Welcome back, everyone!

It’s been a minute since we’ve been able to put together our weekend round up, but we plan to get things back to normal now! Woo hoo!!

MUST READ: FALL FAMILY BUCKET LIST IDEAS

In case you’re new … Pickle Planet has been the go-to parenting resource for families in the Greater Moncton Area since 2015, curating weekly lists of events & activities, as well as playground profiles, seasonal must-see lists, & so much more!! Thanks for stopping by; please support our work by sharing this resource with your friends & family!

We check between two and four dozen websites & social media pages every week, gathering as many great ideas for family fun as possible. (Please, click through the links we provide before heading out; you never know when something might have changed!) We also include links to local attractions & ongoing options. If you’re organizing an event you want folks to know about, send us an email with the details. There’s no charge for a mention in the weekend round up. If you’re looking for stand alone coverage (social media posts, ads on our website, etc.), you can ask for our advertising price list.

WEEKEND EVENTS SEPT 16-18, 2022

It’s apple season at Belliveau Orchard! You can stop in seven days a week, 10am to 5pm, & tractor rides are available every day. Check their Facebook page to see what varieties are ripe for picking. A 10lb bag of regular apples is $16, with speciality apples $22 for 10lbs.

The local corn mazes are also open, too! The Green Pig’s mazes are open daily, 10am – 5pm, with the pumpkin blaster available on the weekends. Their first flashlight nights of the season are this Friday & Saturday, 7-9pm & you can get a discount on regular admission this weekend with a donation to the local food bank. Bonus on Saturday: Beloved Miniature Horses will be on site with opportunities for cuddles or rides (must be less than 50lbs) at $10 each. (PRO TIP: We love their mini maze for exploring with little ones!!)

Milton Mile Farms (800 Dawson Road) is a new option for local corn maze fun. They’re open on weekends, 10am-5pm, for $5/person (children under 2 are free).

Another great option is Trueman Blueberry Farm (Aulac), with its corn maze, wagon rides, jumbo jumper, potato cannon, and more. Open Wednesdays through Sundays.

Summer isn’t officially over yet, though! The Sussex Drive-In is still open, with a retro theme this Friday & Saturday. Watch the 1994 Flintstones movie, followed by the 1975 classic Jaws. Cash only at the gate; movie begins at dusk. Adults are $13, children ages 5 to 15 $9 (4 & under free).

The Albert County Exhibition is on this weekend, with lots of family fun Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! There’s the parade, a woodsman competition, lawn tractor races, live music, Mad Science, Playmania (bouncy castles), lots of horse shows, and much more.

Sunny Brae Baptist Church is holding a free family event on Friday night, 5:30-7:30pm, with BBQ, petting zoo, tie-dye, bouncy castles, and more.

Saturday, Sept 17 is I’m Buying a New Brunswick Book Day – and we do so hope you’ll take a moment to find yourself a local book to enjoy!! For some great local history told in a kid-friendly way, we always love recommending Diane Carmel Léger’s The Lookout Tree & Piau’s Potato Present, both available in English and French. We’re also huge fans of Jennifer McGrath’s books, including The Chocolate River Rescue. Both McGrath & Léger also have picture books for littler kids, too! Local publisher Bouton d’Or Acadie will be hosting events at both the Dieppe library and Gerald LeBlanc Park in Moncton (by City Hall) on Saturday between 10am & 4pm.

PAW (formerly the Greater Moncton SPCA) is holding its annual fundraising Paws Walk on Saturday at Riverfront Park in Moncton. The fun starts at 11am with music, food, contests, /& more.

Looking for a new family activity this fall? Why not try orienteering? There’s a great event happening Saturday at noon at Centennial Park. There’s a 1km intro course for beginners, as well as some more challenging options for those used to orienteering. Registration is requested by Sept 14, though walk-ins will be allowed.

New Hope Community Church on the Homestead Road is holding a free party on Saturday afternoon, 3-5pm. Pet llamas, enjoy an inflatable bouncy obstacle course, games, snacks, and more.

There are ‘come try it’ ringette events this Saturday in Shediac and Sunday in Riverview. A great way for kids to test out the sport! You need to bring skates, a CSA approved helmet, and mitts/gloves. (For ages 4+)

Scouts is holding a free event at Rotary St-Anselme Park in Dieppe on Saturday, 1-4pm. Enjoy activities and BBQ & learn about the movement & programs available for 2022-2023.

DIY PUMPKIN STAND PHOTO PROP – PERFECT FOR FALL!

