What to do with the kids in Greater Moncton this weekend (Oct 17-19, 2025)

Welcome to a weekend filled with fun, everyone!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, Halloween events are starting to fill the calendar. We’ve included this weekend’s theme events below – look for the 🎃; you can find the full Guide to Halloween 2025 here. We’re also excited to see skating rinks re-opening for the season!

The Wildcats host Victoriaville tonight. The puck drops at 7pm.

🎃 Boyle Family Farm’s Forbidden Forest Haunted Horror Trail, 6-10pm (not intended for young children).

Amherst’s Scarecrow Stroll is back, with dozens of businesses around the community decked out with special decorations from now until the end of the month. Check out their Amherst in Gloom & Esther Fest events, too!

⛸️ Preschool skating with sticks at Dieppe’s Arthur-J-LeBlanc Centre, 9:30-10:30am
⛸️ Parent & Tot skating, Greenfoot Energy 4-Plex, 10-11am (free)
⛸️Parent & Tot skating, Kay Arena, 10:15-11:15am (free)
⛸️Public skating, Kay Arena, 3:30-4:30pm (free)

Healthy Halloween Treats

Kick your morning off with a Pancake & Sausage Breakfast at the Salisbury Lions Club, 7-10am. Entry is $10, $5 for those ages six to 10, and free for those five & under. It’s always a great time! Perfect fuel before heading to the Green Pig for the pumpkin blaster, corn maze, & more!

Coverdale Masonic Temple in Riverview is also hosting a Pancake Breakfast today, 8:30-11am.

The Arches of St. George Street are hosting a Fall Vintage Market today! 9am-3pm; a must for those who love treasure hunting!

Congratulations to the Dieppe Public Library on celebrating 65 years! They’re hosting lots of fun events at the library today, starting at 9:30am. There’ll be special guests, authors, and more – including storytime with Féeli Tout at 1:30pm (in French).

Cafe Inclusio in Dieppe will host a book launch for La petite sorcière et son familier, 10-11am.

Tanilou Farm in Shediac River is open today, $5/person, to visit the ponies, pigs, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, and more. Costumes encouraged!

The City of Moncton’s sixth annual Heritage Week wraps up with Doors Open today. Between 10am & 4pm, visit Baiani Block (413 Main), Thomas Williams House (103 Park), & Botsford Station (232 Botsford) to learn about the history of these buildings. There’s also a downloadable Heritage Scavenger Hunt, too – great any time!

Speaking of the City, are you familiar with their neighbourhood rink program? Get together & create a skating rink at your local playground this winter; applications now open.

Chapters Moncton is hosting several in-store, hands-on activities for kids on Saturday, October 18 & Sunday, October 19 – featuring Bluey, Tonies, LEGO, and Magnatiles. You need to sign in up advance for these free sessions; spaces are limited. (Look for Dieppe on the menu list to book.)

BGC Dieppe is holding a free Family Fun Day on October 18, with BBQ, bouncy castles, live music, petting zoo, balloon animals, and more. Stop by between 11am & 2pm.

Country Sleigh Rides is offering wagon rides today. Check their group for booking info!

Our friends at the YMCA Mobile Fun crew will be at Knox Park today, 2-4pm, with bouncy castles & so much more. We love seeing the summer fun extend into the fall!

Did you bake along with Tunes & Wooden Spoons (Mary Janet MacDonnell) during the pandemic? She’s going to be at Chapters Moncton this afternoon with her third cookbook. Be sure to pop by & support her work; she’s a longtime friend & we can’t wait to see her!

The Mom Market is hosting a Night Market at the Ian Fowler Oval, 4-9pm.

