City of Newcastle’s flagship arts festival New Annual returns from Friday 25 September to Sunday 4 October, transforming familiar spots like Laman Street, Newcastle Foreshore, Newcastle Ocean Baths, Charlestown Square and the Canoe Pool into hubs of art, music and performance.
Most of the family-friendly program is free, and there is a solid line-up of events, workshops and shows to fill the first week of the September school holidays.
Here is what families should know before heading out, including which events are free, which need tickets, and what to expect if you are bringing kids.
When and where is New Annual 2026
New Annual runs across venues throughout the Newcastle CBD and surrounding suburbs, including Laman Street, the Newcastle Foreshore, Newcastle Ocean Baths, Throsby Creek Foreshore in Carrington, Charlestown Square, Newcastle Museum, City Hall, the Civic Theatre and Wheeler Place. Events are spread over ten days, so it is worth planning which nights and weekends work for your family rather than trying to see everything.
Free family events at New Annual 2026
First Night Art Party
New Annual kicks off with a free night on Laman Street in partnership with Newcastle Art Gallery, with live sets from three powerhouse female performers – Aleksiah, Djanaba, and Ngaiire. The night ties in with the launch of Angela Tiatia’s MUSE exhibition, with hands-on immersive experiences inside the gallery, roving performers, drop-in workshops, food trucks and a pop-up bar. It has a genuine street party feel and works well for families happy to take in the atmosphere. Expect loud music and flashing lights.
Date: Friday 25 September
Time: 5pm to 9pm
Location: Laman Street
Cost: Free
Bloom
An immersive, large-scale art installation by MelissaLikesSushi that turns part of Charlestown Square into an overflowing garden filled with characters and colourful foliage. Easy to fit in around a shopping trip and a good option for younger kids who want something visual without needing to sit still.
Dates: Friday 25 September to Sunday 4 October, during centre trading hours
Location: Charlestown Square
Cost: Free
Mr Squiggle & Friends: The Creative World of Norman Hetherington
A tribute exhibition celebrating Norman Hetherington, the creator of Mr Squiggle, one of Australia’s best loved children’s characters. Expect hand-crafted puppets, sketches and stage props from the Norman Hetherington collection, plus an interactive squiggle drawing station for kids to try their own hand.
Dates: Friday 25 September to Sunday 4 October
Time: 10am to 5pm
Location: Newcastle Museum
Cost: Free
Curtain Call: Strut Your Stuff
Fast Fashun’s large-scale, interactive installation turns clothing waste into a walk-in fashion experience at Newcastle Museum Park. Saturdays bring all-ages runway shows every hour on the hour, while Sundays offer a relaxed, low-sensory version with tactile tours available. No bookings needed for either.
Dates: Saturday 26 to Sunday 27 September, and Saturday 3 to Sunday 4 October
Time: 10am to 2pm
Location: Newcastle Museum Park
Cost: Free
AT SEA: Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub.
A free 30-minute sunrise dance performance by Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub at the Canoe Pool, with dancers moving to an original score inspired by the tide, wind and sand. A relaxed public dance workshop on the sand follows each performance, open to all and needing no dance experience.
Dates: Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 September, and Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 October
Time: 8am to 8:30am
Location: Canoe Pool
Cost: Free
Cavitation: Breathing Ocean
An interactive floating installation at the Canoe Pool, where sea floats collected from Far North Queensland drift and gather with the tide. Visitors are invited to swim alongside the artwork. A lifeguard is on duty during opening hours, though children need to be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times. A companion exhibition, Cavitation, runs concurrently at The Lock-Up.
Dates: Friday 25 September to Sunday 4 October, 10am to 4pm (2pm finish on Sundays)
Location: Canoe Pool
Cost: Free
SOAK at the Baths
SOAK returns to Newcastle Ocean Baths, turning one of the city’s most iconic coastal landmarks into a free open-air music experience over four evenings. Arrive early, bring a picnic and settle in as the sun goes down. The line-up leans toward older kids and teens rather than young children, but the setting and picnic-friendly format make it an easy one for families to drop into for an hour.
Dates:
- Saturday 26 September: Hermitude and Claire O’Brien
- Sunday 27 September: The Tide That Brought You In, featuring Steph Russell, Grace Aberhart, Sophie Hawthorne, Freyja Garbett and guests
- Friday 2 October: Kobie Dee and 92WRLD
- Saturday 3 October: Karen Lee Andrews
Time: 5:30pm to 6:30pm each evening
Location: Newcastle Ocean Baths Cost: Free
Lenny’s Country
A First Nations storytelling event led by respected Worimi Elder and artist Auntie Debbie Dates, with newly unveiled illuminated puppetry from Curious Legends bringing stories of the land, community and native wildlife to life. Pack a picnic and settle in for the evening. A meaningful one for families wanting to introduce kids to local Aboriginal culture and history in an engaging, visual way.
