Fall/Winter Seasonal Guide
The crisp wind means Uptown Saint John is embracing Fall & Winter! Check out our seasonal signature initiatives, Season of Sparkle activities, Uptown Saint John Gift Card, and Clean Crew services.
We suggest you keep this bookmarked and check back often for up-to-date info!
Fall Uptown Saint John Gift Card Sale
Our bi-annual sale happens every Fall & Spring. The sale is for 20% off Uptown Gift Cards while supplies last. We will email you & post on our social media when the next one is about to happen.
Fall Chop Chop
October 30 to November 5, 2023
For this delightful week-long food initiative, we ask you to submit a menu item of your choice for one or each of the following categories;
Chop Chop Plate up to $15
2-Course Chop Chop Lunch up to $20
3-Course Chop Chop Dinner up to $45
$1 per dish will be collected at the end of the week to be donated on your behalf to the Lunch Connection program. (link to our Lunch connection program)
(During all of our food initiatives, we get many dietary requests from patrons. So if any of your offerings are gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or halal, please be sure to note it when submitting your menus to us). We will send you an email to sign up for this closer to the date.
Be sure to tag us on Instagram @UptownsjEATS in your Chop Chop photos & use the hashtags #chopchopsj #UptownsjEATS
Season of Sparkles
Uptown Saint John BIA helps make Uptown Sparkle by organizing many festive initiatives & event during November & December.
Season of Sparkles Activities
Uptown In Your Town
Free Delivery Service
2023 Dates TBD
This is a free local delivery service for all Uptown Saint John business’ retail products (non-perishable) provided by the Uptown Saint John BIA starting mid-November until mid December. Delivery Service will not be provided the day of Uptown Sparkles.
Sign up for this service by visiting the Uptown In Your Town page (click the arrow below)
Gingerbread Trail
2023 Dates TBD
Many Uptown businesses feature gingerbread creations each December. Visitors love exploring the Gingerbread Trail, which is organized by the Ginger Agency.
Uptown Sparkles
Dec 1st, 2023
We encourage all Uptown Saint John BIA business members to join us for Uptown Sparkles! Our annual Uptown Sparkles is where we kick off the holiday season with lighting displays, entertainment, ice sculptures, and more! The main festivities kick off at 6 pm and continue into the night. We invite all businesses to stay open late and take part!
Opportunity: You are invited to offer any kind of in-store special or in-shop event for the day of Uptown Sparkles! Simply submit it to our events calendar for December 1st, 2023. Then, guests will know where to visit and shop while they’re here!
Uptown Poutine Fest
January 22 to 28, 2024
We invite you to create various takes on this classic Canadian dish for a week each January! You can offer as many different poutines as you would like, and you set the price!
(During all of our food initiatives, we get many dietary requests from patrons. So if any of your offerings are gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or halal, please be sure to note it when submitting your menus to us). We will send you an email to sign up for this closer to the date.
Be sure to tag us on Instagram @UptownsjEATS in your Uptown Poutine Fest photos & use the hashtags #poutinefestsj #UptownsjEATS
Uptown Taco Week
February 26 to March 3, 2024
Get ready to spice things up for a week in March! Give your customers something to taco ‘bout with your creative taco creations. You can offer as many different tacos as you would like, and you set the price!
(During all of our food initiatives, we get many dietary requests from patrons. So if any of your offerings are gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or halal, please be sure to note it when submitting your menus to us). We will send you an email to sign up for this closer to the date.
Be sure to tag us on Instagram @UptownsjEATS in your Uptown Taco Week photos & use the hashtags #tacoweeksj #UptownsjEATS
Fall Tips & Resources
The Uptown Online Retailer & Restaurant Map – This great interactive online resource for visitors conveniently lists all the Uptown Saint John BIA Retailers & Restaurants on a Google map. This map can be easily found in the following locations by scanning the featured QRL code;
- Discover Saint John & Towns by the Bay information booklet
- Port Saint John Cruise Ship map
- Skipper our new Clean Crew rig
- Banners on the fence in front of the Fundy Quay
- Uptown Tent cards for businesses (available for pick up from our office or contact us to let us know you want one)
We have some complimentary things at our office for you!
- Dog bowls
- Pet-Friendly window stickers
- Pride window stickers
Clean Crew
Setting the Stage
Saint John Energy and Uptown Saint John BIA continue to work hard to make the Uptown Sparkle. In preparation for the holiday season Uptown will be brightly lit beginning the middle of November with snowflakes, bells and trees and as always King’s Square will be lit up, and the bandstand will shine bright as usual!
Salt & Sand Box Program
The sandboxes are available for you to use during the colder months. This program is a partnership with our Community sponsor, Cooper Equipment Rental. Once they are set up for the year, we will post a map here, so you know where the closest one is to you. If you need a sand/salt box, please email nick@uptownsj.com
The sandboxes can be found for winter 22/23 at the locations below
- 143 Charlotte street (in front of Keirstead flower shop)
- 89 Germain street (in front of Feel Good store)
- 32 Canterbury street (in front of Picaroons general store)
- 87 Prince William street (in front of Gahan House)
- 78 King street (in front of Urban Shoe Myth)
- 105 Charlotte street (in front of Mondello salon)
- 139 Union street (in front of Vintage Barbours)
Hosting an Outdoor Event? Borrow our Fire Pits
Are you interested in having some outside activities at your business but want to make sure people stay warm? We are lending out both our fire pits. They are perfect for pop-up events or outdoor patios (propane not provided)
Community Resources – Fall/Winter
- Click here to see Port Saint John’s cruise ship schedule. Find out when changes happen by signing up for SMS text alert by texting the word “CRUISE” to 833-222-1191
- City of Saint John snow removal page, you can find out about plowing and parking bans there.
