What to do with the kids in Moncton this weekend (Dec 9-11)
December is filled with fun, family outings – so let’s jump right in!
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES DEC 9-11
Wild Lights is back at the Zoo! #sponsored Open most days until January 7 (closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays, as well as Dec 24 & 25), this is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and some incredible light displays! (Psst! Check our social media channels for a ticket giveaway!)
MUST READ: Christmas light displays in Greater Moncton
The annual Sue Stultz & Moncton Firefighters Turkey Drive is happening through Friday extended to Monday! The goal is a turkey on every table for Christmas — which means more than 3,000 turkeys are needed to help feed families in Greater Moncton this year. Three days wasn’t enough to gather that many donations (still short roughly 2,000 turkeys), so the volunteers will be at the St. George Fire Station from 10am to 5pm Monday to accept donations.
Sackville’s Vogue Cinema has showings of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation & It’s a Wonderful Life coming up; we hear Clarke & Eddy might make an appearance on Dec 9! Friday is also Moonlight Madness in Sackville.
If you’re a Wonderful Life fan – or maybe new to the story! – the folks from Hub City Theatre will present It’s a Wonderful Life as an old-fashioned radio play at the Riverview Arts Centre on Friday and Saturday.
It’s Nutcracker weekend at the Capitol Theatre, with four performances of this Christmas classic, presented by the Academy of Classical Ballet Youth Theatre with special guest performers.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Riverview is holding a family event called Night in Bethlehem on Friday night at 6pm.
SANTA SIGHTINGS
Santa will be stopping in Salisbury Friday night for the community’s official tree lighting celebration at Highland Park, 5-7pm. Enjoy hot dogs, hot chocolate, horse & wagon rides, and more!
Saturday is the annual kids’ Christmas celebration at Green Diamond in Moncton. We see Santa will be there 11am – 12:30pm, along with crafts & more!
Sussex’s Santa Claus Parade is taking place Saturday.
Santa is back at MacArthur’s Nurseries Saturday & Sunday from 1-3pm each day. Bring your camera to snap a photo!
He’s also popping into Holy Whale Beer Hall on Sunday, 1-4pm.
Santa is also taking reservations for visits at CF Champlain & Bass Pro Shops!
Fun on Ice is back in Dieppe! Enjoy bonfires, marshmallows, hot chocolate, music, and more at the skating oval each Friday night, starting at 6:30pm. (The skating oval is open daily now – and we see that Santa & Mrs. Claus are planning a visit Dec 16!)
The Ian Fowler Oval is open for skating outside the Avenir Centre, too — and Riverview’s Holiday Hoopla Skate returns Sunday, 2:30 – 4pm, with hot chocolate, holiday music, & more.
RELATED: Public Skating Schedules for Greater Moncton Area Rinks
Bennic & Snapology are teaming up for a Grinch-themed event on Saturday; a great chance to have the kids entertained while you snag some time to prep for the holidays!
Ivan & Vivian Hicks are hosting a Fiddle Doo at the Salisbury Lions Club on Saturday afternoon. Always a festively great time! Admission by donation & you’re asked to bring a donation to the food bank if you can. Everyone is welcome to listen or join in playing!
It’s Holiday Hoopla weekend in Riverview! There’s a free public swim on Saturday, as well as drop in badminton and board games (ages 12-17) at the youth centre. On Sunday, there’s skating (details below) & a reindeer mural painting event happening.
It’s a Christmas celebration at Snider Ranch this Saturday! You MUST book in advance; there were a few spaces left when we wrote this. Enjoy pony rides, wagon rides, cookie decorating, and more for just $10/vehicle. Food available for purchase on site, too.
The Moncton Lions Community Centre on St. George Street will be the location of a collectibles swap meet this Saturday, 9am – 1pm. Comics, Pokemon, Hot Wheels, Funkos, and more. $3 admission fee for those over age 10.
Tidal Board Gaming is holding a ‘lite’ event on Saturday also at the Lions Centre.
Bouton d’or Acadie is holding a fun event, Célébrons Petites Lunettes, at the Aberdeen Cultural Centre Saturday aftenroon.
If you’re playing Kenny & Dolly’s Christmas album on repeat, you’ll want to grab a ticket for Saturday night’s musical tribute at the Moncton Wesleyan Church! An incredible line up of talent is performing a full range of classic country Christmas songs.
This weekend wraps up Christmas in the Country, celebrating all the great venues throughout Albert County. You can find a full list on their Facebook page, but here are a few highlights:
- Broadleaf Ranch is open, with wagon rides (noon – 2pm, $5), Charlie Brown u-cut trees, baked goods, and more. It looks like they even have a few glamping units available this weekend; a perfect HQ for exploring the region!
- There will be hosts in period costume for A Victorian Christmas at the Steeves House Museum
- Maplegrove Inn is hosting a Victorian Tea
- Lots of great spots to purchase locally made gifts, eats, & more!
There are events both Saturday & Sunday for Christmas in the Country, so lots of chances to take in the fun. There are a few holiday markets happening this weekend, including the Shediac Christmas Market on Saturday (10am to 5pm) & Sunday (10am-3:30pm), the Irishtown Community Centre Christmas Craft Fair (8am to 3pm), New Hope Church’s Christmas craft & bake sale at 9am & an amazing pop-up at the Arches at St. George (10am-3pm) on Saturday, and Sunday’s Christmas Cheer at The Grand Ivory Event Space (10am – 2pm).
