What to do with the family for Thanksgiving weekend (October 11-14, 2024) in Greater Moncton

Happy Thanksgiving weekend, everyone! We hope you have a wonderful few days filled with warmth and fun. Whether you’re planning a big meal with lots of family, some quiet time at home, or an adventure with friends, we have ideas to help you make the most of your time. Let’s get started!

A reminder that if you have littles who were born in 2020Kindergarten registration is on your October bucket list! Yes, both the Anglophone East & Francophone Sud boards begin the process now for next year’s class. It may seem early, but it helps them plan for class sizes and offers you some great opportunities for school tours & more throughout the year! Our friends at Eastgate Academy are also excited to hear from potential students for the 2025/2026 year.

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We’ll give a little overview of the fall favourites to start things off this weekend, as we know many families love heading to the corn mazes, apple orchards, & pumpkin patches over Thanksgiving! Many of these spots are open during weekdays, as wel.

The Early Childhood Family Resource Centre has so many amazing events & opportunities for families with little ones – including a Thanksgiving Meet & Munch today! There’ll be festive games, prizes, activities, and food, 10:30am-1pm. (Be sure to check out their Papa Palooza drop in group on Wednesdays!)

Today is the kick off for the Memramcook Valley Fall Rendezvous! There are llamas (4-7pm), bouncy castles (5-7pm), live music (6:30-10pm) & more at Belliveau Orchard, starting at 4pm.

Shediac’s Neptune Drive In is hosting a Trunk or Treat this weekend, along with two great spooky-not-scary movie options for the family! Enjoy Hotel Transylvania & The Addams Family on the big screen after you trick-or-treat from trunk-to-trunk. Gates open at 6pm, treat hunting at 6:30pm, movie begins at 7:30pm. This is rain or shine. Cost is $35+tx for a carload, with individual pricing options, too.

Moncton Paintball is hosting a laser tag event tonight – and be sure to check out their other great options for game play, too! (Register in advance to secure your spot.)

Everyone is welcome to attend the Greater Moncton Navratri, a multi-day Hindu festival filled with music, dance, and more. The celebration begins tonight.

Rising Tide Festival & the Alma Fleet Launch are happening this weekend, with so many fantastic events! Tonight there’s a family-friendly learn-to-dance session with Here We Go Barndances at Broadleaf Ranch. The kitchen will be open, the dance floor will be bouncing, and the crew of musicians & dancers will keep everyone swinging through the Souris set & more! Admission is $20/adult, family rate of $40; kids under 16 enter free.

EVERY FRIDAY:

Riverview’s Outdoor Recreation team has planned an all-ages, free hike around the Dobson Loop Trail this morning. Meet at the parking lot on Pine Glen Road for 9am. The walk will take till 10:30am & include a stop at the firepit for waffle cone s’mores.
Riverview High School’s Homecoming celebration includes a free family-friendly community Ultimate HoCo Hype Up, with vendors, games, bouncy castles, and more at Casely Park from 10:30am-12:15pm. At 1pm, Riverview takes on BMHS; admission to the football game is $3/student, $5/other.

The Alma Fleet Launch has all kinds of family fun planned for this weekend! From 11am-3pm today, head to the Gallery Space on School Street for the Kids Zone. There’ll be a treasure hunt that takes you around Alma, face painting, a live lobster touch tank, scallop shell painting, junior fisher training, & more. There’s also a Fall Fleet Launch Vendor Market happening from 10am-3pm, & a pumpkin carving contest in Fundy National Park at 2pm.

There’ll be an open house at the Gauvin Road Fire Station in Dieppe today, 10am-2pm, with tours, games, BBQ, & more.

The Roller Derby Spooktacular, Nightmare on Kill’em Drive, returns to the Moncton Coliseum, 10am-4:30pm. Catch the action & costumes, then join the fun as the Muddy River Rollers host a Halloween Roller Disco Ball for everyone, 6-10pm. All ages are welcome; children under 12 must hear a helmet. Skate rentals are available for $10, with kids’ sizes up to men’s 13. Admission is $10. There’s a costume contest, too, so make sure to get in the spirit!

The Albert County Museum is open Saturdays & Sundays through October, 10am-5pm. A beautiful drive to enjoy the fall colours, a visit with Albert the Dinosaur (& Tom Collins’ ghost!), and then a jaunt over to Hopewell Rocks & treats on the home way in Hillsborough. Sounds like a plan!

Poley Mountain is holding their annual Fall Festival today & tomorrow. Enjoy the chairlift to the top of the hill, horse & wagon rides, and more. Children five & under are free, youth are $10, adults $15, or $45 for a family.

The Wildcats host Sherbrooke tonight – and it’s Country Night in the Den!

Looking for a night out? Tonight is the Parent Prom! You can hear all about it on our podcast with organizer Lara Lavoie.

