What do to this weekend with the family in Greater Moncton (Feb 3 – 5)
I hope you’re bundled up warm & cozy, everyone! It’s a frosty weekend but it’s still packed with fun ideas (mostly indoors, given the weather warnings on the go — a -45 windchill is a serious thing), so let’s jump right in!
Riverview’s 48th annual Winter Carnival is underway. A few weather related changes have already been announced, most notably the fireworks & Ignite party planned for Friday is now happening Sunday evening at Winter Wonderland Park. Stop by at 6:30pm for taffy on the snow ($1/stick), skating on the oval, and expect the fireworks from the sliding hill (closed that night) at 7pm. Still time to get the kiddos home to bed at a reasonable time!
You can also keep an eye out around town for everyone’s snow sculptures (watch for photos coming during the week) & take part in the Eastgate scavenger hunt & the Geocaching Challenge.
Here are a few more family-friendly events happening for Winter Carnival:
SATURDAY
8:30-11am
Bethel Presbyterian Church 
Pancake Breakfast (kids under 5 eat free!)
1-6pmRiverview Skatepark/Surface Skateshop 
Frozen Open Skateboarding Competition
SUNDAY
11am-2pmMill Creek Nature Park 
Campfire Cookout
2-3:30pmMill Creek Nature Park
Amazing Race
6:30-7:30pmWinter Wonderland Park 
Ignite
MONDAY
7-8amMill Creek Nature Park 
Snow Moon Sunrise Snowshoe
TUESDAY
6-7pmDobson Trail (First Firepit) Winter Campfire & Tunes
WEDNESDAY
3-4:45pmByron Dobson Lower Arena 
Rocks & Rings: Try Curling! (ages 12-17, groups of up to 5)
7-8:30pmYOUth Drop in program 
Brain Freeze Trivia Night (ages 12-17, groups of up to 4)
THURSDAY
7-8:30pmCoverdale Centre 
BGC Pre Teen Dance (ages 9-12, $2)
FRIDAY
6:30-9pmCoverdale Centre BGC Teen Dance (ages 13-15, $2)
Plus lots of fun next weekend, too! Find the full schedule at www.townofriverview.ca/events/winter-carnival
Pickle Planet is pleased to again be a communications partner with the Town for this event.
This weekend is also Dieppe’s Winter Magic weekend – but many activities are cancelled due to extreme cold. You can still try the rock climbing wall at the Boys & Girls Club on Saturday from 10am till 3pm. Sunday, February 5 is still expected to happen as planned at St-Anselme Rotary Park, with outdoor public skating, fatbiking (9am-noon), an all-you-can-eat-brunch (9am – 1pm; kids 5 & under eat free, children $4 & adults $8), maple taffy on the snow (1-3pm), family scavenger hunt with free hot chocolate (1-4pm), snowshoe loans (1-4pm), Llama-zing Adventure visit (1-4pm), & ending with a bonfire, music, and fireworks (6-8pm, expect the fireworks at 6:30pm). You can also visit Doiron House for free all weekend – and all month (open Saturday & Sunday, 1-5pm)!
In Sackville, World Wetland Day activities are happening 10am – noon at the Visitor Information Centre. The planned tour of the Waterfowl Park is cancelled & the scavenger hunt will be inside.
Off Grid Adventure (in Anagance) now has indoor climbing walls & cave tunnels! Check out their Grand Opening this Saturday, noon to 5pm. They seem to be the first indoor caving & rock climbing log cabin in North America!
Sunday at Resurgo Place it’s Discovery Labs with Kids Flow. Kids can explore the secrets of the enchanted forest, blending storytelling, crafts, mandala art, and yoga. Included with admission, bilingual, noon till 5pm. Their latest travelling exhibit, Earth in Focus: Insights from Space, (from the Canadian Science and Technology Museum & the Canadian Space Agency) is open until April, too!
SOME MORE INDOOR IDEAS
Stay active by checking out the options at FitRocks Climbing Gym, SkyZone, Hop Skip Jump, or Marco’s Clinic. Or book a lane at Bowlarama in Dieppe (offers gutter blockers for kids & an awesome arcade section), Holy Moly in Riverview, or Fairlanes in Moncton (with Glow Bowling nights!).
Swimming is always a great idea! Little ones in particular will love the indoor splash pad at YMCA Moncton North (open to the public Saturdays & Sundays, 8:30-10:45am, 12:15-2:15pm, & 3:45-4:45pm), the pirate ship & sloped entry at the Dieppe Aquatic Centre (public swims on Saturday 3-4:55pm & 6-7:55pm & Sunday 3-4:55pm), and of course the warm kiddie pool at the YMCA Greater Moncton (public swims Saturdays 6-7:70pm & Sundays 1:30-3pm). There’s also open swims at Riverview’s Pat Crossman Aquatic Centre on Saturdays from 1:30-2:25pm & 2:30-3:30pm.
