What to do with the kids this weekend in Greater Moncton (May 3-5, 2024)
Welcome to May, everyone! It’s a busy month with lots of holidays, events, & more so let’s dive in! Please, remember to click through to the source links we provide. We do our best to search dozens & dozens & dozens of websites & social media accounts each week to bring you these lists of family-friendly activities & ideas, but things sometimes change with organizers before we can update here. If you find yourself enjoying a local adventure because of these round ups, please – let us know & tell the folks you visit where you found the inspiration! Your comments & feedback keep us motivated to keep going after nearly NINE YEARS of doing this! 🙂
REMINDER: Anglophone East & Francophone Sud are both closed for students on Friday!
Looking for inspiration for your own celebrations? Embrace May the Fourth with all the Star Wars puns & marathons you can handle – followed by Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of Mexican culture. (For a great explainer of the date for youth, check out this CBC Kids article.)
FRIDAY, MAY 3
🤸♂️ Open gym, free, Kay Arena, Parent & Tots 10am-12pm, K-5 2:15-3:30pm, Gr 6-8 3:30-4:45pm, free
🏊 Preschool swim, Dieppe, 10am
🏖️ YMCA Moncton North Splash Pad, 8am-4pm & 6-7:45pm, $5
🛹 Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Youth Drop In Centre is open 3-5pm & 6-10pm today.
🏸 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, 7-8pm, $3
🏀 Drop-in basketball for ages 12-18 at the YMCA, 8:15-9:30pm, $5 for non-members (also on Mondays!)
SATURDAY, MAY 4
It’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! The Comic Hunter will have a tent outside with freebies, as well as amazing sales inside the shop on St. George Blvd.
Board Miniatures is hosting an all-day Star Wars: Unlimited tournament, 10am-10pm. Check their event for details.
Chapters Moncton is holding a May the Fourth Be With You event on Saturday, with a Star Wars storytime, free maze activity, and free LEGO kits for the first 100 kids who arrive at 1pm.
You can also find May the Fourth fun at Toys R Us, with a Lightsaber Academy at 1pm (get a Jedi Knight certificate while supplies last) and a LEGO make & take at 2pm (one per child, while supplies last).
Mount Royal United Church is holding a pancake breakfast, 8-11:30am, $10/person or $35/family (cash only).
Make plans to stop into the Ukrainian Club’s ‘Kids Only Fair,’ open from 2-3pm today at 90 Park Street. Young entrepreneurs will be offering their goods and gaining great experience! (Please note: this is a cash only event.)
Need a photo with the kids for Mother’s Day? Emerald Oak will be at Ready, Set, Grow for pop-up mini sessions. No appointment necessary; cost is $40.
Curt’s General Market is back at the Riverview Lions Club today, with more than 60 local vendors, food truck, face painting, & more. Free entry, open 9am – 4pm.
Also in Riverview, at the Dan Bohan Centre, you can take in the 1st annual Moncton Miniature & Doll Show & Sale. Open 10am-3pm, $3 entry – children under 10 free.
Today at the Moncton library, there’s storytime for ages 7+ at 10:15am (registration preferred), origami club for ages 13+ at 10am, teen D&D in the afternoon, & more. Remember, the Moncton Library is open seven days a week again! They’re also celebrating Free Comic Book Day; show up in costume to be entered into a draw! They also have a used book sale happening right now, so be sure to check that out as well.
The Harlem Globetrotters are coming to the Avenir Centre today!
The Bordertown Art Fair takes place at the Tantramar Veteran’s Memorial Centre today & tomorrow, with displays, live creations, and public workshops. Saturday is also the Sackville Farmers Market, a Kids to Camp Ball Hockey Tournament, the Dorchester drop-in playgroup, and Festival by the Marsh presents Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Missing Heiress.
A road trip in the other direction takes you past Sussex for a Touch a Machine, Help a Neighbour event in Midland, 11am-2pm. There will be farm equipment, trucks and cars, heavy machines, food trucks, treats, silent auction, bake sale & more! Funds raised go to the Sussex Extra Mural program for the purchase of a dialysis chair.
DYK: Home Depot offers Kids DIY workshops on certain Saturdays? They’re always full when we check, but you might want to start watching their site yourself!
🏖️ 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
🛹 Riverview Indoor Skatepark & Youth Drop In Centre is open 11am-5pm & 6-10pm today.
⚡SkyZone’s Glow Nights are Fridays & Saturdays, 7-10pm. Wear white or florescent colours!
SUNDAY, MAY 5
Run for Women in support of the Beausejour Family Crisis Resource Centre is happening this morning at Centennial Park! You can still donate & cheer on the participants, raising funds to create a trauma-informed daycare for our community.
Moncton Cares & Codiac Soccer are teaming up for an afternoon of soccer for all ages at Centennial Park, 2-4:30pm. This is open to all; you are asked to register online.
