What to do with the kids in Greater Moncton this weekend (Nov 29-Dec 1)
It’s getting chilly out there, and that magical Christmas dust is surely in the air as we roll into December this weekend! I can only assume that your wee ones are as excited as mine, so here’s some exciting activities to keep those pickles entertained – including a section on holiday shopping events and one on places to visit with the jolly old man himself! (Speaking of which, you know what puts you on Santa’s nice list? A share & shout out to Pickle Planet on your social media if you find this resource helpful!)
*As always, please be sure to click through to the source links for up-to-date information before heading out to an event or activity, as we are not always able to update when weather or circumstance changes plans.
Where to see Santa
We love booking our spot to see Santa at CF Champlain; you can use the online tool and not have to wait in line when you arrive.
There’s also a lovely set up at MacArthur’s Nurseries; Santa visits Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and he’s oh so jolly!
The giant gingerbread house is back at the Delta Beausejour, and Santa comes to check on it each night from 5pm to 8pm until December 21st; you can arrange school class and group visits by calling 506-877-7101 – tell them Pickle Planet sent you!
Santa is back at Bass Pro Shops; his schedule is Monday to Friday, 5-8pm, Saturday 10am-8pm, and Sunday 10am-5pm. Next week, he’s there Monday to Friday 3-8pm! Don’t forget to get a Bass Pass on your way into the store to get your time to visit with the big guy. Bass Pro is partnering with Salvation Army for a toy drive this week; donate a new, unwrapped toy and receive a free photo package.
Bring the whole family out to the Moncton Market this Saturday for Santa at the Market and take a selfie with Santa! The jolly fellow will be on the Festival Hall outdoor stage from 9-11:45am.
If you’d like to see Santa in a parade this weekend, you can head to Bathurst or Shediac on Friday night, and find a full list of all the upcoming parades on our post here:
Santa Parades and Winter Festivals in Southeastern New Brunswick
Do you love looking at outdoor Christmas lights? Our friend Ruth Ann has started sharing some photos of this year’s displays, and of course the Town of Riverview’s waterfront is spectacular! Check out the video below that was shared by 91.9 The Bend, from a listener who recorded it with a dash cam and sped up the video. Wild Lights at the Zoo starts on December 1, too!
FRIDAY
CBC, Radio-Canada Acadie, & the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont Hospital Foundation invite you to experience one of the greatest celebrations of the year — the 30th Annual Radio-Canada’s Tree Of Hope Radiothon. Stop by the CBC Studio during Information Morning on Friday from 6am-9am for music with Chris Colepaugh, then head to CCNB in Dieppe from 9am-7pm. It will be broadcast across Atlantic Canada, making every effort to meet the $2 million target. As tradition has it, they promise us touching stories, inspiring testimonies, in addition to dozens of musical performances.
Reminder that the Ian Fowler Oval is opening the first week of December. Keep an eye on the Public Skating schedule and any cancellations HERE. Dieppe’s skating oval at Place 1604 is also open, and you can find a full list of indoor public skating options here.
The Town of Sussex invites your whole family to kick off the Christmas season with the Annual Mayor Tree Lighting on Friday from 7-9pm at the Sussex Rotary Amphitheatre. Special guests Anna and Elsa will be there to help launch the holiday season, complete with new songs!
Family Gym Night will be held at Hillcrest School from 7-9pm. There will be basketball and volleyball for the older kids and other games appropriate for the youngsters. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or designated chaperone.
Live Bait presents Grandma’s Family Christmas Dinner Theatre with a delicious turkey dinner and all the trimmings at the Sackville Legion on Friday and Saturday at 7pm.
The Moncton Wildcats are playing a home game v. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada at the Avenir Centre on Friday from 7-10pm! Grab tickets for your little hockey fans HERE.
SATURDAY
The Nemo Foundation presents Breakfast with Santa this Saturday from 8-11am at the Irishtown Community Centre. Bring the whole family for breakfast and have your photo taken with Santa, who is scheduled to arrive at 9am! The event is FREE, and goodwill donations go to the Nemo Foundation Kids Club and mentoring youth.
CHAOS Dance presents the FROST Christmas Dance Show this Saturday! Showtimes are at 10am, 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm at the Riverview Arts Centre, but the tickets are going fast.
Cineplex’s $2.99 family favourite movies continue every Saturday. This weekend, enjoy Arthur Christmas, playing at 11am at Cineplex Cinemas Dieppe.
Moncton Wesleyan Kids World invites you to bring your family and friends to Jingle Bell Rock, a FREE one-hour, high energy, interactive, family fun experience. Stick around for the After Party for some fun photo ops, treat bags for the kids, plus a little something for Mum and Dad! Showtimes are Saturday at 2pm & Sunday at 10:30am.
Farmer Brown’s Greenhouse invites you to celebrate their first annual Christmas on the Farm event on Saturday from 11am-4pm. Enjoy visiting the animals, wagon rides, activities, and festive photo ops. The pizza oven will be fired up and hot chocolate and cider will be available all day long. Young and old alike will have a chance to play the Rav drum and build their own drum-stick. A variety of hands-on workshops will also be offered by instructors a small fee (pre-registration is suggested):
- A DIY Container Design Workshop will be held from 1-4pm. Create a beautiful Outdoor Container or a Holiday Swag or Centrepiece for your home. Bring your own containers or purchase one on site.
