment and materials into the park as part of the rehabilitation of its water storage reservoir, with increased construction activity expected in the area through late fall. The City says the work will help keep Saint John’s water distribution system reliable. Park visitors are being asked to use caution, follow posted signs and resist the urge to wander over for a closer look at the heavy machinery.

📈 UNB makes its pitch

UNB Saint John is taking aim at a shortage of trained salespeople across the region. Its Faculty of Business has launched the Atlantic Sales Performance Hub, billed as the first initiative of its kind in Atlantic Canada. The hub will connect sales leaders with research, professional education, webinars, conferences and future UNB graduates, while giving businesses opportunities to recruit interns and help shape new research. A 2022 national survey found 73 per cent of businesses struggled to hire qualified salespeople, while 40 per cent of new hires had no formal sales training. It’s now conducting a State of Sales Survey to find out what’s making the job particularly difficult across the Maritimes.

🏒 Ice time is calling

If the arrival of August already has you feeling like summer is flying by, this won’t help. The city is now accepting applications for the 2026–27 ice season at Charles Gorman, Stewart Hurley and Peter Murray arenas. The season runs from October 9 through March 31, and regular users hoping to claim their preferred slot have until August 17 to apply. Forms are available through the City’s arenas and skating page. Winter is coming, but first comes paperwork.

⚓ Saint John’s original headhunters

Long before LinkedIn recruiters started sliding into inboxes, 1800s Saint John had “the crimps.” These waterfront operators would lure newly arrived sailors into boarding houses with food, booze and promises of better pay, then convince them to abandon their ships. Once captains were stranded without crews, the crimps would offer the sailors back at wildly inflated wages, taking a healthy cut for themselves. According to a new CBC history piece, they became so powerful they formed a Boarding House Owners Association, gained political influence and allegedly had local constables in their corner. The racket eventually disappeared with the rise of steamships, which spent less time in port. 
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The Fundy Sea Shanty Festival sails back into Fundy-St. Martins from
August 7–9, filling the seaside village with three days of maritime music, food, storytelling and good old-fashioned singalongs. This year’s featured performers include Heather Rankin, France’s Les Gabiers d’Aquilon and Ottawa’s Bytown Sea Shanty Collective, with music and pop-up performances happening throughout the weekend.

Festival-goers can also try Irish céilí dancing, decorative knot tying and sea glass jewellery making, catch fascinating tales from Maritime history, enjoy tastings and pub nights, or browse regional makers and food vendors at the Harbour Bazaar. Gather the crew, warm up those singing voices and chart a course for a weekend by the Bay of Fundy.

TUESDAY

Portland Music Series | August 4
The Spinnaker Brothers take over Portland United Church at 7pm for this week’s instalment of its summer concert series. Admission is free, with donations collected in support of the North End Food Bank.

WEDNESDAY

Summer Stage with Oreo Jones | August 5
Oreo Jones brings the tunes to Unity Park in Grand Bay-Westfield at 6:30pm. The outdoor concert is free, so bring a lawn chair and claim your patch of grass. Bad weather moves the show inside the Brundage Point River Centre.

Teen Pottery on the Wheel | August 5
Teens can get their hands dirty at the Saint John Arts Centre beginning at 6pm, learning how to centre clay, shape pieces on the wheel, trim and glaze their creations. The workshop is designed for beginner and intermediate artists, with sleeves of clay available from the Arts Centre.

THURSDAY

Concert in the Common | August 6
Ella Campbell takes the Rothesay Common stage from 7pm to 8pm for another free Thursday-night concert. Bring a blanket or chair and park at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. Rain moves the show to Wells Community Centre.

FRIDAY

Buskers on the Boardwalk | August 7–9
The Boardwalk turns into one big open-air circus for three days of magic, comedy, fire, music and people with considerably better balance than the rest of us. Free shows run from noon into the evening Friday through Sunday, featuring Junkyard Symphony, Madame Guillotine, Super Silly Danger Boy, Astonishment and daredevil magician Spencer Scurr.

Bay of Fundy Sand Sculpture Festival | August 7–9
The Bay of Fundy Sand Sculpture Festival gets rolling Friday as eight professionals turn 60 tonnes of sand into an Uptown masterpiece on the Market Square Boardwalk. The action moves to New River Beach Saturday and Sunday for two days of world-class sculpting, an amateur competition, free family workshops and a Vendor Village featuring more than 30 local makers and food vendors. Enjoy the art while it lasts because the Bay has already scheduled its demolition crew.

SATURDAY

Free Kids Book Market | August 8
Young readers can pick out free books outside the Carleton Community Centre from 2pm to 4pm, or until the supply disappears. Organized by Marlee Learmonth, the market features new and gently used books for children from pre-K to Grade 5, plus story time, face painting, bookmark decorating and comfortable places to immediately crack open the new haul.

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

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📸 Justin Robertson | 📍 Saints Rest Beach

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🌅 6:12am | 🌇 8:47pm

Today’s Tides 🌊

Eyes on You!

Want to catch Saint John’s attention? Baseline ads in SJ Today put your message front and centre, mingling with the latest news and stories. It’s a simple, effective way to be seen by locals. Ready to stand out? Let’s make it happen!*

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Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone who’s ready for another heatwave ☀️!

-Geoff Walsh - Publisher