The Mom Market will be set up at Magnetic Hill Winery this Sunday for your shopping needs, 11am-4pm.
There’s also a craft fair at the Magnetic Hill Lions Community Centre (behind the Magnetic Hill School) from 10am-2pm.
Speaking of the Magnetic Hill Lions Community Centre – that’s the pick up location for the goodies you’ll buy from The Online Grapevine! I’ve had a sneak peek & it’s going to be awesome local shopping online. It opens May 13; pick up on May 23.
Salisbury’s Fire Department is holding an open house BBQ from 11am-2pm.
Riverview does a fantastic job of celebrating its youth, especially during National Youth Week! Wrap up the fun with today’s Battle of the Brushes, a youth art battle, 2-5pm.
The Bordertown Art Fair continues at the Tantramar Veteran’s Memorial Centre today and it’s Make Something Sunday at the Owens Art Gallery. Drop in with your family to learn about stamping. There’s also free, drop-in badminton at Dorchester School at 5pm.
The Harvey Hall is hosting an album release with fiddler Katherine Moller, 2pm. Tickets are $25; half-price for children 12 & under.
🏖️ 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)
🦖 DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE ticket giveaway!🦕 Check out our contest on Facebook & Instagram for a chance to win tickets to see this incredible production at Saint John’s Imperial Theatre! #sponsored (The award-winning show is also coming to the Capitol on May 9; there are a few seats left!)
MORE ONGOING IDEAS & ACTIVITIES
🛼 Dieppe is welcoming people to skate the Oval at Place 1604 with in-line skates for the summer!
🐯 The Magnetic Hill Zoo is now open seven days a week, 10am-4pm!
🏎️ East Coast Karting plans to be open Saturdays & Sundays until their full season begins.
🤘 BGC Dieppe is always a great place for families to connect – check out their May schedule.
🎾 Tennis Dieppe has their nets up and they’re inviting you to play for free until their season opens in mid-May.
⛳ The driving range at The Boardwalk is open 10am-8pm daily, weather permitting.
🚵 Poley Mountain has mountain bike trails, including beginner routes for ages 6+ – and they’re planning some summer events geared to the littles with bouncy castles, balance bikes on the lawn, & kid-friendly options on the Slope Side Bar & Grill. DYK: They have an RV park, too?
🍦Ice cream is always a great treat & our GUIDE TO HARD SCOOP ICE CREAM SPOTS IN GREATER MONCTON is updated for 2024!
🍦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 have a standing paint and play tabletop session on Sundays.
👶 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!
📚 Local libraries are always a great spot to visit, with lots of programming for all ages
🏫 Resurgo Place is another spot we love to visit again & again; history, hands-on science & arts, & special programming, too!
👟 The walking/running track at Université de Moncton’s Croix Bleue Medavie Stadium is open for public use Mondays-Fridays, 8:30am-4:30pm (unless there’s a competition or event). You can access two hours of free parking & the use of the track is free.
MOTHER’S DAY
Don’t get stuck with last-minute plans & shopping! Next Sunday, May 12 is Mother’s Day.
A great spot to look for local gifts Mom might love is Maritime Crafts & More in Shediac; open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am-5pm, featuring items from more than 120 local creators.
LOOKING AHEAD
Are you following Moncton Cares on social? This group is creating wonderful opportunities for both newcomers and the community at large. Check out their DROP IN, family-friendly week day programming at NBCC & Birchmount School! Its just $10 for 10 sports sessions (you can drop in as you’re able) & $10 for five dance sessions (again, come when you can & learn various traditional dances).
Anglophone East is hosting a Youth Mental Health Symposium on May 9, with parent & students sessions at Harrison Trimble High School from 6-8pm.
The Sussex Drive In is opening May 10th for the season – with a double feature of Kung Fu Panda 4 & Ghostbusters Frozen Empire.
BGC Dieppe is hosting a pancake breakfast Saturday, May 11 from 9am – noon; cost is $5.
Neptune Drive-In Theatre’s Grand Re-Opening is set for May 17, with the double feature of If (PG rating) & Bob Marley: One Love (PG-13 rating). Showtime is expected to be 9:45pm; gates open at 6pm. Cost is $10, children under 12 are $7, and no charge for those under five.
There’s a flower pot decorating & flower planting event at BGC Dieppe on May 18.
Poley hopes to have its Bike Park open for the season May 18, too!
Monster trucks are coming to the Avenir on May 19.
Beloved Miniature Horses is holding an open farm day on May 20, 10am-4pm. $10 cash entry; children under three are free.
The Friends of the Zoo’s EcoFest takes place May 25 & 26; watch for special activities and giveaways.
Our friends at Eastgate Academy are hosting another parent information session on May 29. Register for the free event online at https://rb.gy/fp99lm and check out our latest article about their big move & what makes their learning environment unique.
Make plans to join a community movie night at BGC Dieppe on Friday, May 31 to watch Yes Day.