Looking for what’s on in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or the Hunter Valley this November? You’ll find the best family-friendly events right here — from festivals to 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 week, or just looking for something fun to do with the kids on the weekend.
For our Christmas events and acivities, see our Ultimate Guide to Christmas 2026.
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November at a Glance
- 3 November — Pre-school Art School | Importance of Play Workshop: Play and Emotional Development
- 4 November — Story Explorers
- 5 November — Teddy Bears’ Picnic Baby Bounce at East Maitland Library | IncludingYOU Art Program
- 5-7 November — Hunter Drama Presents: Radium Girls
- 6 November — Twilight Fridays: Rollertopia
- 7-8 November — Lake Mac Open Studios 2026
- 5-26 November — Museum Kids Club at Sugar Valley Library Museum
- 7 November — Darby Street Festival | Sleap Walk 2026 | The Wiggles Sparkle! BIG SHOW 2026 | High Tea on the Harbour
- 7 – 15 November — Garage Sale Trail
- 8 November — Convoy Newcastle Family Festival | ART PLAY at MAP mima
- 13 & 14 November — Dungog Show
- 13 November – Street Eats
- 14 November — Emergency Management and Community Resilience Expo| MAC yapang 25th Birthday Party | Murrook Festival 2026: Under the Stars
- 15 November — My Kids Market | ARTSPACE: Free Family Artmaking at MAC yapang
- 19 November — Digitales: Storytime and Art
- 21 November — MV Calmer: Cruisin’ Country Hoedown on the Harbour Cruise
- 21 – 22 November — Let’s Fish Lake Mac
- 22 November — Hunter Arts Network Bazaar | Peter and The Wolf and Other Tales
- 25 – 29 November —Beauty & The Beast Jnr
- 27 November — You’re Kidding Me: Come and Try GymbaROO | Twilight Fridays: Kids Cube Disco
- 28 November — Crafternoon at The Lockup
- 29 November — Yoga on the Water Sunrise Wellness Cruise | Run Port Stephens | Edgeworth Trains
Pre-School Art School
An expert tour guide leads little ones through the latest exhibition at the Museum of Art and Culture, Lake Macquarie, followed by story time and a craft activity inspired by the artwork. A great way to spend the morning getting creative with the youngest artists in the family.
Date: Tuesday 3 November 2026
Time: 10 – 11am
Location: Museum of Art and Culture, yapang, 1A First Street, Booragul
Age Group: suited to ages 0 – 6
Cost: Free, bookings preferred but not required
Website
Importance of Play Workshop: Play and Emotional Development
Part of the Importance of Play series at Maitland Library, this session is a relaxed way to try some play ideas with your kids and chat with other families. Expect shared activities, practical ideas you can use at home, and plenty of conversation.
Date: Tuesday 3 November 2026
Time: From 11am
Location: Thornton Library, 1b Taylor Avenue, Thornton
Age Group: Adults and their children
Cost: Free, bookings required
Website
Story Explorers
Join Newcastle Museum for stories and adventures on the first Wednesday of each month, during school terms, exploring different items in the Museum collection.
Date: Wednesday 4 November 2026
Time: 11.15am – 12pm
Location: Newcastle Museum
Age Group: Aimed at ages 3-5 years, but all ages welcome!
Cost: Free, no bookings needed, just drop-in!
Website
Teddy Bears’ Picnic Baby Bounce at East Maitland Library
Bring a blanket and your baby’s favourite teddy for a relaxed morning of songs, stories and rhymes at East Maitland Library. This special Baby Bounce is a teddy bears’ picnic, with a free morning tea and a chance to meet other local families.
Date: Thursday 5 November 2026
Time: From 10am
Location: East Maitland Library, 3 Garnett Road, East Maitland
Age Group: 0-12 months
Cost: Free but bookings essential
Website
IncludingYOU Art Program
IncludingYOU encourages people living with a disability and their support worker, if required, to explore the current exhibition and take part in engaging art activities that explore a variety of techniques.
Date: Thursday 5 November 2026
Time: 10am – 12pm
Location: Museum of Art and Culture, yapang, Booragul, Lake Macquarie
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free but bookings essential
Website
Hunter Drama Presents: Radium Girls
In the 1920s, hundreds of young women found work in factories painting luminous watch dials, but when their bodies began to fall apart, they were met with silence, denial, and a powerful company determined to protect its reputation. Based on true events, Radium Girls is a searing and heartbreaking play about courage in the face of corporate greed.
