June 16th – July 1st 2017
Canada's First Incorporated City Celebrates
Canada 150!
July 1, 1867 began the official journey that would carry us from sea to sea, to become our home and native land today. As Canada's first incorporated city, predating the country itself, Saint John proudly boasts one of the largest celebrations in New Brunswick, celebrating both the pride of our unity and diversity as Canadians.
Arts + Culture serves as an incredible means of connection; creating the diverse tapestry of our nation. Throughout 2017, we hope to engage every community within the Canada's first city with a variety of participatory art forms. Sculpture, painting, music, video and photography from budding artists and supporting professionals, these multiple forms and genres will create an opportunity for one and all to devote their creativity to exploring what it means to be Canadian.
The Medium is the Message: Celebrating 150 in Art Form
Sculpture, painting, music, video, photography - we will be celebrating our nation with a variety of participatory art forms. From nurturing budding artists and supporting professionals, the multiple forms and genres will create an opportunity for one and all to devote their creativity to exploring what it means to be Canadian.
Of a Feather: Canada's National Bird
Wood is selected as the medium to celebrate our provinces' abundant forests. The new national bird, the gray jay, has been selected to commemorate 150, and acts as the foundation and conceptual origin for the theme of our artist in residency program of the process of creating a public art piece.
150 in Chalk
Chalkmaster Dave is a Toronto artists who has traveled the world over sharing his incredible talents in a unique medium. Over the course of sixteen days, the Yoda of Chalk will create 150 vignettes at feature locations throughout Uptown that celebrate who we are as Canadians. The ephemeral quality of chalk is a message that will be a focus of the project.
Worth a Thousand Words
We will be encouraging the public to participate in taking photos of their experiences during Canada Day Celebrations to share via social media. Themes will be encouraged to capture and reflect diversity, belonging, pride, reconciliation, youth, and the environment. 150 images taken over the course of the period will be printed and displayed in public spaces in the city core.
Canada 150 Window Decorating Contest!
To celebrate Canada 150 Uptown Saint John is hosting a 'Canada 150 Window Decorating Contest'. If you are an uptown business and would like to be in the running for a grand prize basket of goodies, please register with at [email protected] or by calling 506-633-9797 prior to June 15, 2017! Winner will be announced on June 22, 2017. Let's show off our pride and splash up the red and white!
June 16th 
Saint John Community Arts Board Celebrations
Emerging from Saint John as the Cultural Capital of Canada in 2010, successful arts awards known as the Originals were developed to celebrate our sesquicentennial.
The unveiling of the art piece "Gray Jay" created by artist Phil Savage will be presented at the public art walking tour.
Chalkmaster Dave, the Yoda of Chalk will begin creating over 150 images in our city to be completed over the course of 16 days. Chalkmaster Dave is a Toronto artist who has traveled the world sharing his incredible talents in a unique medium.
Live performances by Jasmine, InterAction School of Performing Arts, Rondos Dance Theatre and more at 3pm - followed by cheque presentation of Grant Cheques and the unveiling of Phil Savage's Gray Jays. The Saint John Community Arts Board will sound the first work whistle of the summer at 5pm with the live entertainment continuing and light refreshments for all who attend. This will officially kick off #Canada150SJ!
June 18th 
Father's Night - Fathers of Confederation
New Brunswick was one of the original provinces to rally in support of joining as a nation, and were among the first to sign, in 1867. One might imagine after building a nation during multiple conferences and years of effort,the Fathers of Confederation worked up quite an appetite. We will make merry as these men surely must have with a multi-course offering in honour of the Fathers of Confederation, to serve our own fathers on this day of celebration of them as well!
Boardwalk featured musician Drake Adams at 6pm.
June 20th
Seniors' Tea
Our nation's seniors represent the voices of a generation that has borne witness to an immense population. We pay homage to this important part of our community with our annual Senior's Tea. Tea is a very popular drink and we will be sharing the special blends developed over centuries as we have a cuppa with our community's seniors in this time-honoured event that warms the heart - just like a good cuppa should!
World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day in Saint John at the New Brunswick Museum beginning at 3pm with Virtual Reality Refugee Experience Tent followed by a reception & refreshments and Refugee stories along with Mayor Darling's address.
