Get ready for New Annual 2023. It’s ten days of art, culture and creativity in the centre of Newcastle starting 22 September. There is something for everyone with a mix of free, ticketed and family-friendly events.
There’s plenty to enjoy including immersive and interactive experiences of photography, film, live music, theatre, acrobatics, street dance, food exploration, cultural workshops and more.
With plenty of family-friendly events over the school holidays, New Annual is a must for adults and kids to enjoy together. From a multicultural festival, loud drumming performances, First Nations workshops through to an outdoor dance performance and 3D chalk art, there’s family fun at every turn.
Here’s our guide to the best (and mostly free) family-friendly events at New Annual.
Global Gathering
Head to Museum Park in Newcastle on Saturday 30 September for Global Gathering. Experience the colour, sound, taste and diversity of our city as we celebrate the many diaspora that call Newcastle home. Global Gathering is a multicultural celebration of diverse cultures through music, food and dance that will take over Museum Park.
The whole day is filled with free performances, live music and demonstrations hosted by MC Yumi Stynes. Want to learn something new? Head over to the Maker’s tent for dance demonstrations as well as Henna and Chinese Lantern Making. Don’t miss Dancenorth’s NOISE at Museum Park as a part of this event at 6:30pm and 8:30pm.
Date: Saturday 30 September
Time: 1pm – 9pm
Cost: Free
Location: Newcastle Museum Park
Find out more
Ngiarrenumba Burrai (Our Country)
Ngiarrenumba Burrai (Our Country) will be home to a program of dance, native food workshops, language workshops and performance throughout the festival. Museum Park becomes a space that centers Awabakal cultural practice, people and stories. Workshops include art, dance, language, bush food and tools. We recommend booking into your preferred sessions to avoid missing out. Drop-ins also welcome with separate cultural sessions happening simultaneously.
Date: Saturday 23 September – Sunday 1 October
Time: Various times
Cost: Free
Location: Newcastle Museum Park
Find out more
Greatest Showman Singalong at Civic Theatre
Step right up, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for…a special sing along screening of The Greatest Showman, the Golden Globe winner for Best Original Song. It’s your time to shine – have fun, sing loud and Come Alive – It’s Showtime! You can dress up and sing with the lyrics on the screen. The sing along version of The Greatest Showman, will display the songs’ lyrics on screen, allowing the audience to perform with the movie’s score.
Date: Saturday 23 September
Time: 7pm
Cost: $15
Location: Civic Theatre
Find out more
Shaun Parker & Co: Found Objects
Shaun Parker and his dancers return again this year with a brand new series of dance performances in Wheeler Place. Found Objects is an epic outdoor dance theatre work utilising everyday objects and five exceptional dance and physical theatre artists.
Choreographed by Shaun Parker and set to a stunning orchestral score by composer Nick Wales, the work creates a highly physical, extraordinary urban world incorporating high-octane contemporary dance, acrobatics, street dance, parkour and seemingly ordinary objects. After each Found Objects performance, there will be a free 20 minute Hip Hop workshop taught by a Shaun Parker & Company dancer. This workshop is accessible for all ages. Find out more
Date: Friday 29 September – Sunday 1 October
Time: 11am & 1pm
Cost: Free
Location: Wheeler Place
Find out more
Dancenorth NOISE
Enjoy the noise. NOISE is a work of epic proportions, created by Dancenorth’s Kyle Page and Amber Haines in collaboration with a local percussion community. Dancenorth joins forces with 100 local volunteer drummers who thump out a scintillating live score in this dynamic community driven performance. NOISE is a gathering, a united force of percussive energy and powerful dance designed to pull audience members into the present moment, to wholly captivate attention and energy.
Date: Friday 29 September & Saturday 30 September
Time: 6pm on Friday, 6pm & 8:30pm on Saturday
Cost: Free
Location: Newcastle Museum Park
Find out more
Chalk the Walk
Chalk the Walk is a celebration of colour and energy that will transform the streets of Newcastle into an interactive 3D street art gallery. Explore the trail of amazing concrete canvases stretched across Newcastle’s beautiful CBD at your own pace and pleasure. Step into the 3D artworks, become part of the illusion
Date: 23 September to 1 October
Cost: Free
Location: Various locations in Newcastle CBD
Find out more
As well as the family-friendly events, there’s heaps more events and activities to enjoy. For more information, visit the New Annual website.
Started in late 2012 by a local mum, Newy with Kids has grown into a thriving go-to family guide for the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter region. Parents visit the Newy with Kids website to find things to do with babies, kids and teens. Whether it’s local attractions, upcoming events, kids eat free, school holiday activities or birthday party ideas, Newy with Kids is the best website for local parents to find local kid-friendly activities and information 24/7.