Miramichi, New Brunswick grew up where the Northwest and Southwest Miramichi rivers meet, and the old towns of Newcastle and Chatham still face each other across the water. Late fall brings Sunday craft markets, holiday concerts in two local theatres and riverside paths that turn quiet and snowy. Our list sticks to the city itself, and each item was confirmed on Discover Miramichi, the city's official tourism site, on October 31, 2026.
Holiday Markets for Gift Hunting
Greater Miramichi Christmas Markets: Four Sundays in a row, November 22 and 29 and December 6 and 13, local vendors fill Miramichi Valley High School at 345 McKenna Avenue from noon to 4 p.m. Pick one Sunday, set a small budget each and see who finds the better stocking stuffer. Since the market comes back each week, you can return for anything you passed up the first time.
Nerdy Little Christmas: Fans of games, comics and fandoms can browse a festive market in the Rodd Miramichi River ballroom on Saturday, November 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry is free, and there are cookies, giveaways and free photos with Santa.
Shows at the James M. Hill Theatre
Matt Andersen: Making Spirits Bright: The blues singer brings his holiday trio tour to the theatre at 128 Henderson Street on Thursday, November 26, at 7 p.m. It is billed as an evening of live music to start the holiday season.
The Grand Tour: With a Dash of Christmas: On Saturday, December 5, at 7 p.m., the same stage hosts a tribute to classic country, with songs tied to George Jones, Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Jim Reeves and Charley Pride, plus country Christmas favourites.
Nights at Carrefour Beausoleil
Jeff Leeson comedy: Start with laughs on Friday, November 20, at 8 p.m., when Jeff Leeson brings his Only Gonna Say This Once tour to the community centre at 300 Beaverbrook Road.
To Every Thing There Is a Season: On Thursday, November 26, at 7:30 p.m., Théâtre Gilles-Laplante stages this play about four siblings looking back on one Cape Breton Christmas that changed their family. New Brunswick playwright Ryan Griffith adapted it from a story by Alistair MacLeod, and Celtic music runs all through it.
Country Boys: Christmas Edition: A holiday country night follows on Friday, November 27, at 7:30 p.m.
Les Gars du Nord holiday tour: For a French language evening, seven Acadian performers, including Wilfred LeBouthillier and Danny Boudreau, share the stage on Tuesday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Riverside and Cove Walks
French Fort Cove and the waterfront: A 4 kilometre trail loops around historic French Fort Cove, starting at Cove Road and King George Highway. Its groomed winter paths suit walking and fat biking, and from January to March a skating trail about 200 metres long opens at the west entrance, across from the Eco-Centre at 21 Cove Road. For a flatter stroll, the Chatham Waterfront Trail runs 1.3 kilometres one way beside the river on a mostly paved path. In Newcastle, Queen Elizabeth Park, known locally as the Town Square, holds a bust of Lord Beaverbrook that contains his ashes, along with a sandstone fountain and monuments to local figures. Two more quiet options are England's Hollow on Lower Water Street, where paths follow a small brook that looks lovely under fresh snow, and the Millbank Trail off McHardy Road, which winds through mixed forest past springs and a babbling brook.
Lit Trails for Skiers
Miramichi Cross Country Ski Club: Once the snow arrives, the club at 131 Nelson Street grooms 25 kilometres of trails for every level, and ten of them are set for skate skiing. Four kilometres have lights and stay open until 9 p.m. daily, so an after work ski is possible even in the darkest weeks. If skis are not your thing, six kilometres of marked snowshoe trails wind through the woods.
Sample Date Itineraries
1. Thursday double feature (November 26): An early supper at home → Matt Andersen at the James M. Hill Theatre at 7 p.m., or the Cape Breton Christmas play at Théâtre Gilles-Laplante at 7:30 p.m.
2. Sunday market loop: A morning walk around French Fort Cove → the Christmas Market at Miramichi Valley High School from noon.
3. Country weekend (December 5 and 6): The Grand Tour on Saturday night → Sunday gift shopping at the final weeks of the Christmas Markets.
Pro Tips for Memorable Dates
Check the Discover Miramichi events page the week of your date, since listings get added and changed.
Bring cash and a reusable bag to the Sunday markets.
Carry a headlamp for the ski club's lit loop in case you wander onto a dark section.
Some shows here are in French, so look at the listing to see which language fits you both.
Pack a thermos of cocoa and a blanket for a snowy picnic stop at England's Hollow.
Wear boots with good grip on the cove trail after a fresh snowfall.
Between Sunday markets, holiday stages and lit ski loops, Miramichi has a full winter calendar for couples who like to stay close to home.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Photo credits: Miramichi River by Gabriel Picard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Newcastle, Miramichi by Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Miramichi from above by Gabriel Picard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.