🚴 Which games are coming to SJ?

Good morning, Saint John! A town in Mexico just broke the world record for the largest bowl of guacamole at nearly 15,000 pounds, which feels like the perfect kick off to patio season. If you’re not treating yourself to chips and dip on a Thursday, what are we even doing here?

Here’s the lowdown for the day:

Enjoy the day!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

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🇨🇦 Canada Games Sports Locked In

The 2029 Canada Games in the Saint John Region just took another big step this week with organizers releasing the official sport lineup, giving us a better idea of what’s headed here in three years.

The Games will bring thousands of athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and visitors to the region, with sports including beach volleyball, rugby sevens, rowing, wrestling, mountain biking, soccer, and box lacrosse. Several sports will also include Para and Special Olympics disciplines.

For Saint John, this is one of the biggest national events the region has hosted in decades. Our hotels will be packed, local patios will be busy, we’ll see national TV crews everywhere, and everyone will suddenly choose a sport we’ve never shown interest in before as their favourite competition. The Games will mark the first time Saint John has hosted since the 1985 Canada Summer Games.

🪡 A quilt with sleeves

Move over snuggie…a New Brunswick quilter just earned a spot in the permanent collection at the New Brunswick Museum with a fully quilted jacket that sounds cooler than half the stuff hanging in stores right now.

Christina Savoie of Point La Nim won the 2026 New Brunswick Contemporary Quilt Award for Star Jacket, a handmade piece she designed, tailored, pieced, and quilted herself using a longarm sewing machine and enough technical skill to make your average sewing kit cry for help.

The award, presented with the Marco Polo Quilters’ Guild, helps preserve modern quilting in New Brunswick. 

Fun fact - local quilting events are among the most clicked links we share. Let us know if you do tee-shirt quilts…

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WEEKEND PREVIEW

THURSDAY

Brundage Point River Centre Weekly Market | May 21
Market season is back along the river in Grand Bay-Westfield. The Brundage Point River Centre launches its weekly Thursday market this week with local vendors, crafts, music, and food vendors set up overlooking the water. It runs 1-6pm and continues weekly through September, giving people another excuse to wander around holding lemonade and buying things they definitely didn’t plan on buying.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Business Mixer | May 21
Networking gets a little more fun than standing beside a cheese tray pretending to check LinkedIn at this Chamber mixer hosted inside a live Bowl for Kids’ Sake event at Fairview Bowling Lanes. The after-work event mixes networking with mentoring stories, bowling, and community connections from 4-6pm. Free to attend, but registration is required.

Sophia Recovery Centre Clothing Swap | May 21
The Sophia Recovery Centre is hosting its first community clothing swap on Main Street with free clothing available in sizes ranging from small to 2XL and beyond. People are encouraged to bring a bag of clean clothes or shoes to swap, but anyone is welcome to attend even if they’re coming empty-handed. Starts at 12:30pm, weather permitting.

FRIDAY

HOT TO GO | May 22
AREA 506 is throwing another pop dance party Friday night with HOT TO GO taking over the waterfront from 7-11pm. Tickets are $20 in advance and include a welcome drink, which feels like the exact kind of information people need before committing to dancing publicly to songs they absolutely know every word to.

What’s The Funny | May 22
The Kennebecasis Legion is handing the mic to Bow Master of Ceremonies for a stand-up comedy night featuring headliner John Skov-Nielsen alongside a stacked local lineup including Liam Patrick McNamara, Nathan Dimitroff, David Myles Holland Hall, and Martin Bowmaster. Doors open at 7:30pm with the show starting at 8:30pm. Advance tickets are cheaper, which is usually a good motivator in this economy.

Murder on the Yoga Mat | May 22
Savage Yoga is combining stretching and suspicious behaviour during a yoga-themed murder mystery event on Lancaster Street Friday night. The event starts at 6pm and promises an evening of poses, clues, and people pretending they totally knew who did it all along.

Art @ West Branch Library | May 22 & 23
The West Branch Library is hosting free art sessions Friday and Saturday at 11am with limited seating available each day. Registration is required for the Lancaster Mall event, which gives people a chance to get creative without immediately turning their kitchen table into an accidental paint studio.

SATURDAY

Town-Wide Yard Sale | May 23
Quispamsis turns into one giant bargain hunt Saturday during the annual Town-Wide Yard Sale. Residents across town are encouraged to post their addresses online and spend the day selling everything from hockey equipment to mystery bins labelled “misc.” Early birds are basically training for this all year.

Community-Wide Yard Sale | May 23
Grand Bay-Westfield is also diving headfirst into yard sale season with a community-wide sale happening throughout town. There’s limited table space available at the splash pad parking lot for sellers, while bargain hunters can spend the day chasing deals and debating whether they really need another folding chair.

Uptown Box Art Celebration Event | May 23
King’s Square turns into a live art party Saturday afternoon as local artists and students celebrate the latest Uptown Box Art installations. The free event features live painting, face painting, chalk mural art from Sean Bourque, Benny Bubblz, and student-created canvases that will eventually pop up around uptown this summer. Runs 1-3pm.

Rompin’ Rockwood | May 23
Trail runners return to Rockwood Park Saturday for the ninth annual Rompin’ Rockwood race, with runners tackling rugged 11km, 26km, and 52km courses through Fisher Lakes trails. There are no massive climbs, but organizers promise your legs will still absolutely notice the terrain by the end of it.

Harbour Passage Community Walk | May 23
Chroma NB is organizing a relaxed community walk along Harbour Passage Saturday afternoon starting near the colourful tube sculptures on the boardwalk. The accessible walk runs from 1-3pm and is open to anyone looking for fresh air, conversation, and an excuse to get outside before committing to another weekend on the couch.

Cardboard Boat Race | May 23
Teams armed with cardboard, duct tape, and misplaced confidence will hit the Canada Games Aquatic Centre Saturday afternoon for S.W.A.M.’s cardboard boat race fundraiser. Teams get 20 minutes to build something vaguely seaworthy before attempting to paddle across the pool without immediately sinking. Spectators can attend by donation, and honestly, watching cardboard boats fail sounds worth it alone.

Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides | May 23
Dog lovers and their four-legged walking partners will gather in Quispamsis Saturday morning for the annual Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides fundraiser. Registration starts at 10am with the walk beginning at 11am, supporting life-changing Dog Guide programs across Canada. There will almost certainly be at least one dog more organized than its owner.

Bad Words for a Good Cause | May 23
Wasted Day Brewing hosts a comedy and music fundraiser Saturday night supporting Operation Feed SJ and a local family recovering from a house fire. Quinn Adams kicks things off with live music before comedians including Kelly Lamrock, Lynn Solange, Jake Tobias, and Martin Bowmaster take over. Advance tickets are $15, with proceeds helping two local causes.

Waterfront Concert Series: Dan Mangan | May 23
Dan Mangan headlines the latest AREA 506 Waterfront Concert Series show Saturday night with Marc McLaughlin opening. The concert runs 7-11pm along the waterfront with tickets starting at $40.

SUNDAY

Celebrate Africa Day with PRUDE Inc. | May 24
PRUDE Inc. is hosting an Africa Day celebration Sunday afternoon at Market Square featuring food, fashion, music, storytelling, and interactive displays celebrating cultures and traditions from across the African continent. The free event runs 1-4pm and promises a colourful afternoon full of music, learning, and community connection.

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📸 Paul Owen | 📍 St. Martins

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🌅 5:47am | 🌇 8:54pm

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Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone who knows the best guac is the one in front of you 🥑!

-Geoff Walsh - Publisher