The Friends of the University 2023 Book Fair

• Where: Great Hall, Callaghan campus
• When: 9-16 September
• Cost: Free

Since it opened the doors to its first Book Fair in 1983, The Friends of the University has raised almost $1 million dollars for students at Newcastle’s largest learning hub. 

And, this month, the group of volunteers behind the event will celebrate its 40th anniversary. 

They plan to host a record-breaking eight-day sale, offering more than 60,000 second-hand books, CDs, DVDs, music scores and vinyl records. 

Among the gems available are The Norton Facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare, the First Views of Australia 1788 – 1825: A History of Early Sydney and a stunning copy of The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which has a rare treatment called gauffering with embossed gold edging on the side of the pages.  

The 2023 Book Fair will open from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and between 10am and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. 

2023 Living Smart Festival

• Where: Speers Point Park; Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima
• When: Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September
• Cost: Free

Craig Reucassel will headline the 2023 Living Smart Festival.

The former Chaser comedian and eco-warrior is set to bring his enthusiasm for clean living to the annual two-day event at Speers Point Park from Saturday 16 September.

And, after gaining much support last year, the Living Together Festival will also feature on day two of the extravaganza.

This branding sees the celebration of multi-culturalism and inclusivity, and will include world music, international cooking demonstrations, workshops and family-friendly immersive displays and activities.

The annual Feast for the Senses dinner returns, too, shifting to the Saturday evening at the Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima.

Charity OzHarvest will present a gourmet menu featuring rescued food, echoing the waste-awareness theme of this year’s festival.

Saturday’s free event is expected to showcase workshops, demonstrations, market stalls, a native plant giveaway and a school garden bed competition.

Dachshtober Longdog Festival

• Where: Tocal Agricultural College
• When: Sunday 15 October
• Cost: $25 (adults)

Like all great ideas, it started small, and then grew legs. 

A throw-away line at a play date about a dog event in the Hunter region that could attract a few hundred people and their pets. 

But, Dachshtober Longdog Festival has become so much more; it’s now expected to race into the record books. 

Celebrating the Dachshund dog breed and all the traits their owners believe make it stand above the rest, the one-day extravaganza is predicted to attract more than 4,000 people to Paterson. 

Organisers hope to raise awareness and funds for the research of IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease), too.

The Dachshtober Longdog Festival will take place in the grounds of Tocal Agricultural College on Sunday 15 October from 10am to 4pm.

It’ll also be home to a record-breaking attempt, as organisers hope to beat the Guinness World Record for the largest number of sausage dogs at one event. 

For more entertainment stories:

• Motocross legend Robbie Maddison freestyling his way to Newy
• Are we ever gonna see their faces again… and the answer is ‘yes’
• What’s On in Newcastle

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Whether it’s now, or you’re making plans for the rest of the year, it’s all here.

Stay up to date with the what’s on across the Hunter region by subscribing to the Newcastle Weekly… for free.

SEPTEMBER 

4 to 10 September – History Illuminated, Lake Macquarie landmarks will be open for guided exhibition tours and history workshops, alongside cemetery walks, fashion parades and musical performances.

9 September – Girls Day Out – Women in Sport, Newcastle Foreshore Park and Nobbys Beach, 8am to 3pm.

9 to 16 September – Friends of the University 2023 Book Fair, Great Hall, Callaghan Campus, 10am to 5pm.

10 September – Bling and Bloom at the Levee, 10am to 2pm.

10 September – The Boys Studio Make Up and Moscato, 11am to 1pm, Vamp by Lisa McGuigan.

14 September – Changemaker Newcastle, Zahra Foundation in partnership with Jenny’s Place, City Hall, 5.30pm to 8.30pm

to 17 September – yapang Emerging Art Prize finalist exhibition, MAC yapang.

16 & 17 September – Living Smart Festival, Speers Point Park. 

22 to 24 September – Singleton Show, Singleton. 

