Fun things to do with the family over Thanksgiving weekend in Greater Moncton (Oct 6-9, 2023)

Happy Thanksgiving weekend, everyone! Fall is in full swing, with apple u-picks, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and lots of family fun. Take a read through for dozens of ideas for things to do together, as well as some upcoming Halloween events, parenting classes, and more!

Let’s start with some fall family classics!

APPLE PICKING, CORN MAZES, & MORE

Apple u-picks are underway & corn mazes are open! (Remember, many may accept cash only and are weather dependent; check the source links before heading out.)

The Green Pig Market’s big & mini mazes, bounce pad, & pumpkin blaster will likely be open Saturday, Sunday & Monday, 10am-5pm (check their Facebook for updates or call (506) 372-5640). They’ve announced a haunted maze event for ages 13+ on October 26, 27, & 28!
We love the slow country pace at Milton Mile Farms. Check out their awesome corn maze this weekend; open 10am-5pm, $5/person – with special flashlight events Friday & Saturdays in October, 7-9pm. Pair this with a stop at the Hillsborough Halloween House and some leaf peeping in Albert County for an awesome weekend adventure!
Trueman Blueberry Farm has it all — corn maze, train rides, jumbo jumper, potato cannon, and more – including their amazing homemade ice cream. Always worth a visit! Starting this weekend you can take a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch! Open 11am-8pm Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, and 11am-5pm on Monday.
Irishview Estates features honeycrisp & gala apples, open 10am-6pm.
Belliveau Orchard is open daily 10am-5pm. (We love heading out for an after-school apple u-pick adventure; less crowds! Speaking of crowds, there’s a party there Friday night with all kinds of fun extras – details below!)
Les Petits Fruits de Pré-d’en-Haut, a lovely farm overlooking the Bay of Fundy, has a pumpkin patch to explore and other goodies for sale. A great option for littles with a small play structure and smaller crowds than many places.
La Fleur du Pommier, near Cocagne, is another great apple orchard, open 10am-6pm.
Le Verger Goguen U-pick is open 10am – 6pm.
Uris Williams & Sons Apple Orchard’s U-pick is open 10am-5pm.

For more on these & more mazes, orchards, and & fall fun, check out our Guide to Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, and Apple Orchards in New Brunswick. There are lots of great spots all around the province!

Looking for more Halloween themed fall events? Keep reading; we have some ideas for you!

It’s homecoming weekend at local high school football games! On Friday, Harrison Trimble and Moncton take the field at Rocky Stone at 7pm, while Olympiens de l’Odyssee meet Bernice MacNaughton on McKenna Field at 7pm. On Saturday, it’s the Tantramar Titans and the Riverview Royals at Riverview High School at 1pm.

Moncton is hosting the 2023 Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships U-17 Cup, running October 4 – 9. Top talent from across the country playing at Croix Bleue Medavie Stadium, Rocky Stone Field, HTHS, & BMHS. Tickets are on sale now; kids 12 & under are free!

Friday night is the kick off of Rendez-vous d’automne de Memramcook. Enjoy a party at Verger Belliveau Orchard, 5-10pm, live music, cash bar and food truck, Llama-zing Adventures, bouncy castles, face painting, and more!

This weekend is the annual Trunk or Treat event at the Sussex Drive-In, including PAW Patrol The Mighty Movie as the first feature! Scheduled for Friday & Saturday night; check their site before heading out, as it is weather-dependant.

Poley Mountain’s annual Fall Festival is this weekend. Enjoy a chairlift ride to take in the colours, live music, games, and more. Atlantic Sky High Adventures will be on site Saturday offering tethered rides. Everything is weather permitting, so be sure to check before heading out.

The Early Childhood Family Resource Centre is again hosting the local Quintessence World Breastfeeding Challenge. The goal is to celebrate breastfeeding with as many latched babies at 11am on Saturday; gathering begins at 9:30am & goes till noon.

Looking for a new favourite fall photo op? Belding Hill Farms is open Saturday & Sunday, with animals to feed, a pumpkin catapult, youth vendors, and amazing backgrounds filled with pumpkins and more!

Or maybe you’re more into a fall fair at Ocean Breeze Farm, open 10am-5pm on Saturday for a fantastic market experience.

Sunday there’s an afternoon Wildcats game, playing the Armada Blainville-Boisbriand at 4pm.

Cocagne’s Beausoleil Fire Department is hosting an open house on Sunday, 11am-3pm.

**Monster Trot tickets are on sale now**! Support an incredible non-profit service in our community (free mental health support to youth!) AND have an amazing indoor trick-or-treating experience!

SPOOKY SEASON FUN

Many homes in Riverview are still sporting their Pumpkin Palooza displays – and we see that Keeping Up With The Bones on Waterfall Drive starting bringing their skeleton friends out to play; stop by to admire the constantly changing display!

You should also consider a drive to check out the Hillsborough Halloween House; they’re also adding to their display throughout the month but it already looks incredible! Lights are on at 26 Greys Island Road, approximately 7-9:30pm nightly, weather permitting.

Salisbury’s Scooptopia ice cream shop is transforming into Spooktopia this week. They have a not-so-scary displays and a haunted maze in the works. Check their social media for updates.

If you’re looking for a taste of fall, we’re drooling over the soft serve classic pumpkin spice & roasted pumpkin ice cream at lost and found! (Open Wed-Sun, noon-8pm) Pair it with an apple crisp, Canadian maple, or pumpkin spice donut from Halo Donuts for a real indulgence. If hot drinks are more your taste, Duo Café makes a fantastic in-house pumpkin spice syrup for all your latte needs!

We’re putting the finishing touches on Guide to local Haunted Houses & Halloween events; check back soon!

