Boogie in the Street: St. J Final Fridays Says “All Together Now”
Note: Advertising is how we keep this site free for you to enjoy, and we earn a commission from affiliate links that may be included in this post. Thank you for supporting Vermont Explored!
Some summer nights in Vermont are for quiet reflection. July 31 in downtown St. Johnsbury is not one of them.
The next installment of St. J Final Fridays takes place on the last Friday in July, and the whole thing is built around getting your feet moving.
The theme for this month is “All Together Now,” which is a polite way of telling you to loosen up and dance in the street with your neighbors.
As someone whose idea of athletic grace is trudging up a mountain at the pace of a contemplative snail, I appreciate an event where “moving your body” is a suggestion and not a competition.
Final Fridays is St. Johnsbury’s signature summer event series, and it’s one of my favorite reasons to point the car north on a warm evening. Now in its fifth year, Final Fridays runs on a simple premise: fill Railroad Street and Depot Square Park with free activities, free food, and live music, then let the town do what it does best.
“The St. J Final Fridays series has always been about bringing people together, ever since its inception five years ago,” says Gillian Sewake, Director of Discover St. Johnsbury. “The theme this month celebrates our ability to share space through the power of collective song and movement. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy summer than boogie-ing in the street with my neighbors!”
I could not have said it better, so I won’t try.
What’s Happening at the Street Fair
From 5 to 8 pm, the free street fair takes over Railroad Street and Depot Square Park, featuring more than 40 free activities and food. This month leans hard into the “get moving” theme, and the lineup is a good one.
Montpelier-based West African dancing and drumming group Shidaa Projects brings a dance demonstration and party. There is live music from Chickweed, a toe-tapping all-female band, and if you have ever wanted to learn to tango without committing to a class, Phil Ciotti’s group Dancing in the Northeast Kingdom returns with a demonstration.
For the wellness-minded, SunDo Meditation & Movement offers qi gong posture demos, and Creative Healing & Fitness brings back its popular SHINE fitness classes. Blue Spruce Health sets up a “neighborhood connections map,” and NEKCA’s Early Childhood Team has an activity to get the kids moving, which is a generous way of helping parents wear out their small humans before bedtime. You are welcome.
A quick practical note, because I know some of you never leave home without a four-legged companion: this is an outdoor street fair, so a well-behaved leashed pup can absolutely be part of your evening. As always, bring water and read the room. Not every dog loves a drum circle.
The Main Event: Kyshona Takes the Stage
At 7 pm, the free Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series continues with Kyshona performing on the Catamount Arts mobile stage, turning Railroad Street into a summer concert venue right in the heart of downtown.
Kyshona blends roots, rock, R&B, and folk with lyrical prowess to uplift the marginalized and bring awareness to the masses. Expect anthems that move you, both emotionally and physically.
Her story is worth knowing before she sings a note. Kyshona (pronounced Kuh-SHAUN-Uh) began her career as a music therapist, writing her first songs alongside the students and inmates in her care before finding her own voice in Nashville’s songwriting community. She now balances her music with her organization, Your Song, which lends a voice to people who feel silenced, forgotten, or alone. Her latest project, LEGACY, released in April 2024, digs into family, ancestry, and the power of place.
Her 2020 album Listen became an anthem for many people during a difficult year. One fan reviewer put it better than any press bio could: “Amidst these hard, divisive times, this set of songs is a salve for the grief many of us are feeling about the resulting loss of family, friends, and community.”
Why You’ll Love Final Fridays in St. J
Free is the whole point here, and it’s no accident. The series is sponsored by street fair participants, series sponsors, the Levitt Family Foundation, a Vermont Community Foundation grant, USDA Rural Development, and presenting sponsor Little Dippers Doodle Children’s Center, who help cover the free ice cream and food truck passes for folks who need them.
That creative partnership between Discover St. Johnsbury, Catamount Arts, and the Town of St. Johnsbury began in 2020 and has been building community pride ever since. In a stretch where many towns are struggling to draw people downtown, St. Johnsbury figured out how to throw a party that brings everyone together.
I hope to see you on Railroad Street in St. J! I make no promises about my dancing.
Follow us on social media for more Vermont inspiration!
