What to do with the kids this weekend in Greater Moncton (January 20-22, 2023)

WHAT’S GOING ON JAN 20-22 in GREATER MONCTON

Shediac’s annual Winter Carnival kicks off this weekend, with fun events into February. Saturday night enjoy a bonfire, hot chocolate, and music by Loaded Dice, starting at 6:30pm. (Find dates for more community winter carnivals at the end of this post.)

The Moncton Wildcats have a Sunday afternoon game against Sagueneens De Chicoutimi. Always a great family outing!

Your local library is always a great option for weekend wanderings. This weekend, the Moncton library has a D&D group (there’s a session starting for ages 6-10!), a teen Manga book club session, and chess. Details on registering for these free programs on the library’s website.

Beloved Miniature Horses had a few spots left to book farm visits this Saturday when we checked!

The Greater Moncton Telugu Association is holding a Sankranthi celebration Sunday in Riverview, 11am-4pm.

If you’re looking for a reason not to cook this weekend, why not check out Flip Burger Fest? More than 40 local restaurants have special creations for the event; challenge your family to see how many you can try! (Speaking of burgers, we see there was a quick Mr. Beast Burger pop up in Saint John recently, and one showing in Halifax, too. With several great ghost kitchens already in the Moncton area, maybe we’ll see the option here soon, too!)

Rather skip breakfast dishes? Salisbury Lions Club pancake breakfast is on Saturday from 7-10am, with the 580 A/M Hugh Campbell Air Cadets on hand to help out.

And speaking of fun culinary news, congrats to Nat & Marks on taking over the Cinnamon Soul Cafe in Hillsborough. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday, with a 7pm close on Thursday, Friday, & Saturday so you can enjoy dinner – check them out!

Have you heard about the rare green comet we might be able to see now? Officially known as Comet 2022 E3 (ZTF), it’s bright enough you can likely see it now in the early morning (think 2am & on) with a telescope or even binoculars. There’s a chance it might even be visible by just looking for a greenish blur over the next few nights, as Saturday’s New Moon means the skies are extra dark. A great place to check for info is the Astronomy Moncton Facebook page.

Looking for something a little different to do without the littles? We haven’t tried it ourselves yet, but we’re intrigued by the ‘Motive for Murder’ smartphone audio game that’s been set up to use locations in Moncton as the backdrop to a mystery you can solve. (Think of it like an escape room but outdoors & at your own pace/time.) The site says there is mature content (language, violence, etc.) that makes this recommended for ages 16+. A neat way to get out and explore the city!

ONGOING EVENTS & IDEAS FOR FAMILY FUN

• There are several spots that often indoor walking, with many tracks being stroller-friendly (at least at certain times), including Moncton Coliseum, Crossman Centre/Kay Arena, YMCA North & the UNIplex in Dieppe for current information.
• Marco’s Clinic is a great spot for basketball & laser tag! (It’s just across the parking lot from our next spot.)
• FitRocks Climbing Gym has great courses for all ages. Perfect for any combination of climbers.
• SkyZone is offering an extra incentive to bring little ones to the trampoline park on Sunday mornings with a Little Leapers program. There will be two instructors offering interactive games and activities from 10am until noon for toddlers; this is included with the Toddler Play Pass or a SkyZone membership. (Other ages are also in the facility at this time.)
• DIY Studio is a great spot for a paint-your-own pottery outing. We’re thrilled to see they’re getting a bigger space this month!
• Bowling is always fun! Bowlarama in Dieppe offers gutter blockers for kids & an awesome arcade section. There’s also Holy Moly in Riverview and Fairlanes in Moncton (with Glow Bowling nights!).
• The YMCA Moncton North has an indoor splash pad & playground!
• Resurgo Place is generally closed Sundays & Mondays; a great spot with hands-on historical fun for kids.
• Doiron House, celebrating Acadian community life in Dieppec, is generally open Saturdays & Sundays.
• The Riverview Indoor Skatepark is a wonderful place to learn & practice your skills; book a time and check them out! (
• The Riverview Youth Centre is open Saturdays from 4-6pm & 7-10pm for all ages, with badminton, table tennis, basketball, board game lounge, and more. (They’re also open for ages 12-14 on Wednesdays from 3:30-6pm & 7-9:30pm.)
• Escape rooms are great fun with older kids; check out the options at Room Escape Atlantic, Mystery Moncton Mystere, & Shediac’s Le Moque-Tortue. 
• Timber Lounge offers family bookings, too. Another great option for tweens & teens (or a night out).
• Bass Pro’s 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium with striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, trout, perch, and more is always a sight to see.
• Take in a public swimming session at the YMCA Greater Moncton (small pool for littles), Dieppe Aquatic Centre (pirate ship splash area and sloped entry are great for littles), or the Pat Crossman pool in Riverview.
• Head to Hiking NB for amazing details on trails throughout the province – including lots of winter options. You might also want to follow along with Maritime Detours and Explore Nature’s Bounty for locally-guided options.
• For a self-guided option with a little trivia mixed in, why not use the Culture & Heritage Scavenger Hunt for the City of Moncton? Pair it with visiting the public murals scattered throughout the area!
• Love ninja warrior courses? Parkour? Check out Off Grid Adventure in Anagance for an awesome adventure course!
• Maghill Paintball is a fantastic option with older kids. A two-hour rental (birthday party package) is available; great for a group outing.
• Cineplex has two theatres in the area; check their weekday Stars & Strollers listings to see if the local theatres are taking part again.

