What’s on in April? Here’s the month’s top events in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & The Hunter specially selected for families. There is a mix of ticketed and free events for parents, grandparents and carers to enjoy some family fun.
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Model Newcastle: Big Stories, Little Things
A captivating exhibition of models and miniatures that celebrate Newcastle’s history, creativity and community. From intricate railways and maritime marvels to dollhouses, puppetry and cinematic cityscapes, this exhibition brings together treasures from Newcastle Museum’s collection alongside contributions from local makers and storytellers. With playful, hands-on experiences, displays of technical brilliance and moments of nostalgia, this exhibition invites visitors of every age to discover the big stories told by these little things.
Date: Season extended until Sunday 19 April 2026
Time: Newcastle Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday 10am – 5pm. It’s open 7 days a week during NSW school holidays and Public Holidays.
Location: Newcastle Museum
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $10 (adults), $8 (concession), $5 (children 5-16), FREE (children 4 and under). Family tickets for two adults and two children can be purchased for $25.
Website
ARTEXPRESS
ARTEXPRESS is an annual exhibition celebrating exceptional HSC Visual Arts projects from students across NSW. The showcase gives these talented young creators a chance to share their skills and unique ideas with the public.
Date: Runs until Sunday 19 April 2026
Time: 9am – 4pm (Tuesday to Sunday, closed public holidays)
Location: Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Website
Young Dobell Competition
If your child or teen loves to paint, get them to submit a portrait or landscape to the The Young Dobell competition. In its third year and in celebration of the Lake Macquarie Dobell Festival, the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang is inviting budding artists aged 5 – 18 to participate in the Young Dobell competition.
Date: Competition opens Saturday 1 March and closes Friday 8 May 2026
Location: All artwork selected as finalists in the competition will be on display in the Young Dobell exhibition at the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang (MAC yapang) from Saturday 30 May to Sunday 19 July 2026
Age Group: 5 – 18 years
Cost: Free
Website
Mega Creatures
Mega Creatures is back for another bite! Let the fantastic creatures mesmerise you as you enter the Gardens with Land of Legends, then wander around to discover Dragon Den, Unicorn Meadow, Dragon Floresta, Carnivore Concourse, Herbivore Hectares, and so much more!
Date: Saturday 28 March – Sunday 26 April 2026
Time: Open 9am – 4pm (last entry 3pm), rides 10am – 3.30pm, ride ticket booth 10am – 3pm, last ride at 3.15pm
Location: Hunter Valley Gardens
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Day Pass: Kids (aged 4-15) $31, Kids (3 and under) FREE, Adults (16yrs+) $42, Family Passes Available, Day/Night Passes Available
Website
Mega Creatures Night Safari
Mega Creatures Night Safari is back. Take over the night and join Hunter Valley Gardens in an awe-inspiring after-dark experience where imagination knows no bounds! Explore & discover amazing prehistoric dinosaurs, crawling insects and mythical creatures. Prepare to be transported to The Land of Legends, a magical realm that blends fantasy and history. The fantastic creatures mesmerise you as you wander around the top of the Sunken Garden Waterfall.
Date: Weekends & School Holidays: 28-29 March, 3-19 April and 24-26 April.
Time: Open 5pm – 9.30pm (last entry 8.30pm), rides 5.30pm – 9pm, ride ticket booth 5.30pm – 8.30pm, last ride at 8.45pm
Location: Hunter Valley Gardens
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Night Pass: Kids (aged 4-15) $31, Kids (3 and under) FREE, Adults (16yrs+) $31, Family Passes Available, Day/Night Passes Available
Website
Sail Port Stephens Street Party
The 2026 Sail Port Stephens event is set to be the biggest in the event’s 18-year history. The Sail Port Stephens Street Party, from 5-10pm on Wednesday 2 April, will feature music, drinks, food and late night shopping in the streets of Nelson Bay. With more than 300 boats, thousands of sailors, and three major regattas, Nelson Bay will transform into a vibrant hub with daily entertainment, markets, sailing presentations and more for the whole community to enjoy across the three weeks from Monday 13 April to Sunday 3 May.
Date: Wednesday 2 April 2026
Time: 5-10pm
Location: Magnus Street & Stockton Street, Nelson Bay
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Website
Gresford Billy Cart Derby
Get trackside for the exciting Gresford Billy Cart Derby. This free family-friendly event sees kids from just 10 years of age and adults who are young at heart, race homemade billy carts down the steep main street of the picturesque rural village of Gresford, just one hour from Newcastle. Other entertainment includes a gumboot tossing competition, market stalls, raffles, vintage cars and delicious food for everyone to enjoy.
Date: Saturday 4 April 2026
Time: From 8am
Location: Park Street, East Gresford
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free to spectate, Entry Fee $15
Website
Circle of Illusion
Escape into a world where sawdust and sequins join cutting edge illusions and spectacular magic to create Circus of Illusion, a show that features death defying escapes, mind-blowing illusions, mime and magic.
