The City of St. John's hosts a wide variety of events throughout the year. Event details are added as they are confirmed.
 
Spring/Summer Events
St. John's Days Celebrations
Canada Day Celebrations
Music @ Concert Series
Party in the Park
Youth Week

Fall Events
National Child Week Activities
Pumpkin Walk

Winter Events
Festival of Music and Lights
New Year's Eve Celebrations
ChillFest

St. John's Days Celebrations
June 19-21, 2020

The health and safety of St. John’s residents is our top priority. Given the current pandemic, our annual in-person St. John’s Days activities have gone virtual as we all do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19. In order to celebrate with our city while practicing physical distancing, we will host our first-ever virtual St. John’s Days celebrations! Please join us as we celebrate the incorporation of one of North America’s oldest cities, together. We've prepared three days of events and activities including virtual concerts, video premiers, story readings, online workshops and family fun. All of our virtual St. John's Days events and activities are free and appropriate for all ages. Additional events may be added as details are confirmed. 

Friday, June 19, 2020
11:30 a.m. Virtual Storytime with City Councilor Maggie Burton
12:30 p.m. Virtual Music @ Harbourside
7:30 p.m. St. John’s Day Concert with Duo Concertante: Tuckamore Festival
 
Saturday, June 20, 2020
10 a.m. Virtual Container Gardening Workshop
11:30 a.m. Virtual Storytime with City Councilor Hope Jamieson
2 p.m. CO-VIDeo Collective: St. John’s Days Video Premiere
8-10 p.m. Films Where You’re At: watch party, St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival.
 
Sunday, June 21, 2020
11:30 a.m. Virtual Storytime with Mayor Danny Breen
2 p.m. Wonderbolt Circus Watch Event
6:30 p.m. Virtual Storytime with Councilor Debbie Hanlon

Monday, June 22, 2020
Spirit of NL St. John’s Days Video Release

Mayor’s Contest
Children of St. John’s are encouraged to think creatively about their city and to respond by posting pictures or videos on the City’s Facebook or Twitter pages or by emailing communications@stjohns.ca. Families are encouraged to challenge their creative skills by using different items you have available within your household. Items to consider include drawing or painting a picture, building with Lego blocks, making a chalk image outside, using recyclables or outdoor items like rocks and sticks to create a collage, singing a song or writing a poem or story.

Canada Day Celebrations
July 1, 2020

The health and safety of St. John’s residents is our top priority. Given the current pandemic, our annual in-person Canada Day activities have gone virtual as we all do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Join us for virtual Canada Day Celebrations.  We will celebrate Canada Day together with local and national celebrations taking place throughout the day. Wherever you are across the country, you will be able to enjoy National Canada Day afternoon and evening shows on Canadian Heritage’s social media sites, and on CBC and Radio-Canada.

Virtual interactive activities as well as online content especially crafted for Canada Day available at the Government of Canada website. Locally, we will be broadcasting on City of St. John’s social media sites and featuring a special Canada Day Program at 6:30 p.m on NTV.
 

Music @ Concert Series

Music @ is an an exciting mix of sights and sounds in St. John’s.

Many different musical styles are featured in the Music @ concert series including jazz, blues, folk, pop and more. Each concert opens with a youth performer coordinated through a partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Society. These opening acts and our headliners showcase the incredible and diverse musical talent the city has to offer.

Music @ Harbourside has become a staple of the St. John’s summer. Every Friday at 12:30 p.m. some of the province’s best performers are joined by rising young stars to present a concert in the sun.

Please visit the Arts & Culture pages for a schedule of upcoming concerts.

Party in the Park
July 

The City of St. John's Seniors Program hosts Party in the Park. This is an annual event, held in mid July, and an opportunity for older adults to gather in Bowring Park for an afternoon of free entertainment, light refreshments and socialization. Visit the Recreation pages for further information on Seniors Programs.

Youth Week
May 

The City of St. John's Recreation Division celebrates Youth Week May 1 to 7 annually by offering a variety of events and activities for local youth, 12 to 18 years of age. 
Past events and activities have included:

• Youth Art Exhibit
• Free swims
• Carnivals
• Youth of the Year award presentation

Please visit the Recreation pages for further information on Youth Week.

Pumpkin Walk
 
With COVID-19 restrictions limiting large gatherings, the City has decided to cancel its annual Pumpkin Walk for 2020. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun with this year’s Halloween celebrations!