MORE FUN IDEAS – HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND & MORE!

If you haven’t made it to Akadi Lumina yet, make plans now! The reviews are off the charts raves & time is running out!

Resurgo Place’s new temporary exhibit is open – and it includes a full dinosaur & a Picasso! The museum is always a hands-on hit with our kids, but I know the dino will tip the scales for so many!! (Watch for a more details coming Monday on the Pickle Planet Podcast!)

Imagine the photos you’ll snap walking through the fall colours with Llamazing Adventures; they still had weekend spots available when we checked!

Wanna test your adventure skills outdoors? Check out Off Grid Adventure in Anagance!

Sundays are open farm sessions at Beloved Miniature Horses. Entry is $12/person; under 3 is free. Lots of animals to visit & pony rides (limited to those under 50 pounds) are $10.

Boyle Family Farm is open to the public on Saturdays in October, from 10am – 4pm. A great place to book a horseback ride or just visit with the animals.

Magnetic Hill Zoo is currently open seven days a week, 10am-4pm. (PS: Boo at the Zoo opens October 21, but tickets are on sale now.)

Add a little neon flair to your weekend with Glow Zone nights Friday & Saturday at SkyZone. Lasers, black lights, fog machines & more! All ages welcome, wear white or florescent colours, 7-10pm.

Looking for something geared just to littles? Hop Skip Jump is the place to check out.

The City of Moncton hosts two public swims each weekend: Saturdays 3-4:35pm at the University of Moncton’s CEPS ($3 admission), and Sundays 1:303pm at the YMCA ($3 admission).

You might also want to check out swimming at the Riverview Aquatic Centre (open swim on Saturdays at 1:35 & 2:40) & the Dieppe Aquatic Centre (public swims on Saturday at 3:15pm & 6pm, Sunday at 3:15pm), or check out the indoor splash pad at the North End YMCA.

DYK: Dieppe Aquatic Centre offers preschool swims on Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays from 10-11:25am. The pool is a sloped, walk-in perfect for littles AND there’s an awesome pirate ship to play on! You can find more info on daytime swims in our updated Guide to Swimming in Greater Moncton.

Add a little learning fun to the weekend with a trip to Shediac’s Homarus Centre, open Saturdays & Sundays.

We’re always a fan of visiting the library – whether there’s special programming or just to drop in & explore! This Saturday in Moncton there’s a Doodle Drop In, the D&D group for ages 13-18, & a free showing of Carrie at 1pm in English and 3pm in French.

Another family favourite is hitting the bowling alley or arcade. Go retro vibes with Holy Moly in Riverview, check out glow bowling times at Fairlanes in Moncton, or head to Bowlarama & its awesome arcade in Dieppe.

Want to move as a family? Try a visit to FitRocks Climbing Gym, Marco’s Clinic (laser tag), or the Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Riverview Youth Centre.

Creative mood? Try DIY Studio to paint your own pottery! They usually have lots of holiday themed pieces – now’s a great time to start thinking ahead for holiday gifts, too!

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!

TreeGo (located within Centennial Park in Moncton) is still open if you’re ready for a little height adventure, or maybe you want to book a session at Moncton Paintball, or hit the track at East Coast Karting

A FEW UPCOMING EVENTS

Remember to check back each week for a fresh round up – but here are a few things you might want to jot on the calendar now.

Looking for a fun shopping outing? Need some thrifty finds for the kids? Grapevine Events Fall & Winter Sale is happening October 13 & 14 in Saint John. Snowsuits, Halloween costumes, toys, books, shoes, clothes newborn to tween – all sorted by size and hanging! Open until 8pm on Friday night – with a food truck & a Trunk or Treat event in the parking lot – and Saturday 10am – 1pm, with special characters on site & most items 50% off!
The 24^th annual Atlantic Stock Car Championships are happening at the Shediac Centre for Speed on Oct 14 & 15.
The annual Alma Fleet Launch will coincide with the Rising Tide Trails & Tunes Festival, starting October 13.
The Walk to Remember returns in person this fall. Mark October 15 on your calendar to walk in support of families who have lost a child in pregnancy or infancy.
October 15 there will be an open house at the Memramcook fire station.
Atlantic Slam hits the Avenir Centre November 16-19, featuring four NCAA Division I College Basketball teams & several top prep school teams.
BGC Dieppe is celebrating 50 years with a Family Fun Day on Saturday, October 21, 11am-3pm.
Registration for floats & walking groups is now open for the 2023 Royale Greater Moncton Santa Claus Parade, happening November 25!

PARENTING CLASSES

Tell all the expecting & new parents – the awesome team at ReConnect Health is holding a Pregnancy Symposium this month! Hear from pelvic floor physiotherapists, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, naturopathic doctors, kinesiologist, & more! Just $25, running 9am – 1pm on October 14^th. ReConnect also has all kinds of baby/kid-friendly classes to check out, as does The Mama Movement. Check them both out!

Can’t make it but looking for some pre/post natal help? Check out the online & in-person options from Whole Mama Collective, another local resource we love! Family and Early Childhood Anglophone East also has some great programs, like their Circle of Security Parenting & Group Triple P.

For those further along the journey and dealing with multiple family dynamics, the fabulous Cecile of Ella’s Blended Family is hosting a series of workshops (in French) on co-parenting, step-parenting, and more at La Place in Dieppe in November.

And the amazing Dr. Sophie is co-hosting an online session on dealing with kids big emotions, offering practical strategies for parents. The webinar takes place Thursday, October 19 for just $15; replay available.

And while it’s not exactly a parenting class, if you’ve been looking for a family yoga class, check out what’s coming up at Just Fit in Riverview.