What to do with the kids this weekend in Greater Moncton (April 5-7)
Welcome to April, everyone! We hope you’re ready for a weekend filled with family fun. In case you need some inspiration, keep reading!
A reminder: please check the source links in the post to confirm details before heading out to an event or attraction; we don’t always see/have the chance to update if there are changes due to weather, etc.
Maple, maple, maple! That’s the theme of this weekend!
It’s Riverview’s annual MapleFest, with dozens of activities throughout the Town all weekend. Here are a few highlights:
FRIDAY
- 🌘 Royal Astronomy Society member Dan McLaughlin will give a 30-minute information session about the upcoming solar eclipse Friday night at 7pm at the Riverview Community Hall.
SATURDAY
- 🥞 Broadleaf Ranch is hosting a Lumberjack Pancake Breakfast, 8-11:30am on Saturday. Eat by donation; supporting the local volunteer firefighters.
- 🥞 White’s Maple is also hosting a pancake breakfast on Saturday, 8am-noon. Cost is $14, $7 for those under 10.
- 🧺 Farmer Brown’s Greenhouse is hosting Maple Season on the Farm at Galloway House, with a pancake breakfast available from 9-11am & wood oven pizzas served from 2-6pm. Trails will be open to explore, maple trees will be tapped, and farm animals will be on site.
- 🔥 Riverview Youth Collective is teaming up with Parks Staff & Briggs Maple to share s’mores, hot chocolate, & maple coffee at the fire at the Mill Creek Lookout for Rise & Maple. Saturday, 10am – noon; free, while supplies last.
- 🥏 CDT Disc Golf is hosting a free, one-hour Learn to Play event for MapleFest. This sport is growing quickly with lots of local options to get involved!
- 🤝 Explore the nation-to-nation relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people with the Blanket Exercise at the Riverview Community Hall from 10-11:30am.
- 🔥The 1st Moncton BPSA Traditional Scouting will show you how to make a maple beaver tail or a roasted starburst over the campfire at the Mill Creek Lookout, 1-3pm.
- 🏊 Jump in the pool for a free swim at the Pat Crossman Aquatic Centre at 2pm Saturday.
- 🛹 Join the Hard Rock Maple Feast at the Riverview Indoor Skate Park; sign up in advance to join the meal!
- 🍁 The UNESCO Fundy Biosphere is hosting an open house at its Fundy Maple Sugar Camp, across from the Turtle Creek Reservoir, Saturday, with tours at 10am & 2pm.
- 🍁 Briggs Maples will be open & offering a discount on sales along with free maple taffy on the snow from 11am-3pm.
- 🍁 Pedersen Country Maple in Dawson Settlement is hosting free sugar shack tours, 10am-4pm on Saturday, with free s’mores, hot chocolate, and taffy on the snow (while supplies last).
- 🛍️ While you’re in Riverview, get your shop on at Curt’s Market at the Lions Club with more than 65 local vendors, Mama K’s food truck, face painting, henna, & more. Free entry.
SUNDAY
- 🥞 White’s Maple is hosting a pancake breakfast on Sunday, 8am-noon. Cost is $14, $7 for those under 10.
- 🍁 Briggs Maples will be open & offering a discount on sales along with free maple taffy on the snow from 11am-3pm.
- 🍽️ The Riverview Lions Club is hosting a Maple Brunch; $10/person, kids under 5 free (family rate $30).
- 🌎 The Chocolate River Wellness Fair takes place Sunday, 10am-4pm, at the Coverdale Recreation Centre.
Want to head out to a maple sugar camp this weekend? Click the image above for our full listing, but here are the nearest options not already mentioned above:
🍁 Renton Brothers Family Sugarbush (1270 Gorge Road, Moncton – the one with the smiling face) is open 9:30am-4pm.
🍁 Trites Maples (1270 Gorge Road, Moncton – the 4th camp with the green metal roof) is open for their pancake breakfast starting at 8am today.
🍁 Fundy Maple (6 Dewey Road, Turtle Creek/Riverview) is open 10am-3pm; tours at 11am & 1pm.
🍁 Chateau Scoudouc (2862 route 132, Scoudouc) is open for breakfast, 9am-1pm.