The Town of Riverview’s annual Harvest Fest takes place this weekend, with highlights including the annual Hillbilly Hoedown at the Skatepark, disc golf, the kick off of Pumpkin Palooza, and of course Family Fun Day! Head to Caseley Park on Sunday between 1:30 & 4:30pm for live music, a corn boil, bouncy castles, outdoor games (including the giant Connect 4 tournament with cash prizes!), caricature portraits, face painting, & more.

Farmer Brown’s Greenhouse’s 3^rd annual Open Farm Day celebration is Sunday, Sept 18 from 10am until 4pm. It’s free to attend, but individual vendors will charge for food, etc. There are oodles of awesome photo opps, pumpkin painting (quicker than carving!), farm animals, a small straw bale maze, a visit from Beloved Miniature Horses, face painting, build-a-bear, cookie decorating, s’mores, Ice Cream Barn treats, pizza, and plow & tractor demos.

Fundy Farms in Hillsborough is also celebrating Open Farm Day with music by piper Ian Duncan, walks on their nature trail, possible visits from the alpacas, and wood-fired pizzas, fresh to order!

There are nearly a dozen farms within a short drive of Moncton taking part in Open Farm Day this year. You can find all the details online at www.atlanticopenfarmday.ca. There are a few in the Cornhill area, including Waldow Farms where you can watch cows being milked between 12:30 & 3:30pm. For something a little different, you can visit Pioneer Estate Winery, owned by the Fraser family (former owners of the Pump House Brewery) between 10am & 4pm for tours, demonstrations, and samples of their grape growing on Whitfield Trites Road – which they say is the highest altitude vineyard on the East Coast! Goats, bees, and certified organic veggies are the draw at Windy Hill Organic Farm in McKees Mills. Another great spot to visit is the Open Sky Co-Operative in Sackville, a farm with a focus on providing opportunities for people with autism, social disabilities, and mental health challenges. The www.atlanticopenfarmday.ca page notes accessibility options for each location, as well as the times public are welcome to drop in on Sunday and an easy map option to figure out your route!

Moncton’s Capitol Theatre is celebrating 100 years with lots of neat programming – including free guided tours this Sunday, Sept 18 starting at 10am. At 3pm, they’re showing the original Back to the Future on the big screen!!

Salisbury is hosting its annual Terry Fox Walk/Run on Sunday at 1pm at Highland Park. Donations to the Salisbury Run can be made at https://run.terryfox.ca/3537

LOCAL INDOOR IDEAS

You can find all kinds of links to family fun on our MEGA GUIDE TO FAMILY FUN IN GREATER MONCTON, but here are some highlights:

Great spaces to appeal to a variety of ages & interests are Hop Skip Jump!, SkyZone, & DIY Studio.

The Riverview Indoor Skatepark is a wonderful place for all ages, and bowling is always a great time! Fairlanes in Moncton & Bowlarama in Dieppe both offer gutter blockers for kids, and Bowlarama has an awesome arcade section. Don’t forget Riverview is now home to The Marvelous Holy Bowly, too.

Older kids might want to try laser tag at  Marco’s Clinic, or neighbouring FitRocks Climbing Gym, or maybe test their wits at Room Escape Atlantic or Mystery Moncton Mystere.

Add a dose of learning with a trip to Resurgo Place, Doiron House or the Moncton Public Library.

Cineplex has theatres in both Dieppe & Moncton

The YMCA Moncton North has an indoor splash pad & playground; non-members are welcome.

Cabela’s has a 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium; stop by to see striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, trout, perch, and more!

The City of Moncton offers free drop in gym time for kids in Gr 5 – 8 at the Crossman Centre  (99 Wynwood Drive) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3:30-4:45pm. The gym is open for Parents & Tots Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10am until noon. You can also walk the indoor track WITH a stroller between 11am and 1pm. There’s also indoor walking at the Moncton Coliseum between 9am and 4pm; call 857-4100 for more info.

SWIMMING

Check out the Pat Crossman Aquatic Centre in Riverview, the Moncton YMCA at Vaughan Harvey, and the Dieppe Aquatic Centre. Both the Moncton & Dieppe pools are great with littles; Dieppe has a sloped entry with a pirate ship, while the Vaughan Harvey YMCA has a separate kiddie pool.

Find more details in our Guide to Swimming in the GMA here.

SKATING

FYI: Indoor ice skating generally starts around Thanksgiving and runs until after March Break. Watch for updates next month! (Oh, and if you live in the City of Moncton & hope to have a community rink this year, check out the City’s program. They’re open for applications until Oct. 10.)

LOCAL OUTDOOR IDEAS

We already touched on some of the apple orchards, corn mazes, & pumpkin patches that are opening up for the season. You can also check out our list dedicated to these fall favourites!

