St. Johnsbury is bustling, with another record-breaking year of new businesses and exciting events and activities in every season. Much of this bustle seems to be driven by a decidedly creative group of community members. The creative economy–which encompasses economic development activities that include the arts, culture, design, makers, and artisanal products of all kinds–makes up a large proportion of our local economy. The report, ‘Building on a Legacy of Creativity: Understanding and Expanding the Creative Economy of the Northeast Kingdom’ (Vermont Creative Network, 2018), found that the concentration of creative industries is 31% higher in the Northeast Kingdom than in the rest of the country. Discover St. Johnsbury wants to learn more about how this is affecting St. Johnsbury’s growth, so I've set out to interview a selection of both new and established creative business owners downtown to share their stories and insights with you. Read on for our interview featuring Michelle Faye, owner of Chrysalis Creative.

Last year around this time, we were over-the-moon to share that a dozen new businesses had opened in downtown St. Johnsbury in 2021. Little did we know that 2022 would more than double that number!

St. Johnsbury's transformation since the start of the pandemic has been profound. When we look at our town today, it's easy to see that a rural revival is taking place. Please help us welcome 2022's new businesses... all 29 of them! 

This year, Valentine's Day falls on a Tuesday, and businesses are getting creative with the date they celebrate. That means you'll find lots of different ways to #findyourlove with a dining, shopping, and activity guide that spans two weekends!

Read on for dozens of ways to celebrate Valentine's Day in St. J, and learn how to win an #ilovestj tee for yourself AND your honey.

St. Johnsbury loves Halloween! Read on for a list of events, for adults and kids alike, all throughout town that celebrate the spookiest time of the year, and find even more happenings around town on our Calendar.

The leaves are changing, and Vermont's Northeast Kingdom is one of the best places in the state to view the colors at their peak. Here in St. Johnsbury, at the southern end of "The Kingdom", you'll find a convenient, walkable town full of activities that celebrate the joys of foliage season. Use Vermont's Foliage Forecaster to gauge the best time to visit, and plan your trip around fall-themed events happening in St. J every weekend.

​Did you see St. Johnsbury's feature in the latest issue of Vermont Sports, highlighting the VOREC grant the town has received to support outdoor recreation centered on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail? We are extremely excited to be part of the team helping those projects to take shape. While you wait, you can take advantage of the explosive growth in bike amenities & happenings in St. Johnsbury this spring.

​Our friends at NEK Prosper, the Bike & Pedestrian Committee, the Energy Committee, LINK Vermont, and Local Motion have dreamt up a fabulous set of (free!) events to celebrate bike culture all throughout May. Read on to learn more about what they've planned, and to find out about the great opportunities for bikers of all kinds in St. J this month and beyond.

It’s a busy spring! We're happy to take one of the to-do items off your list with this handy guide to drinking and dining in St. J this week. Sample something new, revisit old favorites, and eat your way through St. J with us this final week of April.

Maple sugaring season is a sweet time to be in St. Johnsbury, the Maple Center of the World. As part of this year's World Maple Festival, we've challenged our local restaurants and food vendors to highlight Vermont maple products on their menus for the month of March.
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Visit WorldMapleFestival.org for a full schedule of sweet events and activities all month long, and check out the specials available at the following restaurants and food vendors throughout town.

St. Johnsbury welcomed twelve new brick & mortar businesses to the downtown in 2021, by far the highest number in the last eight years. Despite the pandemic, people are investing in their dreams and choosing St. J as the home for their business.

​In the early weeks of 2022, business growth is already looking bright. We're partnering to support Do North Coworking's KickstartNEK, a free 10-week program to help fledgling entrepreneurs pursue their passion and create a successful business. Read on to learn about the businesses we welcomed in 2021, and find out about resources to help you join the St. J business community.