Chapters Moncton is hosting a spooky night, with the lights off (bring a flashlight!), a horror-themed scavenger hunt, trivia game, and thrilling authors to meet! From 6-8pm.

Shediac’s Neptune Drive In is hosting a Trunk or Treat this weekend, along with two great spooky-not-scary movie options for the family! Enjoy Hotel Transylvania & The Addams Family on the big screen after you trick-or-treat from trunk-to-trunk. Gates open at 6pm, treat hunting at 6:30pm, movie begins at 7:30pm. This is rain or shine. Cost is $35+tx for a carload, with individual pricing options, too.

Shediac is offering free, bilingual ghost tours. Tours begin at Pascal-Poirier Park and end at Seaside Grazing with hot chocolate. There’s a family-friendly tour at 6:30pm, followed by an adult tour at 8pm. Spaces are limited; you must book in advance. Donations are encouraged for the food bank.

The 25th annual Atlantic Stock Car Championships are taking place this weekend at Shediac’s Centre for Speed. There’s lots of action to see Saturday & Sunday afternoon.

EVERY SATURDAY:

Kids ages seven to 10 can take part in a two-and-a-half hour ceramic pumpkin making workshop at the Dieppe Arts & Culture Centre. The cost is $120; all materials included. (There were still some spaces available when we checked!)

The Caledonia Regional Tigers are fundraising with a pancake breakfast as part of the Alma Fleet Launch. They’ll be at the Alma Activity Centre from 8-11am with pancakes, sausages, drinks & more. Pay by donation.

Fireworks are planned at dusk on the wharf in Alma, weather permitting, as part of the annual Alma Fleet Launch happening at 7pm at the wharf. A great celebration for the fishing community that everyone is invited to enjoy!

Poley Mountain’s annual Fall Festival wraps today. Enjoy the chairlift to the top of the hill, horse & wagon rides, and more. Children five & under are free, youth are $10, adults $15, or $45 for a family.

Vampire Circus is an all-ages experience mixing circus cabaret and theatre, coming to Casino New Brunswick for an all-ages show.

The 25th annual Atlantic Stock Car Championships wrap up today at Shediac’s Centre for Speed.

EVERY SUNDAY:

Everyone is encouraged to wear black to the Wildcats game this afternoon.

Bar Laitier Amiro Dairy Bar in Dieppe is holding a kids’ craft paint session, 11am-1pm. Cost is $25 to cover all painting supplies & treats including a Halloween sundae & popcorn! Aimed at children ages four to 12; reach out to register.

If you really love Halloween, consider visiting (or even moving!) to Miramichi – they have a website dedicated to Haunted Happenings, with events for all ages throughout the fall! Tours of ghostly homes, graveyard walks, Fletcher’s Haunted Corn Maze, & more! Check out ‘The Nightmare Project’ in Upper Blackville, too!

🎃👻 Spooky season is here – and we’ve found nearly 100 family-friendly events & activities you’re going to want to check out!🧙‍♀️💀

🐯  The Magnetic Hill Zoo is open seven days a week through October. (Boo at the Zoo begins Oct 19.)

✨ Akadi Lumina is open until October 19.

🏫  Resurgo Place is a spot we love to visit again & again; history, hands-on science & arts, & special programming, too!

🦖  The Albert County Museum is open weekends in October, with a special guest – Albert, the Albertosaurus!

🏊‍♀️ The indoor splash pad at the YMCA North End is an amazing option for kiddos – with public openings every day of the week! Check the schedule as times vary day-to-day; cost to attend for non-member is $6.

🏊‍♀️ For indoor swimming, there are public options at the YMCA Greater Moncton (love their small, warmer pool for little ones – Friday public swim 7-8pm, Saturday public swim 6:30-7:45, & Sunday public swim 2-3pm – thanks to the City, Friday & Sunday swims are just $3/person), the Pat Crossman Aquatic Centrein Riverview (Saturday public swims, 2-3:30pm), and the Dieppe Aquatic Centre (with the awesome sloped entry & pirate ship splash zone!).

👧 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!

🪨 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!

🛹 There’s a borrowing program at YMCA North with skateboards, helmets, and protective gear for use on their great outdoor ramps!

🔐 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!

💥 Gamer in the family? The Comic Hunter hosts Friday Night Magic Modern sessions,  Sunday Lorcana Locals & Pokémon sessionsMonday Star Wars Unlimited Weekly Play & lots of other gaming events. Check out their September calendar for details.

🎲 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.

🐟 Bass Pro’s 12,000-gallon freshwater aquariumwith 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.

🤘 BGC Dieppe is always a great place for families to connect.

🎧 There’s a roughly one hour iTour of downtown Moncton’s historical & cultural locations you can use to help you explore – a great way to add a little movement, a little history, and a little fun to your family outings! Be sure to check out all the amazing public art installations around the downtown core, too!

🚵 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!

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