Note to our readers: This column is part of a series from a blog recently started by a loosely knit independent group of area business people and residents who love and want to promote the energy and enthusiasm of downtown St. Joseph: The Joe Town Vibe. To find the column online or to read web-exclusive blogs posted every Tuesday please visit joetownvibe.com.
by John Stevens
Intern SJU ’18
In Joe Town, summer has a much different vibe than fall, winter and spring. With the students gone for summer, some of the energy in the community is gone, but is found elsewhere. With summer comes warm weather and numerous outdoor events such as the farmers’ market and Joe Town Rocks. During the summer the vibe in St. Joe is created in a different way, but still makes itself present every day.
Winter may bring cooler temperatures and may limit the spectrum of activities, but still the vibe of Joe Town lives on. Students’ presence in the community brings with it numerous events on the St. Benedict campus such as musicals, ensembles, concerts and art shows. Unfortunately, even endless events around the community have a tough time combatting the dampened spirits of Joe Town residents because of continued low temperatures.
This spring has not yet felt like spring at all. Continued cold and snow are beginning to take a toll on the morale of Joe Town. The community is itching to get outside and enjoy some warm weather. Like it would on any community, the long winter has hindered the vibe of the city. Joe Town is a resilient community and will be able to make it through the last couple of weeks of winter weather. The vibe of Joe Town still lives on in places that are indoors. Coffee shops, restaurants and bars have served as a gathering place for some time now.
If anything, the community of St. Joseph has just taken more advantage of different spaces and will just take even more advantage of the weather that is still to come this summer. The summer activities will still come and will be just as enjoyable as they have been in past years. It would be nice if the snow would stop falling and if the temperatures got warmer, but the fact is the weather is out of our control. The best solution for Joe Town is to continue to build community in the ways possible and take advantage of the warm weather once it comes.
