Have you made plans for this weekend yet? From markets and comedy gigs to live music and long lunches, there's always plenty happening in Newcastle. Keep reading for our guide to what's on this weekend in Newcastle, and start filling up your calendar.

May 16 - 19

Write Here Festival | 16 - 19 May
Masterchef champion-turned-bestselling-author Julie Goodwin is set to headline this year’s Write Here Festival in Lake Mac. Write Here Festival invites writers and readers to hear tips, tricks and tales from local and visiting writers across a range of genres and media.

Newcastle & Lake Macquarie Career Expo | 16 May
A yearly highlight on the school calendar for senior students, the region's largest career expo attracts exhibitors focused on providing information to students about career opportunities, training. and tertiary education. The event is open to the public and entry is just $5 per person at the gate.
Where: Newcastle Racecourse, Darling St, Broadmeadow

Vintage Kilo Sale | 17 May
Shop a selection of second-hand clothing, unique vintage pieces, and well-known brands, both vintage and contemporary, at this epic sale where clothes are bought by the kilo.
Where: 48 Watt St, Newcastle

Be More Chill | Until 18 May
Jeremy Heere is just an average teenager, until he finds out about “The Squip” – a tiny supercomputer that promises to bring him everything he desires most. But is being the most popular guy in school worth the risk? Catch this play by Chookas Entertainment this May.
Where: The Playhouse, Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter St, Newcastle

SagoSun Flea Market | 18 May
Shop vintage, pre-loved unisex clothing at SagoSun's next flea market at Lowlands Bowling Club. Sip coffee from Arlo's Coffee Van while you browse over 20 stalls and bag a few goodies for yourself.
Where: Lowlands Bowling Club, 98A Dawson St, Cooks Hill

GREASE by substance | 18 May
GREASE is an art show exploring connections to the sticky, the icky, the oily, and the dirty, through performance, sound, and art. Responding to greasy materialities as well as diverse aesthetic tropes, GREASE plays with slippage between style and stereotype, platforming experimental arts practice.
Where: The Lock-Up, 90 Hunter St, Newcastle

Kaz & Jude's Menopausal Night Out | 18 May
Kaz Cooke and Judith Lucy are hitting the road with their Menopausal Night Out tour, full of stand-up, laughs, and useful, real chat about perimenopause and what comes next.
Where: City Hall, 290 King St, Newcastle

Little Festival Belmont | 18 May
Mark your calendars – Little Festival is bringing a pop-up experience to the Belmont. From 10am-12pm, catch Goya Torres, Dan Williams, and Mitch Berrigan as they showcase their live painting skills; get your hands on one of 085c3n3’s creations from the Mine Zine Library; or hunt for Tinky’s newest miniature installation.
Where: 600 Pacific Hwy, Belmont

Hunter Record Fair | 18 May
The Hunter's largest record and CD fair is on again on this May. Stallholders from around the country will be offering a massive range of both new and second-hand vinyl records and CDs across loads of genres – don’t miss out on bargains, rarities, LPs, 45s and more.
Where: Kotara High School, 57 Lexington Pde, Adamstown

Bernie's Queer Markets | 19 May
Bernie's Queer Markets are back this May! Expect plenty of stalls featuring locally-made and designed goodies, plus plenty of chance to connect with community.
Where: Bernie's, 410 King St, Newcastle

Thrifty Sunday at MOA & Co. | 19 May
Head to Carrington's MOA & Co. this Sunday from 3pm to shop a selection of secondhand and vintage clothing – right in time for a winter wardrobe update.
Where: MOA & Co., 16 Gipps St, Carrington

Ruby Rickard Live Painting | 19 May
From 2pm-6pm each, local painter Ruby Rickard hosts a live painting session at Castle del Mar, where she can show off her creative practice, and you can enquire about purchasing her art. There's also a DJ and Castle del Mar's usual cocktail and food offering.
Where: Castle del Mar, 31 King St, Newcastle

The Vault Markets | 19 May
Shop secondhand and vintage clothing, accessories, and more at The Vault Markets, which are taking over the beer garden at The Edwards from 1pm-4pm.
Where: The Edwards, 148 Parry St, Newcastle West

The Mousetrap | Until 25 May
The Mousetrap is the world's longest running play, and now you can experience it for yourself at the Civic Theatre. A genre-defining murder mystery from the best-selling novelist of all time, The Mousetrap will have you on the edge of your seat.
Where: Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter St, Newcastle

Sculptures @ Scratchley | Until 26 May
The hugely popular Sculptures @ Scratchley is returning in 2024, bringing sculptures by local and international artists to the grounds of Fort Scratchley.
Where: Fort Scratchley, 1/3 Nobbys Rd, Newcastle East

Amalfi Long Lunch | Fridays & Saturdays
This summer, you’ll be transported to the sun-drenched shores of Italy with the launch of Romberg’s Amalfi Long Lunch – a four-course antipasti feast paired with refreshing spritz cocktails.
Where: Level 9, 282 King St, Newcastle

Exhibitions

Philosophies of the Anaiwan | 1 May - 28 Jun
Philosophies of the Anaiwan draws from artist Simon Munro’s heritage, the Anaiwan nation of the New England Tablelands. Munro invites viewers to consider the mark-making in all forms in this exhibition as the living voices of his ancestors and extends a warm welcome to consider these works as an invitation into his family’s timeline.
Where: University Gallery, Callaghan

Idolatry | 10 - 25 May
Idolatry by Chris De La Motte is an exhibition of paintings that explore the idolatry of identity. While still adhering to classical composition, colour, and light distribution, the paintings are a site primarily for aesthetic appreciation, but also a mirror for our contemporary moment viewed through the eyes and idolatries of the past.
Where: Wester Gallery, 16 Wood St, Newcastle West

Where Delusion Meets the Sun | 10 May - 7 Jul
Artist James Drinkwater is curating The Lock-Up’s upcoming major exhibition, Where Delusion Meets the Sun, driven by his deep admiration for the works of Julian Schnabel, Lottie Consalvo, & Wayne Magrin. The exhibition delves into their art through themes of deviancy, defiance, escapism, fantasy, and their connection to spaces and processes of incarceration and demarcation.
Where: The Lock-Up, 90 Hunter St, Newcastle

Plantlife | 18 - 26 May
Twelve months in the making, Plantlife features all new work from David Griffen's darkroom. A combination of large black and white works and colourful alternative process prints, this exhibition showcases plant life from a road trip through Queensland, as well as a selection of images from the Hunter Valley Botanic Gardens.
Where: 133 Beaumont St, Hamilton

Want more Newcastle events? Check out our What's On Guide.