What to do this weekend with the kids in Greater Moncton (Feb 9 – 11)

Welcome to another frosty February weekend filled with family fun! We have several Winter Carnival celebrations happening this weekend & next in Southeastern New Brunswick, not to mention Valentine’s Day & Family Day themed events, so let’s get started, shall we?!

In case you’re new here or it’s been a little while, this list highlights family-friendly events first, broken into Friday/Saturday/Sunday sections. Then we remind you of lots of fun outdoor & indoor ideas you can enjoy anytime, as well as a few upcoming events to watch for. Please, always check the source links for update information in case of weather or other cancellations. There are more than 50 websites & social media accounts we check each week to create this list; we do our best to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date.

FRIDAY

❄️ As part of Riverview’s Winter Carnival, snowshoe artists Matt Robinson & Sheldon Benoit are planning to be at Mill Creek Nature Park to create another incredible design on the water. They generally begin their work at 9am and finish around noon. The view from the lookout is divine!

PS: If you’re a fan of snow art, take a look at the incredible Yeti created by Jean Pascal Brideau in Tracadie.

❄️ The Riverview Youth Collective is hosting a campfire night for Riverview Winter Carnival. Join them as they serve hot chocolate and treats at the Mill Creek Lookoff, starting at 7pm. Bonus – you’ll get to see the snowshoe art if everything goes as planned!

Dieppe’s month-long winter celebration continues, with Fun on Ice Friday night. Bring your own skates to Place 1604 or use their helmet & skate rental program, skate to the music of a DJ, and enjoy the atmosphere of bonfires, hot chocolate, & fun!

SATURDAY 

❄️ Riverview Winter Carnival is going strong, with a pancake breakfast at the Lions Club on Coverdale Road. Pancakes, sausages, eggs, beans, toast, & drinks – for $30/family or $10/person (children under five eat free). Open 8-11am.
❄️ The Gallant Family band is bringing the music for a fun, family Retro Riverview Valentine’s Dance on Friday night at St. John Baptist Anglican Church (28 Woolridge Street). Waltz, jive, line dance, and rock n roll! Canteen for snacks and soft drinks; $10/person entry. 7-10pm.
❄️ Saturday is also the Lavender Rose Winter Gala, a formal celebration evening for 2SLGBTQ+ youth and allies ages 16-18.

Also in Riverview on Saturday, author Chantal MacDonald & illustrator Mark Cann will be at Ready, Set, Grow to read from their book Lorraine the Lobster Feels Blue. You can enjoy snacks, colouring pages, and more at the reading event. The fun starts at 1pm.

Dieppe’s Winter Magic fun on Saturday includes a winter-themed storytime at the library at 10:30am, free & paid events at Rotary Park from 1-9pm, including a coffee/hot chocolate bar with Second Cup, music, and more. There’s a special free performance by Remi the Magician at the Dieppe Arts & Culture Centre; the performance is in French at 2pm & you need to register in advance. There’s a Book Lovers’ Ball at the library at 6:30pm; dance among the shelves!

Tantramar’s annual Winterfest Family Day at Beech Hill Park is scheduled for Saturday, 1-3pm, with wagon rides, sledding, snow sculptures, treats, & more!

It’s also Fundy Frolic time, with lots of events happening in Albert County. Today you can enjoy an hour of fun activities and prizes to be won at the Hillsborough Rink (32 Mill Street) on Friday during the Fundy Blades Ice Fest, 7-8pm, followed by an hour’s free skate.

Travel to You Zoo is opening to the public for a pre-Valentine’s Day special event on Saturday, 9am-3pm.

Saturday is the first Fiddle Doo of the year! Ivan & Vivian Hicks will be at the Salisbury Lions Club for an afternoon of music & fun; everyone welcome.

There’s a Frosty Fun Day planned at the Pointe de Chene recreation centre, with skating, BBQ, and more. Begins at 1pm, weather permitting.

Looking for a hands-on activity with your teen – or an adult escape? Check out the Stained Glass workshop at Starving Artist Cafe in Downtown Moncton. Three hours, all the supplies and instruction, and you leave with a piece of art! Cost is $80+tx, takes three hours. Book in advance by calling 506-204-4636 or stop in the shop.

Varsity Spirit Canada’s Atlantic Showdown (cheerleading competition) is happening at the Avenir Centre this weekend.

⛸️ Moncton Coliseum parent & tot 9:30-10:30am ($2)
⛸️ Hillsborough, 2:15-3:15, free this weekend!
⛸️ Kay Arena, 2:30-4pm, $2
⛸️ Riverview 3:45-5:15pm
⛸️ Moncton Coliseum 3:45-5:15pm ($2)
⛸️ Dieppe AJL, 6:15-7:15pm
⛸️ Hillsborough, 8-9pm, free this weekend!

