What to do with the kids this weekend in Greater Moncton (Oct 20-22)
Happy almost-Halloween, everyone! There are lots of spooky events as well as lots of other fall fun happening this weekend, so let’s get right to it! We’ll start with the non-Halloween activities this weekend, then share the spooky options – but if you’re planning ahead for all things Halloween, be sure to check out our 2023 guide, too!
MUST READ: Pickle Planet’s Guide to Halloween 2023 haunted houses, spooky events, & more!
Rising Tide Festival continues this weekend, with lots of great events happening from Riverview to Sussex and beyond. We’re especially thrilled to see PEI’s Here We Go Barndances coming to host a session at Broadleaf Ranch on Friday night. This is a great way to get the family out and moving, learning the Souris dance set. Tickets are $20/person or $40/family; dancing begins at 6:30pm. You can head down earlier to enjoy a BBQ (vegetarian options available) from The Forager’s Table – and you could stay overnight with a special 50% off offer from the Ranch!
It’s another weekend of high school football, with the Riverview Royals & Harrison Trimble at Woody Hayes Community Field on Friday at 7pm. Everyone is encouraged to wear yellow to the game to support ODC player Cameron Dillon, fighting cancer. Also on Friday, Moncton High and Mathieu-Martin will play at MM at 7pm. The Olympiens de l’Odysee meet the Tantramar Titans on Saturday at 11am in Sackville.
Book lovers! It’s the best weekend of the year! Laubach Literacy New Brunswick BOOKSTRAVAGANZA sale at the Coliseum is Oct 20-22. Doors open Friday at 5pm; most books are just $1 or $2! This is an amazing fundraiser and a great chance to stock up – maybe even find the books you need for a Christmas Countdown! The sale continues Saturday & Sunday; perfect to pair with a stop at Monster Trot on Saturday!
PS: If you love reading, check out Moncton’s new Silent Book Club. They have a super cool event coming up in November at Hope Wellness Eco Resort. The resort also has an awesome Creative Night Market happening November 18th.
Salisbury Lions Club is hosting another pancake breakfast this Saturday, 7-10am, with pancakes, sausages, sweets, & a drink for $10 ($5 for children 6-10, free for those under 6).
The Moncton Library has chess for Grades k-12 on Saturdays at 10am, and this Saturday there’s an afternoon puppet show (bilingual) at 2:30pm.
BGC Dieppe is celebrating 50 years with a Family Fun Day on Saturday. Stop in 11am-3pm for all kinds of fun — balloon twisting, face painting, petting zoo, music, BBQ, & more.
Saturday is also Doors Open in Moncton, with three heritage properties open to the public with volunteers to share details about the buildings’ histories. Visit the Flat Iron Building on Main Street, the former William Steadman & Judge W.B. Chandler Residence on Church Street, and Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de l’Assomption on St. George.
Looking for a fun way to walk through downtown Moncton & explore? Download the city’s heritage & culture Scavenger Hunt! You can submit your completed hunt to Resurgo Place before November 5 for a chance to win a prize.
🏳️🌈 Saturday is the March of Hope and Love, gathering at Heritage Court parking lot at 11am. The group currently plans to march peacefully to City Hall; please note there is potentially a counter rally happening at City Hall that day as well. (We’ve also seen mention of such events happening again at Centennial Park or outside the mall; please use caution when planning your Saturday activities if you don’t want to encounter these events.)
Head’s up! Legs for Literacy is on this weekend – which means lots of runners downtown! If you’re planning to be out on the roads Sunday, please plan for delays. There’s a full marathon, a half-marathon, a 10K, a 5K, family-friendly events, & more! The Family event is on Saturday; check in begins at 10am, 1km run at 11:30am. Register online; cost is $10. Check in at the Moncton Library; run route is in Riverfront Park. Each child taking part gets a medal and a book! (Please note: the race insurance does not allow for strollers, carriers, or pets on the course.)
Saturday is also Blue Rodeo at the Avenir Centre.
It’s another Sunday Funday at the rink with the Wildcats! 4pm game, against the Foreurs.
If you love a good ice cream outing, it’s a great weekend to make it happen!
- Dieppe’s Cremerie Bennic Dairy Bar is closing soon for the season; make it in soon for a treat!
- Riverview’s Ice Scream Barn will be open with frightful specials; check their Facebook for details.
- Salisbury’s Scooptoptia has transformed into Spooktopia this October! The ice cream spot added a haunted maze; free entry with ice cream purchase! They have a kid-friendly version with lots of cute Halloween inflatables, as well as a scarier option in another room.
- Lost and Found Ice Cream (on St. George) is open Wednesday – Sunday, noon-8pm, with a great line up of fall flavours including pumpkin ripple, salted caramel apple crumble, and vegan pumpkin spice.
- Trueman’s Blueberry Farm outside Sackville makes amazing ice cream & has lots of fun to enjoy – with mazes, a train ride, a pumpkin patch, & more!
It’s Small Business Week – a great chance to share some love for your local faves! If you’re a fan of Pickle Planet, we’d appreciate if you’d take a moment to tell your friends!
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):
Friday:
⛸️ Shediac 9-10:30am
⛸️ 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 3:45-5pm
⛸️ 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
HALLOWEEN EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
St. Andrews Church in Petitcodiac is holding a kids’ Halloween dance on October 20th.
