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.
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Jump to: Christmas Movies | Christmas Concerts | Christmas Shows | Accessible & Sensory-Friendly Sessions
Christmas Movies
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 5.00pm, 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: 2026 date TBC (ran Saturday 13 December in 2025)
Time: From 5.00pm (carols) – movie at sundown
Location: King Edward Park, Newcastle
Cost: Free
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
Maitland Christmas Movie Night
Each year, Maitland City Council presents a Christmas movie. Enjoy a range of family-friendly activities including kids craft, lawn games, free popcorn, and a movie on the big screen.
Date: To be confirmed
Time: 5pm – 8:30pm. Gates open at 5pm with movie starting at 6:30 pm.
Cost: Free
Location: Maitland Regional Sportsground
Website
Christmas Concerts
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.
Date: To be confirmed
Time: 7pm Thur, Fri, Sat & Matinee 2pm Sat
Location: The Grainery Church, 11 Murray Dwyer Circuit, Mayfield West
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $20 Adult, $10 Child under 16
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.