June 21st
National Aboriginal Day
New Brunswick is comprised of fifteen indigenous Mi'kmaq and Maliseet bands across the province. As a major trading post for centuries, the land upon which the Canada Day festivities occur remains one of the few territories that no indigenous groups lay claim: it has perpetually been a space for all to gather. We welcome live entertainment to the Market Square Boardwalk at 5pm:
The Gary Sappier Blues Band
Kam Speech & Old Self
June Nominee Hubert Francis
Join the New Brunswick Museum for a day filled with art creation, storytelling and other demonstrations celebrating the Indigenous people in New Brunswick.
June 23rd
5th Annual Black Box Mixology Competition
Join us on the Market Square Boardwalk for the 5th Annual Black Box Mixology Competition at 12pm! All Market Square restaurants will compete to see who can create the signature Boardwalk beverage; to be sold at all Boardwalk restaurants. The winner will earn the title of the Boardwalk's Top Bartender and their drink will be featured in all Boardwalk restaurants for the whole summer!
Canada 150 Legacy Mural Grand Opening
The North Market Wharf Cultural Association presents the Canada 150 Legacy Mural Nest by Deanna Musgrave featuring a performance of Skywalker an original composition written in celebration of the mural by Andrew Reed Miller. Join us in the Market Square Skywalk at 4:15pm!
Taste of the Boardwalk!
In celebration of Canada 150, the City of Saint John & Market Square are hosting a FREE family event to kick off the summer! Mayor & Council will be pulling the official 5pm work whistle announcing to those near and far that the weekend is here! Then we're kicking it into high gear with Live Entertainment by:
The Mellotones
Andrew Waite and The Firm
Dave Gunning
2017 Boardwalk House Band: Nothing But A Necktie
Hosted by Jimmy Flynn
Bounce Rides, Face Painting, Sno-cones, a BBQ by Local 18, Pepsi products and a taste of Market Square with samples of Boardwalk eats! We'll top it all off with Festival Fireworks from the Coast Guard site at dusk - grab the best seats in town on the Market Square Boardwalk and enjoy the show!
Mark your Calendars for the Saint John Canada 150 Celebration
Citizens of all ages are invited to celebrate Canada's 150th Birthday in Canada's First Incorporated City on Friday, June 23 at Loyalist Plaza and Market Square. With greetings from Mayor Don Darling, a BBQ served by members of Saint John Common Council, live entertainment and family-friendly activities, there will be something for everyone. And it's all free!
Activities include bouncy castles, face painting, cotton candy and snow cones, as well as live music on the boardwalk and fireworks courtesy of The Hardman Group and Market Square. Come join the fun for the family-friendly event, and your chance to kick off Canada 150 in Saint John.
The Saint John Canada 150 Celebration is proudle hosted by Mayor Don Darling and Saint John Common Council.
June 24th
St Jean-Baptiste Day
The soul food of the Great White North - poutine! Our
bi-lingual status as a province deepens our connection to the francophone cultures of our region and our country, and this day becomes an opportunity for a culinary and musical delight to make the mouth water and the ears sing! the fifth installment of the Poutinerie Challenge cements it into an annual tradition. All in attendance will enjoy FREE poutine from participating restaurants in Uptown Saint John at 12pm!
Picnic in the Park
Fun for the whole family beginning at 1pm at Rockwood Park! Enjoy FREE BBQ, Live Entertainment, canoeing, geocaching, face painting and create one of the 150 paper boats that will float in Lily Lake!
Taste of the Boardwalk
Taste of the Boardwalk continues at 8pm with Easy Comes Easy followed by an encore presentation of the Tragically Hip's Final Concert. We'll cap the night off with The Adam Washburn Band!
June 25th
Sax on the Boardwalk
Join us every Sunday at 12pm on the Boardwalk for live sax music featuring the sweet sounds of Canada's top saxophone artists!
Drive in Classics
Cap off the weekend with vintage black & white classic films screened on the Boardwalk at 8pm! This week features Some Like It Hot
June 26th
ECMA Mondays
New Brunswick's Festival Place, Market Square was proud to be the home of ECMA's for 2017 - but the party isn't over yet! We're showcasing East Coast talent every Monday evening, all summer! This week featuring Andrew Waite!
June 27th
National Multiculturalism Day
Our long-standing partnership with the Saint John Multiculturalism and Newcomers' Resource Centre and the YMCA has been a wonderful tradition to celebrate the cultural mosaic of our nation. This year's events will incorporate a feature of our Syrian newcomers to our region. The rich culture they bring to our community merits a celebration of its own, and we will share this in a variety of forms, including food, drink and performance art. Beginning at 12pm in the Market Square Atrium featuring Clyde Wray and a variety of multicultural demonstrations and entertainment. An additional event will take place the Saint John City Market.