Virtual Pumpkin Carving Contest
October 22 - 28, 2020
Residents were invited to submit photos of their pumpkin-carving activities - and final jack o’lanterns – to be entered to win one of two Zombie Grams, delivered to your home by Neighbourhood Dance Works on Saturday, October 31.

Compost Your Creation
Sunday Nov 1, 1 - 5 p.m.
Did you know that removing your pumpkins from your property will help curb Halloween-centered crime? 50% of crimes reported to police on Halloween are crimes against property, many involving the Jack o’lantern. The simplest thing to do with your pumpkin is to compost it. Pumpkins are more than 90 percent water and have an array of nutrients helpful to the soil when they’re composted.

If you don’t want to use the pumpkin for your own composting, we’ll gladly take it for use in our city parks. Place your pumpkin in a paper yard waste bag and put it at the curb on your recycling day or drop it off at the Robin Hood Bay Residential Drop Off.
For more on the benefits of composting, visit curbitstjohns.ca.

A pumpkin compost collection site will also be set up in the large gravel lot on The Boulevard on Sunday, November 1 from noon to 5 p.m. To offer a low-contact drop-off, GFL bins will be set up in the parking lot. Throughout the afternoon, the City will offer random prizes to those who attend.

National Child Week Activities
The Government of Canada designated November 20 as National Child Day to commemorate the adoption and convention of the rights of the child.
The key objective is to increase awareness and understanding of the rights of the child that contribute to healthy child development, particularly in the early years of life and to take effective action to help children reach their full potential.

Festival of Music and Lights 
With COVID-19 restrictions limiting large gatherings, the City has decided to cancel its annual Festival of Music & Lights for 2020. However, in its place, we are coordinating a city-wide celebration: Holiday Lights St. John’s.

Holiday Lights St. John’s
Dec 3, 2020 at 5:45 p.m.

Join us on Thursday, December 3 as we celebrate the holiday season in a spirit of community togetherness.
Residents and business owners are asked to join with their neighbours in a countdown and official City lighting at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3.
The countdown and lighting will include City parks, buildings and City Hall as well as numerous locations throughout the city, such as:

• Confederation Building and the Prince Philip Parkway
• Government House
• Cabot Tower, Signal Hill National Historic Site
• MUN Botanical Garden
• Downtown St. John’s and George Street

 
The countdown and lighting will be broadcast live on NTV/ OZFM.
We encourage everyone to post photos or videos of their personal countdown and lighting and tag the City of St. John’s on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

New Year's Eve Celebrations
December 31

Activities to ring in the New Year.

ChillFest
February 19-21, 2021
 
St. John’s ChillFest is an annual community-wide celebration of winter, with a variety of events and activities taking place February 19-21. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ChillFest events for 2021 are taking place virtually.

ChillFest Photo Contest
Thursday February 4 to Sunday February 21
How do you celebrate winter?
mail your family friendly photo to communications@stjohns.ca to enter to win a ChillFest prize pack! Please include your name and street address in the submission.

Virtual Kitchen Party Food and Instrument Demos
Saturday February 20 from 11 - 11:30 a.m.
City of St. John’s YouTube Channel
 
Have you ever wanted to host your own Kitchen Party?
We’ve prepared 2 entertaining videos featuring what to serve and how to make your own homemade instrument.
One host will explore some simple, yet yummy kitchen party treats, and another will lead us in making homemade shakers using supplies found around your house.  
You can also tune-in to our Virtual Kitchen Party for more instruction from Fergus O'Byrne on how to play along using your musical creation.
           
This event will be premiered on February 20 at 11 a.m. but the video will remain on the City of St. John's YouTube Channel to view whenever you like. 
Would you like to play along with your favorite traditional tunes?
 
Virtual Kitchen Party        
Sunday, February 21          
11 a.m.      
City of St. John's YouTube Channel       
 
Tap yer toes, sing along, grab your favorite instrument, dance in your kitchen or just tune-in and be entertained.  Our good ol’ fashioned Kitchen Party has gone virtual. Hosted by Fergus O'Byrne & Fergus Brown-O'Byrne, this father and son pair are acclaimed for their musical legacy, proudly celebrating Newfoundland's traditional musical heritage. Check out our Kitchen Party Food demo and our homemade instrument demo for more ideas to enhance your Virtual Kitchen Party experience. The event will be premiered on Sunday morning, but the video will remain on the City of St. John's YouTube Channel to view whenever you like.