What to do with the family this long weekend in Greater Moncton (May 16-19, 2025)

Welcome to the kick off to the (hopefully!) warm season, everyone! Whatever you call this weekend in May — Victoria Day long weekend, May Long, Hiking Day — it’s always a sure sign that summer is peeking around the corner.

It’s looking like cool, rainy days are in store for us in Greater Moncton; might be a good time to stock up on some new-to-you books, puzzles, and board games and hunker in for some family bonding time. A little thrift crawl to find hidden treasures is always a great way to spend a day – and since the kids don’t have school Friday (yes, it’s an extra long weekend, with Monday a holiday), it might be a great outing idea!

Here are a few thrifty options for searching out books, puzzles, & more:

  • Cover to Cover Books (630 Pinewood Rd, Riverview)
  • Read’s Bookstore & Café (985 Main St, Moncton & 620 Coverdale Rd, Riverview)
  • Boutique Hospice Shoppe (164 Collishaw St, Moncton)
  • Value Village (15 Plaza Blvd, Moncton)
  • Salvation Army Thrift Stores (300 Elmwood Drive, 1185 Mountain Road, & 80 Mapleton Road, Moncton)
  • Mission Thrift Store (40 Morton Ave, Moncton)
  • and you’ll find a list of Little Free Libraries further down!

Trueman’s 4th annual Tulip Festival kicks off today, with fields full of colourful flowers, a u-pick option, train rides, & more! They hope the flowers will last through next weekend; watch their social media for updates.

Tri-City Tide hosts the division leading New York Phoenix tonight at Crandall University, 7pm.

New Brunswick’s Provincial Parks open for the season Friday. You can purchase a season pass (not online, must be in person) for around $150. This gives you access to Hopewell Rocks, Fundy Trail Parkway, Village Acadien Historique, Parlee Beach, Murray Beach, New River beach, and Mount Carleton. (There are six other provincial parks that don’t require admission, too!) And if you’re Canadian military or a first responder, there’s free access any day – and everyone gets in free on New Brunswick Day, August 4, 2025.

Akadi Lumina opens today, with several dates throughout the month.

Start your day off with a pancake & sausage breakfast that helps the community & is kind to your pocket book! The Salisbury Lions Club breakfasts are top notch and this month the Salisbury Regional School Dragon Boat Teams will be helping serve. Adults eat for $10, children ages six to 10 $5, and preschoolers eat free!

Shediac’s new Multisport Surface opens today! The fun starts at 4pm, with giant games, an obstacle course, demonstrations and safety info, bouncy castles, face painting, and a ball hockey tournament. At 5:15pm there’s open play on the pickleball, dodgeball, and basketball courts, while the other fun continues. You can find this cool space at 295 Centennial.

Resurgo Place is always a hit for our family, but this weekend is especially perfect for a visit because a new exhibit is opening all about what it means to call Moncton home! The immersive display highlights the work and world of Acadian author Gerald Leblanc; I can’t wait to clear an afternoon on my schedule and soak it all in!

RELATED: How Would You Describe Moncton’s Culture?

Sussex Mini Golf opens for the season today.

Petty International Raceway opens for the season this weekend, with all regular divisions on Saturday (Sportsman, Street Stock, Mini Stock, Outlaw, Atlantic Modified Tour and Women on Wheels) and Sportsman, Street Stock, Mini Stock, Legends and Bandoleros on Sunday. Adults are $20, youth $10, and those seven and under are free.

The Moncton Mystics host the Fredericton Freeze tonight at 6pm. Head to Crandall University to cheer them on; children 12 & under enter free, students/seniors $5, others $7.

The Moncton Wildcats could be back at the Avenir Centre tonight; game time is 7pm – if it’s needed! 🙂

Cindy Roy, the author of Féeli Tout, is launching her new book, MAXIMICHEIN, at Chapters.

Sky-Lines Kite Club of Dieppe’s May flight is scheduled at Dover Park from 1-3pm.

