Looking for what’s on in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or the Hunter Valley this July? You’ll find the best family-friendly events right here – from festivals and markets to theatre shows, free community events and everything in between.
Events are listed by date so you can easily plan your week or weekend, whether you’re heading out during the school term, the July school holidays or just looking for something fun to do with the kids.
🔖 Bookmark this page – we update it throughout the month so you can easily find what’s on in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter.
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July at a Glance
- 1 – 19 July — Young Dobell Exhibition 2026
- 27 June – 26 July — Snow Time in the Garden, Hunter Valley Gardens (from 27 June)
- 4 July — Water Mirror
- 5 July — Harlem Globetrotters 2026
- 7 – 19 July — Young People’s Theatre Presents: A Wrinkle in Time
- 8 July — Film: The Sapphires at PACC
- 9 – 11 July — Where is the Green Sheep, Civic Theatre
- 9 – 12 July — Disney On Ice: Magic in the Stars, Newcastle Entertainment Centre
- 10 – 19 July — Port Stephens Winter Festival | Hunter Drama Presents: Matilda Jr. The Musical
- 11 July — Rafferty’s Coastal Run
- 14 July — Film: Monsters Inc. at PACC | Illustration Workshop with Sami Bayly
- 16 July — Digitales: Storytime and Art
- 17 July – 5 August — Young People’s Theatre Presents: The Sound of Music
- 17 July — Village in the City — Winter Community Showcase
- 18 July — Mr Snotbottoms Stinky Silly Show
- 19 July — Hunter Valley Winery Run
- 25 July — Lake Mac POP BAM, Glendale
- 26 July — My Kids Market Newcastle | Tocal Peek into the Past | Edgeworth Trains
Ongoing in July
These events run across multiple weeks in July.
Young Dobell Exhibition 2026
This annual exhibition showcases artwork by young local artists aged 5 to 18 from across the Hunter and Central Coast regions. It’s a lovely outing for families with budding creatives, and a great way to see kids’ work celebrated in a proper gallery setting.
Date: Runs until Sunday 19 July 2026
Time: 9am – 3pm
Location: MAC yapang, Booragul
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Sustainable Neighbourhoods Waste to Art Competition
Sustainable Neighbourhoods are inviting individual artists, community and school groups to register for this community art exhibition that aims to educate, inform and challenge perspectives on waste. Registrations are now open for 2026. The exhibition will be held across two locations in Charlestown and Swansea from 23 October 2026 to 30 January 2027.
Date: Registrations now open
Location: The exhibition is open to community members from across the region
Age Group: Open to all ages
Cost: Free to enter
Website
Little Bang Discovery Club
Calling all preschoolers and their carers – do you have Wednesday mornings available? Have fun in July at Newcastle Museum with hands-on science for preschoolers: noticing, sorting, naming, collecting, comparing, questioning and experimenting! Your mini scientists will develop their skills over four sessions, each session building on the last one. This is a new offering from Newcastle Museum and will run every school term!
Date: Term 2 dates TBA
Time: 10.15 – 11.15am
Location: Newcastle Museum
Age Group: 3-5 years and their carers. Recommended one carer per mini scientist.
Cost: $25 total per preschooler for the four sessions, carers free. Bookings required.
Website
Snow Time in the Gardens
Ice skating, tobogganing, snowman building and amusement rides at Hunter Valley Gardens a proper winter day out without the drive to the snowfields. Book tickets online in advance and check the forecast before you go, as the snow play zone is outdoors. Read more about Snow Time in the Gardens.
Date: Saturday 27 June – Saturday 26 July 2026
Time: Gardens open 9am; Snow Time activities from 9:30am (last entry 3pm)
Location: Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin
Age Group: All ages
Cost: From $31 child (4 – 15), $41 adult; family passes available
Website
July Events
Water Mirror
This striking one-hour show combines Taiko drumming, acrobatics, contemporary ballet and live projection design into something genuinely impressive for older kids and adults alike. It’s a good pick for families who want a night out with a bit of wow factor.
Date: Saturday 4 July 2026
Time: 7.30pm – 8.30pm
Location: Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (PACC), Cessnock
Age Group: All ages
Cost: From $35 (child/student) — adult tickets from $55
website
Harlem Globetrotters 2026
The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters are coming to Newcastle Entertainment Centre this July, bringing a mix of jaw-dropping basketball skills and laugh-out-loud entertainment that’s a crowd-pleaser for kids of all ages. Arrive at noon when gates open to make the most of the pre-game fun before the 1pm tip-off.
