Spring/Summer Seasonal Guide
As the weather turns warmer, we get ready for the Spring & Summer season. Check out our seasonal signature initiatives, annual general meeting (AGM), gift card sale, and Clean Crew services.
We suggest you keep this bookmarked and check back often for up-to-date info!
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Join us near the end of the first quarter to learn more about the Uptown Saint John BIA yearly initiatives. It’s also a chance to meet other Uptown businesses. The 2023 AGM will take place on April 23, 2024.
The 2022 AGM took place in April 2023. Click below to read our 2022 Uptown Saint John BIA Annual Report
Spring Uptown Saint John Gift Card Sale
Our bi-annual sale happens every Spring & Fall. The sale is for 20% off Uptown Gift Cards while supplies last. $250 will be available for purchase for $200 Maximum one card per purchase per person per email address with Card Pick-up next day.
We will email you & post on our social media when the next one is about to happen.
Our Uptown Saint John BIA Signature Initiatives
Uptown Clean Sweep
April 25, 2024
One day near Earth Day in April, we meet at King Square, and for 1.5 hours, we clean Uptown Saint John together! The City of Saint John Green Machine will be joining us and providing gloves, garbage bags, safety jackets, and more.
Want to learn more about the Uptown Clean Sweep? Visit our page at the link below.
Uptown Burger Week
April 29 – May 5, 2024
10th Annual!
This is a whole week of burgers in May; you can feature as many interesting burgers 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 email you to sign up for this closer to the date.
Be sure to tag us on Instagram @UptownsjEATS in your Uptown Burger Week photos & use the hashtags #BurgerWeeksj #UptownsjEATS
Uptown Box Art Celebration
Date TBD
Experience the charm of our Uptown Box Art, an initiative since 2022 that has transformed ordinary utility boxes into vibrant artworks by local talents. We showcase student artwork through street banners for the summer, adding to the visual appeal. Each year, the Uptown Box Art Celebration invites the public to come to Uptown for a day of art and music as we activate King Square with entertainment to unveil this year’s new artwork. This is also the perfect time of year to see the beautiful tulips that Uptown provides the city as they pop up.
Summer Tips & Resources
- With patio season, that warm weather, & cruise ship season, foot traffic in Uptown will be at its peak this summer! How can businesses take advantage and be creative? Using clear signage and water bowls for pets are all great ideas!
- Pss.. We renew our annual Uptown VIP program every fall. Sign-ups happen near the end of summer. If you want to sign up to offer discounts and be a part of this great program, keep an eye on your email or contact Lea through our contact us page by clicking here.
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
- 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
Our Clean Crew team’s Spring & Summer activities start in mid-May to the end of October.
Ongoing Activities
Making Uptown Bright with Banners! Our Uptown Clean Crew puts up different banners Between May-October. A big thanks to our Community Partner Cooper Equipment Rentals for providing different lifts to get the job done.
Between May and October,
the Clean Crew is busy doing:
Sidewalk vacuum
Weed Removal from the sidewalks & medians
Supply Dog Waste Disposal Units with bags
Power washing the sidewalks
Graffiti Removal
Awning/Storefront and patio cleaning
Complimentary business member services you can request:
Awning, Patio Cleaning, & Storefront signs with the power washer
Do you have an awning/patio you would like cleaned? The Clean Crew offers an annual complimentary cleaning for Uptown business members. For 2023 they will be power washing during the week of July 10, 2023 (2024 date TBD).
Is there something you would like to talk to our Uptown Clean Crew about?
Click below to contact the Uptown Saint John BIA Clean Crew.
Hosting an Outdoor Event?
We have some great fun equipment you can borrow for outdoor events or to use in front of your business! Request one of our fire pits or bubble machine by contacting the Clean Crew by clicking here.
Two 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)
Bubble Machine
Looking to add some bubbles outside your business? We have bubble machines available to borrow. Bubble fluid can be purchased from Uptown Saint John BIA and will be delivered with the machine.
If you are interested in borrowing the fire pits or bubble machine reach out to Uptown Saint John’s Operations Manager, Nick, by clicking here.
Community Resources – Summer
- 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
- Saint John Regional Visitor Experience Ambassador Certification Course Free – Envision Saint John – “This free, online, self-paced course allows frontline staff in the Saint John Region to develop their knowledge of the region and learn about the tools and resources available to help provide accurate and timely visitor information.”
- Saint John Regional Welcome Centre is open at 47 Charlotte St. inside the Saint John City Market.
Uptown Saint John Year Long Initiatives
Facade Grants
The application period for 2024 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. Visit our Uptown Facade Grant page to learn more.
Event Calendar
Did you know you can feature your events in the Uptown Saint John BIA Area on our online events calendar? Event listings can include special events, local markets, festivals, and Uptown Saint John initiatives. (We will not promote 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)
- Small Business Saturday (Saturday after USA Thanksgiving)
- Uptown Sparkles (the first Friday of every December)
For these 4 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 currently accepted by 90+ Uptown businesses and is free for our business members to join. See the full list of participating businesses by clicking here.
Contact our Special Project Manager Tracy through our contact us page to join now. Click here to message Tracy.
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 #UptownsjEATS.
- Do you have a feel good moment you want us to share? Tag us on Instagram. We share highlighted moments Uptown in our Instagram stories according to our capacity. (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 Series 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. The Let’s Meet Uptown, Behind-the-scenes, is an ongoing continuing series.
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 for 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 its 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 individual 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 – Does your business have a feel-good moment you want us to share? Each month, we share a few feel-good moments from our Uptown businesses in our 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, and 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. 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
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
Happy
to see you
Here
At the Uptown Saint John Business Improvement Association, we are passionate about our Uptown Saint John BIA area! We are dedicated to keeping our membership up to date with Uptown Saint John Business Improvement Association organized events, activities, and services. We represent the interests of over 500 business members. Membership is automatic and is based on the location of businesses within a defined area, as seen in this map.