Date: Wednesday 30 September
Time: 4pm – 7pm
Location: Throsby Creek Foreshore, Carrington
Cost: Free
Global Table
Wheeler Place transforms into a global gathering across two free nights, hosted by Jennifer Wong alongside Benjamin Law and Reece Hignell, with live food demonstrations, performance and cultural storytelling. Expect food vendors, atmospheric lighting and a live stage, with something different on offer each night.
Friday 2 October: Asia night, with cooking demonstrations from MasterChef Australia’s Depinder Chhibber, DJ Maggie Tra, taiko drumming and lantern making.
Saturday 3 October: South America night, with Mexidahlia Mexican Dance Group, Samba Frog, Latin jazz from MIRA, cooking demonstrations from Pampa Flame and Day of the Dead art workshops.
Dates: Friday 2 and Saturday 3 October
Time: 5pm to 9pm
Location: Wheeler Place
Cost: Free
Ticketed events for families
Curtain Call: Strut Your Stuff Workshops
Hands-on costume workshops where kids and grown-ups dig through fabric, build their own outfits and strut the catwalk, run by the Fast Fashun team. Recommended for ages 4 to 12, with grown-ups expected to stay and join in. The space is set up to be low-pressure and neurodivergent-friendly, with kids free to move at their own pace.
Dates: Tuesday 29 September to Thursday 1 October
Time: 10am to 11:30am
Location: McIntyre Theatrette, Newcastle Museum
Cost: $7 per child or adult, or $20 for a Family Pass
Press Play
Fifty young actors from Tantrum Youth Arts take on opening night chaos, racing to premiere a show in 50 minutes while the audience controls part of the action via buttons. It is a relaxed, family friendly show, with audiences welcome to move around, eat snacks or wear headphones as needed. A good option for older kids and tweens who enjoy theatre with an interactive twist.
Dates: Thursday 1 October (10am preview and 1pm), Friday 2 October (10am and 1pm), Saturday 3 October (10am audio described session, 1pm Auslan session)
Location: The Playhouse, Civic Theatre
Cost: $20 standard, $15 for under 18s
ALL IN by Dance Makers Collective
A mass dance work by Dance Makers Collective, with three local dance groups performing alongside professional contemporary dancers. This one is an evening show recommended for ages 12 and up rather than young children, so it suits families with teens looking for a bigger night out.
Dates: Thursday 1 and Friday 2 October
Time: 7pm
Location: City Hall
Cost: $30 standard, $18 concession for under 18s
GRUMBLE BOOGIE
GRUMBLE BOOGIE is an aerobic dance class led by performance artist Betty Grumble – an hour-long dance meditation, heart pump and exercise in “Thank You Body.” Be with your body, in joy, in playfulness, warmth and possibility in this open platform class, where all levels of movement are welcome. Expect a genre smash of ritual movement, cabaret-style panache, performance art, and more!
Dates: Tuesday 29 September
Time: 5:30pm & 7pm
Location: Watt Space Gallery
Cost: $25 standard, $18 concession for under 18s
Frequently asked questions
Most of the family-friendly program is free, including First Night Art Party, Bloom, Mr Squiggle & Friends, Lenny’s Country, Curtain Call: Strut Your Stuff, At Sea, Cavitation: Breathing Ocean, SOAK at the Baths and Global Table. A handful of ticketed shows and workshops, such as Press Play and the Curtain Call workshops, run alongside the free program.
Bloom, Lenny’s Country, Mr Squiggle & Friends and the Curtain Call installation and workshops are the easiest fit for younger children, since they are visual and family-friendly.
The Newcastle Foreshore and Canoe Pool precinct is a good base, with At Sea and Cavitation: Breathing Ocean both free and running most days of the festival.
All In suits ages 12 and up and makes for a proper night out with a mass dance performance and social dance to follow. Press Play is aimed at older kids and tweens who enjoy interactive theatre, while SOAK at the Baths and Global Table both work well for teens happy to hang around into the evening for live music and food. NM:PM PUNK! at Newcastle Museum, a free celebration of local punk culture, is another good pick if your teen leans toward music with more edge. AUTO-TUNE is suitable for ages 15+.
More information
This guide covers the family highlights, but New Annual runs a much bigger program of theatre, music and talks across the ten days, including several shows better suited to adults.
Head to the New Annual website for the full 2026 program, accessibility details and to book tickets for any of the paid shows.
Looking for a night off? New Annual has plenty for the grown-ups too
If you can line up a babysitter, New Annual’s adult program is just as strong as its family offering. Highlights include AUTO-TUNE, a gig-theatre rock opera from re:group performance collective at the Playhouse, with a free gig from local bands (including 2026 triple j Unearthed High winners Trophy Wyfe) after each show.
Journalists Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales bring their podcast Chat 10, Looks 3 to the Civic Theatre stage, while Petite Suite turns seven rooms at the Oriental Hotel into intimate theatrical encounters.
For something later and looser, The Spiegeltent in Civic Park runs cabaret and late-night spectacle, and Twisted brings an after-dark art party with DJs and performance artists inspired by the Night Flowers exhibition at Watt Space. Circus fans should look at Wolf, a contemporary circus work from Circa at the Civic Theatre.