What to do with the kids this weekend in Greater Moncton (Sept 22-24)

Settle in, everyone – this weekend’s round up is the longest in ages! There is SO much happening, it’s fantastic!! More than TWO DOZEN events PLUS the usual couple dozen ideas for fun that’s always available.

A quick note: take the time to read through this post to the end. There are some events listed chronologically, but we also have great little highlights of ongoing activities & places to visit, plus some extra fun items to share! And don’t forget; click through the links for each event if you’re planning to attend to check for any changes since we sourced our info.

PS: If you’re new here, welcome! We (really, me; this is a one-momma show) have been helping local families find fun things to do together since 2015. We post this weekend round ups each week (usually on Thursdays), we share profiles of local playgrounds on Tuesdays, and we publish podcast episodes featuring interesting local guests each Monday. We also have seasonal posts about corn mazes, apple orchards, Christmas lights, winter carnivals, & more! Add us to your favourites & tell your friends!

Now, on to the really fun stuff!

WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND – SEPT 22 – 24

Apple u-picks are underway & corn mazes open this weekend. (Remember, many may accept cash only and are weather dependent; check the source links before heading out.)

For more on these & more mazes, orchards, and & fall fun, check out our Guide to Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, and Apple Orchards in New Brunswick

The Moncton Fisher Cats are in the playoffs, tied 1-1 in the series with the Islanders. Cheer them on at home Friday at 8pm at Kiwanis Field!

If you’re more into Friday Night Football Lights, l’Odysee & HTHS clash on Woody Hayes Community Field at 7pm & BMHS & Moncton Purple Knights play at 8pm on the Ed Skiffington Alumni Field. On Saturday, it’s the Mathieu-Martin Matadors and the Tantramar Titans in Sackville at noon.

MOSAÏQ is on this weekend! This is an incredible celebration of cultures, with so many events happening at Riverfront Park in downtown Moncton. On Friday, an Elder from Elsipogtog will open the festival at noon, followed by performance from the Filipino Association, Bhangra & Bollywood dancing, DJ Andres Klajman, the Ukranian Association, Balaklava Blues, Aquakulture, and Ammoye. Saturday’s fun starts with a Parade of Nations at 10:30am (Starting from MAGMA parking garage on Church Street, to Main Street, through City Hall and Downing Street, to Riverfront Park) , followed by performances including the Greater Moncton Chinese Cultural Association, the Bangaladeshi Association, BGC members, the Igbo Association of Greater Moncton, Gujarati Samaj New Brunswick, Nritya Dance Studio, Latinacion, Indo Canadian Association, Kerala, Dee Hernandez, Bye Parula, & Cynthia Baroud. What a line up! All free, all downtown, all fun!

There are nearly two dozen events scheduled for Riverview’s Harvest Fest, September 22-24. A few highlights include enjoying a pancake breakfast Saturday at the Coverdale Masonic Lodge ($10/adult, $5/12&under), tunes with Ivan & Vivian Hicks at the Homestead Restaurant, crafternoon at the library, an open house with the Riverview Veterans and Armed Forces Association at the Coverdale Centre, the free pumpkin patch swim from 1:30-3:30pm, & a free Hoedown Skate (the first of the season!) at the Byron Dobson Arena 6-8pm. On Sunday, there’s the CDT Disc Golf Family Fling, Family Fun Day at Caseley Park (1-4pm with music, face painting, a petting zoo, games, BBQ, & more!), and a gemstone bracelet workshop with the lovely Christa Martin. And don’t forget the awesome Pumpkin Palooza Contest – be sure to travel the streets looking for the best lawn decorations & designs.

Sackville’s annual Fall Fair is taking place Sept 20-24; always full of family fun! You can find their full schedule online; here are a few highlights:

  • Friday there’s a fall storytime & craft at the library in the morning and a button making session in the afternoon, chili by the Rotary Club in the Main Tent (96 Main Street) at 5:30pm followed by a children’s parade at 6:45pm and a children & youth dance until 8pm. Stay in town for fireworks near Marshview Middle School at 9pm (rain date is Saturday). Hinchey’s Rides & Amusements are open Friday 4-10pm and Saturday 12-10pm.
  • Saturday there’s also the free Main Street Mile, the Fall Fair Parade, a giant domino topple at 2pm at the Curling Rink, a show n shine with antique cars, & live music. Family Day is Saturday with all sorts of fun from 10am-5pm, with live music, dunk tank, face painting, food & craft vendors, a mechanical bull, petting zoo, balloon animals, magic show, woodsman and baking competitions, and more!
  • Sunday there’s a sandcastle contest & the 10th annual Anything That Floats Race, at Lillas Fawett Park, as well as Make Something Sunday at Owens Gallery and a pet show. And again – these are only the highlights! It’s an amazing weekend of events & activities for all ages! Check their schedule online for all the details.

RELATED: FALL BUCKET LIST IDEAS

Irishtown Community Centre is hosting a fun-filled family day on Saturday. Bouncy castles, face painting, corn boil, music, food, Zumba, salsa, and more! Noon to 6pm, free entry.

New Hope Community Church on the Homestead Road (between Moncton and Salisbury) is holding a Community Block Party on Saturday, 1-3pm, with miniature horses, bouncy castles, face painting, games, and more.

Sunny Brae Baptist Church is holding its Fall Kick Off this Saturday, 11am-1pm, with BBQ, bouncy castles, games, and more. Free event, everyone welcome. (Their mid-week playgroup is up & running again, too!)

