St. J Final Fridays have brought hundreds to downtown St. Johnsbury each month this summer to enjoy free art, food, culture, and fun. On Friday, Aug. 26, partners Discover St. Johnsbury, the Town of St. Johnsbury, and Catamount Film & Arts will do it all again to finish out the summer with a bang.

Starting at 4 p.m., Railroad Street will be closed to motorized vehicles and filled with free interactive live art demonstrations, family fun activities, a gallery stroll, sidewalk sales, tasty treats, and more. At 7 p.m., the event closes out with a free Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series performance right in the heart of the downtown. More details can be found at www.discoverstjohnsbury.com/finalfridays, by visiting the Welcome Center (51 Depot Square), or calling (802) 748-8575. Aug. 26 is the third and final event in a three-part series, with previous dates on June 24 and July 29.

“We love how these events showcase our town’s creativity and vibrancy.” says Gillian Sewake, Director of Discover St. Johnsbury. “This month, with more than three dozen organizations and businesses represented among the happenings both in stores and on the street, we’re closing out a busy summer season with one big, final party.”

Featured programming for the street fair on August 26 includes a community mural to be created by the Caledonia Food Co-op; a screen printing demo from St. Johnsbury’s own The Gypsy Coast; a Gallery Stroll by St. J Art on the Street, featuring art exhibitions and refreshments in shops and in storefronts along Railroad Street and Eastern Avenue; live portrait drawing by Larry Golden; free gelato from Dolcetti; live music by Chickweed; Line Dancing, Tango, Capoeira, and Yoga demonstrations; crafts and activities from Fairbanks Museum, Community College of Vermont, The Foundry, St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, St. J Community Hub, Dog Mountain, St. J Rec Department, and Tim Scott Real Estate; and lots more including bubble machines, food trucks, kids crafts, and free goodies. Discover St.

Johnsbury will offer the last special giveaway of the summer session, featuring an #ilovestj shirt designed by the Gypsy Coast Co. for those who complete the Downtown Scavenger Hunt during the event. Almost all activities are offered for free. Businesses along Railroad Street and Eastern Avenue will also stay open late and host sidewalk sales and activities.

At 7 p.m., the Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series closes out the night with a performance by Fox Royale. Catamount Arts will bring their signature mobile stage to the heart of downtown St. Johnsbury, turning Railroad Street into a summer concert venue to showcase Fox Royale’s anthemic, jangly

indie-rock, which sparkles with the same energy as acts like Cage the Elephant and Vampire Weekend. The Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with towns and cities across America to activate underused public spaces through the power of free live music, creating welcoming, inclusive destinations. Presenting a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt venues and concert sites are community anchors where families, friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds come together. Learn more at www.levitt.org.

In addition to support from the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation for the Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series mentioned above, St. J Final Fridays is supported by a grant from the Better Places Program, administered by Vermont’s Department of Housing and Community Development, in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health, Vermont Community Foundation, and Patronicity. Better Places funds were secured due to the generosity of community members who supported a fundraising campaign that unlocked a 2:1 matching grant through the program. The full list of event sponsors and supporting community members can be found at: www.discoverstjohnsbury.com/finalfridays