What to do for the New Brunswick Day Long Weekend in Greater Moncton (Aug 2-5, 2024)
Wow – how did it get to be August already?! Just a few more weeks of summer school vacation to enjoy with the family; we hope everyone find something fun to do this weekend and every weekend!
FRIDAY, AUG 2
The 53rd annual Westmoreland County Agricultural Fair is this weekend in Petitcodiac. On Friday there’s a Kiddies Time at the grounds, 9am-noon. Entry is $5 for children up to age 10; adults must accompany the children. There will be animals to visit and pet, bouncy castles, & lunch provided! There’s a heavy horse haul in the evening.
DYK there’s a pay-what-you-can organ performance each Friday afternoon at the incredible Notre-Dame Cathedral on St. George Blvd?
Jeopardi-eppe based on Jeopardy, La Caserne, Dieppe Arts and Culture Centre, (reserve free tickets in advance), 6:30-9pm.
This weekend at the drive ins: Neptune Drive In is showing Harold & the Purple Crayon (rated G & it looks so fun!) & Dumb Money, while the Sussex Drive In is showing Inside Out 2 & Deadpool & Wolverine. (At Neptune, the movies are showing in English Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, then in French on Monday. Tuesday is cheap night & the movies will be in English.)
SATURDAY, AUG 3
Start your day with a visit to a farmers’ market! Sackville, Hillsborough, Salisbury, Dieppe, and Moncton – where you can hear the lovely Allan Laity singing at 11am as part of Moncton’s Acoustica series.
It’s Community Day in Riverside-Albert, with lots of fun at the ACE Fairgrounds 11am-2pm. Classic cars, outdoor games, music, cake, & more!
Today at the Westmoreland County Agricultural Fair you can enjoy a horse draft show all day, pie & hot dog eating contests, bouncy castles, games, 4-H displays, vendors, food, music & more. Admission is $5 for the day, children 10 & under free.
I.CANB is hosting a Food Festival at Centennial Park today, 9am-7pm. Expect cooking demonstrations, food vendors, live music, family-friendly activities, and more.
Watch for the Resurgo on the Go bicycle at René-Arthur-Fréchet Park today – you can learn about local history and maybe even snag a free pass to the museum!
There’s a Dodgeball tournament @ Place 1604, 11am-5pm.
Shediac is hosting an outdoor dance workshop/workout with Josee & Dia at Pascal-Poirier Park at noon.
STAYCATION ROAD TRIP IDEAS: There are several music-based community festivals happening this weekend, including Campobello Fogfest, Area 506, Miramichi Folksong Festival, Sappyfest, & more. It’s also the start of Chocolate Fest in St. Stephen!
SUNDAY, AUG 4
Sundays are market day in Shediac, 9am-2pm. Perfect paired with a visit to Maritime Crafts & stay for a free concert with The Shediac Filipino GMAN BAND.
Video games & geek culture trivia, Dieppe Wingate, 7-8:30pm.
There’s an antique car show in Memramcook, entrance by donation.
Children’s author Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail will be reading at the Moncton Public Library from 2:30-3:30pm today. Her books focus on flight and are best suited to ages three to six.
The Moncton Mets have a home game tonight at 7pm.
If you’re up for a drive, there’s a fantastic event geared to young children (& the young at heart!) at Kingsbrae Garden in St. Andrews. Lucy the Ladybug’s Birthday Bash has children’s musicians, princesses & superheros, face painting, balloon animals, amazing bouncy castles, and more!
MONDAY, AUG 5
Happy New Brunswick Day, everyone! If you’re in search of a mega-party today, head to Fredericton for the provincial celebration with all kinds of kids’ events, live music, multicultural demonstrations, and so much more.
All Provincial Parks are free access today – including Hopewell Rocks, Parlee Beach, the Fundy Trail Parkway, & more!
Most offices & businesses will be closed today, though most attractions and restaurants remain open – so be sure to check before you head out. Public libraries are closed for the holiday.
- Join the celebration in Dieppe at Doiron House, with a quiz from noon till 1pm, followed by demonstrations, song, and dances by Mi’kmaq artists Shelly Robichaud, Amber and Rose Lawrence, & Ashley Sanipass. (Don’t forget the evening multicultural celebration, Diversity Monday featuring Guinea @ Place 1604, 6-8pm.)
- In Shediac, the fun goes from 2:30-6:30pm at Pascal-Poirier Park with bouncy castles, face painting, games, dancing, BBQ, presentations, and ending with a performance by Vaque de Cirque.
- Sackville will celebrate at Bill Johnstone Memorial Park with music, cake, BBQ, & more, 1-3pm.
- Salisbury Legion will host a celebration from 11am – 1pm, with BBQ, lemonade, cake, & games – by donation.
Centennial Pool in Moncton will be open 7am-8pm today, while the East End Pool will be open 11am-8pm. If you’re looking for an indoor swim, YMCA’s public swim is open 1-3pm today. Riverview’s Ken Gabbey Pool will be open in the afternoon.
More events for next week & throughout August listed below – keep reading!
ONGOING ACTIVITIES, ATTRACTIONS, & IDEAS FOR FAMILY FUN
DKY There are 19 museums in Southeastern New Brunswick? How many have you visited? (There’s still time to get to all of them this summer – or even just one!!