Date: Thursday 5 – Saturday 7 November 2026
Location: Civic Theatre Playhouse
Age Group: Recommended for ages 10+
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Twilight Fridays: Rollertopia
Get your skates on and roll into the weekend with retro vibes, live music, and delicious eats at MAP mima’s annual celebration for 80s Skaties. DJ Ruby Red will be spinning feel-good tracks to set the tone for your Friday night.
Date: Friday 6 November 2026
Time: 5 – 8pm
Location: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima, Speers Point
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Website
Museum Kids Club at Sugar Valley Library Museum
Museum Kids Club is a fabulous after-school option for curious kids who like getting hands-on. Run at the museum attached to Sugar Valley Library in Cameron Park, Museum Kids Club runs for 6 weeks in Term 4. Sessions start at 3.45pm on Thursdays, so it slots in nicely after school pick-up.
Date: Thursday 5, 12, 19 & 26 November 2026
Time: 3.45 – 4.30pm
Location: Sugar Valley Library Museum, kirantakamyari, Cameron Park
Age Group: Suitable for ages 7-10
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Darby Street Festival
Darby Street closes to traffic for the day and turns into one big street party, with bringing live music, market stalls, delicious food and family-friendly entertainment as well as extended trading hours at the local cafes and shops. It’s an easy one for families, with plenty to eat and browse and no set schedule to work around.
Date: Saturday 7 November 2026
Time: 12pm – 6pm
Location: Darby Street, Cooks Hill
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free to attend (individual stalls and food may vary)
Website
Sleap Walk
Pull on your pyjamas for this family and pet friendly community walk at Bar Beach, and help raise funds for Sleapys Foundation. Prize for best dressed on the night.
Date: Saturday 7 November 2026
Time: From 4pm
Location: Bar Beach Bowling Club, Bar Beach
Age Group: All ages (pets welcome)
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
The Wiggles Sparkle! BIG SHOW 2026
The Wiggles are bringing their all-new Sparkle! BIG SHOW to Newcastle Entertainment Centre, with three sessions across the day so you can pick the time that suits nap schedules and little ones’ energy levels. Expect big singalongs, favourite characters like Dorothy the Dinosaur and Wags the Dog, and plenty of chances for kids to get up and dance.
Date: Saturday 7 November 2026
Time: Sessions at 10am, 1.30pm and 4.30pm
Location: Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Broadmeadow
Age Group: Toddlers to primary school age (littlest ones under 12 months free on a lap)
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
High Tea on the Harbour Cruise
Step aboard MV Calmer and enjoy a beautiful afternoon on Newcastle Harbour, surrounded by sparkling water, stunning views, and the timeless charm of our take on a classic high tea. Gather your friends and family, celebrate a special occasion, or simply treat yourself to an day out on the water.
Date: Saturday 7 November 2026
Time: 12pm – 2:30pm
Location: Queen’s Wharf Terminal, Newcastle
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Lake Mac Open Studios 2026
For one weekend only, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, Lake Macquarie will become a living gallery when 35 working studios and over 80 artists open their doors to the public for Lake Mac Open Studios 2026.
Date: Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 November 2026
Time: 10am – 4pm
Location: Various studios across Lake Macquarie
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Garage Sale Trail 2026
Garage Sale Trail returns to the region over two weekends in November, with garage sales, thrift markets and street sales popping up across the city. It’s a great chance to grab pre-loved toys, books and baby gear at bargain prices, and kids can even run their own stall if you’ve got a decluttering job waiting at home.
Date: Saturday 7 & 14, and Sunday 8 & 15 November 2026
Location: Various locations across the region
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Convoy Newcastle Family Festival
Camp Quality’s Convoy Newcastle features a 38 km truck rally starting and finishing at Maitland Showground to support children facing cancer and their families. Following the convoy, attendees can enjoy a free Family Festival featuring live music, food vans, kids’ rides, and a truck Show ’n’ Shine.
Date: Sunday 8 November 2026
Time: Convoy leaves around 9am, Family Festival from 10.30am
Location: Maitland Showground
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
ART PLAY at MAP mima
A free monthly art session at the Multi-Arts Pavilion in Speers Point, ART PLAY starts with a guided look at the current exhibition before families get hands-on with a different art activity each month. No experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to get a bit creative together.
