What to do with the kids this weekend in Greater Moncton (Jan 12-14)
How’s everyone doing with the transition to 2024?! It’s been a bit of a rocky one here, as I was away for a week at a conference, but in general we’re looking forward to lots of great things to come! First up, a weekend filled with family fun ideas. Let’s get started!
REMINDER: Please click the source links we share before heading out; we can’t always get back online to adjust for weather, etc. This list starts with events happening this weekend, then highlights indoor & outdoor options that are always available – including skating times – and wraps with a look ahead at a few upcoming events.
PS: If you have events to share, drop a note anytime! Inclusion in this round up is free; there are paid opportunities for additional promotion to our tens of thousands of local followers, both here and on our social media.
Dieppe embraces winter with free Fun on Ice at Place 1604 on Friday nights throughout the winter with live music and skating on the oval, $5 Sunday sleigh rides in Rotary Park (1-4pm), as well as the city’s annual winter carnival from January 12 to February 18, 2024. That’s right – the festival begins this weekend!
Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening; check out their website for all the detail for now and the coming weeks:
Friday night Fun on Ice with DJ Proper Paul spinning county tunes while you skate. Saturday there are painting workshops (ages 8 to 12 in the morning, teens & adults in the afternoon) at the library (pre-registration required), afternoon fun at Rotary Park with a hot chocolate bar & activities and a bonfire there in the evening, and on Sunday Llamazing Adventures will be there with their animals to visit.
MORE WINTER CARNIVALS in 2024
- Shediac’s Winter Carnival starts at the end of January, with festival mascot Bonhomme Coueche arriving for Groundhog Day.
- Riverview’s Winter Carnival takes place at the start of February with lots of great events centered around Winter Wonderland Park.
- And Moncton‘s PolarFest returns this year for another weekend of fun in Centennial Park over the Family Day weekend in February.
Want to book a fun winter getaway? Consider PEI’s Jack Frost Winterfest or a trip to Village Vacances in Valcartier, Quebec. A little closer to home, consider Fredericton’s FROSTival.
Saturday the Moncton Wildcats host the Oceanic De Rimouski for a 7pm game. This will be a Teddy Bear Toss game!
There were still a few seats left in Saturday’s babysitting course with LifeStart Training when we checked. We know lots of parents with tween/teens are keeping an eye out for these classes!
And speaking of courses, the incredibly funny Marshall Button is hosting a comedy writing workshop on Saturday with the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick. (Not geared to young kids.)
Maritime Collectibles is hosting another vendor show at the Rotary Park lodge in Dieppe on Sunday from 9:30am-2pm. Hot Wheels, Pokemon, action figures, and more. General entry is $5; kids are free.
Ray Anderson is bringing his Family Magic & Illusion Show to the Riverview Arts Centre on Sunday. The show is at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon!
Sunday afternoon the Moncton Wildcats host the Halifax Moosehead. There will be hundreds of Timbit hockey players on the ice, too!
Free Bus Passes for Kids! In case you missed the news, Codiac Transpo now offers free pass passes to children 12 & under. Register online, then pick up your pass. Note: kids can’t ride without an older paid rider.
OUTDOOR IDEAS
NB Urban Mushing allows you to visit during dry land training. Get out and meet the sled dogs & learn how they work.
Llamazing Adventures often has weekend spots available this time of year. A great way to get out & get moving!
Poley Mountain is open for the season, 9am-9pm.
Outdoor Skating Rinks:
- ⛸️Petitcodiac – Check for updates in the Petitcodiac Happenings Facebook group on conditions at the Maple Street Park ODR
- ⛸️Salisbury – The Town’s Facebook page posts updates on the condition of the ODR, which is next to the high school
- ⛸️ The Oval at Place 1604 in Dieppe is always a great spot to visit! Lace up your skates (or use their free loan program – check for available dates & times on their website) daily (weather permitting) from 10am – 9pm, though there are short closures from 1-1:30 & 5-5:30pm for maintenance.
-
⛸️You can also skate under the sky at the Ian Fowler Oval in front of Moncton’s Avenir Centre! Please remember, no sticks/nets/pucks/rings allowed, and CSA-approved helmets encouraged. The oval is open 10am-10pm daily, weather permitting. (Check conditions here in case of weather closures; it also shows conditions for the outdoor rinks planned for other parks in the city, as well as sliding, skiing, and walking trails.)
- ⛸️Irishtown/Maple Hills – Check the Facebook group for updates on rink conditions & to see all the hard work volunteers put in to make this happen!
RELATED: HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN HOT CHOCOLATE BOARD
SLIDING HILLS IN GREATER MONCTON
Tobogganing, sliding, sledding – whatever you call it, it’s one of the most fun things to do in winter! There may or may not be enough snow this weekend to hit the hills, but just in case … here are a few to-go spots to seek out over the coming weeks & months:
- There are a few municipally-approved toboggan runs at Centennial Park in Moncton.
- Rotary St-Anselme Park in Dieppe also has several great spots.
- In Riverview, head to Winter Wonderland Park, on Quinn Court (off Gunningsville Boulevard) for some awesome tracks (and some snowboarding ones, too!) or behind Claude D. Taylor School.
- Our kids love sliding at Highland Park in Salisbury; the hill is fantastic!
- Shediac’s Pascal Poirier Park is often home to many sliding tracks in the winter.
- In Fundy Park, check out the Headquarters Tobogganing Hill, and if you’re at Kouchibouquac Park, Patterson Hill is a great spot for sliding, though it is a long walk (2km) to reach the site.
INDOOR IDEAS
Here’s our trusty list of places you might want to check out with the family anytime!
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!
The Dieppe BGC also has its monthly schedule of events online, too!
And don’t forget our local libraries; they’re full of fantastic programming, as well.
REMINDER: Hop! Skip! Jump! is closed for renovations. Watch their social media for updates on reopening; we hear it will likely be early to mid-February.
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.)
Resurgo Place is always a hands-on hit with our kids; a great outing anytime. (Open 10am-5pm Saturday and noon-5pm on Sunday; it’s half-off on admission on Thursday nights, 5-8pm, if you’re looking for an evening outing.)
Add a little neon flair to your weekend with Glow Zone nights Friday & Saturday at SkyZone. Lasers, black lights, fog machines & more! All ages welcome, wear white or florescent colours, 7-10pm.
Swimming is also a great outing!
- The City of Moncton generally hosts two public swims every weekend: Saturdays 3-4:35pm at the University of Moncton’s CEPS ($3 admission), and Sundays 1:303pm at the YMCA ($3 admission).
- You might also want to check out swimming at the Riverview Aquatic Centre (open swim on Saturdays at 1:35 & 2:40) & the Dieppe Aquatic Centre (public swims on Saturday at 3:15pm & 6pm, Sunday at 3:15pm), or check out the indoor splash pad at the North End YMCA.
- DYK: Dieppe Aquatic Centre offers preschool swims on Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays from 10-11:25am. The pool is a sloped, walk-in perfect for littles AND there’s an awesome pirate ship to play on! You can find more info on daytime swims in our updated Guide to Swimming in Greater Moncton.
Want to move as a family? Try a visit to FitRocks Climbing Gym, Marco’s Clinic (laser tag), or the Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Riverview Youth Centre. We see the new Moncton North skate park is open now at the North End YMCA, too!
Creative mood? Try DIY Studio to paint your own pottery! They usually have lots of holiday themed pieces – now’s a great time to start thinking ahead for holiday gifts, too!
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!
Cineplex is always a fun option for a family outing, too!
