What to do with the family Remembrance Day weekend in Greater Moncton (Nov 10-12)

Remembrance Day falls on Saturday, November 11. If you’re new to New Brunswick, this is your reminder that Remembrance Day is one of 8 paid public holidays in the province. Expect most retail operations to be closed Saturday, with some also being closed on Monday as the day in lieu, such as schools. Yes, both Anglophone East & Francophone Sud schools are closed Monday!

RELATED: Crafts, poems, & stories to help you talk with young children about Remembrance Day

REMEBRANCE DAY SERVICES

• The largest gathering will be at the Moncton Coliseum. This event is hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #6. The public is welcome to attend; arrive by 10am.
• Many families choose to attend the community ceremony held at Victoria Park in downtown Moncton, as this is a shorter, outdoor event. The ceremony is from 10:45am-11:15am.
• The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #54 in Sunny Brae holds a parade and ceremony, in Sunny Brae Park. Traffic will be stopped in the area around 10:45am to allow the parade to leave Sunny Brae Legion (164 Broadway Street) and go to the park (85 Massey Avenue). The ceremony is held in the park, then the parade returns at approximately noon (when there will again be a temporary road closure).
• The Town of Riverview hosts a ceremony at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, starting at 10:50am. Veterans and other groups, such as cadets & first responders, gather outside and march into the church.
• Dieppe will host a ceremony at École Mathieu-Martin. Veterans and others form up at 10:30am and march inside.
• There will be a church service for Remembrance Day in Salisbury at 10am, with a service at the cenotaph outside the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #31 at 10:55am, followed by a reception inside, open to the public. There is also a dinner with guest speakers at the Legion Saturday evening. Salisbury has more than 80 banners along the streets, honouring veterans from the area; a walk along Main Street, reading names and looking at the faces of these men & women is another great child-friendly option for a family observance if you’re worried about little ones staying still and paying attention at a formal ceremony.
• Shediac’s outdoor ceremony is held at Pascal Poirier Park, beginning at 10:30am. Open house follows at the Legion.
• Memramcook Veterans’ Group is hosting a ceremony at Veteran’s Park at 11am.
• There will be a ceremony at the cenotaph in Hillsborough at 11am, with a reception to follow at the Legion.
• The Albert County Museum is hosting a sunrise service on Saturday at the Hopewell Cape Square; arrive at 7am. There will be a ceremony at the WWI field guns on site, with a reception to follow in the community hall. The museum will be open 1-4pm; they have an incredible war display that’s perfect for a family outing. Admission by donation.
• Riverside-Albert will host their service Friday at 11am at the recreation centre.
• A ceremony will begin at the Alma Activity Centre at 11am on Saturday.

There are two high school football games at Moncton’s Rocky Stone field on Saturday for the provincial finals. The Red Hawks & Sea Beas take the field at 2pm, and at 6pm, it’s the Black Kats and the Riverview Royals.

The Moncton Wildcats have two home games this weekend; Friday night they host the Charlottetown Islanders at 7pm, and its Sunday Funday with the Shawinigan Cataractes in town for a game at 4pm. There’ll be bouncy castles, face painting, & lots of fun.

Santa arrives at Bass Pro on Sunday, November 12 at 4pm. Enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, and a scavenger hunt! Reservations for photos are now available to book.

Sunday will be a blast for collectible fans, with a vendor show at Dieppe’s Rotary St. Anselme Park with Hot Wheels, Pokemon, trading cards, and more. Doors open at 9:30am; admission is $5 (free for kids).

One of our favourite indie book shops is celebrating Sunday. Take a drive to Sackville to shop at Tidewater Books. Open noon till 5pm, with 20% the store & lots of giveaways & goodies.

Speaking of books – next Saturday you can pop into Chapters to grab the new paperback version of GADZOOKS! The Christmas Goose, a lovely holiday story from right here in Southeastern New Brunswick!

If shopping is your jam, a visit to the Shediac Multipurpose Centre on Sunday should be on your list, too. The vendor line up for their Christmas market is incredible!

SKATING SEASON — INDOOR SKATING TIMES

You can find all the details for skating throughout the week on our Guide to Ice Skating in Greater Moncton, but here’s what you need to know this weekend (these times are free unless otherwise noted):

Friday:

• ⛸️ Shediac 9-10:30am
• ⛸️ Dieppe AJL preschoolers with sticks, 9:30-10:30am
• ⛸️ Superior Propane Centre parent & tot 10-11am
• ⛸️ Sackville Parent & Tot 10:15-11:15am
• ⛸️ Hillsborough public skating 8:15-9:15pm ($2/person or $5/family)
• ⛸️ Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena parent & tot 10:15-11:15am
• ⛸️ Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm
• ⛸️ Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena 3:30pm-4:30pm
• ⛸️ Riverview 12 & under, 4-5:15pm

Saturday:

• ⛸️ Moncton Coliseum parent & tot 9:30-10:30am ($2)
• ⛸️ Hillsborough public skating 2-3pm & 8-9pm ($2/person or $5/family)
• ⛸️ Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena 2:30-4pm ($2)
• ⛸️ Moncton Coliseum 3:45-5:15pm ($2)
• ⛸️ Riverview 3:45-5pm
• ⛸️ Dieppe’s AJL 6:15-7:15pm

Sunday:

• ⛸️ Superior Propane Centre parent & tots 9:45-10:45am ($2)
• ⛸️ Dieppe’s UNIplex 11:45am-12:45pm
• ⛸️ Superior Propane Centre 11:45am-12:45pm ($2)
• ⛸️ Memramcook Eugene Leblanc Arena 11:45am-12:45pm
• ⛸️ Dieppe’s AJL 1-2pm
• ⛸️ Petitcodiac 1pm-2:30pm ($2/skater, free for ages five & under)
• ⛸️ Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena 2:30-4pm ($2)
• ⛸️ Hillsborough family skating 2:15-3:15pm ($2/person or $5/family)
• ⛸️ Sackville 2:30-3:30pm ($8/family, or $3/adult & $2/senior or child under 12)
• ⛸️ Riverview public 2:30-4pm
• ⛸️ Shediac 5:30-6:30pm

For more on weekday options, check out our Skating Guide!

Here’s our trusty list of places you might want to check out with the family anytime!

• 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!! (Please note: they are closed for Remembrance Day & on Mondays.)
• Llamazing Adventures still had weekend spots available when we checked!
• Wanna test your adventure skills outdoors? Check out Off Grid Adventure in Anagance!
• Magnetic Hill Zoo is currently open five days a week, 10am-4pm (closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays; open on Saturday).
• 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. (Open this Saturday.)
• Looking for something geared just to littles? Hop Skip Jump is the place to check out.
• The City of Moncton generally hosts two public swims every 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.
• We’re always a fan of visiting the library – whether there’s special programming or just to drop in & explore! (Please note: the libraries will be closed Saturday to observe Remembrance Day.)
• 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!

LOOKING AHEAD

If you have a little one heading off to Kindergarten and are looking for private school options, you should head to the information session with Eastgate Academy! (Also open to those of you with older kids – or planning ahead now for littles!)

Did you get your tickets yet for Atlantic Slam? Check out six NCAA basketball games with teams from Yale, Weber State, Gardner-Webb, and Colgate, plus a prep school tournament! Learn more on the podcast with local co-chair Roberto Di Donato.