SLEIGH RIDES, DOG SLEDDING, & MORE

We see bookings are already filling up for Valentine’s Day & Family Day with Country Sleigh Rides (near the Irishtown Community Centre)! Their sled fits up to 16 adults; one-hour private bookings include time in the barn with the animals and a 40-minute ride and generally cost $125-$150. Call 506-874-4090 to book & find more info in their Facebook group.

Another fun winter adventure is NB Urban Mushing, also offering private group bookings to experience sled dogs in action in Greater Moncton!

Boyle Family Farm offers winter horseback riding, as does Broadleaf Ranch (who also have sleigh rides). You can also book winter walks with Llamas with Llamazing Adventures! You might also want to consider a visit to Beloved Miniature Horse stables, too.

SKATING

There are lots of indoor & outdoor skating options in the Greater Moncton Area. Here’s where to lace up inside this weekend!

• Friday, January 20:
  • Dieppe AJL preschoolers with sticks, 9:30-10:30am (FREE)
  • Moncton’s Superior Propane Centre, parents & tots, 10-11am (FREE)
  • Riverview parent & tot 1:30-2:30pm (FREE)
  • Riverview 12 & under, 4-5:15pm (FREE)
  • Hillsborough 8:15-9:15pm ($2/person or $5/family)
    
• Saturday, January 21:
  • Hillsborough 2-3pm ($2/person or $5/family)
  • Riverview 3:45-5:00pm (FREE)
  • Dieppe’s AJL 6:15-7:15pm (FREE)
  • Hillsborough 8-9pm ($2/person or $5/family)

• Sunday, January 22:
  • Moncton’s Superior Propane Centre, parents & tots, 9:45-10:45am ($2)
  • Moncton’s Superior Propane Centre, 11:45am-12:45pm ($2)
  • Memramcook 11:45am-12:45pm (FREE)
  • Dieppe’s AJL 2:15-3:15pm (FREE)
  • Hillsborough 2:15-3:15pm ($2/person or $5/family)
  • Petitcodiac 1pm-2:30pm ($2/skater, free for ages five & under)  cancelled this weekend
  • Riverview 2:30-4pm (FREE)
  • Sackville 2:30-3:30 (FREE)
  • Dieppe’s UNIplex 3:30-4:30pm (FREE)

To check on skating schedules for weekday info, cancellations, & rules on helmets, etc: Moncton Public Skating, Dieppe Public Skating, Memramcook Public Skating, Sackville Public Skating, & Hillsborough Public Skating. 