🎃 Boo at the Zoo begins today! Enjoy a visit to Magnetic Hill Zoo to visit the animals, with an extra dose of spooky displays! Costumes are certainly encouraged, but not mandatory. Open 10am-5pm; we suggest purchasing tickets in advance online to avoid waits & disappointment.
🎃 Boyle Family Farm’s kid-friendly Haunted Halloween Trail, 11am-4pm, with petting zoo, face painting, & more.
🎃 The YMCA at Vaughan Harvey is hosting a Family Chocolate Bar Bingo event, 2:30-4:30pm. Each bar you bring earns you a card (limit of three/person). Always fun to play & win your treats!
🎃 The Salvation Army on St. George Blvd is hosting a Trunk or Treat, 5-7pm.
🎃 Boyle Family Farm’s Forbidden Forest Haunted Horror Trail, 6-10pm (not intended for young children).

⛸️ Public skating at the Eugène (Gene) LeBlanc Arena in Memramcook, Sundays, 11:45am-12:45pm
⛸️Public skating, Kay Arena, 2:30-4pm ($2)
⛸️ Family skating at Dieppe’s Arthur-J-LeBlanc Centre, 6:15-7:15pm

Tasty Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

🎃 Boo at the Zoo is on again today! Magnetic Hill Zoo is filled with Halloween displays, alongside all the usual animal attractions. Open 10am-5pm; we suggest purchasing tickets in advance online to avoid waits & disappointment.
🎃 Boyle Family Farm’s kid-friendly Haunted Halloween Trail, 11am-4pm, with petting zoo, face painting, & more.
🎃 There’s a Not-Too-Scary Halloween Party happening at the Pointe du Chêne Recreation and Community Center, noon-2pm.
🎃 Michaels is hosting a Halloween-themed craft session for kids. This is a free event, 2-4pm.

There’s a Handmade Market Fall Fair at the Magnetic Hill Community Centre, 10am-2pm.

⛸️ Parent & Tot skating, Greenfoot Energy 4-Plex, 9:45-10:45am ($2)
⛸️ Public skating, Greenfoot Energy 4-Plex, 11:45am-12:45pm ($2)
⛸️ Family skating at Dieppe’s Arthur-J-LeBlanc Centre, 1-2pm
⛸️Public skating, Kay Arena, 2:30-4pm ($2)

Three Quick Halloween Crafts

These attractions & fun ideas are always worth checking out! Look for the for our TEEN & TWEEN picks! Some of these are still great with littles, too, but we know it can be tricky to come up with ideas the older kids will enjoy – or can be sent to on their own.

REMEMBER: We’re not always able to update if there are changes due to weather, etc. Please click through the links & call ahead to confirm details for yourself when making plans!

OUTDOOR FUN

The Magnetic Hill Zoo is open daily.
Llamazing Adventures is a great way to get out & get moving! Take the llamas for a walk!
Faith First Mini Horses offers pony walks & cuddles; check their site and reach out for availability.
Poley Mountain is open in the fall for hiking, biking, & more.
Drive In Movies are perfect fall outings, especially with teens! Check out what’s playing at Shediac’s Neptune Drive In & the Sussex Drive In.
East Coast Karting is open (weather permitting). Check their Facebook for updates & details!
DYK There’s a borrowing program at YMCA North with skateboards, helmets, and protective gear for use on their great outdoor ramps when weather permits.
There’s a roughly one hour iTour of downtown Moncton’s historical & cultural locations you can use to help you explore – a great way to add a little movement, a little history, and a little fun to your family outings! Be sure to check out all the amazing public art installations around the downtown core, too!