Date: Tuesday 7 April 2026
Time: 2pm & 6.30pm
Location: Civic Theatre
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Standard $59, Under 17 $49, Family of 4 (2A+2C) per person $47.25
Website
Once Upon A One More Time
Presented by Hunter Drama. Powered by the iconic hits of Britney Spears, this bold and glittering jukebox musical flips the fairy-tale world on its head! Packed with pop anthems, dazzling choreography, and girl-power reinvention, Once Upon A One More Time is a hilarious, heart-filled adventure that asks: what if happily ever after isn’t the end of the story, but just the beginning?
Date: Thursday 9 – Sunday 19 April 2026
Time: Shows at 2pm & 7pm
Location: Civic Theatre Playhouse
Age Group: Recomended for ages 10+
Cost: Standard $59, Concession $49
Website
Crafty Cinema at East Maitland Library
Crafty Cinema is designed for people who like to keep their hands busy while relaxing with a good film and allows you to get together with other crafters and enjoy a wholesome evening out. Some lights are kept on, so you can keep the crafting going, while still enjoying the film. If you can do it from your seat, you can work on it at Crafty Cinema. Free family event. Please note, seating is not allocated, so arrive early to secure the spot of your choice. Simple snacks and craft activity provided, please BYO additional. Film: The Lost Tiger, rated G.
Date: Friday 10 April 2026
Time: From 6.30pm
Location: East Maitland Library, 3 Garnett Road, East Maitland
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Shark Suncatcher Workshop at PACC
Get into the shark spirit with this Shark Suncatcher Workshop, inspired by the upcoming show Shark Dive. In this fun, hands-on craft session, participants will design and create their own shark-themed suncatcher to hang in a sunny window and watch the colours shine.
Date: Monday 13 April 2026
Time: 10 – 11am
Location: PACC, Cessnock
Age Group: All ages, all children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
Cost: Free, bookings required
Website
Paper Mache Shark: 2-Day Workshop at PACC
Immerse yourself in creativity with this two‑day paper mâché workshop, designed to swim alongside the excitement of Erth’s Shark Dive show! Day 1: build and paper-mâché your 3D shark. Day 2: bring it to life with paint and details.
Date: Monday 13 & Tuesday 14 April 2026
Time: 2 – 4pm (both days)
Location: PACC, Cessnock
Age Group: Recommended for ages 12+
Cost: Free, bookings required
Website
YPT Presents Shrek JR.
It’s a “big bright beautiful world” as everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance. Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, Shrek JR. is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family.
Date: Monday 13 April – Saturday 23 May 2026
Time: Various
Location: Young People’s Theatre Hamilton
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $28
Website
Andy Griffiths’ YOU & ME and The Land of Lost Things
The team behind the 13-, 26-, 52-, 78- and 91-Storey Treehouses brings Andy Griffiths and Bill Hopes’ brilliantly bonkers book to the stage in a hilarious new theatrical adventure for children aged 6–12 and their adults.
Date: Tuesday 14 April 2026
Time: 1pm & 4pm
Location: Civic Theatre
Age Group: Recommended for ages 6 – 12
Cost: Standard $40, Under 15 $28, Family of 4 (2A+2C) per person $30
Website
Erth’s Shark Dive Live on Stage
Plunge into the dark depths of the sea with Erth’s Shark Dive, a powerful theatrical experience that will transform how you think about sharks and the oceans they call home.
Date: Wednesday 15 April 2026
Time: 10.30am & 12.30pm
Location: PACC, Cessnock
Age Group: Recommended for 5+ years of age
Cost: Tickets $25, Family bundle of 4 $95
Website
The Next Step: Legacy World Tour 2026
The Next Step: Legacy World Tour is a brand-new live touring dance show featuring fan-favourite cast members from the original and current seasons of the hit teen drama, The Next Step. This is a must-see event for fans of the series and dance lovers alike!
Date: Wednesday 15 April 2026
Time: 7.30pm
Location: Civic Theatre
Age Group: All ages
Cost: A Reserve $79.90, B Reserve $69.90
Website
K-Pop Icons
Get ready to sing, dance, and party like never before with K-POP ICONS LIVE, the ultimate concert experience celebrating the global music phenomenon, K-Pop!
Date: Thursday 16 April 2026
Time: 3pm & 7pm
Location: Civic Theatre
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Tickets from $39 (C Reserve)
Website
Summerhill Kids’ Bus Tour
Join an exclusive behind-the-scenes community tour of the Summerhill Waste Management Centre and discover what happens after your bin is emptied. The Kids’ Tour gives younger visitors the chance to explore a garbage truck up close, meet the driver, enjoy a range of hands-on waste education games and activities and take a tour of the landfill site!