🏊 Riverview Aquatic Centre offers open swim on Saturdays at 1:35 & 2:40.
🏊 CEPS (UdeM) public swim, 3-4:25, $3
🏊 The Dieppe Aquatic Centre has public swims on Saturday at 3:15pm & 6pm
🏊 YMCA public swim, 6:30-7:45pm, $3

If it’s not already part of your Saturday routine, consider making a visit to a local market a must-do each weekend! The Moncton Market (120 Westmorland Street) is open Saturdays, 8am-2pm, with lots of yummy treats to enjoy on site and to take home. You can also indulge at the Dieppe Market, open Saturdays 8am – 1pm.

SUNDAY

❄️ It’s Riverview Winter Carnival’s Family Fun Day!! Head to Farmer Brown’s Greenhouse for a day filled with s’mores, sliding (bring your own toboggan/sled), face painting, cookie decorating, snowshoeing (again, bring your own, please), wood-fired pizzas, and more. There are heated greenhouses to warm up in, too! Open 10am – 4pm, free entry – though some food & activities require cash.

The Greater Moncton Vietnamese Association celebrates the Lunar New Year on Sunday with a gala event at the Dieppe Farmer’s Market. Everyone is welcome and entrance is free. There will be food, music, & lots of fun from 3-8pm.

The Maritimes Collectibles Market is back at Dieppe’s Rotary Park Lodge this Sunday. Entry is $5; kids are free. Open 9:30-2pm. Shop for Funko Pops, die cast, Pokemon, table top games, and more.

• Each Sunday you can also enjoy sleigh rides in Rotary Park! From 1-4pm, enjoy a 15-minute ride for just $5/person (free for children aged four and under) – which includes a hot chocolate from Café Inclusio at Maison Doiron. You can sign up in advance for a fun session to learn how chocolate is made (along with samples to try!) from local chocolatier LaRouère. Cost is $20; spaces are limited. (Watch for an interview about the region’s upcoming hot chocolate festival, Chocolat Moncton, on Monday – featuring both Café Inclusio & LaRouère!)

Resurgo Place is hosting Science East on Sunday, which means with your admission to the museum you can enjoy extra hands-on activities related to identifying animals – with skulls, tracks, scat, or eggs. They’ll have digital microscopes to use & a hands-on craft project, too!

Fundy Frolic continues until Feb 19; today there’s a Valentine’s Day Tea at Maple Grove Inn (11am-3pm, by reservation only), free skating at the Hillsborough Arena (2:15-3:15pm), and a t-shirt printing workshop at the Fundy Curling Club (16 Mill Street, Riverside Albert – all ages, bring your own shirt, 3:15-5:30pm).

There’s also a Fat Bike Race happening in Elgin this Sunday; weather permitting. Looks like the start of something fun!

⛸️ Superior Propane Centre parent & tots 9:45-10:45am ($2)
⛸️ Superior Propane Centre 11:45am-12:45pm ($2)
⛸️ Dieppe AJL, 1-2pm
⛸️ Kay Arena, 2:30-4pm, $2
⛸️ Petitcodiac 1pm-2:30pm ($2/skater, free for ages five & under)
⛸️ Riverview public 2:30-4pm
⛸️ Shediac, 5:30-6:30pm
⛸️ Hillsborough, 2:15-3:15pm, free this weekend!

🏊 YMCA public swim, 1:30-3pm, $3/person
🏊 CEPS (UdeM) public swim, 3-4:25, $3
🏊 Dieppe Aquatic Centre public swim Sunday at 3:15pm

PS: Apparently there’s some kind of sporting event happening on Sunday … so you might want to keep that in mind if you’re planning to eat out … or talk to anyone who enjoys watching football! If you’re looking for some specials from local restaurants for the big game, our friends at Feast Atlantic have been rounding up the info you want.

OUTDOOR IDEAS

• NB Urban Mushing allows you to visit during dry land training. Get out and meet the sled dogs & learn how they work.
• Llamazing Adventures often has weekend spots available this time of year. A great way to get out & get moving!
• Poley Mountain is open for the season, 9am-9pm.
• Country Sleigh Rides, about 20 minutes north of Moncton – past Irishtown, offers daytime ($125/15 people) and evening ($150/15 people) group sleigh ride bookings, as well as special rides.

Outdoor Skating Rinks:

• ⛸️ Petitcodiac – Check for updates in the Petitcodiac Happenings Facebook group on conditions at the Maple Street Park ODR
• ⛸️ Salisbury – The Town’s Facebook page posts updates on the condition of the ODR, which is next to the high school
• ⛸️ The Oval at Place 1604 in Dieppe is always a great spot to visit! Lace up your skates (or use their free loan program – check for available dates & times on their website) daily (weather permitting) from 10am – 9pm, though there are short closures from 1-1:30 & 5-5:30pm for maintenance.
• ⛸️ You can also skate under the sky at the Ian Fowler Oval in front of Moncton’s Avenir Centre! Please remember, no sticks/nets/pucks/rings allowed, and CSA-approved helmets encouraged. The oval is open 10am-10pm daily, weather permitting. (Check conditions here in case of weather closures; it also shows conditions for the outdoor rinks planned for other parks in the city, as well as sliding, skiing, and walking trails.)
• ⛸️ The Moncton North YMCA has an outdoor rink to enjoy, too, and there’s the Kaboom Hockey Rink & the Muskrat Skating Trail both at Centennial Park. (You can check if Moncton rinks are open on their website, updated daily.)
• ⛸️ Irishtown/Maple Hills – Check the Facebook group for updates on rink conditions & to see all the hard work volunteers put in to make this happen!
• ⛸️ There’s an outdoor rink in Elgin; stop into the General Store if you need to borrow skates to use.
• ⛸️ There’s an outdoor rink in Dorchester, too!
• ⛸️ And not to be left out, look at what’s happening in Alma!

