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.
Look for this icon showing our Featured Events
International Eat Street Darby
Each Wednesday evening in April, take a leisurely stroll down Darby Street and indulge in a delightful selection of tapas-style dishes featuring International Flavours.
As part of Newcastle Food Month, Darby Street will come alive with a series of unique and exciting food offerings, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a progressive dining experience.
Date: Wednesday 3, 10, 17 & 24 April 2025
Location: Darby Street
Cost: Various dining offers
Website
Mega Creatures
Mega Creatures is back for another bite! Brand new in 2025 is the Land of Legends. Explore & discover amazing prehistoric dinosaurs, crawling insects and mythical creatures, including the giant T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Spinosaurus and more.
Date: 5 April – 4 May 2025
Location: Hunter Valley Gardens
Cost: Kids $31, Adults $41, Family Pass (2A+2C) $126
Website
Mega Creatures Night Safari
Mega Creatures Night Safari is back and brand new in 2025 is the Land of Legends. 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, including the giant T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Spinosaurus and more.
Date: 5 April – 4 May 2025
Location: Hunter Valley Gardens
Cost: Kids $31, Adults $41, Family Pass (2A+2C) $126
Website
Hill to Harbour
This iconic Newcastle running event is now a stand alone event, staged on a new and permanent 12km version of a beautiful course from Bar Beach to Carrington. Also on offer, for runners or walkers who are not quite up to the full 12km of the longer event, is the Halfa Hill to Harbour 6km event and 2k4FUN. Children aged 4+ can enter.
Date: 6 April 2025
Location: Newcastle Foreshore
Cost: Halfa Hill to Harbour: Adults from $50 Children from $40 (plus processing fee), 2K4FUN: From $20.00 (plus processing fee)
Website
SIX the Musical
Following sensational sell-out seasons across Australia, the sassy, empowering and energetic pop musical sensation SIX the Musical makes its anticipated arrival to Civic Theatre Newcastle next April 2025. From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the six wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to reclaim their identities out of the shadow of their infamous spouse – remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a euphoric celebration of 21st century girl power!
Date: 10 April to 4 May 2025
Location: Civic Theatre
Cost: Tickets from $65
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 second 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 closes at 12pm on Thursday 8 May 2025.
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).
Cost: Free
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: 12 & 13 April 2025
Location: Maitland Station Precinct
Cost: Tickets $5 to enter rally ground (under 16 FREE)
Website
YPT Presents Disney’s Alice in Wonderland JR.
Fall down the rabbit hole with Alice as she navigates the curious, magical world of Wonderland on a journey of self-discovery, where everything seems to be upside down.
Date: 14 April – 24 May 2025
Location: Young People’s Theatre Hamilton
Cost: Tickets from $25-$30
Website
Play Well – Opening Athletics and Gymnastics – All ages
Join the opening Come and Try Sports day. Experience athletics and gymnastics at the opening Come and Try Sports day for children and adults with disability. The IncludingYOU program at Lake Macquarie City Council in collaboration with the Hunter Sports Centre, is excited to receive a Play Well Participation Grant from the Australian Sports Commission.
Date: Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Time: 3:30pm – 5:30pm
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free but bookings required. Book a ticket for the participant and extra tickets for any carers.
Booking Link
Teddy Bear’s Picnic at Hunter Region Botanic Gardens
Join the Marching Koalas Band on a parade around the Garden paths with your teddy bear or other favourite companion. Decorate a teddy bear cookie. Have your face painted or enjoy the jumping castle. This year there will be a teddy bear adoption program. Come with one bear, go home with two! Market stalls and music. Fun activities. Lovely walks. Sausage sizzle. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy a great family event.
Date: 15 April 2025
Location: Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Heatherbrae
Cost: General Admission tickets are $5 per person
Website
Hunter Drama Presents Dot & The Kangaroo JR.
Hunter Drama is set to kick off its highly anticipated 2025 season with a magical production of Dot & The Kangaroo JR this April school holidays. Based on Ethel C. Pedley’s beloved 1899 Australian classic, this enchanting musical—penned by Hunter Drama’s very own founder, Daniel Stoddart—will transport audiences into the heart of the Australian bush in a tale of adventure, connection, and discovery.
Date: 17 – 26 April 2025
Location: Playhouse, Civic Theatre
Cost: Standard tickets $49
Website
Stroud Show
Experience a “Real Country Show” at the Stroud Show. There’ll be horse competitions, post splitting, demolition derby, bull ride, fireworks, cattle, poultry, pavilion sections, dog high jump, market and food stalls, wife carrying competition, amusement rides and more.
Date: 25 – 27 April 2025
Location: Stroud Showground
Cost: Adults $10 on Friday and Sunday, $20 on Saturday. Kids under 13 free. $5 for kids 13 – 17.
Website
Water Lantern Festival
Newcastle, get ready for a night of magic! The Water Lantern Festival is lighting up the water on 26 April — and it’s your turn to be part of something unforgettable. Write down your hopes, dreams, or a message to someone you love. Then, set your lantern afloat and watch the water come alive with glowing reflections of light and love. This viral festival has touched over a million hearts worldwide — now it’s coming to YOU.
Date: 26 April 2025
Location: Speers Point Park
Cost: $55.99 for adults. Free admission for kids under 8.
Website
Composting and Worm Farming for Kids
Join a fun workshop where kids learn to turn food scraps into garden fertiliser through composting and worm farming! This hands-on session will ensure kids walk away inspired and ready to take on your home composting or worm farming projects with excitement.
Date: 26 April 2025
Time: 10am – 11am
Location: Hunter Multicultural Communities, Waratah
Cost: Free
Website
Collector Con 2025
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 2025. There’ll be artist alley creators including illustrators and designers, the D&D NSW crew running adventures and Star Walking Inc running a cosplay competition. You will also have access to 150+ trading tables full of toy, hobby and pop culture collectables. Kids aged 0-12 have free entry (must be accompanied by an adult).
Date: 27 April 2025
Location: Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Cost: Early bird 8am pre-entry $24, General admission 9am $14, General admission 11am $12
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: 27 April 2025
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
You might also like:
Easter Events in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter
Anzac Day Events in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & the Hunter
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.