Date: Saturday 18 April 2026
Time: 10.30am – 12pm
Location: Departs Wallsend Library
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free, but bookings required
Website
Burton Automotive Hunter Valley Steamfest
Steamfest features a diverse program of family friendly entertainment. Enjoy live music, roving performance, historic heritage walks, market stalls, gourmet food stalls and more. The heart and soul of Steamfest is its impressive assembly of steam trains
Date: Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 April 2025
Time: 9am – 9pm (Saturday), 9am – 4pm (Sunday)
Location: Maitland Station Precinct
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free to visit the Maitland Station Precinct, market stalls and entertainment area. Entry into the Steamfest Rally Ground is $5pp (under 16 years free). If you wish to take a rail journey on a steam or diesel engine then you will need to purchase a ticket, which will be available on the website closer to the event date.
Website
Collector Con 2026
If you and your family love action figures, trading cards, die-cast and model cars, comics, gaming, plush, coins, pins, vintage dolls and toys, you’ll love Collector Con 2026. There will be 150+ trading tables at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. Think comics, action figures, trading cards, vintage toys and collectables, anime, dolls, LEGO, artist alley and more! Fan groups are back, Dungeons & Dragons tabletop gamers are prepping, and cosplayers are returning! Kids aged 0-12 have free entry (must be accompanied by an adult).
Date: Sunday 19 April 2026
Time: 9.30am – 2.30pm
Location: Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Early bird 8.30am entry $25, General admission 9.30am $15, General admission 11.30am $10
Website
The Bugs
Presented by Hunter Drama. What can a group of bugs actually do when their ecosystem is threatened? When a couple of disgruntled honeybees discover their habitat is going to be destroyed to make way for a swimming pool, there’s only one thing for them to do: forge an alliance with the other bugs who live in the yard and stop it.
Date: Monday 20 – Friday 24 April 2026
Time: Shows at 2pm & 7pm
Location: Civic Theatre Playhouse
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Opening Night Standard $55, Standard $59, Concession $49
Website
Drum Tao ‘Samurai of the Drum’
Fusing the thunderous power of taiko drumming with martial arts athleticism, choreography, and cinematic staging.
Date: Friday 24 April 2026
Time: 7.30pm
Location: Civic Theatre
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Premium from $79.90, Concession from $69.90, Under 17 from $49.90
Website
Edgeworth Trains
Ride on a miniature train. Lake Macquarie Live Steam Locomotive Society hosts monthly public ride days. There’s a variety of miniature trains such as steam and diesel and different rail routes (both elevated and ground-level) so you can easily spend a couple of hours watching and riding trains. Their public ride days run on the last Sunday of each month excluding December.
Date: Sunday 26 April 2026
Time: Trains running from 12:30pm till 3:30pm (weather permitting). The park is open from around 9:30am.
Location: Velinda Street, Edgeworth
Age Group: All ages
Cost: It costs $3 per train ride. Children under 2 years old are free.
Website
Ride the Cyclone
Step right up for a wildly original musical unlike anything you’ve seen before. When six Canadian chamber choir teens meet an untimely end on a rollercoaster, they awaken in a bizarre limbo where a mysterious mechanical fortune teller offers them one final challenge: tell the story of their life. Only one can return to the real world. A global cult sensation with over half a billion views on TikTok, it’s finally arriving in Newcastle.
Date: Wednesday 29 April – Saturday 2 May 2026
Time: Various
Location: Civic Theatre Playhouse
Age Group: Recommended for persons aged 13+
Cost: $50
Website
Ampol Women’s State of Origin 2026
This year’s Ampol Women’s State of Origin series kicks off in Newcastle, at McDonald Jones Stadium. Get along to experience the thrills live, as the Blues and Maroons clash for a spectacular Game I blockbuster on New South Wales’ home turf.
Date: Thursday 30 April 2026
Time: The match is set to kick off at 7.45pm
Location: McDonald Jones Stadium
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Tickets from $19 each
Website
Glenrock Ghost Fungus Tours
Did you know ghost fungus glows in the dark? Each autumn, these bioluminescent mushrooms bloom in the forests around Newcastle. In April and May 2026, Glenrock Ghost Fungus Tours will offer guided night walks in Glenrock State Conservation Area, giving families the chance to witness and photograph this natural phenomenon up close. Registered participants will be contacted on short notice when the mushrooms bloom.
Date: Expected late April and in May, depending on weather and when the fungus blooms!
Time: 6pm, 7:15pm and/or 8:30pm (approx. 50 min tours)
Location: Glenrock State Conservation Area
Age Group: 5+
Cost: Kids (aged 5-15) $20, Adults (16+) $40, Concession (including full time students) $30, Private tour (2-10 people) $350
Website
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What’s On Next Month?
Looking for more events in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter? Check out our What’s On Guide with information about events all year long. The guide provides a list of local family-friendly events organised by month.