MUST READ: CORN MAZES, PUMPKIN PATCHES, & APPLE ORCHARDS TO EXPLORE IN NEW BRUNSWICK

Magnetic Hill Zoo is open most of the year & is a fantastic option for families. The average time to enjoy the site is two hours; lots of shade, an awesome playground, and places to eat or picnic make this a great outing in any season. Watch for Boo at the Zoo to return this October!

Animal lovers might also want to try horseback riding at nearby Boyle Family Farm on Route 126.

Adventurous families might want to try TreeGo (located within Centennial Park in Moncton), Maghill Paintball, East Coast Karting, or Off Grid Adventure.

There’s really no season that isn’t fun on our playgrounds! We’re on a mission to visit them all and share our thoughts; follow the link for our Playground Profiles! You can also go straight to the ones with splash pads and water features by clicking here.

Grab your camera and plan a photography tour of the public art installations around our communities, thanks to Festival Inspire.

The City of Moncton offers three outdoor areas where riders can bike, skate, or scooter for free: CN Sportplexe Bike Park (55 Russ Howard Boulevard), the Downtown Skate Park (by Riverfront Park), and the Renton All-Wheels Park (280 Noel Street).

Dieppe’s Rotary St-Anselme Park & Splash Pad offers awesome biking trails and options, too – and don’t forget the awesome pump track now in Riverview at the Irving Road Playground!

YUMMY MARKETS, TREATS, & MORE

The Moncton Market & the Dieppe Market are both open on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm, with fantastic options for local goodies.

Many smaller communities also have markets & great hidden eating gems, like Salisbury’s growing market/antique scene and the Little Red Rooster Cafe at the Green Pig Country Market, as well as the Old Church Farmer’s Market in Hillsborough.

Magnetic Hill Wharf Village café & ice cream is still open Saturdays & Sundays for September.

A fun spot to shop & enjoy a riverside stroll is the Starving Artist Cafe; in 2022, they revamped the outside with a new Festival Inspire mural & added a patio bar & ice cream stand!

Treat your tastebuds with a walk along St. George Street for Halo Donuts, Lost and Found Ice Cream, and maybe even a Taco in a Bag from Notre Dame de Parkton or something from Dolma. You’re also super close to Co Pain Artisan Bread Company & oodles of great restaurants!

The Arches of St. George hold regular pop-ups with some of the neatest makers around. Treats, vintage finds, jewelry, and so much more! Pop up to Apple Art Gallery & their new deux pépins.

PLAYGROUPS

Early Childhood Family Resource Centre offers free drop-in playtimes for ages newborn to 6, as well as outings that require registration in advance (generally still free, though!). You can find their September calendar on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FRCMoncton

The Riverview Public Library has a drop in session for adults with infants 24 months & younger on Tuesdays, from 10am until noon.

Mommy Connections Moncton offers several paid options for baby & me classes.

Sunny Tots is a great group for playdates, starting again next Tuesday!

LOOKING AHEAD

Not for the whole family, but if you’re a woman looking to connect with other local woman, the Business & Professional Women of Greater Moncton is hosting their annual Phenomenal Woman Award luncheon at the end of the month – and yours truly along with Tosh Taylor will be MC’ing the event!

Not able to make that, but still looking to connect with local women? Watch for tickets to go on sale Friday morning for Happy Hour Club Moncton’s November mixer! These are always sell-out events, so don’t wait!

BOOKSTRAVAGANZA is returning this year, with a new venue – the Moncton Coliseum! This is a massive used book sale that supports Laubach Literacy NB’s adult literacy programs. The sale isn’t until Oct 14-16, but you can drop off used books for donation to the sale now until October 6 at Sobeys locations in Moncton, Riverview, & Dieppe.

And speaking of gently-used items … if you’re in need of some clothes, toys, winter gear, or more for the kids, considering planning a trip to the Grapevine Events’ Fall Pop Up in Saint John next weekend!! There are presale appointments available Friday to shop, or come on Saturday when it’s free entry & most items are 50% off! Open 10am till 1pm on Saturday at Exhibition Park. (And if that has you wondering about the annual Moncton Multiples Consignment Sale … it’s happening November 19 this year.)

Finally – a reminder that schools in New Brunswick are closed Monday, September 19, so this is a long weekend for the kiddos, folks!

For a kid-friendly look at the Queen’s life, we recommend this visually appealing piece from CBC Kids News: Queen Elizabeth has died. A look back at her life and legacy

We also recommend checking out some of these kid-friendly books that highlight Indigenous culture in advance of National Truth & Reconciliation Day, Sept 30.

You might also want to check out the list of retailers working with the Every Child Matters Orange Shirt Day Society and this list of books specifically about residential schools, with choices appropriate for various age groups.

Hope you all find some fun family adventures to enjoy this weekend & we’ll be back with another round up soon. Tell your friends!