OUTDOOR SKATING

Both the Ian Fowler Oval in Moncton (in front of the Avenir Centre) & the Dieppe Skating Oval (at Place 1604) are refrigerated & open for outdoor skating now – with Friday nights always featuring extra fun in Dieppe with their Fun on Ice from 6:30-8pm. (Check on schedule changes due to weather here.)

Dieppe also has two outdoor rinks in Rotary St-Anselme Park that are listed as open for the season (weather depending).

Irishtown/Maple Hills community has a lovely looking outdoor rink this season at the community centre; check their Facebook group for updates on when it’s open for skating and/or games.

Petitcodiac’s outdoor rink is at 42 Maple Street, with a new warming shelter for getting your skates on/off & a lovely sign showing the snowshoeing trail. You can generally find a daily update (green flag or red flag photo) in the Facebook group Petitcodiac Happenings.

Salisbury‘s outdoor rink is still struggling with the weather; here’s hoping this weekend’s forecast will help!

SLIDING HILLS IN GREATER MONCTON

Tobogganing, sliding, sledding – whatever you call it, it’s one of the most fun things to do in winter! Every neighbourhood has its favourite hills, but here are a few to-go spots to seek out this winter.

• There are a few municipally-approved toboggan runs at Centennial Park in Moncton.
• Rotary St-Anselme Park in Dieppe also has several great spots (check if they’re open here).
• 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.

SKIING & MORE

You can rent cross-country skis ($20 for two hours) and snow shoes ($10 for two hours) at Moncton’s Centennial Park (available in both child and adult sizes, with some multi-day options available), and snow shoes ($10 for two hours) and fat bikes ($20 for two hours) at Moncton’s Mapleton Park. You can also bring your own gear to enjoy on the trails! Find info on the rentals, trails, conditions, and more via Camp Centennial.

Poley Mountain is open for the season, with lots of skiing & snowboarding fun on 30 trails.

LOOKING AHEAD

Resurgo’s newest travelling exhibit, Earth in Focus: Insights from Space, opens on Tuesday! This is a travelling display from the Canadian Science and Technology Museum & the Canadian Space Agency. It will be here until April; make plans now to check it out!

506 Elite Allstars offers an open play, drop-in session on Mondays & Wednesdays, 10-11am. Cost is $5/child or $4/sibling. You & the kids will have full access to the gymnastics mats, spring floor, and bounce house. (If you’re looking for instructor-led fun, check out the FUNdamentals program for ages 2-4, 5-8, & 9-12, or the tumbling classes starting at age 5.

If you have or are expecting twins, triplets, or higher order multiples, Moncton Multiples’ Parent Group has started up their monthly MoM’s Night Out sessions again! The next one is happening January 26. (Psst! And their awesome consignment sale will be happening April 1^st – which means registration to sell will likely open soon. Be sure to follow their Facebook page for the details!)

Mommy Connections Moncton’s winter programs are in full swing; check out their site to see which programs might be a great fit for you. (And if you’re in either of the Mom & Baby sessions, I’ll see you in March for one of the program days!)

We see that Home Depot has brought back their kids’ DIY workshop sessions in store. There’s one listed for February 11, 10am-noon, here in Moncton. Kids can build a great little Valentine’s Day project!

WINTER CARNIVALS & FESTIVALS

We’ll have a full round up of festival news & more coming soon, but here are some dates to book in your calendar now!

• Riverview’s annual Winter Carnival is happening February 3 – 12, 2023.
• Sackville’s 16^th annual Winterfest will be February 9-12, 2023.
• Moncton is launching PolarFest this year, happening in Centennial Park on the Family Day longweekend (February 18 – 20).
• Petitcodiac‘s Winter Carnival Day will be February 18 at the Maple Street Park, starting at 1pm.
• Fredericton’s Frostival is underway now, but their WinterFrolic family fun celebration has been moved to February 16 – 20, with an incredible line up of activities at the provincial Exhibition Grounds.
• Charlottetown’s Ice City Festival sees outdoor fun downtown from January 27 to March 5 (consider it an extended, expanded distant cousin of the former Jack Frost Festival).

Enjoy the snowy weekend, everyone!