Candy Craze Shediac on the Pointe Du Chêne Wharf is set to reopen today.

Petty International Raceway opens for the season this weekend, with Sportsman, Street Stock, Mini Stock, Legends and Bandoleros divisions on Sunday. Adults are $20, youth $10, and those seven and under are free.

The Moncton Mets home opener sees them hosting Saint John. Catch great baseball at Kiwanis Park at 4pm.

My kids keep telling me how few days there are left in the school year. Which means it’s time to start thinking teacher gifts if that’s your jam. Now that we’re in the middle school years, with multiple kids with multiple teachers, it’s tricky to pull off individual, thoughtful gifts my kids will take to school. Instead, we make a donation to Atlantic Wellness in honour of the teachers & school staff – and when I’m really on my game, I remember to tell them I did it with a little thank you note!

REMEMBER: We’re not always able to update if there are changes due to weather, etc. Please click through the links & call ahead to confirm details for yourself when making plans!

ICE CREAM STOPS

Many of our seasonal favourites are open for the season already! Make plans to visit Cremerie Bennic Dairy Bar, Riverview’s Ice Cream Barn, Murray’s Moose at Magnetic Hill & lostandfound ice cream – and check our BEST HARD ICE CREAM SPOTS AROUND MONCTON post for more tasty inspo! (Psst! Keep an eye out for Shediac favourite Rosie’s to make a Memramcook appearance this summer.)

Watch for a fun collab with Bennic Ice Cream starting in June to celebrate 10 YEARS since I first hit publish on Pickle Planet Moncton!

These attractions & fun ideas are always worth checking out! Look for the 💚 for our TEEN & TWEEN picks!

Visit a Free Little Library! 

We are HUGE fans of the circular economy here – hand-me-downs, thrifting, and swaps are all top notch in our books. And speaking of books, it’s the season for Little Free Libraries to start popping up again!

Here are some streets where you’ll find these ‘take one, leave one’ treasures in our neighbourhoods; some are on the app, some we’ve noticed/been told about it. If you know of more (or are inspired to create your own this season!), let us know!

MONCTON

Aberdeen Cultural Centre
Ashley Cresent
Cavendish Road
Chapman Street
Cottonwood Cresent
Dutchill Drive
Dawn Crescent
Evergreen Drive
Gurney Drive
Kendra Street
YMCA Vaughn Harvey

RIVERVIEW

Alyssa Court
Blythwood Avenue
Cleveland Avenue
Page Street
Wallace Court

DIEPPE

Tranquille-Donat Path

SALISBURY

Horsman Street
Riverbend Drive
River Road

BGC Dieppe’s May Family Supper featuring an Egyptian dish is taking place May 23; registration is required and must be submitted by May 20!

Huge congrats to our friends opening Click & Chew – a great spot to snap a photo or grab a treat or both! Opening day is May 23; be sure to check them out!

Petitcodiac’s St. Andrew’s Kids Dance returns May 30.

There’s a very cool MOZART performance happening May 31 & June 1.

Public Safety Day (May 31) is going to be awesome in Three Rivers. The Petitcodiac Arena will have ambulances, police cars, fire trucks, & more!

The folks who love Lou MacNarin school are raising money for an accessible playground. They’re hosting a fundraising dance, Lou’s Little Big Ball, on May 31 from 2-5pm. This is a fun event for Grades K to 6.

Mean Girls the musical is coming to the Avenir Centre at the end of the month.

There’s a roller disco night coming to Petitcodiac on June 6. (You need to bring your own roller skates.)

EnviroFest at happening June 7 at Centennial Park, 11am-4pm.

The Greater Moncton Highland Games & Scottish Festival returns June 10-14, with ALL events FREE this year! The main event on Saturday, June 14 has bouncy castles, petting zoo, swordfighting, blacksmithing, horse & wagon rides, and live music alongside the pipebands, Highland dancers, and the Canadian national championships for female heavy athletes!

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