Saturday chess is back at the Moncton Library. Open to children from Kindergarten to Grade 12, 10am – noon. (Youth under 12 require an adult on site.) There’s also a Doodle Drop In for teens in the afternoon.

The Midland Pulling for United Way Truck Pull is happening Saturday, 1-5pm, at Place 1604 in Dieppe. Enjoy the spectacle of people trying to pull tractor trailers, BBQ, games, & more.

Toys for Big Boys is celebrating 55 years in business with lots of events happening on site Friday & Saturday, including BBQs, a Learn to Ride event with Honda dirtbikes, a vintage Show n Shine (Saturday at 10am), & lots of deals, of course!

The Moncton Multiples Consignment Sale is back on the Moncton Coliseum this Saturday. A great way to stock up on clothes, toys, outwear, & more for the kids while supporting local families & non-profits! You can buy early tickets or arrive for 11am for free entry. Thousands of items from nearly 250 local families, all looking for a new home at a great price!

Maple Street Park in Petitcodiac will be hosting a celebration Sept 23 for the Grand Opening of the Holmes Brook observation deck and natural park, as well as their new disc golf course. There will be a BBQ, ice cream, live music, bouncy castles, miniature ponies, and a chance to pay to go up in a tethered hot air balloon! Stop by the Petty International Raceway the same day to check out the Super Mario Bus!

If shopping is your jam, Caravan & Company is teaming up with Eyeful Things Optical for a pop up shop at the amazing Arches of St. George. 10am-3pm.

Memramcook is hosting a night of stargazing with astronomy professor Viktor Khalack on the soccer field behind the Memramcook Institute Saturday, 8:30-10pm. No charge to attend; a limited number of telescopes will be on site.

If you love a great visual performance in the style of Cirque du Soleil, AKIKO is a must-see! Created by local artist Matt LeBlanc, the show features more than 75 local performers showcasing dance, song, gymnastics, acrobatics, and so much more.

DYK: Children who are in Grade 5 can get a FREE YMCA Membership from Oct 1-June 30. A parent or guardian can bring the student to either Moncton location; bring either last year’s report card or a letter from the school this year to sign them up!

Farmer Brown’s Greenhouse is hosting their annual fall market & Open Farm Day this Sunday. Head over from 10am to 4pm for pumpkin painting, visits with farm animals, scavenger hunt, s’mores, and more. Bring your wallet for Brothers Bears Workshop, Silverfox Fairytales face painting, POP Balloons, treats from the Ice Cream Barn, wood oven pizza, and more. (There’s no charge to enter the grounds.)

If you’re up for a road trip, The Healing Farm in Bass River (about an hour north of Moncton) is also opening to the public on Sunday, 9am – 1pm, with rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys, mini pigs, a goat, and a pony. Admission is $8/person; those 4 & under are free.

LaBreeze in Cormier Village is hosting free Sunday crafts for kids (and paid Thursday craft events for adults) for the next few weeks. Sunday is market day, with activities 2-4pm.

Salisbury’s Terry Fox Run is taking place Sunday, with a 2km walk around the Wetland Trail and a 5km run through the community. If you want to join, be at Highland Park for 12:30pm; the walk/run start time is 1pm. You can make a donation at the event.

The Hospice SENB Memorial Walk takes place Sunday, starting at 2pm, at Centennial Park in Moncton. You can walk 1km or 3km; a minimum donation of $25 is required (kids walk free).

Looking for a new activity to try? Curl Moncton is holding an open house Sunday, 1-4pm. It’s free to attend; children under 12 must have a helmet to go on the ice, & clean sneakers are needed for all. Gloves are also recommended for keeping hands warm.

The Capitol Theatre is opening its doors on Sunday at 10am. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of this lovely landmark, meet Kevin the Corgi mascot, and stay for a free showing of The Breakfast Club at 3pm – the Capitol will even provide the popcorn!

The Moncton Coliseum will be home to a pet and reptile expo on Sunday afternoon. Please note: only vendors can bring animals into the expo. Some will have interactive displays so you can get up close & personal. Pay at the door, $5/person & children 5 & under are free.

Monster Trot tickets are on sale now! Support an incredible non-profit service in our community (free mental health support to youth!) AND have an amazing indoor trick-or-treating experience! Find them on Eventbrite.

ONGOING FUN – INDOORS

Friday & Saturday nights are Glow Zone nights 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!

Add a little learning fun to the weekend with a trip to Shediac’s Homarus Centre, Resurgo Place, Doiron House in Dieppe, or the Albert County Museum.

Bowling is always a sure hit with the family: choose from Holy Moly (with retro arcade games) in Riverview, Fairlanes (with Glow Bowling nights) in Moncton, or Bowlarama (with an 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!

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.

ONGOING FUN – OUTDOORS

Magnetic Hill Zoo is currently open seven days a week, 10am-4pm.

Magic Mountain‘s mini golf & TekZone are still open Saturdays & Sundays in September.

Butterfly World & The Boardwalk includes batting cages, go-karts, mini golf, bumper boats, and lots more – a great spot for the whole family to enjoy! Most attractions still open Saturdays & Sundays in September.

Adventurous families might want to try TreeGo (located within Centennial Park in Moncton & open daily in September), or maybe book a session at Moncton Paintball, or hit the track at East Coast Karting (weekend walk ins).

Boyle Family Farm offers farm visits and horseback rides; check their site for what’s happening.

Llamazing Adventures books walks with animals in fun locations!

Check out Off Grid Adventure in Anagance for an awesome adventure course & their new indoor climbing walls.

LOOKING AHEAD

Here are just a few events coming soon – come back next week for another weekend round up with even more ideas for family fun in Greater Moncton!

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