Fun Things to Do this Summer in and Around Saint John

A beautiful seaside city, Saint John is a stunning example of the Maritime’s unique culture. The city is mostly walkable and tourist-friendly, and comes alive during the summer. Along with many summer festivals in the city, there are many locations close by that you can explore or just visit to get away from city life.

So, get ready for summer with our list of 45+ things to do in and around (1 hr) Saint John.

 

1. TimberTop Adventures

TimberTop Adventures, in Dominion Park, is one of the country’s largest treetop aerial adventure parks with over 115 creative obstacles curated from around the world and placed in 12 different courses in the trees!

2. East Point Shopping

East Point Shopping in Saint John is home to the East Point Farmers’ Market every Saturday from 10am to 3pm. Visitors can enjoy local vendors, outdoor eating areas, and food options, including food-truck-style offerings when available. It’s a convenient stop for lunch, a snack, or a weekend outing while visiting East Point Shopping Centre.
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3. RibFest 506

Kick off summer with finger-lickin’ good ribs at Ribfest 506, happening July 10 to 12, 2026 at TD Station in Saint John. This year’s ribbers include Camp 31, Crabby’s BBQ, Pistol Pete’s, and Smokehouse Bandits. Bring the family on Sunday, July 12 from 1 PM to 4 PM for Kids Day fun with magic, face painting, balloon animals, ribs, treats, and festival memories.

4. East Coast Games

East Coast Games is the largest multi-sport tournament in Saint John since the 1985 Canada Games. The games started in 2015 with 7 sports, and have grown to over 20 sports with over 2500 athletes completing. The games have participants of all ages competing in a variety of team and individual sporting events, as well as participating in a coaching symposium. All East Coast Games events and competitions are free of charge. June 19-21, 2026

9. Haunted Saint John Tours

Meet the Mysterious Mistress Grant and tour the most haunted places in Saint John by taking the Haunted Saint John Tour. This unusual tour is available once a week during the summer and fall. When you take this tour, you will learn the history of each location and hear accounts of the paranormal happenings around the area.

6. Monday Music Nights

Gather at the Bennett Room at Trinity Church in Saint John to enjoy live music every Monday night from July 6 to July 27.

7. Outdoor Adventures with Go Fundy

Go Fundy Events offers guided kayak, bike, and walking tours in Southeast New Brunswick. Their small group tours provide close-up experiences with the landscape, enriched by guides sharing regional history. Custom private tours are also available.

8. Inside Out Nature Centre

Explore one of Canada’s Largest Urban Municipal Parks with a customized day adventure. The Inside Out Nature Centre focuses on creating a great experience for your time outside, no matter your age or ability. A visit to the Nature Centre is the perfect way to spend a summer day.

9. Rockwood Triathlon by the Bay

Rockwood Triathlon by the Bay is the longest-running triathlon in New Brunswick. As part of East Coast Games, the 2025 run course will showcase the beauty of Lily Lake. June 21, 2026

10. Yoga at the Lake

Join Tracy for a Hatha Yoga class on Mondays at 6 pm at the beautiful Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre by the duck pond. Bring your mat for this 60-minute session. Drop-in donations are accepted. Enjoy a serene evening of yoga at the lake!

11. Super Rad Race ENDURO

Join us for the annual Super RAD Enduro Race at Rockwood Park, Saint John, on July 5, 2026. Held on newly constructed MTB Enduro Trails, this race features multiple timed downhill stages and untimed uphill sections. Categories include U11, U13, U15, Beginner, Sport, and Expert.

12. What’s On at the Market Square

Enjoy thrift markets, live music, and more this summer at the Square!

13. Family Movie Series

Join Wednesday Night Family Movies on the big screen! Stroll through the Village for a treat, then set up your chair or blanket on the grass for a cozy family favorite. The season kicks off June 24, 2026, with Goat and ends on September 2, 2026, with Wicked.

14.  Canada Day on the Waterfront

Celebrate Canada Day with free, family-friendly activities on July 1, 2026. This year’s festivities feature a full lineup of activities, entertainment, live music, and more.

15. Waterfront Concert Series

The Waterfront Concert Series returns to uptown Saint John with performances by popular Atlantic Canadian artists, including I Mother Earth, The Halluci Nation, Signal Hill, July Talk, and more. Concerts are open to all ages, with doors opening at 7 PM.

16. The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration

Bring a friend and relive The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration at this special 10th anniversary rebroadcast on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 7 PM to 11 PM.

17. Saint John City Market

The Saint John City Market has been operating since the late 1700’s and is the oldest continuing farmer’s market in Canada. If you look upwards, you will see that the ceiling resembles an upturned hull of a ship as a tribute to the city’s shipping industry. The market is open from Monday to Saturday, and has something for everyone.