22 September – Feast in the Shadows degustation dinner with Lisa McGuigan, Local Connections, University of Newcastle, Callaghan.

22 September to 2 October – New Annual, Newcastle.

September Spring school holidays NSW Monday 25 September – Friday 6 October

OCTOBER 

5 October – Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Tour, Warners Bay Theatre, baramayiba.

7 October – Riverlights Multicultural Festival, The Levee, Maitland.

13 October – Friday Night Feast Season 4, The Station Newcastle, 4.30pm to 8.30pm.

14 & 15 October – Fast & Loud Festival, Warners Bay. 

15 October – Dachshtober Longdog Festival, Tocal Agricultural College, 10am to 4pm.

15 October – Got Your Back Sista ‘I Run for Her’.

20 October – IF Maitland Indie Writers Festival and Artfest, Maitland, until 29 October.

21 October – A Day on the Green presents The Chicks, Bimbadgen Estate.

22 October – Fernleigh 15, Adamstown. 

28 October – Maitland Brew’s, Blues and BBQ Festival, Maitland.

NOVEMBER 

4 & 5 November – Bitter & Twisted Boutique Beer Festival, Maitland Gaol. 

10 November – Friday Night Feast Season 4, The Station Newcastle, 4.30pm to 8.30pm.

11 & 12 November – Seafood and Cider Festival, Speers Point Park.

12 November – Newcastle City Triathlon. 

18 November – Let’s Fish Lake Mac.

18 & 19 November – The Air Force Newcastle Williamtown Air Show 2023, Newcastle and Williamtown. 

29 November – Belinda Carlisle, Civic Theatre. 

DECEMBER 

8 December – Friday Night Feast Season 4, The Station Newcastle, 4.30pm to 8.30pm.

10 December – Lake Mac Carols, Speers Point Park. 

31 December – New Years’ Eve Celebrations, Riverside at The Levee Maitland. 

For more stories like this:

• Your guide to markets in our region
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Curated by Maitland City Council’s Opened Minds Digitisation team, this captivating exhibit celebrates history and invites visitors to explore the past through a unique lens.  

History Week, a statewide celebration organised by the History Council of NSW, will take place between now and Sunday 10 September.  

Maitland City Library is joining this celebration by presenting the Voices of the Past exhibition, which will run until Thursday 14 September.  

Maitland Libraries coordinator of community participation Carol Edmonds expressed her excitement about the exhibition’s role in celebrating History Week.  

“This exhibition invites you to enter a world where history comes to life through Voices of the Past,” she said.

“We’re showcasing a remarkable collection of carte-de-visite photographic cards, each carrying a piece of unknown history within its frame.”

The cards on display will provide a poignant glimpse into the lives of individuals from bygone eras, capturing moments and inspiring stories that resonate through time.  

At the heart of the exhibition is an invitation for visitors to become active participants in history. 

Participants can engage with the enigmatic sitters captured in the photographs through a creative writing activity, encouraging them to lend their voices to unknown people in history and contribute their narratives and perspectives.  

“This exhibition encourages us to connect with the past in a personal and meaningful way,” Ms Edmonds said.  

“Voices of the Past is not just an exhibition; it’s an opportunity to imagine the narrative, to honour those who came before us, and to celebrate the stories that define our collective identity.”

In line with History Week, Maitland City Library will host two other events including the Riverside Crime Walk facilitated by Dark Stories and launch the Maitland Library Oral History Project 2023.  

The Maitland Library Oral History Project opens on Thursday 7 September at 2pm.  

Curated by the Opened Minds Digitisation team, this product involves an interactive display of the spoken histories of individuals, families and community members who have either experienced flooding or, whose lives are impacted by the threat of reoccurring flooding in the Maitland region.  

On Friday 8 September, Dark Stories will guide you along the riverside walk taking a deep dive into the underbelly of Maitland’s dark past.  

Tickets to the Riverside Crime Walk are limited and priced at $15. 