- A Vintage Jewelry Christmas Tree Workshop will be held from 1-4pm. The Pink Church Ladies will help you create a beautiful vintage jewelry Christmas tree picture. Incorporate your own special jewelry pieces or use the pieces provided.
The C103 & New Country Annual Stuff-A-Bus Toy Drive will be held from 9am-3pm this Saturday at Sobey’s Vaughn Harvey Blvd. Stop by with new toys or gift certificates for children and teens. All donations will go to the Salvation Army for distribution to less fortunate families.
Remember that Santa will be at the Moncton Market on the Festival Hall outdoor stage from 9-11:45am, he’s at Bass Pro Shops Greater Moncton with crafts, giveaways, and more, and also at CF Champlain.
For your serious crafters, Front Porch Mercantile is hosting White Christmas, an all-day workshop from 9:30am-4:30pm. This class is seven hours of full-on crafting for Christmas, completing four decor projects! By reservation only.
Camp Wildwood is holding a fundraising brunch on Saturday at 11am; cost is $12 adults, $6 children five to 12, free for those four and under.
The Greater Moncton SPCA is hosting Holiday Pet Portraits with photographer Tracy Munson from 10am-5pm at the Tire Shack Brewing Co. Get a five-minute Holiday-themed pet photo session and a beautiful metal ornament with your pet’s photo on it, plus the opportunity to purchase digital images, additional ornaments, and custom holiday cards.
You can also visit Global Pet Foods for their annual Pet Photos with Santa at their Moncton store on Saturday from 10am-3pm, welcoming all kinds of pets! Photos are by donation (min $5).
The whole family is invited to attend Dance Envy’s annual Christmas recital, The Grinch at the Jeanne De Valois Theatre on Saturday at 5:30pm.
The Keillor House Museum is hosting a Victorian Christmas Dinner at 6:30pm. Enjoy live musical entertainment and an elegant four-course dinner, served by the glow of candlelight and the crackling hearth.
A great line up of musicians, including Ivan Daigle, are coming together for a holiday concert at JMA Armstrong High School in Salisbury on Saturday evening. Entrance is $10; funds raised at Christmas in the Country will go to Salisbury Helping Hands.
In non-holiday themed events on Saturday:
Don’t miss the Memramcook Community Forum. The Youth and Community Components will be presented on Saturday from 8:30am-1pm at the Eugene (Gene) LeBlanc Arena. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about Memramcook’s Community Organizations and share your challenges and successes. Register by email.
Bring your kiddos out to the Cremerie Bennic Dairy Bar from 9am-12pm for Minecraft at Bennic with Snapology. Allow your child to cultivate their love of science through hands-on experience bringing Minecraft to life using LEGO®.
Visit the Moncton Public Library for Chinese Storytime Session from 10-11am for stories and songs in Mandarin, and learn about Chinese culture. Presented by Moncton Chinese School of Greater Moncton Chinese Cultural Association. For the whole family! Registration required.
Your child will learn how things are made at Constructive Destruction! at Resurgo Place from 10am-12pm. Bring in your own item to take apart or deconstruct one of the many available gadgets and gizmos.
LAN of Hope is a gaming event in which all profits go toward the Tree of Hope annual fundraising campaign, primarily supporting the Dr. Léon-Richard Oncology Center and cancer research in New Brunswick, hosted by Tomorrow LAN. Many tournaments will be hosted at Moncton University Pavillon Rémi Rossignol starting at 10am on Saturday. The entry fee is $15 and there will be pizza, snacks, and drinks for sale.
Bend City Yoga Studio is hosting a family-friendly Mandala Rock Painting Workshop on Saturday at 2:30-4pm.
From 4-6pm check out Souper Saturday at the Hillsborough United Church. Soup, buns, and desserts will be served. Start the season with some warm soup! Free will donation. All are welcome.
Symphony New Brunswick with the Saint John String Quartet presents Discovering New Worlds 7:30-9:00pm at Resurgo Place.
The Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS will make its Moncton premiere on Saturday at the Avenir Centre at 8pm.
SUNDAY
The 6th Annual Expert Turkey Run is happening Sunday 10am-1pm at Centennial Park. This is a fun 1km walk or 5km run. Registration is one or more frozen turkeys for the annual Sue Stultz & Local 999 Moncton Firefighters Association Turkey Drive.
If you’re still looking for some holiday photos, there will be Christmas Minis by Thalie Photography to be held at Dieppe Rotary Park on Sunday from 11am-2pm.
Come enjoy the wonder of the season for the 10th Annual Christmas Open House Tour of a beautiful Victorian home completely decorated with 25 Christmas trees, Santa’s village, live music, and refreshments. 1-5pm at the Home of Normand Gallant, in support of Employment Support Peer-Helper Program. If you can’t make it this weekend, visit on Wednesday December 4th, 4-8pm or Saturday, December 7th, 1-5pm.