The 2026 Night Market season will open on June 4 and will continue on the first Thursday of the month from 5-9 pm in July to September, for local food & drinks, crafts, entertainment, and so much more!!

18. Area 506 Festival

Area 506 festival will be held on the Saint John waterfront over the New Brunswick Day long weekend, beginning July 30 to August 2, 2026. This year’s lineup includes The Dead South, Crash Test Dummies, Marianas Trench, The Glorious Sons, and MORE!

19. Canadian Multiculturalism Day

Celebrate Canadian Multiculturalism Day in Saint John on Saturday, June 27, 2026, with a free afternoon of cultural performances, music, food, and family-friendly activities at Ihtoli-maqahamok – The Gathering Space and inside the Market Square Atrium. The celebration begins with a Multicultural Parade from AREA 506 down Water Street to Market Square, featuring community groups, traditional dress, music, and dance. Visitors can also enjoy an International Buffet, multicultural community activities, cultural performances, and the Family Soccer Fun Zone.

20. Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark

Hike, rock climb, zip, and cruise your way around the Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark while you are learning about the Earth. The landscape is unique and was created by continents colliding, along with earthquakes, ice ages, and volcanoes.

21. Saint John Pride

Join the festivities and celebrate love and diversity from July 17 to 26, 2026, at Saint John Pride.

22. Blueberry Hill Nature Preserve

Blueberry Hill Nature Preserve is 19.8 hectares and covers the easterly shoreline of the St. John River. It is one of the last undeveloped properties in the area, and is home to a variety of animal species. There is a trail that will take you around the nature preserve where you can spot animals and plant species.

23. Mispec Beach

Just 15 minutes outside of Saint John is the historic Mispec Park and Mispec Beach. The park was used as a recreation area for servicemen and women during WWII. Mispec Beach is one of the finest sandy beaches on the Bay of Fundy. The beach is unsupervised, so you should always be sure to make note of the tide times.

24. Fundy Sea Shanty Festival

Join us in Fundy-St. Martins for the only festival of its kind in Atlantic Canada, celebrating sailors’ stories and songs from the age of sail. Enjoy food tastings, live performances, workshops, and children’s activities. Set sail from August 7 – 9, 2026!

25. Sea Glass Festival

Celebrate sea glass art and maritime treasures at the annual Sea Glass Festival in the Market Square Atrium. Enjoy over 40 vendors, a special guest speaker, live music, contests, food, and more, all with ocean and beach themes. August 28 and 29, 2026

26. Kingsbrae Garden

Take time and enjoy the 27-acre Kingsbrae Garden and its collection of over 50,000 perennials in many themed gardens. It has been ranked as one of the top 10 gardens in Canada. Along with walking the gardens, you can also play croquet or bocce or grab lunch at the Savour in the Garden restaurant.

27. Carleton Martello Tower

One of nine remaining Martello Towers, small defensive forts built by the British Empire and is a National Historic Site. During your visit, you can explore both the interior and exterior of the Tower and find a reconstruction of a 19th-century barrack room. The Carleton Martello Tower is about half a kilometer from the Reversing Falls.

28. Loyalist House

The Loyalist House was built in 1817 and was originally owned by Thomas Merritt, a British Loyalist. Today, the Loyalist House is filled with authentic 19th-century décor. Explore the house on your own, or tag along with the guided tour.

29. The Canada Games Aquatic Centre

Take a dip at the swimming pool at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre, or try one of the over 40 different classes that are offered each week. The centre was built to host the 1985 Canada Summer Games and has an Olympic-sized indoor pool, two leisure pools and two waterslides.

30 Shop for Candy at Freak Lunchbox

Find the weirdest, newest, and classic candies from across the world, along with pop culture items, at Freak Lunchbox in Uptown Saint John. Become a kid at the kid shop and make your mix of penny candies. You are never sure what you are going to find at Freak Lunchbox.

31. African Culture Festival

Celebrate the African Culture Festival in Saint John on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at AREA 506 Waterfront. Enjoy live music, cultural dances, Ankara fashion, food, a marketplace, and family-friendly fun in a vibrant celebration of African culture and its global diaspora.

32. Fundy Fringe Festival

Experience the Unexpected at FRINGE, a festival of unforgettable, uncensored, and affordable theatre! Enjoy over 100 shows in 7 days, featuring theatre, dance, comedy, and more. August 17-22, 2026

33. Unity Park Summer Stage Live Music Series

Take in some free live music entertainment from June 17 to September 2 at Unity Park in Saint John.