INDOOR FUN

The indoor splash pad at the YMCA North End is an amazing option for kiddos – with public openings every day of the week! Check the schedule as times vary day-to-day; cost to attend for non-member is $6.
For indoor swimming, there are public options at the YMCA Greater Moncton (love their small, warmer pool for little ones), the Pat Crossman Aquatic Centrein Riverview, and the Dieppe Aquatic Centre (with the awesome sloped entry & pirate ship splash zone!).
Hop! Skip! Jump! is perfect for little ones, as well as the cool climbing wall & laser room for older kids.
Burn off energy at SkyZone Moncton; half-price entry on Tuesday nights, and Glow Zone on Fridays & Saturdays.
Resurgo Place is a spot we love to visit again & again; history, hands-on science & arts, & special programming, too! (Closed on Mondays, including long weekends.)
MR21 is ‘low key Moncton’s best kept secret’ as my kids say. An incredible visual presentation that tells the history of the Acadian community in a beautiful cathedral in downtown.
Local libraries are always a great spot to visit, with lots of programming for all ages – and also another rainy day must visit option.
Check out what’s playing at Cineplex in Dieppe or Trinity!
The Bunker on Main Street in Moncton is a great indoor golf option & does have times kids are allowed. They also now have a race car simulator! There are more than 50 cars you can choose from & more than 30 tracks to try – it’s not a little kid game.
Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Riverview Youth Centre are a great space to learn to skate or practice your skills!
Bowling is always a fun idea! Go retro vibes with Marvelous Holy Bowly in Riverview, check out glow bowling times at Fairlanes in Moncton, or head to Bowlarama & its awesome arcade in Dieppe. (We recommend calling ahead to book in advance so you’re not disappointed.)
Book a booth at GG Bistro for some gaming fun & great eats!
Creative mood? Try DIY Studio to paint your own pottery!
Want to move as a family but need to be indoors? Try a visit to FitRocks Climbing Gym!
Book laser tag at the Sportsdome or Marco’s!
Up for a challenge? Room Escape Atlantic usually has a few non-scary, kid-friendly options & Mystery Moncton Mystere is great for the teens & up. There are also online options you can purchase to play on your own time.
Need to unleash some anger? Book a session at the Wreck Room!
Teens & youth (ages 12-25) can book a two-hour spot at Riverview’s Sound Lab for just $2/person. The lab has professional recording software, an electric guitar, bass guitar, electric drum kit, keyboard, microphones, & two amps.
Gamer in the family? The Comic Hunter hosts Friday Night Magic Modern sessions, Sunday Lorcana Locals, Monday Star Wars Unlimited Weekly Play & lots of other gaming events.
Board Miniatures also hosts regular table top sessions for various games & free board game days, too!
BGC Dieppe is always a great place for families to connect, with lots of programming open to everyone.
Bass Pro’s 12,000-gallon freshwater aquariumwith striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, trout, perch, and more is always fun to visit, especially when you need an indoor option.
Our friends at 506 Elite Allstars have a great space for kiddos looking to bounce around and burn off energy while learning tumbling and cheer moves. Check out their new member trial package & their upcoming events.

Markets & More

The Moncton Market & the Dieppe Market are both open on Saturday mornings, with fantastic options for local goodies.
Many smaller communities also have markets & great hidden eating gems, like Salisbury’s Farmer’s Market and the Green Pig Country Market, as well as the Old Church Farmer’s Marketin Hillsborough.
A cool spot to shop & enjoy a riverside stroll is the Starving Artist Cafe in Moncton.
Magnetic Hill Wharf Village is going to be opening heading up to Christmas this year!

FUN EATS

A few fun cafes for you to consider …

Tambayan Cafe is a fun 2D cafe in Riverview with yummy treats, coffee, fries, & more.
Add a photo booth shoot to your sweets order at Click & Chew in Dieppe; super fun idea for a special celebration or any day.
We’re always down to pretend we’ve hopped a plane to France with a trip to Tony’s for pastries. They have three great spots to explore – the original bistro on McLaughlin, Dieppe, and now in Downtown Moncton!
Crumbl FOMO? Head to our own The Cookie Jar in Dieppe! It’s super cute & yummy – and right next to the awesome Bennic Dairy Bar for ice cream creations!
Halo Donuts & lostandfound ice cream are next door neighbours on St. George Street, another great combo. (You can also find Halo in the North End, open Wed-Sun.)
And if bread & pastries are what you want, Co Pain Artisan Bread Company is where you need to go!
In search of a special? Check out The Daily Feast for great overview of local restaurants, their deals, & more.