For more stories like this:

• The future of Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre
• MP Greg Piper joins fight for gambling reform
• High-speed rail for Newcastle

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The Australian motocross legend, who’ll perform alongside the biggest names in the business, will appear in the action-packed production Freestyle Kings Live on Saturday 9 March.

At the dynamic, jaw-dropping show, Maddison’s lining up with FMX champion and 13-time X Games medallist Rob Adelberg and two-time World Games titleholder Pat Bowden.

Seventeen-year-old Ry Davis returns with another world record attempt up his sleeve, Brayden Davies will perform the leap of faith – the only rider on the globe capable of performing this trick – along with Maddison’s son Kruz and Novocastrian Michael “Chuck” Norris.

The team’s also adding a 15m off-road truck jump among the 12 participants.

“Venues NSW is incredibly excited to partner with TEG Sport to secure Freestyle Kings Live for Newcastle,” McDonald Jones Stadium manager Dean Mantle said.

“It’s one of those events that’s best experienced live.

“Fans will be on the edge of their seats watching daring freestyle motocross stunts over an incredible two-hour show.”

TEG Group CEO Geoff Jones agreed.

“We’re thrilled to take the epic Freestyle Kings on its biggest stadium tour to date,” he said.

“With the likes of motocross legend Robbie Maddison and more hugely-talented riders, it’s going to be an impressive display of adrenaline-fuelled action on the nine-stop stadium tour across Australia.

“It’s not every day that you get to see the world’s best riders perform right in front of your eyes.

“So, make sure you mark your calendars for March 2024.”  

The outdoor choregraphed family-fun event is guaranteed to keep spectators on the edge of their seats with more excitement than you could imagine.

Death-defying stunts and never-seen-before world firsts along with front flips, double backflips, side by side jumps performed bigger, faster and higher than ever before.

The riders will hit heights of more than 75-feet from the ground during one huge, choreographed show with pyrotechnics, firebreathers, music, VIP experiences and much more.  

“We’ve sold out our past six arena shows over the past 12 months,” Freestyle Kings’ Josh Hannah said.

“With indoor venues, we have faced various limitations due to floor size and roof height.

“So, to take this tour to the best stadiums in Australia, where we are able to throwdown tricks that aren’t possible indoors, this is going to be the biggest and best action sports show you have ever seen.”

The event caters for fans of all-ages and will give them the opportunity to meet their idols at a pre-event meet and greet in a safe environment for all.

Tickets will go on pre-sale from 10am on Wednesday 11 October at www.ticketmaster.com.au

For more entertainment stories:

• Are we ever gonna see their faces again… and the answer is ‘yes’
• Beauty and the Beast star Alana Tranter from Maitland to Disney
• Quiz: How well do you know Newcastle?

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Port Stephens Council is hosting the outdoor event to celebrate everything that makes Birubi Beach unique.

Music, food trucks, a sand sculpture, illuminated puppets and educational elements about the Worimi Conservation Lands, including how the famous dunes came to be, adds to the festive atmosphere.

And, it all takes place at Robinson Reserve on Saturday 2 September, from 4pm, with the local nippers manning a barbecue.

Port Stephens mayor Ryan Palmer said Night at the Beach would bring families and the community together for an evening under the stars.

“We’re keen to bring this unique event to Anna Bay for both locals and visitors to enjoy,” he explained.

“We are proud to have curated an impactful collection of illuminated and sensory elements that’ll give people an immersive and culturally-rich experience.

“It will be a fantastic opportunity for residents and those from outside the area to learn more about the historical and cultural significance of Birubi and its famous sand dunes.”

Night at the Beach is the final major event of three that Port Stephens Council was successful in securing funding for throughout 2023, from the NSW Government’s Reconnecting Regional NSW program.

The Robinson Reserve Carpark will be closed from 9am on Saturday 2 September.

From 4pm to 9pm, only accessible parking is allowed in the area.

Alternative spots are available at the Birubi Beach top and bottom carpark, with an overflow carpark at One Mile Beach.

