What to do the May long weekend in Greater Moncton

Welcome to a sunny, warm, fabulous weekend, everyone! The forecast is calling for warm temps and mostly clear skies, so be sure to make the most of this time to get out and soak up the Vitamin D. Most kiddos are out of school Friday, making this an extra long weekend, as Monday is the Victoria Day holiday.

If this is your first visit to Pickle Planet, welcome! We’re coming up on NINE YEARS of weekly event round ups, playground profiles, local business features, & so much more. Keep coming back for more content all summer long!

We list special events & activities by day, then share ideas for attractions that are always a great option. We search dozens & dozens of websites & social media accounts to create this list each week; please, CHECK THE SOURCE LINKS for the most up-to-date information & details we don’t include. (And if you visit somewhere because you read about it here, please let us know in the comments & tell the organizers.) If you have something that should be on the list, let us know!

On to the fun!

FRIDAY, MAY 17

Tasty Treats Ice Cream Coop (3969 Route 106 in River Glade) is a fabulous little spot with great prices & it’s opening for the season today. Check out their fun Facebook announcement!

MUST READ: Pickle Planet’s Guide to the Best Hard Scoop Ice Cream Spots in & around Moncton

Trueman Blueberry Farms is holding its annual Tulip Festival this weekend, with thousands of flowers you can pick, train rides, play spaces, and some of the yummiest treats & ice cream you’ll find!

Neptune Drive-In Theatre’s Grand Re-Opening is set for May 17, with the double feature of If (PG rating) & Bob Marley: One Love (PG-13 rating). Showtime is expected to be 9:45pm; gates open at 6pm. Cost is $10, children under 12 are $7, and no charge for those under five.

This weekend at the Sussex Drive In it’s The Fall Guy & Abigail.

AKADI LUMINA opens for the season today. Tickets for this were a hot item last season, so be sure to plan & book early if you want to go!

🤸‍♂️ Open gym, free, Kay Arena, Parent & Tots 10am-12pm, K-5 2:15-3:30pm, Gr 6-8 3:30-4:45pm, free
🏊 Preschool swim, Dieppe, 10am
🏖️ YMCA Moncton North Splash Pad, 8am-4pm & 6-7:45pm, $5
🛹 Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Youth Drop In Centre is open 3-5pm & 6-10pm today.
⚡SkyZone’s Glow Nights are Fridays & Saturdays, 7-10pm. Wear white or florescent colours!
🏊 YMCA Public Swim, 7-8pm, $3
🏀 Drop-in basketball for ages 12-18 at the YMCA, 8:15-9:30pm, $5 for non-members (also on Mondays!)

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Start your day with pancakes, sausages, & more at the Salisbury Lions Club. Salisbury’s high school dragon boat teams will be helping out, raising funds for their upcoming races. The breakfast is on from 7am-10am; always a great meal!

For lunch, head to the new Kent Building Supplies in Riverview and support the Friends of the Royals at their BBQ. It’s a pay-what-you-can event & a great chance to build your sense of community.

You can also enjoy the MonctonCares BBQ happening at Centennial Park, noon to 3pm.

Stick around for the Moncton Mayhem hosting the Halifax Xplosion at Rocky Stone Field at 12:30pm, then watch the the Moncton Mustangs football game at 5pm, hosting the Halifax Heat.

Boyle Family Farm’s petting zoo is open this weekend (Saturday, Sunday, & Monday), 10am-4pm. Visit with miniature horses, cows, emus, sheep, goats, baby chicks, lambs, a baby donkey, peacocks, rabbits, alpacas, & more! Admission rates vary; check their page for details on that, parking, & more.

There’s another Repair Cafe happening, this time at the Eco360 Reuse Expo at the Moncton Coliseum, 1-4pm.

There’s a flower pot decorating & flower planting event at BGC Dieppe on May 18.

Poley hopes to have its Bike Park open for the season May 18, too!

🏖️ YMCA Moncton North Splash Pad, $5, 8:30-10:45am, 12:15-2:15pm, & 3:45-4:45pm
⚽ Drop-in preschoolers play group, Dorchester, 10am-noon
🏊 Riverview Aquatic Centre offers open swim on Saturdays at 2:30pm.
🏊 CEPS (UdeM) public swim, 3-4:25, $3
🏊 The Dieppe Aquatic Centre has public swims on Saturday at 3:15pm & 6pm. $10/adults, $5-$8 for youth (under 2 free)
🏊 YMCA public swim, 6:30-7:45pm, $3
🛹 Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Youth Drop In Centre is open 11am-5pm & 6-10pm today.
⚡SkyZone’s Glow Nights are Fridays & Saturdays, 7-10pm. Wear white or florescent colours!

SUNDAY, MAY 19

The Avenir Centre is hosting the Monster Spectacular this afternoon. A noisy but fun outing!

Keep the local sports fun going today with the Moncton Mets season opener against the Chatham Ironmen at Kiwanis ballpark. Admission is $7/adults, $5/seniors & kids under 12.

