The Annual Downtown St. John’s Pedestrian Mall is a beloved summertime attraction that transforms parts of Water Street into vibrant, car-free zones. 

With outdoor dining, live entertainment, street performers and a variety of shops and vendors, the Pedestrian Mall provides a safe and fun space for pedestrians to soak up the downtown’s unique charm.

Visitors and locals can explore and celebrate all there is to love downtown on foot.

The Downtown Pedestrian Mall will return on June 25 and run until September 7, 2026. Operating daily from noon until 10 p.m., Water Street from Adelaide Street to Prescott Street will once again transform into a bustling people-friendly zone. 

Since its introduction in 2020, the Downtown Pedestrian Mall has grown into a beloved annual tradition that provides a safe and fun space for pedestrians to explore Downtown St. John’s. 

Highlights of this year’s Downtown Pedestrian Mall include: 

• Pop-up events every Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., starting June 26 in front of the Scotia Bank building at 235 Water Street.
• Markets on Water. Every Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m., starting July 9, Water Street comes alive with Markets on Water — a weekly celebration of local creativity, culture, and community.

  Spanning from Ayres Cove to Prescott Street, the market will feature vendors hosted by The Mom Market. Each week, you’ll discover a rotating lineup of carefully curated small businesses — from handcrafted goods and artisan products to one-of-a-kind art, fashion, jewelry, home décor, sweet treats, and so much more.

  Don’t miss our two special Saturday markets on August 8 and 22!

• Community Event Space. The City of St. John’s is providing free space on the Downtown Pedestrian Mall for organizations to get creative and engage with the community. We would love to hear your ideas. If interested, please fill out the application form and share with us how you would like to enhance the Downtown Pedestrian Mall. Ensure you review the important considerations and requirements within the form before submitting. Questions can be referred to specialevents@stjohns.ca. for organizations to host creative and connection-focused activities

Details on how to participate or attend are available on the City’s Downtown Pedestrian Mall webpage. 

The City of St. John’s strives to be an accessible, inclusive, healthy and safe community. The Downtown Pedestrian Mall will have inclusivity features that ensure a welcoming environment for all, including accessible parking and public transportation, barrier-free routes, accessible rest areas, and accessible wayfinding and navigation through BlindSquare. BlindSquare accessible wayfinding and navigation apps are free to download in Apple and Android app stores and help pedestrians to safely navigate the mall. Apple users can download BlindSq Event. Android users can download XploreNinja by BlindSquare.