Date: Sunday 8 November 2026
Time: 10-11.30am
Location: Multi-Arts Pavilion (MAP mima), Speers Point
Age Group: Families with children of all ages
Cost: Free, bookings required
Website
Twilight Fridays: Art After Hours
Explore MAP mima after dark and experience Darkness in 589, an immersive 360-degree projection artwork that explores darkness, nature and our connection to the night sky. A different way to experience art on a Friday evening.
Date: Friday 13 November 2026
Time: 5 – 8pm
Location: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima, Speers Point
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Website
Street Eats East Maitland
Bring along your family and friends and head to Stockade Hill, East Maitland for a relaxed evening of good food, music and fun! Bring along your own disc and have a go at disc golf, then grab a bite of food from one of the food foods, settle in with a picnic rug and enjoy the tunes from the DJ.
Date: 13 November, 5pm – 8pm
Location: Stockade Hill, East Maitland
Cost: Free
Website
Dungog Show
One of the region’s oldest country shows, the Dungog Show is well worth the drive for a proper agricultural day out, with cattle displays, pavilion entries, post splitting competitions and plenty for kids to take in.
Date: Friday 13 & Saturday 14 November 2026
Time: 8am – 12 midnight
Location: Dungog Showground, Dungog
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Emergency Management and Community Resilience Expo
Looking for a free day out the kids will love? Head to the Emergency Management and Community Resilience Expo! With big vehicles, hands-on activities, live demonstrations, food and music, it’s a great opportunity to keep the kids entertained while learning a thing or two about staying safe when emergencies happen. Taking over Maitland Showground, this action-packed family day brings together more than 25 emergency services, government agencies and community organisations for a day of exciting displays, interactive experiences and plenty to explore.
Date: Saturday 14 November 2026
Time: 9am – 2pm
Location: Maitland Showground
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Facebook event
St Nicholas Fletcher Community Day
Bring the family to St Nicholas Fletcher Community Day on Saturday 14 November from 9am to 11am! Enjoy free entry, face painting and family fun, meet the educators and explore the centre at 1 Minmi Road, Fletcher. Everyone is welcome. Find out more and register online for a fun-filled morning.
Date: Saturday 14 November 2026
Time: 9am – 11am
Location: St Nicholas Early Education Fletcher, 1 Minmi Road, Fletcher
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Find out more and register
MAC yapang 25th Birthday Party: In Full Bloom
The Museum of Art and Culture is celebrating 25 years with a free day of live music, games, creative workshops, family activities and food. There are also new sculptures and pathways to explore, plus the reopening of Awaba House.
Date: Saturday 14 November 2026
Time: 10.30am – 5pm
Location: MAC yapang, 2A First Street, Booragul
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Murrook Festival 2026: Under the Stars
Murrook Culture Centre’s annual festival returns with an evening of live music, dance, storytelling and food under the stars. It’s a relaxed, family-friendly night out with free parking and bus transfers laid on, so it’s easy to get to even with little ones in tow.
Date: Saturday 14 November 2026
Time: 5pm – 9pm
Location: Murrook Culture Centre, Williamtown
Age Group: All ages, family-friendly
Cost: Free
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 15 November 2026
Time: 9am – 12pm
Location: Newcastle Showground Exhibition Centre, Broadmeadow
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
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, MAP mima.
Date: Thursday 19 November 2026
Time: 11 – 11.45am
Location: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima, Speers Point Park, Speers Point
Age Group: 2 – 5 years
Cost: Free, bookings required
Website
Twilight Fridays: Art After Hours
Explore MAP mima after dark and experience Darkness in 589, an immersive 360-degree projection artwork that explores darkness, nature and our connection to the night sky. A different way to experience art on a Friday evening.
Date: Friday 20 November 2026
Time: 5 – 8pm
Location: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima, Speers Point
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Website
MV Calmer: Cruisin’ Country Hoedown on the Harbour Cruise
Get the whole family up and line dancing on Newcastle Harbour, with instructors on board teaching easy steps for total beginners. Grab boots and a hat if you’ve got them, and know that under 18s need to be with a parent or guardian.
