What to do with the kids in the Greater Moncton Area June 26-July 5
Who’s ready to kick summer into high gear?! We’ve got all you need to know to enjoy yourself in and around Moncton, Dieppe, Riverview and more!
Back before the pandemic, we created these round ups each week, highlighting family-friendly events happening in our communities. We’ve been in hiatus since March, but we’re getting back into the swing of things as life shifts into less of a lockdown state. But, like most businesses, we’re not quite business as usual.
Our goal is to update our Summer Family Fun round ups at least every two weeks. We’re also producing weekly episodes of the Pickle Planet #StaycationSummer Series, where guests from other parts of New Brunswick share their must-visit spots and hidden gems. You can subscribe and download us on all major podcast apps, listen online by clicking the play button embedded in our posts, and catch us on RogersTV in New Brunswick. (Pssst! The blog posts have the ‘Coles Notes’ version of each episode with a few highlights, too, if you’re short on time and need some quick ideas for things to do in places like Sussex, Miramichi, and Bathurst!)
Now, on to the round up!
EVENTS
Farmer Brown’s Greenhouse is holding a socially-distanced family event on Friday where you can build your own pollinator pot and bee hotel. You must register in advance; the event begins at 10am and wood-fired pizza will be served for lunch! Cost is $25/person. (There’s also an evening pollinator event planned, too!)
The New Brunswick Railway Museum in Hillsborough is opening for the season on Saturday at 10am.
Saturday afternoon you can paint a pony toy while watching & riding real miniature ponies! Cost is $25/child, with registration required in advance.
The Shediac Centre for Speed’s 25th anniversary season kicks off this Sunday afternoon.
MOVIE TIME!
It’s a Summer Bucket List favourite – a night at the drive-in!
There’s a new drive-in option for this summer: The Hub City Drive-in, located at Solomon Gardens on the Salisbury Road. Their upcoming shows include:
Thursday, June 25: Dawn of the Dead
Friday, June 26: Men in Black & Signs
Saturday, June 27: Raiders of the Lost Arc
Sunday, June 28: Grease
Wednesday, July 1: Footloose
Thursday, July 2: Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
The Sussex Drive-In’s upcoming shows:
Friday, June 26: Jumanji: The Next Level & Baby Driver
Saturday, June 27: Garth Brooks
Sunday, June 28: Jumanji: The Next Level & Baby Driver
Friday, July 3: Addams Family & Fantasy Island
Saturday, July 4: Addams Family & Fantasy Island
Sunday, July 5: Addams Family & Fantasy Island
Shediac’s Neptune Drive In is open for the season after a delayed start while they acquired a new projector. On the bill:
Friday, June 26: Jumanji: The Next Level & Bad Boys for Life
Saturday, June 27: Garth Brooks
Sunday June 28: Jumanji: The Next Level & Bad Boys for Life
Monday June 29: Jumanji: The Next Level & Bad Boys for Life
Tuesday June 30: Jumanji: The Next Level & Bad Boys for Life
Cineplex nationally is staring to roll out a re-opening plan, but no dates have been confirmed for New Brunswick yet.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
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.
Why not take a tour around the Sackville Waterfowl Park or the wetlands trail below Highland Park in Salisbury?
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!
Broadleaf Ranch is open daily for activities (as well as their amazing glamping units!), including horseback trail rides, guided canoe trips, biking, and more.
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.
Have you taken a tour around to pose with our amazing public art installations? There are more than 50 amazing murals in the GMA plotted on this map; what fun adventures can you plan to enjoy them all?!
Who can resist a cool, sweet treat in the heat? We’ve updated our Guide to Hard Ice Cream Spots in and around the Greater Moncton Area again this week. Be sure to check it out & let us know your favourite spot to enjoy a cone or dish!
SOME INDOOR OPTIONS
Riverview’s Indoor Skate Park is opening as of Wednesday, June 26. You’ll have to book online in advance, with spaces opening for each week on Sunday at 1pm.
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.
A note for families who enjoy SkyZone; the facility is on the move! They’re planning a Fall 2020 reopening; watch their social media for updates!
MARKETS & MORE!
Magnetic Hill Wharf Village is open; enjoy the take out, Murray’s Moose Ice Cream, and visit the gift shops.
The Moncton Market is open Saturdays 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.
SPLASH PADS & PLAYGROUNDS
We know everyone is looking to beat the heat, so here’s a quick rundown of what we know. Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe, Sackville, and Anglophone East School District have all opened playgrounds for use at your own discretion. However, the water features in Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe are not turned on yet.
And while it’s not a splash pad, you might want to make a visit to Lillas Fawcett Park in Sackville. It features a natural playground and a wonderful beach!
