Catamount Arts has partnered with the St. Johnsbury Chamber of Commerce and the
Town of St. Johnsbury to revive Hey St. J! #GetDownTown, beginning Saturday, June
12th. Hey St. J! #GetDownTown is a free, family-friendly performing arts series that will
bring monthly shows and activities to three accessible downtown St. Johnsbury venues
in June, July, and August.
Hey St. J! #GetDownTown debuted in 2020 to encourage safe, outdoor family-friendly
entertainment during the pandemic, when live touring shows were canceled, families
were restless from a spring spent in quarantine, and downtown businesses were
struggling. The series brought the community together outdoors, secured paying gigs
for local artists, and gave downtown shops, eateries, and breweries a much-needed
boost. Community feedback was overw
helmingly positive from all sectors, so organizers
decided to bring it back.
The inaugural season of Hey St. J! #GetDownTown was limited to two Saturdays in
September, but this year’s series will host events in June, July, and August. The 2021
#GetDownTown series opens Saturday, June 12th, from noon to 4pm and includes
circus arts, local music, artist talks, live painting demonstrations, biking, shopping,
refreshments, and more.
Nimble Arts, silk aerialists and Cirque du Soleil veterans who captured the hearts of
NEK audiences in packed First Night North performances, will perform at the new Three
Rivers Path Trailhead Pavilion on Bay Street. Equipped with their own state-of-the-art
freestanding aerial rig, Nimble Arts brings Big Top-caliber splendor to the great
outdoors, dazzling audiences of all ages. Nimble Arts will perform consecutive shows at
1:00, 2:00, and 3:00.
Genre-defying alt-country blues rock favorites The Barnyard Incident will play at the
Welcome Center in Depot Square. The Barnyard Incident features Deb Sullivan on lead
vocals, James Sullivan on fiddle and lead guitar, Perry Williams on upright bass, Dan
Salomon on guitars, and St. Jay’s own Pam McCann on drums. The Barnyard Incident
will play at noon and 2:30.
Singer/songwriter and born entertainer Jon Gailmor will play two solo shows on Railroad
Street. Known and adored for his irresistible, humorous, and sometimes absurd live
performances, Jon Gailmor writes and plays music for all ages, engaging audiences
with his trademark blend of nostalgia, hilarity, irreverence, and wisdom. Jon Gailmor will
perform at 1:30 and 3:30.
StJ Art on the Street, a walkable outdoor gallery showcasing fine art in storefronts and
shop windows, will host an Art Walk among its Railroad Street and Eastern Avenue
exhibits. Artists featured in St. J Art on the Street’s summer show will be available along
the route for discussion and questions, and spectators are invited to watch renowned
painter Larry Golden as he creates new work in Depot Square Park at noon.
Also included in the StJ Art on the Street Art Walk is a brand new show in Catamount
Arts’ Fried Family Gallery on Eastern Avenue. Catamount Arts will be open to the public,
and staffers are eager to welcome familiar patrons and new visitors back to the Arts
Center for the first time since March of last year.
Hey St. J! #GetDownTown’s June 12 event will also include giant games, a Community
Hub Pic Tour photography event, and a Neighbor Up Award and Pitch Contest
presented by NEK Prosper’s St. Johnsbury Community Hub Project; bike rides from the
Three Rivers Path Trailhead, incentive programs for local dining and shopping, and
delicious Dolcetti Gelato, part of Umbrella’s Social Enterprise program.