Boyle Family Farm’s petting zoo is open 10am-4pm with miniature horses, cows, emus, sheep, goats, baby chicks, lambs, a baby donkey, peacocks, rabbits, alpacas, & more! Check their page for admission rates.

🏖️ YMCA Moncton North Splash Pad, $5, 8:30-10:45am, 12:15-2:15pm, & 3:45-4:45pm
🛹 Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Youth Drop In Centre is open 11am-4pm & 5-7pm today.
🏊 YMCA Public Swim, $3, 1:30-3pm
🏊 CEPS (UdeM) public swim, $3, 3-4:25pm
🏊 Dieppe Aquatic Centre public swim Sunday at 3:15pm. $10/adults, $5-$8 for youth (under 2 free)

MONDAY, MAY 20

A reminder that some places will be closed today for the Victoria Day holiday; check before heading out!
(The Moncton Library is closed Monday.)

🏊‍♀️ Public swim at the YMCA, 1:30-3:30pm (regular admission rates)

Beloved Miniature Horses is holding an open farm day on May 20, 10am-4pm. $10 cash entry; children under three are free.

Summer Bucket List Bingo

ONGOING IDEAS

🦖 The Albert County Museum is open for the season, with a special guest – Albert, the Albertosaurus available to visit with starting June 15! (Open Saturdays & Sundays until June 15, then daily. You can buy a family season pass for $30; an amazing value for what this fantastic museum has to offer!)

🛹🚲 The YMCA Moncton North has a new outdoor park for skateboarding, roller skating, & biking.

🛼 Dieppe is welcoming people to skate the Oval at Place 1604 with in-line skates for the summer!

🐯 The Magnetic Hill Zoo is now open seven days a week, 10am-4pm!

🏎️ East Coast Karting plans to be open Saturdays & Sundays until their full season begins.

🤘 BGC Dieppe is always a great place for families to connect – check out their May schedule.

🎾 Tennis Dieppe has their nets up and they’re inviting you to play for free until their season opens in mid-May.

⛳ The driving range at The Boardwalk is open 10am-8pm daily, weather permitting. Victoria Day weekend saw most attractions open, including their new go karts!

🚵 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?

🍦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! Watch for some fun Easter Bunny sightings here soon, too.

🪨 Want to move as a family? 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!

👧 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.

👶 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!

🐟 Bass Pro’s 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium with striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, trout, perch, and more is always fun to visit. And of course, the Easter Bunny is on site now, too!

🦙 Llamazing Adventures is a great way to get out & get moving! Take the llamas for a walk!

📚 Local libraries are always a great spot to visit, with lots of programming for all ages.

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

👟 The walking/running track at Université de Moncton’s Croix Bleue Medavie Stadium is open for public use Mondays-Fridays, 8:30am-4:30pm (unless there’s a competition or event). You can access two hours of free parking & the use of the track is free.

💃 Are you following Moncton Cares on social? This group is creating wonderful opportunities for both newcomers and the community at large. Check out their DROP IN, family-friendly week day programming at NBCC & Birchmount School! Its just $10 for 10 sports sessions (you can drop in as you’re able) & $10 for five dance sessions (again, come when you can & learn various traditional dances).

LOOKING AHEAD

The Filipino Food Fiestaval is happening May 25 in Riverview.

The Friends of the Zoo’s EcoFest takes place May 25 & 26; watch for special activities and giveaways.

Our friends at Eastgate Academy are hosting another parent information session on May 29. Register for the free event online at https://rb.gy/fp99lm and check out our latest article about their big move & what makes their learning environment unique.

Make plans to join a community movie night at BGC Dieppe on Friday, May 31 to watch Yes Day.

JUNE IS PARKS & REC MONTH! Check out all that the City of Moncton has to offer residents & visitors!

The RHS Basketball Booster Club is busy setting up their annual 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament, happening June 29. You can step up & help sponsor a net for $100 – or make a donation towards prizes! This event draws 40 teams across age ranges, with funds helping with uniforms, scholarships, & more. Keep an eye out for the sign up for the tournament & how you can help out!

Irishview Estate Orchard is hosting a FREE blossom festival on June 1, 11am-4pm. Take photos, shop vendors, grab lunch from a food truck, visit with miniature horses, & more!

East Coast Comic Expo is happening June 7 & 8.

The Greater Moncton Highland Games & Scottish Festival, hosting the national junior championships for heavy athletics, is June 11-15.

June 27 is the BGC Moncton’s SparkFest.

Looking for Summer Camp info? We don’t do a round up of that – because our friends at Network of Moms do! (And we only have so many hours in a day – and we’ve used them all up plus tried to borrow more, it seems.) NOM is a Saint John-area based group & site, but if you scroll down the Summer Camp directory you’ll find a section with links to a dozen Moncton-area options.

What to do with the family for the May long weekend in Greater Moncton (May 17-21, 2024)

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