Date: Sunday 5 July 2026
Time: Gates open 12:00pm, show starts 1:00pm
Location: Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Broadmeadow
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Check website for pricing
Website
Young People’s Theatre Presents: A Wrinkle in Time
Newcastle’s Young People’s Theatre brings Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved sci-fi fantasy to the stage this July, performed by a cast of young local actors. A good option for kids who know the story, and a great excuse to introduce it to those who don’t.
Date: Tuesday 7 – Sunday 19 July 2026
Time: Various – check website for full schedule
Location: Young People’s Theatre, Hamilton
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Tickets from $28
Website
Film: The Sapphires at PACC
A NAIDOC Week morning screening of this much-loved Australian film, and at $5 a ticket it’s a great low-key outing during the school holidays. Suitable for older kids and teens who can follow the story.
Date: Wednesday 8 July 2026
Time: 10 – 11.30am
Location: Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (PACC), Cessnock
Age Group: Older kids and teens
Cost: $5
Website
Disney On Ice: Magic in the Stars
Mickey, Minnie and more than 50 Disney and Pixar characters take to the ice in this year’s brand-new production. A school holidays tradition that tends to sell out fast, so book ahead. Children under 2 are free on a lap.
Date: Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 July 2026
Time: Various – check website for session times
Location: Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Broadmeadow
Age Group: All ages
Cost: From $27 per person (concession pricing available for children 2–12)
Website
Where is the Green Sheep?
If your little one (and you) knows every page of the classic picture book Where is the Green Sheep? by heart, grab tickets for this show. Monkey Baa Theatre Company is bringing their much-anticipated stage adaptation to Civic Theatre Newcastle, and it looks like a genuinely magical first theatre experience for the tiniest members of your family. Designed for children aged 1 to 6, this immersive visual theatre show follows three farmers on their quest to find the elusive green sheep.
Date: Thursday 9 – Saturday 11 July 2026
Time: 10am & 12:30pm
Location: Civic Theatre Newcastle
Age Group: Designed for children aged 1 to 6
Cost: From $37 per person.
Website
Port Stephens Winter Festival
Nine days of family-friendly events in Nelson Bay — highlights include the Human Whale, the Port Stephens Car Show, Taster’s Trails and a range of on-water and onshore activities. A great winter weekend away for families who love the coast.
Date: Friday 10 – Sunday 19 July 2026
Time: Various – check website
Location: Nelson Bay, Port Stephens
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Mix of free and paid events
Website
Hunter Drama Presents: Matilda the Musical Jr.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda gets the musical treatment in this Hunter Drama school holidays production, performed by a cast of local young performers at Hunter Theatre. A brilliant pick for kids who love the story, with matinee and evening sessions across the run.
Date: Friday 10 – Sunday 19 July 2026
Time: Shows at 2pm and 7pm
Location: Hunter Theatre, Cameron Street, Broadmeadow
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Tickets $49.50
Website
Raffertys Coastal Run & Raffertys Kids Fun Run
A scenic trail run from the shores of Lake Macquarie to the rugged Catherine Hill Bay coastline — choose from 12km, 22km or 35km distances, with a kids run also on offer on the day.
Date: Saturday 11 July 2026
Time: 7am – 3pm
Location: Raffertys Resort, Cams Wharf
Age Group: All ages (Kids Fun Run for ages 5–12; adult distances for 12+)
Cost: From $15 (Kids Fun Run); adult distances from $95
Website
Film: Monsters Inc. at PACC
A school holidays cinema session at PACC Cessnock showing the classic Pixar film. Great for little ones, and hard to beat at $5 a ticket (or $18 for a family of four).
Date: Tuesday 14 July 2026
Time: 10 – 11.30am
Location: Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (PACC), Cessnock
Age Group: All ages — best for younger kids
Cost: $5 per person, $18 family of four
Website
Illustration Workshop with Sami Bayly
Local author and illustrator Sami Bayly, best known for her Illustrated Encyclopaedia series, is running a hands-on drawing workshop for kids aged 10 to 16 at Wangi Wangi these school holidays. Kids will learn to draw their own creature and get a peek into what life as an author-illustrator actually looks like.