SLIDING HILLS IN GREATER MONCTON

Tobogganing, sliding, sledding – whatever you call it, it’s one of the most fun things to do in winter! There may or may not be enough snow this weekend to hit the hills, but just in case … here are a few to-go spots to seek out over the coming weeks & months:

• There are a few municipally-approved toboggan runs at Centennial Park in Moncton.
• Rotary St-Anselme Park in Dieppe also has several great spots.
• In Riverview, head to Winter Wonderland Park, on Quinn Court (off Gunningsville Boulevard) for some awesome tracks (and some snowboarding ones, too!) or behind Claude D. Taylor School.
• Our kids love sliding at Highland Parkin Salisbury; the hill is fantastic!
• Shediac’s Pascal Poirier Park is often home to many sliding tracks in the winter.
• In Fundy Park, check out the Headquarters Tobogganing Hill, and if you’re at Kouchibouquac Park, Patterson Hillis a great spot for sliding, though it is a long walk (2km) to reach the site.

INDOOR FUN IDEAS

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

• The indoor splash pad at the North End YMCA is an amazing place to bring the kids!
• 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. We see the new Moncton North skate park is open now at the North End YMCA, too!
• 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!
• If board games are your family thing, check out the new shop on Moncton’s Main Street, Board Miniatures! Drop in
• Cineplex is always a fun option for a family outing, too!
• The Early Childhood Family Resource Centre has lots of drop-in & scheduled events throughout the month, both at its Dieppe location and its satellite locations. Check out their online calendars for details; a great option for littles throughout the week!
• The Dieppe BGC also has its monthly schedule of events online, too!
• And don’t forget our local libraries; they’re full of fantastic programming, as well.
  • REMINDER: Hop! Skip! Jump! is closed for renovations. Watch their social media for updates on reopening; we hear it will likely be early to mid-February.
• Bowling is always a fun idea! 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. (We recommend calling ahead to book in advance so you’re not disappointed.)
• Resurgo Place is a hands-on hit with our kids; a great outing anytime. (Open 10am-5pm Saturday and noon-5pm on Sunday; it’s half-off on admission on Thursday nights, 5-8pm, if you’re looking for an evening outing.)

LOOKING AHEAD

Next weekend is the Family Day long weekend; most businesses are closed on Monday, February 19, so be sure to come back for lots of inspiration for your weekend! Here are a few tidbits for you early planners:

• Moncton‘s PolarFest returns this year for another weekend of fun in Centennial Park over the Family Day weekend in February. All kinds of family fun February 17 – 19.
• Salisbury’s Winterfest is also happening February 17 – 19. There’s a skating party Saturday, the annual Swedish Lantern Walk on Sunday, and a day filled with fun at Highland Park on Monday.
• Three Rivers (Petitcodiac) is also hosting Winter Carnival events on February 17!
• For those of you with littles at home, Sunny Tots Wednesday morning play group is doing theme days all February for Winter Carnival.
• The Moncton Wildcats have two home games next weekend, Friday & Monday.
• February 18 will be the first Skate for Tate at the Avenir Centre, 9am – noon. Donations collected at the door will be given to Open Ice for Kids, to allow other children the chance to experience the joy of hockey.
• Boyle Family Farm is planning a celebration for Family Day on February 19, 10am-4pm, with snowshoeing, sliding, bonfires, pony rides, petting zoo, and more. Children two & under free, general entry $13+tax.
• Off Grid Adventures is opening for the Family Day weekend! Message them if you want to book time to visit.
• AKA Dance Studio in Petitcodiac is planning a Valentine’s Day dance for kids, one for K-2 & a second for Gr 3-5
• Did you know – not only are we lucky enough to have a Mastermind Toys staying open in Moncton, but also they’re going to start hosting in-store storytime? Check them out on Tuesdays, 4:30-5:50pm.
• Theatre New Brunswick is traveling the province with a play based on #BeccaToldMeTo. The play will be at Theatre L’Escaouette in Moncton on February 21 & 22.
• Maple Season is coming! We’ll be updating our Guide to Maple Sugar Camps for 2024, but we see Trites Maples is planning a March 9 opening!

Our MEGA GUIDE TO MARCH BREAK is coming soon! If you have an event or activity happening that you want the community to know about, be sure to send us a note. We also have advertising options available, both within the Guide on on our site. And watch our social media for an upcoming giveaway – tickets to see the Mini Pop Kids in concert in Moncton at the start of March Break!

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