A shuttle bus will transfer attendees to and from the One Mile Beach overflow carpark to the event.

Read more about Night at the Beach at pscouncil.info/night-at-the-beach.

For more entertainment stories:

• Are we ever gonna see their faces again… and the answer is ‘yes’
• Local creatives invited to take centre stage at The Playhouse
• Gibson to bring ‘Voices of Joan’ to 2023 New Annual festival

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Think Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again, Take A Long Line, No Secrets, Shadow Boxer, Marseilles, I Ain’t The One, Comin’ Down, After The Rain, Dogs Are Talking and We Gotta Get Out Of This Place… for starters.

Now, the band – in celebration of its five decades as one of Australia’s most-revered rock acts – is hitting the road for its 50 Years in the Making national tour, which includes stopovers at Toronto (Saturday 21 October) and Doyalson (Friday 10 November).

Following the departure of long-time vocalist Novocastrian Dave Gleeson (The Screaming Jets), former drummer Nick Norton is taking centre stage as the new frontman.

Performing in The Angels takes a musician with remarkable talent.

And, having been a member of the band since 2011, Norton is a familiar face to fans. 

“Nick is an incredible musician and a great singer and songwriter,” founding member John Brewster said.

“He obviously knows the songs like the back of his hand and the crowds already know and love him, so he’s the perfect fit.

“The 50^th anniversary is a very special time for The Angels.

“And, it means a lot that the fans already know Nick.

“Our relationship with the audience means everything to us and we’ll never take that for granted.”

Brother Rick Brewster agrees.

“The time we get to spend onstage makes everything else worthwhile,” he said.

“It’s always been about the songs and the power of the guitars.

“We’ve already got a very busy six months ahead of us, which is brilliant for the new line-up.”

As for Norton, he’s just as excited.

“There’s such a heritage of great music there, classic songs, killer riffs,” he said.

“The legwork is already done, I just have to get up and sing them.

“Twelve years in the band behind the kit has provided the pedigree, not to mention learning at the School of Rock from the honourable Dave Gleeson.”

Replacing Norton on drums is John Brewster’s son Tom.

That means The Angels will now have two sets of Brewster brothers – John and Rick on guitar, and Sam (who joined the band in 2013 on bass) and Tom.

This is it, folks – an exciting new chapter in the storied career of the band. Let the night roll on.

Tickets are on sale now via theangels.com.au

For more entertainment stories:

• Local creatives invited to take centre stage at The Playhouse
• Beauty and the Beast: Alana Tranter from Maitland to Disney
• Gibson to bring ‘Voices of Joan’ to 2023 New Annual festival

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The region’s creative and performing arts community is being invited to express their interest in presenting reimagined works in the Civic Theatre’s intimate Playhouse Theatre in 2024.

Up to four shows will be selected as part of UpStage at The Playhouse, a program that’ll offer each one a two-week placement in the atmospheric 195-seat Playhouse, which is co-located in the same building of the iconic Hunter Street venue.

Expressions of interest are now open and close on Friday 15 September.

Civic Theatre manager Leonie Wallace said the program, which will take to the stage in March, is all about “local shows for local audiences”.

“UpStage at The Playhouse will showcase the ability, creativity and diversity of talent right here in Newcastle,” she explained.

“We piloted the initiative last year and Tantrum Youth Arts was successful with its production Good Mourning.”

Tantrum creative director Penelope Kentish welcomed the latest move.

“We were excited to deliver Good Mourning as part of UpStage at The Playhouse and the chance for early career artists to work alongside industry professionals, on such an important platform,” she said.

“To have the support and investment from Civic Theatre in new Australian work is fantastic.

“It’s vital for the early career artists we work with, to build and sustain their careers in Newcastle and have local audiences share in their stories.

“Good Mourning is a production that explores the complexities of loss and grief from the honest perspective of an eight-year-old, who reminds us that while death is scary, life is a celebration. 

“We look forward to presenting it at The Playhouse from 22 to 23 September, as part of New Annual.”