Date: Saturday 21 November 2026
Time: 11am to 1.30pm (check in from 10.30am)
Location: Queens Wharf Terminal, 242-258 Wharf Road, Newcastle
Age Group: All ages (under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Let’s Fish Lake Mac
Let’s Fish Lake Mac is a catch-and-release fishing competition with junior and senior divisions, open across Lake Macquarie’s public waterways and beaches, with $50,000 in prizes. Junior anglers also get a packet of soft plastics. Great for kids who already love fishing, and you can fish wherever suits your family.
Date: Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 November 2026
Location: Lake Macquarie waterways and beaches
Age Group: Junior and senior anglers
Cost: Ticketed – check website for details
Website
Hunter Arts Network Art Bazaar
Hunter Arts Network Bazaar sees more than 40 local artists and makers set up at an outdoor artisan market, with live music, food, coffee and family activities.
Date: Sunday 22 November 2026
Time: 9am – 2pm
Location: Lambton Park, Howe Street at Morehead Street, Lambton
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Peter and the Wolf and other tales
Join brave Peter and meet the instruments in the orchestra in this enchanting musical journey! A magical introduction to the symphony orchestra and a joyful journey through beloved favourites.
Date: Sunday 22 November 2026
Time: 2 – 4pm
Location: Warners Bay Theatre
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Beauty & The Beast Jnr
Newcastle’s own What Theatre Company brings this Broadway-based Disney musical to the Playhouse, with a young local cast telling the classic tale of Belle and the Beast. It runs a tight 70 minutes with no interval, so it’s an easy watch for younger kids, and there are two casts alternating across the season.
Date: Wednesday 25 November – Sunday 29 November 2026
Location: Playhouse, Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter Street, Newcastle
Age Group: Recommended for ages 7+
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
You’re Kidding Me: Come and Try GymbaROO
A fun hands-on taster with the team from GymbaROO Warners Bay, with separate sessions so babies and toddlers each get activities pitched at their stage. If you’ve got one of each, you can book into both.
Date: Friday 27 November 2026
Time: Babies (birth to crawling) 9.30 – 10.10am; Toddlers (walking to 4 years) 10.20 – 11am
Location: Windale Hub (bilyabayi), 20 Lake Street, Windale
Age Group: Birth to 4 years, with a parent or carer
Cost: Free, bookings required
Website
Twilight Fridays: Kids Cube Disco
It’s kids’ night at MAP mima. The Cube will be transformed into a vibrant disco space, with upbeat family-friendly tracks and immersive projections. Kids are invited to dance, move, and play in an environment unlike any other.
Date: Friday 27 November 2026
Time: 5 – 8pm
Location: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima, Speers Point
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Website
Crafternoon at The Lockup
A monthly hands-on art-making session for kids and families at The Lock-Up in Newcastle, Crafternoons are inspired by what’s currently showing in the gallery, so each one is a little different. A good option if your kids like making things and you want something with a bit more substance than a standard craft activity.
Date: Saturday 28 November 2026
Time: 10.30am – 12.30pm
Location: The Lock-Up, 90 Hunter Street, Newcastle
Age Group: Families with children
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Yoga On The Water Sunrise Wellness Cruise
Start a Sunday with sunrise yoga across three levels of MV Calmer, rotating between three instructors and styles as the sun comes up over Newcastle Harbour. It’s suited to ages 12 and up, so a great one for teens and parents. BYO yoga mat.
Date: Sunday 29 November 2026
Time: 6am to 8am (boarding from 5.45am)
Location: Queens Wharf Terminal, 242-258 Wharf Road, Newcastle
Age Group: Ages 12+
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Run Port Stephens
This Nelson Bay event has a 2km distance for the whole family, alongside the 5km, 10km, half marathon and marathon. The beach and play area near the finish line make it easy to turn the event into a beach morning.
Date: Sunday 29 November 2026
Location: Nelson Bay foreshore
Age Group: No minimum age for 2km fun run
Cost: Ticketed – check website for prices
Website
Edgeworth Trains
Ride on a miniature train at Lake Macquarie Live Steam Locomotive Society’s monthly public ride day. 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.
Date: Sunday 29 November 2026
Time: Trains from 12.30pm – 3.30pm (weather permitting); park open from 9.30am
Location: Velinda Street, Edgeworth
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $3 per train ride. Children under 2 years old are 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.