Maybe you’re feeling creative & a trip to DIY Studio is the ticket! Or stretch your critical thinking skills with a family trip to Room Escape Atlantic (their site shows a few non-scary, kid-friendly options) or Mystery Moncton Mystere (for the teens & up).
There aren’t many little kid friendly movies currently playing at the Cineplex theatres, but we’re sure they’ll still be packed with families out to see Puss in Boots (we hear it’s a little scary for some, though it is animated & rated G) and Avatar: The Way of Water (rated 14A & over three hours long).
If you’re just looking to get moving, there are several spots that often indoor walking, with many tracks being stroller-friendly (at least at certain times), including Moncton Coliseum, Crossman Centre/Kay Arena, YMCA North, & the UNIplex in Dieppe. Check their sites for current information.
Looking for ideas at home? Set up a board game tournament, get ready for Valentine’s Day, make some early St. Patrick’s Day crafts, break out the painter’s tape for hopscotch on the floor, and so much more!
Many outdoor skating options aren’t recommended during the extreme cold, but indoor skating is okay! Here’s where to lace up inside this weekend!
- Friday, Feb 3:
Dieppe AJL preschoolers with sticks, 9:30-10:30am (FREE)cancelled this weekendMoncton’s Superior Propane Centre, parents & tots, 10-11am (FREE)cancelled this weekend- Crossman Community Centre / Kay Arena parent & tot 10:15-11:15am (FREE)
- Sackville parent & tot 10:15 – 11:15am (FREE)
- Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm (FREE)
- Crossman Community Centre / Kay Arena 3:30-4:30pm (FREE)
- Riverview 12 & under 4-5:15pm (FREE)
- Hillsborough 8:15-9:15pm ($2/person or $5/family)
- Saturday, Feb 4:
- Moncton Coliseum parent & tot 9:30-10:30am ($2)
- Hillsborough 2-3pm ($2/person or $5/family)
- Crossman Community Centre / Kay Arena 2:30-4pm ($2)
- Riverview 3:45-5:00pm (FREE)
- Dieppe’s UNIplex Sledge hockey (16+) 3:45-4:45
- Moncton Coliseum 3:45-5:15pm ($2)
Dieppe’s AJL 6:15-7:15pm (FREE)cancelled this weekend- Hillsborough 8-9pm ($2/person or $5/family)
- Sunday, January 29:
- Moncton’s Superior Propane Centre, parents & tots, 9:45-10:45am ($2)
- Moncton’s Superior Propane Centre, 11:45am-12:45pm ($2)
- Memramcook 11:45am-12:45pm (FREE)
Dieppe’s AJL 2:15-3:15pm (FREE)cancelled this weekend- Hillsborough 2:15-3:15pm ($2/person or $5/family)
- Petitcodiac 1pm-2:30pm ($2/skater, free for ages five & under)
- Crossman Community Centre / Kay Arena 2:30-4pm ($2)
- Riverview 2:30-4pm (FREE)
Sackville 2:45-3:45 (FREE)cancelled this weekend- Dieppe’s UNIplex 3:15-4:30pm (FREE)
To check on skating schedules for weekday info, cancellations, & rules on helmets, etc: Moncton Public Skating, Dieppe Public Skating, Memramcook Public Skating, Sackville Public Skating, & Hillsborough Public Skating.
LOOKING AHEAD
We’ve seen lots of folks looking for places to go snow tubing again this year. Unfortunately, places you can rent tubes to enjoy the hills are few & far between in New Brunswick (you can head to Mont Farlagne in Edmunston), so we were stoked to see they’re created some runs for Fredericton’s WinterFrolic (Feb 16 – 20). You can buy tickets online now!
If you’re looking for a fun night away, consider checking out the amazing dinosaur exhibit at the Discovery Centre in Halifax. They’re even holding a silent disco party with them on Feb 25!
LOOKING TO CONNECT?
Mommy Connections offers paid & free programming options, focusing on age groupings from expecting to toddlers.
Kids Flow Exploration Lab is holding Wednesday night yoga & chat sessions at La Station.
Early Childhood Family Resource Centre hosts lots of free programming; they updated their February calendars after a brief worry earlier this week that they might have to close. They often partner with Talk With Me, who host incredible programs.
Sunny Tots is a Wednesday morning drop in program for parents & children, hosted by Sunnybrae Baptist Church. All are welcome!
We didn’t repost all the outdoor skating & other adventures, as many won’t be accessible or advised for most of the weekend, but you can find that info in our Guide to Winter Fun in Greater Moncton!