INDOOR SKATING TIMES
You can find all the details for skating throughout the week on our Guide to Ice Skating in Greater Moncton, but here’s what you need to know this weekend (these times are free unless otherwise noted; if they’re crossed out, they’re not happening this weekend):
Friday:
- ⛸️ Shediac 8:30-9:30am
- ⛸️ Dieppe AJL preschoolers with sticks, 9:30-10:30am
⛸️ Superior Propane Centre parent & tot 10-11am- ⛸️ Sackville Parent & Tot 10:15-11:15am
- ⛸️ Hillsborough public skating 8:15-9:15pm ($2/person or $5/family)
⛸️ Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena parent & tot 10:15-11:15am- ⛸️ Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm
⛸️ Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena 3:30pm-4:30pm- ⛸️ Riverview 12 & under, 4-5:15pm
Saturday:
- ⛸️ Moncton Coliseum parent & tot 9:30-10:30am ($2)
- ⛸️ Hillsborough public skating 2-3pm & 8-9pm ($2/person or $5/family)
- ⛸️ Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena 2:30-4pm ($2)
- ⛸️ Moncton Coliseum 3:45-5:15pm ($2)
- ⛸️ Riverview 3:45-5:15pm
- ⛸️ Dieppe’s AJL 6:15-7:15pm
Sunday:
⛸️ Superior Propane Centre parent & tots 9:45-10:45am ($2)- ⛸️ Dieppe’s UNIplex 11:45am-12:45pm
⛸️ Superior Propane Centre 11:45am-12:45pm ($2)- ⛸️ Memramcook Eugene Leblanc Arena 11:45am-12:45pm
- ⛸️ Dieppe’s AJL 1-2pm
- ⛸️ Petitcodiac 1pm-2:30pm ($2/skater, free for ages five & under)
- ⛸️ Crossman Community Centre Kay Arena 2:30-4pm ($2)
- ⛸️ Hillsborough family skating 2:15-3:15pm ($2/person or $5/family)
- ⛸️ Sackville 2:30-3:30pm ($8/family, or $3/adult & $2/senior or child under 12)
- ⛸️ Riverview public 2:30-4pm
- ⛸️ Shediac 5:30-6:30pm
For more on weekday options, check out our Skating Guide!
LOOKING AHEAD
Come back next week for another full round up, but for those of you who can’t wait to plan ahead, here are a few teasers to put on the calendar:
- The CHL/NHL Top Prospects game is coming to Moncton! Some of hockey’s top players from across the country will be on the ice at the Avenir Centre on January 24. Seats begin at less than $40; tickets are on sale now.
- Celebrate Family Literacy Day (January 26) with free, online readings by local author and musician, Jeff Somers, from his children’s book, Avery and the Special Shoe. There are morning and afternoon sessions; you must register in advance: https://forms.office.com/r/AhKAb5fgQN
- Looking for a fun activity with older children? There’s a four-week wool felting workshop happening at the Dieppe Arts & Culture centre in February that is open to those ages 10+.
- Maybe a night out is on your wish list? Check out the amazing line up for the annual HUBCAP Comedy Festival. Top headliners from around the country in our local pubs and venues. French shows January 24-27, English shows January 31-February 3. (Pssst! There’s even an afternoon show if that’s more appealing than staying up late after a busy day with the kiddos!)
- Travel to You Zoo is opening to the public for a pre-Valentine’s Day special event on Saturday, February 10, 9am-3pm
- February 10 is also the first Fiddle Doo of the year! Ivan & Vivian Hicks will be at the Salisbury Lions Club for an afternoon of music & fun; everyone welcome.
- February 18 will be the first Skate for Tate at the Avenir Centre, 9am – noon. Donations collected at the door will be given to Open Ice for Kids, to allow other children the chance to experience the joy of hockey.
- Between February 7 & March 2, Theatre New Brunswick will be traveling the province with a play based on #BeccaToldMeTo. The play will be at Theatre L’Escaouette in Moncton on February 21 & 22.
DYK: There’s a national program that allows high school students to work on their French at summer camps and with host families across the country? The deadline to apply is coming up in early February!
WE NEED YOUR HELP: If you’ve found your way here, either for the first time or the five hundredth time, please take a moment and thank us for this free resource by sharing the link with friends & family. It takes hours & hours each week to keep this site updated & it’s the power of your recommendations that keeps us motivated to keep writing for NINE years! There are more & more new New Brunswickers now calling this place home; be sure to let them know that Pickle Planet is the best place for local family-friendly ideas & resources. Thank you!!