Support an incredible non-profit service in our community (free mental health support to youth!) AND have an amazing indoor trick-or-treating experience at Monster Trot! This Saturday at the Moncton Coliseum; tickets are $15/trick-or-treater — pay at the door or buy in advance on Eventbrite.
Boo at the Zoo is a Moncton tradition! With scare levels appropriate for the whole family, enjoy a haunting visit to the 40-acre park, with all the usual awesome animal sightings to be had. Costumes are encouraged! Book your tickets now for October 21, 22, 28, or 29, 10am – 4pm. The annual Boo at the Zoo is a fundraiser presented by the Friends of the Magnetic Hill Zoo; there are mild, moderate, and scary Halloween options to ensure this is a fun event for everyone! Tickets are available for advance purchase online – and remember to dress for the weather!
🚗👻🎃 Street Queens are hosting a trunk n treat in the Cabela’s parking lot on October 21 at 6pm. Cars participating should arrive by 5pm; bring decor and candy! (There are several more trunk or treat events planned for next weekend; check out 2023 Guide to Halloween for details!)
If you’re up for a road trip, New River Beach will host Witches & Warlocks on the Water on October 21. Dress up in your best and take to the water, or watch from the beach. There will be bins collecting personal care items, non-perishable food, craft/school supplies, and monetary donations for various local charitable organizations.
The Riverview High School dragon boat team is hosting Halloween Hallways – the teen version – on Saturday, October 21, 6-9pm. Admission is $10, with proceeds supporting Lions Sick Children’s Fund and Atlantic Wellness Centre. Wear your costume & enjoy treats, face painting, Mad Science, a scavenger hunt, & more. The not-so-scary Halloween Hallways happens Sunday between noon & 3pm; admission is cash at the door, $15/person or $20/family, with proceeds supporting Lions Sick Children’s Fund and Atlantic Wellness Centre. Wear your costume & enjoy treats, face painting, Mad Science, a scavenger hunt, & more. A great family outing!
Hazy Grape Theatre Collective is again hosting a Ghost Walk in Downtown Moncton! This is always an incredible, sold out event so book your tickets fast. The Walk happens Sunday, October 22 & Monday October 23. There are 6:30pm & 7:30pm start times. Guides dressed in Victorian-era costumes will take you on a tour of some of downtown’s historic buildings, known to be home to a ghost or two. Cost is $25; the walk lasts about 1.5 hours.
Still with the Halloween vibes …
CORN MAZES are always an awesome adventure – and we have three nearby ones to enjoy!
🌽 The Green Pig Market’s big & mini mazes, bounce pad, & pumpkin blaster plan to be open Saturday & Sunday, 10am-5pm (check their Facebook for updates or call (506) 372-5640). They’ve also announced a haunted maze event for ages 13+ on October 26, 27, & 28!
🔦 We love the slow country pace at Milton Mile Farms. Check out their awesome corn maze on the weekend; open 10am-5pm, $5/person – with special flashlight events Friday & Saturdays in October, 7-9pm. Pair this with a stop at the Hillsborough Halloween House and some leaf peeping in Albert County for an awesome weekend adventure!
🚂 Trueman Blueberry Farm has it all — corn maze, train rides, jumbo jumper, potato cannon, and more – including their amazing homemade ice cream. Always worth a visit! Starting this weekend you can take a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch!
AND if you need even more ideas … here’s our trusty list of places you might want to check out with the family anytime!
- Resurgo Place’s new temporary exhibit is open – and it includes a full dinosaur & a Picasso! The museum is always a hands-on hit with our kids, but I know the dino will tip the scales for so many!!
- Imagine the photos you’ll snap walking through the fall colours with Llamazing Adventures; they still had weekend spots available when we checked!
- Wanna test your adventure skills outdoors? Check out Off Grid Adventure in Anagance!
- Sundays are open farm sessions at Beloved Miniature Horses. Entry is $12/person; under 3 is free. Lots of animals to visit & pony rides (limited to those under 50 pounds) are $10.
- Boyle Family Farm is open to the public on Saturdays in October, from 10am – 4pm. A great place to book a horseback ride or just visit with the animals.
- Magnetic Hill Zoo is currently open seven days a week, 10am-4pm. (PS: Boo at the Zoo starts this weekend!)
- 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.
- Looking for something geared just to littles? Hop Skip Jump is the place to check out.
- The City of Moncton hosts two public swims each 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.
- Add a little learning fun to the weekend with a trip to Shediac’s Homarus Centre, open Saturdays & Sundays.
- We’re always a fan of visiting the library – whether there’s special programming or just to drop in & explore!
- Another family favourite is hitting the bowling alley or arcade. 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.
- 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.
- 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!
LOOKING AHEAD
- Book a carriage ride along Riverfront Trail in Riverview. When we checked there were still spaces available for the October 25 rides; cost is $80 for a 30-minute journey. Carriage holds up to four adults (or two adults and three young children).
- Tantramar is hosting a Saturday drop-in play group for children ages up to five, starting October 28, at the Dorchester Veterans Centre.
- Once a month Home Depot hosts Kids DIY workshops; you need to register in advance & it does fill up! The next event is November 12.
- Atlantic Slam hits the Avenir Centre November 16-19, featuring four NCAA Division I College Basketball teams & several top prep school teams.
- Registration for floats & walking groups is now open for the 2023 Royale Greater Moncton Santa Claus Parade, happening November 25!
And if you’re looking for more Halloween fun this month, you can find it here:
