What to do with the family this weekend (June 12-14)
Alrighty friends! Here we go!
It’s been a minute – or at least three months! – since we brought you a previously regularly scheduled weekend round up. For FIVE YEARS we created a weekly look at family friendly events happening in the Greater Moncton Area EACH weekend, just for you. It was a huge joy for us to help you and your family connect with each other and our neighbourhoods, creating the memories and connections that help children feel a sense of belonging and pride in their community.
We’re not sure we’re back to weekly round-ups just yet; with the kids still home and so many events and outings in flux, it’s a tall order to create the kind of content we used to, so maybe this will end up more of a bi-weekly update? Either way, there are some great things happening and it’s more important now than ever before to build on that sense of connection. So, here goes!
(A reminder, as always: we do our best to ensure information is accurate and complete at the time we post it, but please be sure to click through to the source links we provide to confirm any changes before heading out. And if you have an event that should be included, please reach out! And follow along; we’ll keep providing updates and ideas on how to spend your summer days & night with the family!)
MOVIE TIME!
Why not pile up the family and head to the drive-in this weekend?!
The Sussex Drive-In is open for the season, with a double-feature this Saturday and Sunday. Up first: Sonic The Hedgehog Movie (which we LOVED), followed by The Hunt (a satirical horror film). On Tuesday, they’re showing a single feature, again with Sonic. Next weekend, June 19, 20, & 21, you can enjoy another Pickle family hit, Spies in Disguise, followed by Harrison Ford in Call of the Wild. Great family fun!
A few notes: The Sussex Drive-In opens its gates at 7:30pm; the first movie begins at dusk – which varies throughout the summer. You can arrive to just watch the second film on a double-feature night; just be there before the admission gate closes at 10:30pm. The site is cash only; carloads on Sunday are $30, regular double-feature prices are $12.50 ($8.50 for those ages six to 15 and free for younger kids), while single features on Tuesdays are $6.50 ($5 for youth). The drive-in is on, rain or shine, and the canteen is open!
Shediac’s Neptune Drive In is waiting for a new projector to arrive before it opens for the season. Watch their Facebook page for updates!
There’s a new drive-in option for this summer: The Hub City Drive-in, located at Solomon Gardens on the Salisbury Road. Opening Friday will see a fun family double feature with Onward (another Pickle family recent fave!), followed by A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Saturday is a scary night, with Jurassic Park and Tremors, and on Sunday you can watch Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Wednesday, June 17 you can enjoy The Addams Family (the 2019 animated version), and its family night again next Friday, June 19, with Frozen 2 and Toy Story 4!
A few notes: You should purchase your tickets in advance via Eventbrite; the link for each night is in their respective Facebook events. Remaining tickets will be available at the gate. Gates open at 7:30; movies begin at dusk. Watch their social media for updates in case of rain. There will be port-a-potties & a canteen – with deep-fried Mars bars and funnel cakes, among many other treats! Tickets are $15 ($10 for children) or $35 for a carload.
MARKETS & MORE!
Magnetic Hill Wharf Village is re-opening this weekend! Enjoy the take out, Murray’s Moose Ice Cream, and visit the gift shops.
The Moncton Market is open Saturday from 8am until 1pm with vendors offering pre-packaged goods.
The Dieppe Market is offering a virtual market with on-site pick-up; you can find the details online – orders are accepted between Monday and Wednesday.
SOME OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Have you ever walked the wetlands trail below Highland Park in Salisbury? The kids and I enjoyed a lovely lunchtime visit there earlier this week. A great spot to spend some time!
What about a trip to Irishtown Nature Park? If you follow us on social media, you’ll know we took our first family canoe voyage there recently. How fun!
Also on our family to-do list: a photography tour of the public art installations around our communities, thanks to Festival Inspire!
Shediac Paddle Shack is offering a Family Night special on Saturday night; children 12 and under can have their rental 50% off when renting with their adult.
Beloved Miniature Horses offers outdoor pony rides on Sunday; you can book a 20-minute visit for $12/child.
The Magnetic Hill Zoo is open; there is a modified path you’ll have to follow and there are a limited number of tickets available each morning and afternoon. You should try to purchase online in advance to ensure your spot.
The Go Karts and batting cages are open at The Boardwalk (Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-9pm) and the driving range is open seven days a week!
The track is also operating at East Coast Karting; reach out if you’re interested in your child learning to drive!
Hopewell Rocks is open for the season, from 9am to 5pm, and our local national parks – Fundy and Kouchibouguac – are both open, with some limitations.
SOME INDOOR OPTIONS
The Albert County Museum is open for the summer and it’s a perfect mix of indoor and outdoor fun.
Mystery Moncton Mystere is open, as is Room Escape Atlantic; both offer some youth-friendly options!
You can also enjoy a trip to DIY Studio.
Kay, that’s all for the events & activities for now. A few more notes we’d love to share with you:
Did you notice the changes we made to our Playground Profiles section? Check the drop down menus; you can know easily find lists for Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview on their own! Now that places are open again, we’re working on a plan to visit more spots – but believe us when we say there are nearly 100 playgrounds in the GMA and it’s a labour of love to make it to all of them and share the details with you! (The City of Moncton’s playgrounds are open, as are the Town of Riverview’s playgrounds and those in the City of Dieppe.)
AND … just in time for the weekend, we’ve again updated our Guide to Hard Ice Cream Spots in and around the Greater Moncton Area. This is a post you’ll want to share & save, for sure!! And if you know of a great ice cream stand we’re missing, send us the info. We want to visit them all! ?