New Brunswick Talent Showcase
The incredible talents of our province are something we are proud to boast! Join us every Tuesday all summer long as the Boardwalk stage ignites with the skills and flair of New Brunswick's finest! This week featuring Haley McMillan, Adam Downing, Marcel Caissie & Christine Violette and Sebastian Doucette & Arianne Caissie.
June 28th
Saint John Idol XV
In the spirit of tradition, we are tickled to celebrate our fifteenth season! This event only continues to grow in popularity with each passing summer, and our fifteenth anniversary will blow them all out of the water! Performing hits from Canadian top 40 artists, our Idol hopefuls will sing their hearts out to make our nation proud.
June 29th
Country Star Canadian Edition
Our contestants will perform hits from Canadian country stars, and will be decked out in their Canadian colours - to match the Boardwalk décor, of course!
June 30th
Canada Day Countdown
THIRTEENTH ANNIVERSARY
This year's highly anticipated annual Canada Day Countdown event honours June 30th 1867 - we're kicking off the festivities at noon! This year there will be a fireworks display at the stroke of midnight, featuring 101 shots to celebrate the arrival of the sesquicentennial.
Join Moosehead Breweries Limited as they celebrate their 150th Anniversary on the Boardwalk!
Moosehead President, Andrew Oland will pull the 5 o'clock work whistle to kick the festivities into high gear with giveaways, a photo booth, and your chance to win BEER FOR A YEAR! Story boards with details of where and how the Moosehead Empire began and how it has grown over the last 150 years here in Saint John will be unveiled. These will be displayed on the Boardwalk for the entire summer!
Shinerama will be celebrating it's 50th Anniversary of dedication to the fight against cystic fibrosis, with a Gourmet BBQ, as well as activities featuring a Wipe Out Bounce, and bringing back the time honoured tradition - the Mechanical Bull!
COUNTDOWN ENTERTAINMENT
Canada's 150th Birthday Party starts HERE in Saint John, New Brunswick. There will be live entertainment all day and night, starting at noon and into the wee hours of Canada Day, featuring:
Ria Mae is a Canadian singer and songwriter from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her music blends pop melodies with alternative and folk. Ria was also a 2017 ECMA Winner!
Long before Vancouver's Said the Whale became a JUNO Award winning, radio chart-topping indie rock band, it was an exploratory song writing experiment led by high school friends, Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester. Now, a decade since their 2007 formation, they have taken the project back to its freeform roots while simultaneously venturing forward into uncharted art-pop territory.
S.H.R.I.M.P Ring is a new wave space-goth synth-rock band from Saint John, NB. The duo is made up of veteran East Coast electronic musicians Dan Chamberlain and Philip Jaguar.
The Wooden Sky an indie folk band whose music is dynamic, literate, and informed by equal shares of joy and sorrow .
The Tartan Terrors are their own Celtic Invasion, mixing rock's energy with traditional folklore, dance, and humor. With an arsenal featuring classic pipes and fiddle, driving drum tones, and signature guitar styles.
Greg MacPerson is a Canadian singer-songwriter based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. MacPherson performs both solo and with a backing band, MacPherson's sixth album, Mr. Invitation, was longlisted for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize.
Midnight Pyrotechnics Show | Night Artisan Market | Gourmet BBQ | Life Size Board Games | Mechanical Bull Ride | Beer Garden 19+
Click HERE for the full Canada Day schedule!
New Brunswick was one of the original provinces to rally in support of joining as a nation, and were among the first to sign, in 1867. One might imagine after building a nation during multiple conferences and years of effort,the Fathers of Confederation worked up quite an appetite. We will make merry as these men surely must have with a multi-course offering in honour of the Fathers of Confederation, to serve our own fathers on this day of celebration of them as well!
The soul food of the Great White North - poutine! Our
Our long-standing partnership with the Saint John Multiculturalism and Newcomers' Resource Centre and the YMCA has been a wonderful tradition to celebrate the cultural mosaic of our nation. This year's events will incorporate a feature of our Syrian newcomers to our region. The rich culture they bring to our community merits a celebration of its own, and we will share this in a variety of forms, including food, drink and performance art. Beginning at 12pm in the Market Square Atrium featuring Clyde Wray and a variety of multicultural demonstrations and entertainment. An additional event will take place the Saint John City Market.