🫐 Blueberry season is here! Check our Guide to Local U-Picks for links to some great options. We see Les Petits Fruits de Pré-d’en-Haut has blueberries and raspberries ready, Ramsay’s is open for the season, Codiac Organics has added a u-pick this year, & Elgin is open, too. Remember these are weather dependent & each has their own options for buckets, payment, and so on. Check their pages for updates or call before heading out!
Here’s our list of attractions & activities that are always a great option!
The Magnetic Hill Zoo is open seven days a week.
🪨 There’s an exhibit of local fossils & more at Moncton’s Treitz Haus this summer. Pop in for a free look at a scale reproduction of the Hillsborough Mastadon’s skull & tusks! Grab a map of the area at this information kiosk and explore the waterfront for a fun, free adventure.
🎧 There’s also a roughly one hour iTour of downtown Moncton’s historical & cultural locations you can use to help you explore further – a great way to add a little movement, a little history, and a little fun to your family outings!
East Coast Karting is open for the season if you feel the need for speed!
The Boardwalk & Butterfly World is open daily, weather permitting, with driving range, go karts, bumper cars & boats, mini golf, & paddle boats.
🎢 Magic Mountain is open for the season – don’t forget they have outdoor rides, an arcade, mini putt & more, too! You can go without getting wet if you want!
Want to move as a family but need to be indoors? Try a visit to FitRocks Climbing Gym!
Book laser tag at Marco’s Clinic or the Sportsdome.
Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Riverview Youth Centre are a great space to learn to skate or practice your skills!
The YMCA Moncton North has a new outdoor park for skateboarding, roller skating, & biking. There’s also the amazing indoor splash pad & play structure – a must visit if you have little ones!
Dieppe is welcoming people to skate the Oval at Place 1604 with in-line skates for the summer!
Hop! Skip! Jump! is perfect for little ones, as well as the cool climbing wall & laser room for older kids.
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.)
Creative mood? Try DIY Studio to paint your own pottery!
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, like … Motive for Murder audio game — A great ‘any time of day’ option for the true crime fans who are up for a little hometown sleuthing. Download a whodunnit set in Moncton!
If board games are your family thing, check out the new shop on Moncton’s Main Street, Board Miniatures! The have a standing paint and play tabletop session on Sundays. And on sunny days, there’s the huge chess set outside Moncton’s City Hall you can use!
Bass Pro’s 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium with striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, trout, perch, and more is always fun to visit, especially when you need an indoor option.
Local libraries are always a great spot to visit, with lots of programming for all ages – and also another rainy day must visit option.
Resurgo Place is another spot we love to visit again & again; history, hands-on science & arts, & special programming, too!
The Albert County Museum is open for the season, with a special guest – Albert, the Albertosaurus!
🚂 Pair this with a trip to the New Brunswick Railway Museum in Hillsborough for a great Albert County Adventure! Open daily through the summer.
Poley Mountain has mountain bike trails, including beginner routes for ages 6+ – and they’re planning some summer events geared to the littles with bouncy castles, balance bikes on the lawn, & kid-friendly options on the Slope Side Bar & Grill. DYK: They have an RV park, too?
Llamazing Adventures is a great way to get out & get moving! Take the llamas for a walk!
Ice cream is always a great treat & our GUIDE TO HARD SCOOP ICE CREAM SPOTS IN GREATER MONCTON is updated for 2024!
Trueman’s Blueberry Farm is also a fabulous ice cream destination – and on the weekend they have a train you can ride!
BGC Dieppe is always a great place for families to connect.
Tennis Dieppe has their nets up; check them out for some fun summer programming.
LOOKING AHEAD
TUESDAY, AUG 6
- YMCA Block Party @ Pauline Frizzell Park, (387 Salisbury Rd.), 6-8pm
- Acoustica concert with Atlantic Bridge @ Victoria Park, 7pm
- Flag Bingo at the Moncton Library, 2:30pm
- Active Tuesday @ Place 1604, 6:30-7:30pm featuring line dancing
- Campfire Songs in Mill Creek (Riverview) with Chris Glidden, 6pm
WEDNESDAY, AUG 7
- This week’s Wednesday Riverfront Walk – a guided two-hour historical tour of the downtown with Resurgo Place staff – will be in English, beginning at 11am.
- Acoustica family fun with Ukrainian Association of Moncton @ Centennial Park, 6pm
- Vague de Cirque – New Show Ephemeral @ Caseley Park (rain location Riverview Community Hall), 7-8:30pm
- Fayo & Le Groupe Swing, Place 1604, 6:30pm
THURSDAY, AUG 8
- Outdoor Cinema featuring Mandibules (French) (in collaboration with FICFA) @ Place 1604, dusk
- A reminder that Resurgo Place is open late on Thursday nights, and it’s 50% off regular admission from 5-8pm. A great afterwork indoor activity with the kids!
A few upcoming Festivals & Events:
- Children’s Festival at Albert County Museum, Aug 9 & 10 – We Dig Dinosaurs is the theme!
- Victoria Park Craft Fair, August 9-11
- Sussex has a Disney in the Park event scheduled for August 9
- One of my favourite summer events – the Perseids Meteor Shower – takes place in mid-August. Riverview is planning an evening in Mill Creek to stargaze with a group on August 12, the peak night of activity.
- Acadie Rock begins August 13
- And don’t forget to watch for all kinds of amazing activities & celebrations for August 15!
We’ll be back with another round up to highlight all these & more! Stay tuned & share with your friends!