What’s On in Newcastle
From the Upper Hunter to Newcastle and up and down the coast: here is what’s happening in January, February and March.
January 25 | Timeless Summer Tour
The Timeless Summer Tour is a new summer concert series celebrating legendary musicians from around the world. The inaugural concert series which is coming to Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley vineyards will feature Boy George of Culture Club, Bonnie Tyler, Tony Hadley (ex Spandau Ballet) and Starship featuring Mickey Thomas.
January 25 – 26 | Beach 5s Australia Day
This Australia Day head to the Beach 5s Festival on Nobbys Beach. The weekend festival proudly embraces and supports the Indigenous community, and on Australia Day, they will be running the annual All-Star Legends Charity Game. All-Nations Legends V’s NRL Newcastle Knights Legends, Captained by Kurt Gidley. Beach 5s is an on-sand hybrid of Rugby Union and Rugby League. This is a festival for everyone, where all are welcome to join in the fun and excitement.
January 29 – February 5 | Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show
When Dad feels like a little bit of Sunday afternoon time out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans. Join them live on stage at Civic Theatre Newcastle as they pull out all of the games to get Dad off that bean bag.
Bluey’s Big Play is a theatrical adaptation of the Emmy award-winning children’s television series, with an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush.
Join the Heelers in their first live theatre show made just for you, featuring brilliantly created puppets. This is Bluey as you’ve never seen it before, brought to real life.
January 31 – February 2 | Newcastle Caravan, Camping and Holiday Expo
Newcastle Caravan, Camping and Holiday Expo is on for three big days at Newcastle Entertainment Centre and Showground. Over 150 Exhibitors will be on display making it the ultimate way to check out what caravan and camping is all about.
The Newcastle Expo will showcase the latest in caravans, motorhomes, campervans, camper trailers, tents, caravan and camping equipment, touring accessories and caravan and holiday park.
It’s the perfect place to compare and discuss all aspects of the caravan and camping industry, gear up for your next adventure and speak to the expert exhibitors who are on hand to provide you with all the information you will need to get you on the road.
January 31 – February 2 | Island Triathlon Festival February
The City of Newcastle Island Triathlon festival is three days of running, aquathlon and triathlon events.
Staged from the Newcastle Harbour Foreshore the event course is flat and fast. As well as Short, Sprint and Standard triathlon distances there is also an Aquathlon (swim + run) and Aquabike (swim + bike) and the Stockton Sunset Run events on Friday evening. The event is open to all standards of athletes and encourages participants to push their fitness to a new level.
All summer until February 2 | A Place Called Hollywood
This free exhibition at Newcastle Museum reflects on a time and place where resilient and resourceful people created their own homes and communities. It tells the stories of those who lived, worked and played in an unofficial “suburb” of Newcastle established just outside Jesmond during the Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s using objects from archaeological investigations, photographic records and memories of those who were connected to this place.
February 8-9 | Hunter Valley Airshow
This blockbuster weekend of full-throttle family entertainment, the Hunter Valley Airshow is returning to Cessnock Airport for 2025! Get ready for breathtaking aerobatics, live stunts and seeing some of the rarest and most iconic warbirds in the world.
There will also be amusement rides, joy flights. markets, award-winning local craft beer and Hunter Valley wine and stacks of delicious street food.
February 4 | Damien Rice
Prolific Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice will light up the stage at Civic Theatre Newcastle this February with an evening of powerful and masterful performances . Known for his hauntingly beautiful live shows, Damien Rice has the ability to transform the biggest of rooms into the most intimate spaces. Often performing with no setlist, he has built an incredible connection with fans that continues to evolve with each live performance. A veteran of the live stage, he continues to sweep audiences off their feet, commanding crowds in an innate way.
February 14 – 16 | Maitland Show
Maitland Show returns to celebrate 163 years of the annual show. Over three days there will be plenty of entertainment for the whole family including homecraft and horticulture displays, cattle clinic and livestock exhibits, woodchopping, the scarecrow competition and the International Salon of Photography. There will also be a reptile display and animal nursery for animal and reptile lovers. Friday night will be jam packed with action with the Maitland Rodeo and fireworks on Saturday evening.
February 15 | Love Lanes Festival
Love Lanes Festival is back for its seventh year. This evening festival showcases Wyong in its best light with four lanes, four stages, and one park, all coming to life with entertainment. Guests will enjoy the sounds, colours, smells, and vibe of an outdoor community street festival which encompasses the theme of ‘Love’. Expect to see live music and dance performances, roving entertainment, food and market stalls, a kid’s zone, a circus precinct, and more!
February 22 & 23 | Over The Ditch Music Festival
The Over the Ditch festival is set to bring an all-Aussie, all-Kiwi musical extravaganza to The Station Newcastle. The festival will feature an incredible lineup of talent with headliners including The Cat Empire, L.A.B, The Temper Trap and Katchafire. Earp Presents is also taking the festival vibes to a whole new level with food trucks, local beverages, and fun activities, including a brilliant 26-metre ferris wheel with stunning vistas of both the stage and the waterfront.
February 28 – March 2 | The Newcastle Show
The hotly anticipated Newcastle Show is set to be more extraordinary than ever! The three-day event, held at Newcastle Showground has been a tradition since its inception by the
Newcastle Agricultural Horticultural and Industrial Association Inc in 1902.
Some highlights for 2025 include live music, amusement rides, showbags, an augmented reality wonderland, a great selection of food and a spectacular drone display on Friday and Saturday nights.
The show caters to all ages. Kids will love the interactive animal nursery for a chance to pet and cuddle baby farm animals, the replete shows and the agricultural poultry display.
February 28 – March 2 | Girrakool Blues 7th Annual Festival
Experience three days of incredible blues and roots music at the Girrakool Blues Festival on the Central Coast. With a mix of international and Aussie artists, this family-friendly event features soulful performances, cultural celebrations, and delicious food. Held at The Entrance, it’s the perfect weekend getaway for music lovers. Best of all, entry is free!
March 1 | Bed by 10
The ultimate clubbing experience for over 30s is coming to King Street Hotel, Newcastle. Bed By 10 is a chance for ravers over 30 to relive the peak of the 80s, 90s & early 2000s clubbing scene. Expect crazy visuals, confetti showers, Co2 cannons and more as the DJ spins all the club classics. Entry starts at 4pm and the party wraps up by 9pm.