Our Pack Animal Rescue is holding a fundraiser offering pet photos with Santa at Global Pet Foods in Riverview Sunday afternoon.
Riverview’s Luv Paws is also doing a holiday photo fundraiser on Sunday, along with a raffle and other goodies.
The Service of Lessons and Carols at the Mount Allison University Chapel will take place from 3-4pm on Sunday. The Elliott Chorale will perform several solos and choruses from Handel’s Messiah, as well as works by Sweelinck, Howells, Lauridsen, and Guilmant. Familiar congregational carols will also be sung.
The Magnetic Hill Zoo will be decked out in hundreds of thousands of holiday lights throughout the park starting this Sunday, every night from 5-8:30pm for Wild Lights – Year of the Wolf. This year, the spotlight is on wolves! Bring the whole family to see the new wolf-themed lights and to learn about these marvelous mammals. Warm up at an outdoor bonfire and enjoy snacks and hot chocolate. Christmas trees will also be on sale in the parking lot on Fridays and Saturdays on December 6-7 and 13-14 from 5-9 pm. A portion of the sales of these trees will be donated to canine conservation projects.
Salisbury is holding its annual tree lighting event in Highland Park on Sunday evening at 6pm. Enjoy Christmas carols, hot chocolate, and apple cider – don’t forget your reusable mug!
Olympia Kid’s Paint Night is happening Sunday night, featuring a fun holiday elf painting! Registration is open to children 18 & under.
Check out The Christmas Spectacular – Mr Walt and the Night Shift 6-7:30pm at City Impact Church. Free admission and perfect for the whole family!
Resurgo Place, Ventus Machina, and Symphony New Brunswick invite you to come and ring in the season at their Holiday Concert at the Free Meeting House at 6pm. The event is FREE with a donation of a non-perishable food item. The concert will be followed by a reception within the festively decorated lobby of Resurgo Place. Warm apple cider and tasty treats will be served!
At 7:30pm in Brunton Auditorium, the Mount Allison Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Gregory Burton, will present Orchestral Elegance, orchestral music with an elegant flair. The concert is free for the whole family!
For the nutrition-conscious family, check out the The NEW Canada’s Food Guide Nutrition Workshop at the Moncton Public Library on Sunday from 11am-12pm.
On Sunday from 11am-12pm, Moncton Public Library is hosting a Cyber Monday: Online Shopping Workshop on how to shop online. Learn what you need to know, how to stay safe while shopping online, all about shipping costs, how to use Paypal, and more!
Still looking for more family fun? Swimming, skating, bowling, indoor play spaces and more can all be found in our MEGA LIST of all the local attractions!
HOLIDAY SHOPPING EVENTS
The Christmas Market will take place on Friday from 12-7pm and on Saturday from 9am-2pm at the Acadian Museum of the University of Moncton. There will also be a walk-in Holiday craft on Saturday between 9am-2 pm. Create a traditional or contemporary Christmas ornament! Entrance to the Market and walk-in craft is free!
St. Philip’s Anglican Church Bazaar and Craft Sale is this Saturday from 9am-2pm in Moncton. Admission is FREE. There will also be a $7 all-inclusive lunch served from 11am-1pm.
Sussex Elementary Home and School Association is hosting the 8th Annual Christmas Extravaganza on Saturday from 9am-2pm at Sussex Elementary School. There will be a large selection of home-based vendors selling jewellery, crafts, knitting, decorations, baked goods, and other homemade products.
The Holly Jolly Christmas Craft Show at the Moncton Lions Club this Saturday 10am-3pm hosted by Maritime Creations.
Head out to the Galerie Murmur for a special pop-up Vintage Market on Saturday starting at 11am! Three local vendors: Ok My Dear, Freckled Finds Shoppe, and Blue Violet Vintage will be out with their best vintage items and amazing clothes for sale.
Olympia Allstar Cheerleading is hosting the 6th annual Olympia Auction on Saturday from 6pm-10pm at the Mount Olympus Gym. There will be a Live and Silent Auction, great food & snacks, and live entertainment. (Please note this will be a 19+ event)
Don’t miss the 1st EXPO of Artists & Crafters this Sunday from 11am-4pm. Meet local artists and artisans and find unique Christmas gifts. Free admission, appetizers offered by local farmers, and 3 raffle baskets to be won!
And if a silent auction is more your speed, check out the fundraiser for Lewisville Middle School is having their annual online auction this weekend with great items like passes for Sky Zone, Resurgo Place, Magic tickets, and more . Be sure to take a look!
We’re also looking forward to Yule Be Giving Local on Wednesday, which will see all the shops of The Arches of St. George (including Apple Art Gallery, Black Rabbit, and more) celebrating with specials, giveaways, gift wrapping, a visit from Santa & Mrs Claus, and more!
And don’t forget that the LUSH pop-up is opening next week in front of Moncton City Hall!
Whew! That’s all for now! Remember, creating this round up takes HOURS and HOURS each week – we’d love for you to share it with your friends & family, and if you’re a business interested in sponsoring this community resource and having your name associated with a future round up, seen by thousands of local families each week, drop us a note. We’d love to chat!
