What to do with the kids in Moncton this weekend (October 14 – 16, 2022)
Welcome to the weekend, everyone! It’s definitely fall in New Brunswick now, with everything from ghost hunting to lobster dinners to public skating on the go. What fun family adventure will you have this weekend? Why not invite some friends along, too! Here’s our weekly list of events, activities, & ideas for family-friendly activities
WHAT TO DO WITH THE FAMILY THIS WEEKEND IN GREATER MONCTON
The annual Alma Fleet Launch takes place all weekend with lots of family fun, including a kitchen party and chowder dinner, workshops and live music on Saturday, a lobster boil and more music Sunday, and lots of other great events all weekend long.
BOOKSTRAVAGANZA is back! This is a massive used book sale that supports Laubach Literacy NB’s adult literacy programs. Stop by the Moncton Coliseum Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to stock up on reading material for the whole family!
While you’re there, you might also want to take in the Moncton Wellness Expo. They have a great roster of vendors, including Thermography Clinic NB, who we loved having on the podcast previously!
Riverview Fire & Rescue is hosting an open house October 15, as is Dieppe (at the Gauvin Street station, 10am-2pm), and there’s a similar event in Memramcook on the 16th.
Saturday is the annual Pink in the Rink hockey game, with the Moncton Wildcats hosting the Islanders at 7pm. Sunday is an afternoon game against the Halifax Mooseheads!
The Albert County Museum’s annual Ghost Hunting Day event takes place Sunday, October 16. There will be a presentation about the Tom Collins’ trial and a paranormal & wellness fair during the day, followed by a ghost hunting session with Hub City Paranormal in the evening.
The annual Walk to Remember, honouring those lost in infancy and pregnancy, will take place Sunday, October 16.
CORN MAZES & APPLE ORCHARDS
The Green Pig’s corn maze, play area, & pumpkin blaster are open, along with pumpkins for sale. Stop by 9am – 6pm daily.
Milton Mile Farms has a lovely maze for families just outside Riverview. Open Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 5pm — except this Saturday, when they’re closing early for a family wedding on site! They’re also planning a flash light maze on Friday night, 7-10pm, $5/person; nothing scary in the maze, but feel free to come in costume & don’t forget to bring your own flashlight!
Trueman’s Blueberry Farm in Aulac offers wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, jumbo jumper, potato cannon, a ‘corn you find’ game in the corn maze, and more. Open Wednesdays through Sundays.
Les Petits Fruits de Pré-d’en-Haut in Memramcook has a great pumpkin patch you can visit by wagon ride, Le Verger Goguen (near Cocagne) has pumpkins, apples, and a u-fish pond. And don’t forget the apples!! There are several u-pick apple orchards locally (Belliveau Orchard, Irishview Estates, La Fleur du Pommier, and Uris Williams & Sons Apple Orchard), as well as many around the province that would make a great long weekend road trip!
HALLOWEEN FUN
Have you checked out Pickle Planet’s Guide to Halloween in the GMA? We’ve rounded up tons of events, as well as decorated houses, spooky spaces, snack ideas, decorating tips, and more!
A few highlights for this weekend: The Albert County Museum’s annual Ghost Hunting Day event on Sunday is sure to be a treat for those interested in the paranormal & we highly recommend a visit to 19 Waterfall Drive in Riverview if you’re a fan of great decor. The family welcomes you to snap a selfie with their crew – who change position each night! – and share it with #keepingupwiththebonesriverview. PS! Don’t forget to get your tickets for Boo at the Zoo!
PUBLIC SKATING
Lace up & hit the rinks — public skating is back! Here’s where you can enjoy time on skates this weekend:
The City of Moncton offers public skating at three indoor rinks: Superior Propane Centre (55 Russ Howard Drive), the Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena (99 Wynwood Drive), & the Moncton Coliseum. Skating is FREE on Fridays: your options are parent & tot skating at the Superior Propane Centre (10-11am), parent & tot at the Kay Arena (10:15-11:15am), and everyone at the Kay from 3:30-4:30pm.
You can also skate Saturday at the Moncton Coliseum for $2 (parent & tot from 9:30-10:30am & public 3:45-5:15pm) & at the Kay Arena from 2:30-4:30pm for $2. On Sundays, public skating is at the Superior Propane Centre from 11:45am-12:45pm (with a parent & tot session from 9:45-10:45am) and at the Kay Arena from 2:30-4:30pm.
MUST READ: Free public skating schedules for Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe, & more!
Friday there’s free skating for preschoolers with sticks at Dieppe’s Arthur-J.-LeBlanc Centre (9:30-10:30am). On Saturday, everyone can skate for free from 6:15-7:15pm. Sunday there’s free skating at AJL from 2:15-3:15pm and at UNIplex from 3:30-4:30pm.
You can find the full list of local rinks & all their skate times here; there are lots of weekday options, most of them free! (Riverview’s skating schedule is delayed opening until October 29, FYI.)
MORE INDOOR IDEAS
The Riverview Indoor Skatepark is a wonderful place for all ages – check out their drop in options & the youth centre upstairs!
Bowling is always a great family adventure. Fairlanes in Moncton & Bowlarama in Dieppe both offer gutter blockers for kids, and Bowlarama has an awesome arcade section. Don’t forget Riverview is now home to The Marvelous Holy Bowly, too!
Cineplex has theatres in both Dieppe & Moncton.
Great spaces to appeal to a variety of ages & interests are Hop Skip Jump!, SkyZone, & DIY Studio. Older kids might want to try laser tag at Marco’s Clinic, climbing next door at FitRocks Climbing Gym, or maybe test their wits at Room Escape Atlantic or Mystery Moncton Mystere. The Moncton Sports Dome is open Friday nights for laser tag, Just Dance, Xbox & Nintendo gaming. Tickets are $25/person for unlimited play; children 11 & under must have a guardian with them, but non-playing participants can watch for free. (Check out their weekday drop ins for littles, too!)
You can add a touch of learning to your weekend with a visit to Resurgo Place, Doiron House or the Moncton Public Library.
Cabela’s has a 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium; stop by to see striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, trout, perch, and more!
Check out the Pat Crossman Aquatic Centre in Riverview, the Moncton YMCA at Vaughan Harvey, and the Dieppe Aquatic Centre. Both the Moncton & Dieppe pools are great with littles; Dieppe has a sloped entry with a pirate ship, while the Vaughan Harvey YMCA has a separate kiddie pool. The YMCA Moncton North has an indoor splash pad & playground; non-members are welcome.
The City of Moncton offers free drop in gym time for kids in Gr 5 – 8 at the Crossman Centre (99 Wynwood Drive) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3:30-4:45pm. The gym is open for Parents & Tots Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10am until noon. You can also walk the indoor track WITH a stroller between 11am and 1pm. There’s also indoor walking at the Moncton Coliseum between 9am and 4pm; call 857-4100 for more info.
MORE OUTDOOR IDEAS
It’s looking a little rainy this weekend (and all next week, too!) but we know that doesn’t mean an end to outdoor fun! You might still want to check out Magnetic Hill Zoo, Maghill Paintball, East Coast Karting, Off Grid Adventure or horseback riding at Boyle Family Farm.
And any weather can be playground weather! Be sure to check our Playground Profiles to help you decide on your next adventure spot. You might want to check out the new stairs everyone is loving in Mill Creek Nature Park in Riverview! Such a fabulous spot made even more wonderful for exploring.
Wishing you all a fabulous weekend – with a little extra dose of Halloween inspiration!