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said CN was committed to providing a platform for local creatives while also boosting what’s on offer to the local community.

“City of Newcastle and Civic Theatre are investing in theatre productions, providing their members with the space and offering marketing and technical support to help give productions a leg up,” she stated.

“The Playhouse is ideal for presenting smaller local community productions, which complement the commercial and professional Broadway shows hosted in the larger Civic Theatre.”

City of Newcastle’s Community and Culture Advisory Committee chair Carol Duncan said Newcastle was attracting a new wave of creatives.

“The timing is right for a local program like Upstage at The Playhouse with talent emerging in the region in need of a launching pad,” she added.

“We look forward to seeing what comes through from the expressions of interest to form the 2024 schedule.”

To register your interest, visit Civic Theatre’s website.

For more entertainment stories:

• Gibson to bring ‘Voices of Joan’ to 2023 New Annual festival
• Beauty and the Beast: Alana Tranter from Maitland to Disney
• Quiz: How well do you know Newcastle?

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An actor, theatre-maker, director and teaching artist, she has been using the medium to connect with communities for much of her adult life.

After 15 years of performing before sell-out crowds in theatres in Sydney, Poland, America and Scotland, the founder of Whale Chorus is bringing her Voices of Joan to the city’s New Annual festival this September. 

The solo performance is a 90-minute tribute to Joan of Arc. 

In a radical retelling of a moment in history, Gibson will explore themes of courage, failure and finding inner strength in the face of adversity. 

By searching for Joan’s story in fragments of words throughout history, words spoken at her trial, translated in textbooks, imagined in poetry and illuminated in drama, she will transform New Lambton Community Centre into a creative powerhouse. 

With irreverent humour and multiple onstage costume changes she promises to transform into the multitudinous voices of Joan, tumbling through an ancient story that continues to reverberate with audiences today.   

“We are so excited to finally be bringing this work to Newcastle,” she says. 

“We have performed seasons in Spain, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. 

“This season at the New Annual festival is a long-awaited Newcastle premiere and I can’t wait to share it with local audiences and offer them a renewed experience of an iconic New Lambton venue.” 

Voices of Joan is directed by Finnish artist Anu Almagro.  

Together they have developed the international collaboration within experimental theatre laboratories in Poland.  

New Annual will run from Friday 22 September to Saturday 1 October. 

The 2023 program includes aerial artists, a percussion performance featuring 100 local drummers, visual arts, music, dance and theatre. 

For more entertainment stories like this:

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Council will serve up a feast of Indigenous traditions at Hamilton’s James Street Plaza on Saturday 26 August as part of the swansong for Newcastle Art Gallery’s (NAG) outdoor projection project.

The venture, which was launched in July during NAIDOC Week, included nightly screenings of DEAD TONGUE 2015, a major video work from NAG’s collection by internationally-renowned First Nations artist Dr Christian Thompson AO.

The moving piece, accompanied by a stirring soundtrack of the artist singing in Bidjara language, pays homage to the survival and reclamation of First Nations’ languages. 

So, to acknowledge the final weekend of projection, the gallery is collaborating with local Wanjun Carpenter to host an evening of performance, food and music in James Street Plaza.

“City of Newcastle’s committed to providing opportunities for our community to recognise the extraordinary creative and cultural practices of First Nations people,” Cr Duncan said.

“The gallery’s projection project has provided a wonderful avenue through which we can gain new perspectives and celebrate the work of First Nations creatives.”

The event also features local and national artists including Nardi Simpson, Adam Manning, Lacey Bilger and Lena Parkes presented by Catapult Dance, alongside DJ Wanjun Carpenter.

Aboriginal-owned food truck, Blackseed Catering & Café, will be set up in the Plaza with delicious food and drinks made with native ingredients available for purchase, too.

Newcastle Art Gallery director Lauretta Morton OAM said the project was another way of connecting with the community.

“This has been presented as part of our ambitious offsite, outreach and digital programming, which is being delivered while the gallery undergoes its major expansion,” she explained.

