Small Town, Big Fun: The Final St. J Final Friday of 2026
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The last St. J Final Friday of the 2026 season is happening on Friday, August 28, and the town is going out with confetti. This month’s theme is “Small Town, Big Fun,” which is both an accurate description and a dare to come out and see where the evening leads.
Expect a carnival atmosphere, little-city energy, and Railroad Street doing its best impression of a much larger place for one very good evening.
If you have never been to this fabulous event, here’s what to expect.
Final Fridays is St. Johnsbury’s signature summer series, now in its fifth year. Railroad Street and Depot Square Park fill up with free things to do, free food, and live music, then the whole town comes out to play.
This is the finale for 2026, so if you have been meaning to check it out all summer and kept finding reasons not to, your reasons have officially run out.
“I hear over and over from new residents and visitors to St. Johnsbury that they can’t believe how much there is to do in our little community,” says Gillian Sewake, Director of Discover St. Johnsbury. “When you see the dozens and dozens of local groups providing activities and the GREAT featured artists planned for this month’s event, you’ll have to agree. St. Johnsbury punches way above its weight in art, culture & entertainment. Come be part of the fun!”
She is right, and the August lineup is proof.
What’s Happening at the Street Fair
From 5 to 8 pm, the free street fair takes over Railroad Street and Depot Square Park with more than 40 free activities and free food. This month, the “big fun” theme will be on full display.
The centerpiece is an interactive art happening from Cardboard Teck Instantute’s Chaos Collector Carnival, featuring PinBox 3000, which artist Professor Ben t. Matchstick calls “a gravitational monolith and pinball ArtCade.” I have read that phrase several times, and I am delighted to report I still have no idea what to expect, but my curiosity is definitely piqued.
And of course, there is more where that came from.
Burdles the Clown, St. Johnsbury’s own, brings clowning and bubble play. Local artists Jessica Neary and Larry Golden set up for live portraits and caricature drawings. The Town of St. Johnsbury Recreation Department builds an obstacle course, and NEKCA’s Economic Access Department brings oobleck, the gloriously messy substance that is somehow both a liquid and a solid and is guaranteed to end up on at least one child’s shirt.
Add bubbles, carnival-themed kids’ games, and facepainting from partners up and down the street, and you have a recipe for tired, happy kids by bedtime, which is something we all strive for.
A quick practical note for those of you who never leave home without a four-legged sidekick: this is an outdoor street fair, so a well-behaved leashed pup can join the fun. Bring water, and be honest with yourself about whether your dog enjoys a clown and a bubble machine or would rather nap at home.
The Main Event: Jon Hayes & The Company
At 7 pm, the free Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series continues with Jon Hayes & The Company on the Catamount Arts mobile stage, turning Railroad Street into a summer concert venue right in the heart of downtown.
Jon Hayes’ soulful tunes feature lyrics filled with authenticity and honesty. Plant yourself in front of the stage (with an ice cream) and enjoy the evening as the light turns gold over Railroad Street. It’s the best way to close out summer.
Yes, It’s Free. Put it on Your Calendar!
I say this every time because it keeps being true: free is part of what makes this event so special, and it’s not by accident. The series is held up 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 free ice cream and food truck meal passes for folks who need them.
The creative partnership between Discover St. Johnsbury, Catamount Arts, and the Town of St. Johnsbury started in 2020 and has spent five years proving that a small town can throw a genuinely big party.
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