34. Visit one of Canada’s Prettiest Towns

Cross the St. John River on one of the cable ferries that have been used since the 1900s to visit Gagetown. The town was named one of Canada’s 10 Prettiest Towns by Harrowsmith Country Life. An interesting fact is that Gagetown was the original capital of New Brunswick.

35. Passport to Parks: Dominion Park

Enjoy a free afternoon of family fun at Passport to Parks: Dominion Park on Saturday, July 11, 2026. Residents and visitors are invited to explore Dominion Park while enjoying inclusive activities for all ages, including swimming, face painting, yard games, kayak and canoe activities, live music from Pandemonium Steel Band, and more.

36. Concert in the Common

Gather with friends and family on Thursday evenings at the Rothesay Common Stage to enjoy free outdoor music. The lineup includes many talented local musicians.

37. St. Andrews Blockhouse National Historic Site

St. Andrews Blockhouse National Historic Site harkens back to the War of 1812, when Canada and the USA were not so friendly. The blockhouse was built by the townspeople to protect St. Andrews from the Americans attacks during the war.

38. Fundy National Park

An hour and a half drive east of the city is one of the last remaining wilderness areas in southern New Brunswick. Fundy National Park sprawls out along the Bay of Fundy. During the low tides, you can walk along the muddy crimson beaches.

39. Port City Royal

A unique blend of old and new, the Port City Royal is perfect place to stop for a meal. The menu changes nightly, so there is always something new to try. The dishes are made in small batches using local, seasonal ingredients. Make sure to visit early because they are known to sell out, and make no apologies for that.

40. Sussex Drive-in

Watch a movie under the stars at the only Drive-in Theater in Southern New Brunswick. The Sussex Drive-in is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night from late May to September. You should be sure to look out for the Triple Bills that take place on long weekends, especially if you are looking to get the best deals.

41. Arts and Culture Park Summer Series in the Town of Quispamsis

The Arts and Culture Park Summer Series returns to Quispamsis beginning July 8, 2026, with Movies, Movement, and Music in the Park. Enjoy Yoga in the Park on Wednesdays, Movies in the Park on Thursdays with free popcorn, and Music in the Park on Tuesdays, with guests welcome to bring lawn chairs and enjoy the summer atmosphere.

42. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Experience an evening of enchantment as Loyalist City Shakespeare brings A Midsummer Night’s Dream to life at historic Place Fort La Tour from July 15 to 18 and July 22 to 25, 2026. Set against the Saint John harbourfront, this open-air production transforms the waterfront into a moonlit world of romance, laughter, mischievous fairies, star-crossed lovers, and unforgettable comic misadventures.

43. International Culture Fest

International Culture Fest will feature live traditional dances and music, an international marketplace with cuisine, arts, and crafts, an interactive Living Library, and family-friendly activities. The fest will be held on Water Street, outside AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village, on August 1 – 2, 2026.

44. Fundy Trail Parkway

The best way to take in the Bay of Fundy is by following the Fundy Trail Parkway. The trails are multi-use and will take you around the coast and to a number of look-outs. There are a number of inclines, which make it a challenging hike or bike ride at times. There is also an Interpretive Centre on-site where you will find original artifacts and old photos from a bygone era, when logging, fishing and shipbuilding were an economic mainstay of this region.

46. What’s On at the Market Square

Enjoy thrift markets, live music, and more this summer at the Square!

47. Boardwalk Amphitheatre Summer Concert Series

Enjoy live music on the Saint John waterfront with the 2026 Boardwalk Amphitheatre Concert Series at The Boardwalk, located at 1 Market Square. This summer series features a lineup of Canadian favourites, including Classified on June 30, Bran Van 3000 on July 1, PRISMATIC on July 25, and Steven Page on August 21.

48. Dragon Boat Festival

Cheer on the teams at the first DRAGONS on the LAKE Dragon Boat Festival on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Lily Lake in Rockwood Park. The event supports two local charities: Lily Lake Pavilion and Lancaster Branch #69 Royal Canadian Legion.

49. Yip Fest 2026

Yip Fest returns to Yip Cider on Saturday, July 18, 2026, for its fourth annual outdoor tasting festival. Spend the afternoon sampling craft cider, local beer, and beverages from Atlantic Canadian producers while enjoying food, local vendors, live DJ entertainment, and riverside views on the Kingston Peninsula. This is an 19+ event.

50. Pop Up Community Market – Summer Edition

This special market offers a variety of local products, creative crafts, and delicious treats, ensuring there’s something delightful for every person. If you want a change of pace, take a walk on the indoor walking track. June 20, 2026

51. Bay of Fundy Sand Sculpture Festival

Experience the Bay of Fundy Sand Sculpture Festival from August 7 to 9, 2026, as world-class sand sculptors transform the Saint John waterfront and New River Beach Provincial Park into open-air galleries.