Date: Tuesday 14 July 2026
Time: 10.30am – 11.30am
Location: Wangi Library Creative Hub, Wangi Wangi
Age Group: 10 – 16 years
Cost: $33 + booking fee (all materials included)
Website
Digitales: Storytime and Art
A lovely indoor activity for little ones. Digital stories projected on the big screen followed by hands-on artmaking and shadow play, run by Lake Mac Arts at the Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima. Bookings are essential and fill up quickly.
Date: Thursday 16 July 2026
Time: 11am – 11.45am
Location: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima, Speers Point Park, Speers Point
Age Group: 2 – 5 years
Cost: Free
Website
Village in the City — Winter Community Showcase
A cosy winter evening in Jesmond with food and market stalls, blankets, warm drinks, soft lighting and an indoor community showcase of music, poetry and short performances. A relaxed, free night out for families and neighbours to come together mid-winter.
Date: Friday 17 July 2026
Time: 4pm – 7.30pm
Location: Jesmond Neighbourhood Centre, Jesmond
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Young People’s Theatre Presents: The Sound of Music
One of the most beloved musicals of all time comes to Hamilton’s Young People’s Theatre this July and August, performed by a cast of local young performers alongside the Lindsay Street Players. With multiple weekend sessions to choose from, it’s a great school holidays or winter outing for the whole family.
Date: Friday 17 July – Saturday 15 August 2026
Time: Various — check website for full schedule
Location: Young People’s Theatre, Hamilton
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Tickets from $28
Website
Mr Snotbottom’s Stinky Silly Show
If your kids are fans of all things gross and silly, this one’s for them. Mr Snotbottom brings his award-winning live show to Rathmines Theatre with an hour of slimy songs, gooey gags and interactive chaos. Best suited to ages 4 to 10.
Date: Saturday 18 July 2026
Time: 1 – 2pm
Location: Rathmines Theatre, Rathmines
Age Group: 4 – 10 years (children must be accompanied by an adult)
Cost: From $15 + booking fee
Website
Hunter Valley Winery Run & Kids Marathon
A scenic run through the vineyards of the Hunter Valley with distances to suit the whole family — from a 2km Kids Marathon to a full 42.2km for the serious runners. Based at Wandin Estate in Lovedale, it’s a fun winter day out just 30 minutes from Newcastle.
Date: Sunday 19 July 2026
Time: 6.30am – 12.30pm
Location: Wandin Estate Winery, Wilderness Road, Lovedale
Age Group: All ages (Kids Marathon for children; adult distances for all fitness levels)
Cost: Adult tickets from $55; check website for Kids Marathon pricing
Website
Lake Mac POP BAM: Pop Cultural Festival
Lake Macquarie’s pop culture festival is back. Cosplay, swordfighting, Star Wars characters, free-play gaming, anime workshops and more, all in one day. Kids 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult, and a shuttle runs from Fassifern Station.
Date: Saturday 25 July 2026
Time: 10am – 3pm
Location: Hunter Sports Centre, 43 Stockland Drive, Glendale
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Adults $28 + booking fee, Youth (5-17 years) $15 + booking fee, Children under 5 Free. An adult must accompany children up to 15 years old. Tickets at the gate: Eftpos only Adults $35, Youth (5-17 years) $18
Website
My Kids Market
A great place to snap up quality pre-loved baby and kids gear without the full-price tag. Stalls are packed with clothing, toys, equipment and more.
Date: Sunday 26 July 2026
Time: 9am – 12pm
Location: Newcastle Showground Exhibition Centre, Broadmeadow
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $5 per adult; children free
Website
Peek Into the Past – Tocal Homestead
Tocal Homestead in Paterson comes alive for one day each winter with heritage clothing parades, blacksmithing, sheep shearing, calf feeding, colonial games and a musket march by redcoat soldiers. Freshly baked scones from a 200-year-old wood-fired oven and damper from the campfire make it a genuinely lovely winter day out. Take a picnic rug and stay a while. in free.
Date: Sunday 26 July 2026
Time: 10am – 3pm
Location: Tocal Homestead, 957 Tocal Road, Paterson
Age Group: All ages
Cost: TBA – check website
Website
Edgeworth Trains
The Lake Macquarie Live Steam Locomotive Society’s monthly public ride day. Steam and diesel miniature trains on elevated and ground-level tracks through bushland. Affordable, relaxed and great for little train lovers of any age.
Date: Sunday 26 July 2026
Time: Trains from 12:15pm–3:30pm (weather permitting); park open from 9:30am
Location: Velinda Street, Edgeworth
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $3 per ride; children under 2 free
Website
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.