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 – and all the playgrounds we’ve been to so far with splash pads! Did you know there are nearly 100 playgrounds in the GMA? It’s a labour of love to make it to all of them and share the details with you, but we’re trying!
We’re also working on creating a list of beaches and lakes you might want to visit within an hour or so drive of Moncton. We’d love to know your favourites in the comments!
You probably want to know about swimming pools, too, eh?
OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOLS
It’s hopeful that most outdoor pools will be open soon, so we’re sharing all the information we know as of June 25, 2020.
The City of Moncton’s East End pool (35 Fergus Street) is scheduled to open this summer with swim times 11am-3pm and 4-7pm, with only 75 people per session (admission will be $2/person, free for those aged three and under). Centennial Park’s new beach is opening this summer, with sessions from 11am-3pm and 4-7:30pm, with 200 people per session allowed. (Admission will be $5/adult, $3/seniors and children ages three to 12 – under three is free.) Opening date is not yet confirmed, but the times were shared at a recent council meeting.
Salisbury Lions Pool has posted details on their summer pandemic-impacted plans. The pool will hopefully open on Canada Day, with a maximum number of swimmers set at 24. Recreation swims will need to be booked in advance, you’re asked to arrive with your swim suit on, and to wear a mask while checking in at the admission desk, as it is a small space.
Petitcodiac‘s community pool is found at 23 Corey Ave and can be reached at 506-756-3127. The pool is opening during the weeks this summer, with some operational changes in place. A great spot for updated information is the community’s Recreation Department’s Facebook page.
The newly refurbished Lion Ken Gabbey Pool in Riverview is still expected to open this summer, though the Town has yet to share a date. The indoor pool is open for limited lane swims and will have socially-distanced recreational swims starting July 6.
Hillsborough’s heated outdoor public swimming pool is next to the village’s skate park and elementary school playground (7 School Lane) and can be reached by phone at 506-734-3702. An opening date for 2020 hasn’t been announced but seems to be in the works!
And if you’re up for spending money on the ultimate local splash experience, head to Magic Mountain. Even little ones can enjoy several features at the water park, including four slides at the Puddle Jumpers Pond, and a splash pad pirate ship, lighthouse, and whale. Tentative opening date for the SplashZone is July 5, with summer 2020 hours 10am-5pm. Various social distancing measures will be in place, including using the Kiddie Pool only as a slide pool; no wading. Admission must be purchased prior to arrival. Groups of tickets will be released about a week in advance, and there will be a single blended rate, regardless of height or group size.
CANADA DAY
Lots of fantastic virtual & distanced options to celebrate Canada’s special day. Here are a few you might want to check out:
The City of Moncton is taking part in national online celebrations. On the City’s Facebook Page you’ll find a 12:30pm kick off with Arabika and Bijoux Mulali, a national broadcast from 1-2pm, and between 3:30 & 4:30 tune in as Dennis Prescott cooks at the Magnetic Hill Winery, Shelley Bean and the Duckety Muds, and Monsieur Crapaud et Babaloo. There’ll be some national afternoon programming, then between 7 & 8pm local performances by The Lumber Jills, Menoncle Jason, and a special guest, and things wrap up with a national evening show from 9-11pm.
The City of Dieppe is hosting a Facebook Live that begins at 10:30am and goes until around noon. Join in for the national anthem, messages from elected officials, a performance by children’s performer Art Richard, and Indigenous motivational speaker Savvy Simon.
The Village of Cap-Pelé is hosting a virtual concert with Zachary Richard for Canada Day, celebrating the connection between l’Acadie and Louisiana, despite the current border closures. Tune in at 7pm! Earlier in the day, celebrate with Monsieur Crapaud on the Village’s Facebook page at 11am, and with Colleen Duguay & Sharp Tone at 2pm.
Sackville is also taking their celebrations online; check out their Facebook event for more details. Memramcook’s celebration is also happening online, between 10am and 6pm.
Shediac is encouraging everyone to show their Canadian pride by hosting a red & white home decorating contest and joining in a virtual concert with Mixtape & Hert LeBlanc starting at 6pm.
Know another Canada Day event happening? Drop a link in the comments; we’ll try to update as we can, but Little Miss Pickle shares her birthday with our wonderful country, so we’re a little busy in the coming days!
Still looking for some help keeping the kids’ entertained? The government of Canada has posted a bunch of fantastic resources related to Canada Day, from colouring pages to scavenger hunt lists to recipes to try. You might also want to check out our Canada Day treats, backyard fun, and my thoughts on what I’ve learned as a Canadian Mom.
(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 & nights with the family!)
Canada Day ’20 in Salisbury will be celebrated online with a colouring contest, craft and other challenges you can do from home!
https://www.facebook.com/events/268265431062946/?active_tab=discussion