🍁 White’s Maple is open for breakfast 8am – noon.
It’s also MAPLE MADNESS in Fundy Albert this weekend. Hillsborough’s Old Church Farmer’s Market will have a maple theme on Saturday, there’s a Maple High Tea at Maplegrove Inn, maple specials at the Cinnamon Soul Cafe & Wacky Wonderful Waffles, shop specials at the Pink Church Boutique & more!
MORE WEEKEND EVENTS
Want to skip cooking but not sure where to go? Check out our awesome friends at The Daily Feast! They have a daily break down of restaurant specials in Greater Moncton. SO helpful!
FRIDAY
🏊 Preschool swim, Dieppe, 10am
🤸♂️ 506 Elite offers a $5 drop-in play session on Fridays & Mondays, 10-11am. All ages welcome; parents must stay. (506 is a great spot if you have a kiddo who wants to twist & tumble; check out our recent profile of all they have to offer!)
🤸♂️ Open gym, free, Kay Arena, Parent & Tots 10am-12pm, K-5 2:15-3:30pm, Gr 6-8 3:30-4:45pm
🏖️ YMCA Moncton North Splash Pad, $5, 8am-7:45pm
🏸 Badminton, 14 & under, CCNB Dieppe, 6pm, free
🏸 Badminton, 15 & over, CCNB Dieppe, 7pm, free
⚡SkyZone’s Glow Nights are Fridays & Saturdays, 7-10pm. Wear white or florescent colours!
🏊 YMCA Public Swim, $3, 7-8pm
🏀 Drop-in basketball for ages 12-18 at the YMCA, 8:15-9:30pm, $5 for non-members (also on Mondays!)
🏒 The Wildcats are hosting a Fan Farewell Friday night in the Lounsbury Club Lounge at the Avenir Centre. Players will pose for photos & sign autographs, 5:30-7pm.
SATURDAY
There’s a Speedcubing competition at BGC Dieppe Saturday.
The Moncton Library has Zooga on Saturday morning, 10:30-11am. This is a drop in activity for kids ages 5-12 & their families, showing yoga poses with an animal theme. There’s also the Chess Club from 1-3pm. (And don’t forget – the library is back to being open seven days a week!)
🏖️ YMCA Moncton North Splash Pad, $5, 8:30-10:45am, 12:15-2:15pm, & 3:45-4:45pm
⚽ Drop-in preschoolers play group, Dorchester, 10am-noon
🏊 Riverview Aquatic Centre offers open swim on Saturdays at 2:30pm.
🏊 CEPS (UdeM) public swim, 3-4:25, $3
🏊 The Dieppe Aquatic Centre has public swims on Saturday at 3:15pm & 6pm. $10/adults, $5-$8 for youth (under 2 free)
🏊 YMCA public swim, 6:30-7:45pm, $3
⚡SkyZone’s Glow Nights are Fridays & Saturdays, 7-10pm. Wear white or florescent colours!
Sunshine Rollers are hosting a roller disco event at the Moncton Coliseum. Children are allowed; helmets must be worn. All participants must sign a waiver. Skate rentals (limited) are available on site; bring your own helmets. There’s a low sensory skate from 4-6pm, a family skate from 6-8pm, and 8-10pm is for ages 16+.
DYK: Saturday, April 6 is Tartan Day in Canada! The Scottish flag will be raised in Moncton and Riverview on Friday for the occasion. It’s a great reminder to mark Saturday, June 15 on your family calendar now – and take in the petting zoo, music, dance, swordfights, & more of the 18th annual Greater Moncton Highland Games & Scottish Festival!
SUNDAY
🏖️ YMCA Moncton North Splash Pad, $5, 8:30-10:45am, 12:15-2:15pm, & 3:45-4:45pm
🛹 Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Youth Drop In Centre is open 11am-4pm & 5-7pm today.
🏸 Drop in badminton for ages 12-18, $5, YMCA Moncton North, 1-2:45pm
🏊 YMCA Public Swim, $3, 1:30-3pm
🏊 CEPS (UdeM) public swim, $3, 3-4:25pm
🏊 Dieppe Aquatic Centre public swim Sunday at 3:15pm. $10/adults, $5-$8 for youth (under 2 free)
It’s Make Something Sunday at the Owen’s Art Gallery in Sackville. Always a great drop-in activity!