Uptown Saint John Year Long Initiatives
Façade Grants
The application period for 2023 Facade Grants starts at the beginning of every year. Facade Grants are awarded to cover up to fifty percent of project costs, to a maximum of $1000 per PID. Funds are limited, and awards are given out on a first-come, first-served basis. To apply, please fill out the form below. Please get your application in by mid-fall, so we have time to process it before year-end.
Event Calendar
Did you know you can feature your events happening in the Uptown Saint John BIA Area on our online events calendar? Event listings will include things like special events, local markets, festivals, and Uptown Saint John-sponsored events. (We will not be promoting individual store sales or promotions.)
There are certain days that are an exception to the submission requirements above;
- Valentine’s Day (February 14th)
- St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th)
- Spring Into Summer (May 27th, 2023)
- Small Business Saturday (Saturday after USA Thanksgiving)
- Uptown Sparkles (the first Friday of every December)
For these 5 special dates, Uptown Saint John BIA business members are encouraged to create an event promoting anything that relates to that day’s theme ( their business, themed products, window displays, pop-ups, sales, special hours of operation, music, & etc). The events on these dates will be promoted across Uptown Saint John channels.
Uptown Saint John Gift Card
Have you registered to accept our Uptown Saint John Gift Card? It is accepted by 100+ Uptown businesses and is free for our business members to join.
Contact our Senior Project Manager Tracy at tracy@uptownsj.com to join now!
Uptown Saint John Social Media
Connect with us on Facebook & Instagram at @UptownSJ and remember to use the hashtags #LoveLifeUptown #LiftUpLocalSJ #UptownSJ
To see all things food and drink related in Uptown Saint John, check out our @UptownsjEATS accounts on Facebook & Instagram.
- Tag us on Instagram & we will share your content in our stories! (Our Instagram account is most active during our regular office hours of operation)
- Private message us on Instagram if you want to be featured on our Instagram account showing off all the work your business does for a special behind-the-scenes video!
Please note that Uptown Saint John Inc. has over 500+ members in the Uptown Saint John BIA. Please tag these accounts a maximum of once a week. We share according to our capacity.
Behind-the-Scenes Features On Uptown Saint John’s Social Media
The Uptown Saint John Business Improvement Association knows that businesses put in so much work behind the scenes through making products, setting up product displays, taking product photos & more! We want to highlight all the hard work that you, Uptown Saint John BIA Businesses, do. We love getting short videos & photos of your behind-the-scenes moments to share with our followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok.
Want to be featured next? Message us on @UptownSJ on Instagram (click here to visit our profile) or email Lea through our contact us page by clicking here.
Uptown Saint John’s Marketing Strategy
Elevate the Uptown Saint John area through promotion and support of the overall landscape of Uptown Saint John based on our 3-year strategic plan, pillars, and the New Brunswick BIA Act.
Uptown Saint John Inc. Marketing FAQ by Uptown Businesses
With over 500+ businesses in the Uptown Saint John BIA, we love seeing all the awesome things you are doing across all business sectors!
How does Uptown Saint John Inc. support the Uptown Saint John BIA through marketing and social media?
Our marketing strategy’s mission is to elevate the Uptown Saint John area, taking into account the bigger picture and the overall landscape of Uptown Saint John. Our marketing focuses on our signature initiatives and events that align with and support our 3-year strategic plan, pillars, and the New Brunswick BIA Act. Our content on our social media platforms reflects these values.
How does Uptown Saint John Inc. promote individual businesses in the Uptown Saint John BIA online?
We know that our 500+ businesses operate across different sectors, each with their own marketing plan and strategy with specific target audiences in mind. Uptown Saint John’s marketing strategy does not include promoting individual businesses.
However, Uptown Saint John does have some digital marketing tools that individuals businesses can use to promote themselves;
Uptown Saint John’s Website Events Calendar – All special events happening within the Uptown Saint John BIA area are welcome to be submitted to the events calendar.
Uptown Saint John’s Instagram Stories – Tag Uptown Saint John’s Instagram accounts in your stories, feed photos, and reels for your business’s opportunity to be shared on the Uptown Saint John stories. Tag @UptownSJ to share your Uptown events, products, sales, & other fantastic things your business is doing. Tag @UptownsjEATS to show us what you are featuring on your menu. Please note that Uptown Saint John Inc. has over 500+ members in the Uptown Saint John BIA. Please tag these accounts a maximum of once a week. We share according to our capacity.
Community Resources
Sign up for Envision Saint John newsletter & get updates on upcoming conferences and events, but please note the list sent is not exhaustive as the list of events is always changing.
Discover Saint John’s events calendar
Find the latest City of Saint John News & Notices Here
City of Saint John Homelessness Crisis Contact Sheet
City of Saint John Winter Management Plan
Want to see King street traffic, weather, or if there is a cruise ship in port? Click here for the City of Saint John Webcam on King Street
City of Saint John Permits, Licenses, and Service Requests
Heritage Conservation | City of Saint John, New Brunswick
Discover Saint John’s events page
Saint John Police Force non-emergency police number 506-648-3333
“The Saint John Police enforce by-laws related to noise (disturbances of the peace such as loud parties and construction noise), panhandling (obstructive and threatening panhandling), street events (parades, festivals, and demonstrations), and will assist the SPCA for animal control calls.” quote from the City of Saint John website
For emergencies, call 911
Have questions about parking Uptown? Contact the Saint John Parking at the City of Saint John at 506-658-4455
We are dedicated to keeping our membership up to date with Uptown Saint John Business Improvement Association organized events, activities and services.
Uptown Saint John BIA represents the interests of over 500 businesses. Membership is automatic and is based on the location of businesses within a defined area.