The festive season in Newcastle is more than just tinsel and lights - it’s a time for connection, joy, and celebration. From the heart of the city to the sparkling Harbour Foreshore, City of Newcastle is rolling out its annual calendar of Christmas cheer and New Year festivities, offering something for everyone. Whether it’s wandering through a glowing Christmas precinct, snapping selfies with Santa, or dancing your way into 2026, the city is alive with energy, creativity, an

At The Place: Charlestown Community Centre, there’s always room at the table and it’s never too late to make new friends.

School holidays can be a welcome break for teens, but they can also mean long days indoors, endless screen time, and little movement. At Urth Fitness, we wanted to offer a different kind of break, one that gives high school students a safe place to move, clear their heads, meet new friends and feel part of a community.

Mark Friday 12 December in your diary – Clyde St Arts is throwing open its doors for a festive evening of creativity, community and Christmas shopping with a difference.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Maitland, and this year the celebrations roll right through summer with a vibrant program of family-friendly events and community activities. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from outdoor movie nights and Christmas lights to New Year’s celebrations and roller discos.

Step into a world where the tiniest details tell the biggest stories. Model Newcastle: Big Stories, Little Things is Newcastle Museum’s headline exhibition for 2025/26, bringing the city’s history, imagination, and creativity to life in miniature.

As the festive season approaches, locals are discovering that the region's farmers' markets offer the perfect solution for both Christmas feast preparations and those last-minute gift dilemmas. With fresh, locally sourced produce and unique artisan products, Newcastle City Farmers Market and Lake Macquarie Farmers Market are becoming go-to destinations for Christmas shoppers.

The start of a new year brings a familiar pressure: set bold goals, change everything, and commit without fail. But most resolutions fizzle by February, not because people give up, but because the expectations were wrong from the start.

I have just read Professor Scott Galloway's new book, Notes on Being a Man. As a father of two sons, he’s become increasingly alarmed that the manosphere has hijacked the idea of masculinity. For Galloway, coarseness, cruelty, and violence are the opposite of what being a man should mean. His book is part autobiography and part operations manual for men navigating today’s world.

Discover what's happening in your local community this December - January...

Hunter Drama, the Hunter Region’s leading youth theatre and drama education company, will soon be accepting enrolments for its 2026 workshops, offering pathways in Drama, Musical Theatre, Screen Acting, and Pre-Diploma of Musical Theatre.

There’s no better place to soak up the festive spirit this summer than Civic Theatre Newcastle, where music, theatre, and community come together in the heart of the city’s cultural precinct.

Get ready for the ultimate afternoon out! Down the Park debuts at Foreshore Park on Thursday, 20 November, 4–7pm! This free, family-friendly event celebrates local music, food, and community with something for everyone.

In the heart of the Hunter region, a remarkable not-for-profit organisation is transforming lives one person at a time. The Hunter Adults Financial Collaborative (HAFC) supports financially disadvantaged adults across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, and the Lower Hunter, helping them develop business ideas, find employment, and achieve self-sufficiency.

Young artists from the Place Based Abilities Program share their creativity, connection, and joy through the Placed to Speak podcast.