“The new-look NAG will launch with an artistic program of ground-breaking temporary exhibitions alongside permanent displays of the collection.

“In the meantime, it is important to give our community as many avenues as possible to stay connected to us.

“So, we’re thrilled to have been able to share this important First Nations work from our collection with everyone during the past two months.”

The free closing celebration for DEAD TONGUE 2015 will kick off from 6pm.

For more entertainment stories:

• Beauty and the Beast: Alana Tranter from Maitland to Disney
• What’s On in Newcastle
• Musical treats to hit the high notes in Hunter

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The local woman is a star on the rise, currently playing the principal role of Madame in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. 

The production, based on the 1991 animated film, is one of the top 10 longest running shows in Broadway history, touring 37 countries worldwide. 

For Maitland-born Alana, it has been an opportunity to fulfil a lifelong dream. 

From her humble beginnings performing on stages across Newcastle, the former St Phillip’s Christian College (SPCC) student is putting her skills to the test, performing eight shows a week at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre. 

“Beauty and The Beast has always been a dream show for me,” says the 34-year-old. 

“I’ve always loved the show and of course I loved the movie growing up.” 

This is Alana’s first principal role in a major commercial musical. 

“I wasn’t sure there was anything in it for me, but obviously went in for the audition because you go in for everything you can, and I got super lucky,” she said. 

“It does feel a bit surreal that I’m performing in a Disney musical.” 

Alana plays the role of Madame, a matchmaking wardrobe. 

“She gets these feelings about things and she’s always right when she gets these feelings,” she explained. 

“She’s very funny and she has a lot of heart and is a little bit sassy as well. Which is great. 

“I don’t think we’re anything alike but that’s the joy about being an actor, you can imagine being someone else for a bit.” 

Formed in 1994, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast has been seen by more than 200 million theatregoers worldwide. 

Its Sydney production, says Alana, has been beautifully revised and reimagined, with its nostalgic appeal remaining intact. 

“It’s quite spectacular. The costumes, the set, it’s lavish and amazing, everything you’d expect in a Disney musical,” she said. 

“There’s been a little bit of rewriting here and there to bring it into the modern world but at its heart it is the story that we all know and love.”  

Ironically, Beauty and the Beast was Alana’s final school production. 

In 2007, when she was in Year 12, she played the part of lead female Belle before audiences of 4,000 seated in St Phillip’s $7 million onsite theatre. 

“I do credit a lot of my success to growing up in Newcastle and being in such a supportive environment,” she said 

“There’s so much great theatre there, even more now so than when I was there.” 

For the school’s director of performing arts Michael Cooper, Alana’s success is reward for a remarkable work ethic. 

“We are so proud of her,” he says. 

“She always had a very strong work ethic, an incredibly positive attitude and was never someone who would see herself as a diva but certainly was very humble in her approach. 

“She continues today to be a kind and caring performer who genuinely wants the best for others and wants to inspire others to be their best as well.” 

In his “almost-23 years” in the role, Mr Cooper admits he’s rarely seen a student with Alana’s skillset. 

“It was always Alana’s hope and dream to pursue musical theatre as her future and she was always motivated to work hard and to give herself the best opportunity to excel, which she did,” he told the Newcastle Weekly. 

“What she did was she trained in dance, she trained extensively in singing and she also did a lot of drama. 

“She made sure that the three areas required in musical theatre were covered. 

“We call that a triple threat in musical theatre world.” 

Alana’s latest role follows a lengthy stint in the Broadway smash hit Come From Away, which was performed at Newcastle’s Civic Theatre earlier this year. 

The opportunity allowed her to perform before a home crowd. 

“It was amazing, a really good experience,” she said. 

“I mean we have such an amazing arts community in Newcastle and the training there is really top notch.” 

For more stories like this:

• What’s On in and around Newcastle
• How well do you know Newcastle? – take our quiz
• Best restaurants in Newcastle

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