Resurgo Place’s Sunday Discovery Lab (included with admission) features a virtual reality experience of the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption Cathedral with MR21.
EVERYDAY FUN IDEAS
🐯 The Magnetic Hill Zoo is open five days a week in April. (They’re closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays.)
🍦Ice cream is always a great treat & Bennic is open at noon every day except Monday!
🍦Trueman’s Blueberry Farm is also a fabulous ice cream destination – and on the weekend they have a train you can ride! Watch for some fun Easter Bunny sightings here soon, too.
🪨 Want to move as a family? Try a visit to FitRocks Climbing Gym!
🔫 Book laser tag at Marco’s Clinic or the Sportsdome.
🛹 Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Riverview Youth Centre are a great space to learn to skate or practice your skills!
👧 Hop! Skip! Jump! is perfect for little ones, as well as the cool climbing wall & laser room for older kids.
🎳 Bowling is always a fun idea! Go retro vibes with Holy Moly in Riverview, check out glow bowling times at Fairlanes in Moncton, or head to Bowlarama & its awesome arcade in Dieppe. (We recommend calling ahead to book in advance so you’re not disappointed.)
🎨 Creative mood? Try DIY Studio to paint your own pottery!
🔐 Up for a challenge? Room Escape Atlantic usually has a few non-scary, kid-friendly options & Mystery Moncton Mystere is great for the teens & up. There are also online options you can purchase to play on your own time, like … Motive for Murder audio game — A great ‘any time of day’ option for the true crime fans who are up for a little hometown sleuthing. Download a whodunnit set in Moncton!
🎲 If board games are your family thing, check out the new shop on Moncton’s Main Street, Board Miniatures!
👶 The Early Childhood Family Resource Centre has lots of drop-in & scheduled events throughout the month, both at its Dieppe location and its satellite locations. Check out their online calendars for details; a great option for littles throughout the week!
🐟 Bass Pro’s 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium with striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, trout, perch, and more is always fun to visit. And of course, the Easter Bunny is on site now, too!
🦙 Llamazing Adventures is a great way to get out & get moving! Talk the llamas for a walk!
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
Monday will be a day to remember! In Moncton, the eclipse will start to be visible around 3:25pm and finish around 5:45pm. The key time to see experience to totality will be around 4:30pm (though we’re just a touch outside the full totality path). Check out our post for event details, safety information from Dr. Alexis Keeling, & more!
LOOKING AHEAD
Tickets for the next Happy Hour Club Moncton go on sale April 15; these are great events if you’re looking to meet other local women! The events always sell out, so don’t wait. It’ll be a fantastic late afternoon at Magnetic Hill Winery on May 28.
The annual Moncton Multiples Consignment Sale is coming up next weekend. A fantastic spot to grab kids’ clothes, shoes, toys, & more for great deals, while supporting local families. Everyone is welcome to shop! Early entry is by ticket; free entry begins at 10:30am. (If you’re keen on big items & particular toys, we suggest opting for the paid entry. If you’re just on the hunt for deals, we’re always shocked at how much is still available later in the morning – especially in clothes.)
Can’t make it – or still on the hunt for deals? Head to Saint John on April 19 & 20 for the Grapevine Events’ Spring/Summer Pop Up! More than 125 local families are selling items – and on Saturday, most items are 50% off! Doors open at 10am; get there early & you might snag a coupon for a free kids’ meal at the St. Louis restaurant across the street!)
Missed out signing up to consign at the sales? Wish there was one for your clothes? Check out The Online Grapevine – it’s all the good parts of online resale & none of the hassle!
The Frye Festival is coming up April 19 – 28; watch for Kidsfest on April 21!
Did you see that the Harlem Globetrotters are coming to the Avenir Centre on May 4? Always a great performance!
And in June, the author of The Da Vinci Code is coming to Moncton for a Sistema New Brunswick Children’s Orchestra performance fundraiser on June 11 at the Wesleyan Centre.