The annual turkey dinner fundraiser at St. James Gate is happening Sunday, with an incredible musical line up – Chris Colepaugh & his wonderful daughter, Lavinia!
On Sunday evening, New Hope Church is holding a ‘Carols by the Fire‘ event. Join friends at 6pm to sing your favourite seasonal songs.
LOOKING AHEAD
There’s a great needle felting Christmas ornament workshop happening at the Lutz Mountain Heritage Museum on Monday.
Monday night is also the next Open House at Riverbend Community School. If you are at all curious about educational options for elementary kids, take the time to go meet Rebecca and learn about her amazing program.
Our friends at Off the Wall Eyewear Emporium are having a super fun event at their Moncton store on Wednesday, 1-4pm. You can get a holiday photo with a mini-pony when you make a donation to PAW (formerly the SPCA).
Sistema’s holiday concerts are happening this week, too!
New Brunswick presents The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley at the Riverview Arts Centre on December 16.
Coca-Cola’s special holiday truck is planning to be at Sobey’s CF Champlain on Saturday, December 17 from 3-6pm.
Santa will join the City of Moncton for a free skating event at the Moncton Coliseum on December 18.
Did you know Mezza has opened their second Moncton location? #ad They’re celebrating the 45 Plaza Blvd location next weekend, December 16-18, with great specials each day. Friday is BOGO 50% off bowls & wrap, Saturday is BOGO 50% off regular size poutine, and Sunday it’s two-can-dine for $21.99 (two wraps, two fries, two soft drinks).
WHERE TO SEE THE WORLD JUNIORS & HOCKEY FUN
In case you’ve missed the hype, the World Juniors are coming to Moncton this year! (And in case you’re a non-hockey person like me, the World Juniors are an annual competition with the top ice hockey teams from around the world featuring players under 20. Lots of future NHL starts have made big splashes at the IIHF World Junior Championships!) While the full packages for the event are expensive, you can find a single seat ticket at Moncton games for just over $60 with fees – might just be that last-minute gift idea you need!
The excitement is already bubbling, with Team Canada’s selection camp getting underway this Friday at the Avenir Centre. We hear there are some current NHL players already in town!
There are exhibition games starting Monday, December 19 at the Avenir Centre, with Canada hosting Switzerland. On Wednesday, it’s US vs Sweeden (in the afternoon) and Canada vs Slovakia (in the evening). In all, there will be 10 preliminary-round World Juniors games played at the Avenir Centre (with more prelims happening in Halifax), with teams from Latvia, Finland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and the United States. There will be two quarter-final games played here as well, with the rest of the action happening in Halifax over the holiday season. (The tournament goes until January 5, 2023.)
Want to be part of the fun without spending big bucks on tickets? There’s a community festival for just this reason! Watch for live music events and hockey games on big screen outside in Downtown Moncton throughout the event – including tail gate parties at the Moncton Market and a special New Year’s Eve Party with the Wildcats & fireworks!!
Still looking for more ideas – or some inspiration for gift cards & experiences to share this holiday season? Here are some more fun family outings in the Moncton area!
Great spaces to appeal to a variety of ages & interests are Hop Skip Jump!, SkyZone (Glow Zone fun on Fridays & Saturdays!), & 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. There’s also the Moncton Sports Dome on Friday nights for laser tag, Just Dance, Xbox & Nintendo gaming.
Have you visited the Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Youth Centre lately? A visit anytime is a great idea!
Another great idea is bowling & we see that glow times are back Fridays & Saturdays at Fairlanes in Moncton! We also love Bowlarama in Dieppe (be prepared for the arcade section!) and The Marvelous Holy Bowly in Riverview.
Don’t forget Resurgo Place, Doiron House, Moncton Public Library, or a visit to Bass Pro to see the 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium; stop by to see striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, trout, perch, and more!
Cineplex has theatres in both Dieppe & Moncton; movie time is always a great treat.
Looking to get wet? Why not check out the swim times at 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.
Maybe you want to lace up & hit the rinks: Free public skating schedules for Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe, & more!
HOT DRINKS & YUMMY EATS
We see Cafe l’amiral’s eggnog lattes and peppermint hot chocolates are back for the season & Salisbury’s Wright’s Bakery’s winter drinks have returned. We’ve also enjoyed a few holiday flavours at Cafe Duo, too! A few more of our go-to local spots for hot chocolates & seasonal lattes include Cafe Archibald’s Famous Grandma’s Hot Chocolate, Tony’s Bistro & Pâtisserie (so cozy & delicious), and of course The Ice Cream Barn in Riverview.
Do you have a favourite local spot for hot chocolate? Let us know so we can add to our list!
The Moncton Market & the Dieppe Market are both open on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm, with fantastic options for local goodies.
Many smaller communities also have markets & great hidden eating gems, like Salisbury’s growing market/antique scene as well as the Old Church Farmer’s Market in Hillsborough.
Treat your tastebuds with a walk along St. George Street for Halo Donuts, Lost and Found Ice Cream (we tried the chocolate orange & eggnog twisted soft serve last weekend – SO yummy!), and maybe even a Taco in a Bag from Notre Dame de Parkton or something from Dolma. You’re also super close to Co Pain Artisan Bread Company & oodles of great restaurants! If you’re enjoying a riverside stroll in Moncton, pop into the Starving Artist Cafe.
