Get in the spirit of Christmas and take the family along to a movie night, concert or show in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter. We add new events to this guide through November and December as they’re announced, so bookmark this page and check back regularly.
Look for this icon showing our Featured Christmas Events
Jump to: Christmas Movies | Christmas Concerts | Christmas Shows | Accessible & Sensory-Friendly Sessions
Christmas Movies
Christmas Street Eats and Movie Night – Maitland
Get into the Christmas spirit with a magical night of Street Eats and Christmas movies at Maitland Sportsground. Bring the family along for an evening packed with Christmas activities, carols from the Maitland Musical Society and special visits from Santa and the Grinch! Grab a bite from the food trucks, settle in and enjoy a festive night out with the whole family. Free tickets are required, so make sure you register to secure your spot.
Date: Friday 11 December 2026
Time: 5pm – 8pm. Gates open at 5pm with movie starting at 6:30 pm.
Cost: Free
Location: Maitland Regional Sportsground
Website
Santa Cinema at Glendale City Centre
Santa Cinema is a much-loved Christmas family tradition at Glendale City Centre. Each year, families can enojy a Christmas movie after a Meet & Greet with Santa.
Sessions run over the three Saturdays in December as well as an Accessible session on a designated Sunday. In the Accessible Santa Movie session, there will be Wheelchair access, reduced volume and dimmed lighting as well as Audio/Visual descriptive headsets available on request.
Get in quick – The tickets for Santa Cinema get snapped up fast. It’s a sensational price of $5 which also includes popcorn and a drink. It’s no wonder why Santa Cinema books out each year.
Date: To be confirmed
Time: 9:30 arrival for a 10am start
Cost: $5 per person (parents please make sure to book a ticket for yourself to enjoy this fun-filled experience!) Popcorn and drink included in ticket price
Location: Event Cinemas Glendale
Christmas Under the Stars at King Edward Park
A beloved Christmas tradition! Newcastle Permanent’s Christmas Under the Stars runs each year at King Edward Park with an evening of free carols and festive fun. From 5pm, enjoy live Christmas carols, tasty food vendors, and free kids’ activities including arts and crafts, face painting, and lawn games. Keep an eye out for Santa before settling in for a magical outdoor screening of a Christmas movie with free popcorn! Don’t forget your picnic blanket when you hop on the free shuttle bus running between Bar Beach Car Park and King Edward Park for the carols event Newcastle families look forward to every year.
Date: Saturday 12 December 2026
Time: From 5pm (carols) – movie at sundown
Location: King Edward Park, Newcastle
Cost: Free
Website
Christmas Concerts
Christmas Strings Concert
The Christmas Strings Concert is a celebration of the end of year and a chance for students of the Con to showcase their amazing skills. With a mix of soloist and ensemble performances, this day will be filled with Christmas excitement. This is a free event and a chance to get into the Christmas spirit accompanied by the beautiful performances of the strings instrument students.
Date: Sunday 15 November 2026
Time: 10:30am – 12pm
Location: Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, Cnr Laman St & Auckland St, Newcastle
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free, but registration required
Website
Counterpoint Chamber Choir Christmas Concert
Counterpoint Chamber Choir will be performing a Christmas Concert at St. Mary’s Anglican Church Maitland. Counterpoint Christmas Concerts have regularly included audience participation, and those attending will be invited to sing along in a selection of well-known Christmas carols.
Date: Sunday 6 December 2026
Time: 2pm
Location: St. Mary’s Anglican Church Maitland
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Ticket prices still to be set
Website
The TEN Tenors – A Not So Silent Night
Experience holiday magic with The TEN Tenors in “A Not So Silent Night” — the ultimate family Christmas show! Delight in a joyous blend of beloved traditional carols and fresh contemporary favorites, plus The TEN Tenors’ signature high-energy medleys and show-stopping harmonies.
Date: Sunday 12 December 2026
Time: 1:30pm & 7pm
Location: Civic Theatre Newcastle
Age Group: All ages
Cost: From $99
Website
One Song Sing
For the past couple of years, Newcastle’s own enormously popular pop-up community choir returns to help sing in the end of the year. Join in for a special Christmas One Song Sing in Wheeler Place. Learn the song, in a three-part harmony, in one hour with friends, family and complete strangers.
Date: To be confirmed
Time: From 5.30pm
Location: Wheeler Place, Civic Theatre, Newcastle
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free, but registration required
Website
Christmas Shows
The Grainery Christmas Show
Each year, The Grainery Church presents a Christmas production. Join them for a special live performance of Charles Dickens’ beloved classic, A Christmas Carol — a timeless tale that reminds us of the beauty of redemption and the power of love and generosity. Arrive early and soak up the festive Victorian atmosphere! Enjoy Christmas treats and refreshments, while minstrels fill the air with seasonal music.
Date: 11 – 19 December 2026
Time: 2pm & 7pm depending on day
Location: The Grainery Church, 11 Murray Dwyer Circuit, Mayfield West
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Tickets from $20 for adults, Concessions available for children under 16
Website
JD’s Christmas Magic Spectacular
JD’s World Of Magic is back to remind us of the ‘magic’ of Christmas. International award-winning magician Joel Howlett, will delight audiences in this interactive spectacular which includes magic, puppets, audience participation, and lots of festive fun – a treat for the young, and the young at heart!
Date: 22 December 2026
Time: 11am – 12pm
Location: Performance Arts Culture Cessnock
Age Group: All ages
Cost: All tickets $10
Website
The Greatest Christmas Show
Bring the whole family in for a big, glittery night out this festive season, with aerialists, illusions and a visit from Santa himself. It’s an all-ages show, but with a 2-hour running time (including interval), it suits kids who can sit through a full stage show rather than toddlers.
Date: Tuesday 22 December & Wednesday 23 December 2026
Time: 7pm (Tuesday) & 2pm (Wednesday)
Location: Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter Street, Newcastle
Age Group: All ages (kids over 24 months need their own ticket)
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Accessible & Sensory-Friendly Sessions
Santa Cinema at Glendale City Centre runs a dedicated Accessible session alongside its standard Saturday sessions, with wheelchair access, reduced volume, dimmed lighting and audio/visual descriptive headsets available on request. Check with Glendale City Centre for the 2026 accessible session date, as this typically runs earlier in December alongside the standard sessions.
Don’t miss any of the other festive fun happening across the region. Head to the Newy with Kids Guide to Christmas for the full list, including Santa photos and Christmas markets.