SATURDAY
Warners Bay Markets 9am to 2pm, Warners Bay Foreshore.
Glendale Farmers & Artisan Market 7am to 1.30pm, Stockland Glendale (under the "big white top").
St Peter's Vintage Market Day and Quilt Display 9am to 1pm, Banks Street, East Maitland.
Tanilba Bay Lions Markets 8am to noon, Kooindah Plaza, Tanilba Bay.
James Street Providore Markets 9am to 1pm, James Street Plaza, Hamilton.
Handmade in the Hunter Markets 9am to 2pm, Sobels Wines, 5 Halls Road, Pokolbin.
Hunter Wine Country Markets 9am to 2pm, De Bortoli Wines, Lovedale.
Newcastle Jazz Festival Traditional, mainstream and contemporary jazz, big bands, swing, blues boogie piano and funk. Newcastle City Hall (and Sunday), go to newcastlejazz.com.au for details.
Inflatables on the Green 11am to 3.30pm, Club Lambton (and Sunday).
Warners Bay Community Garden Working Bee 9am to 1pm, Bunya Park, Eleebana.
The Cranky Handle Rally 9.30am to 3pm, Richmond Vale Railway Museum. An exhibition of old machinery and equipment, working engines, tractors, trucks, cars, bikes, tool collections and farm memorabilia.
Newcastle Steelers Winter 3x3 Basketball Tournament 10.30am, Forum Stadium, Newcastle University.
Surfing the Spectrum - Surf 'n Turf Fundraiser 8am, paddleboard competition at Dixon Park Beach; 5pm, fundraiser evening at Earp Distilling Co.
Singleton Emergency Services Expo 9am to noon, Queen Street, Singleton.
Family Fun Day at Wallsend Library 10am to 2pm, 30 Bunn Street, Wallsend.
2022 Hunter Region Vinnies Community Sleepout A virtual event (safely sleep in your car, backyard, lounge room etc) to raise money for the Hunter Vinnies Conferences.
Newcastle's True Crime Tour 7.30pm, 104 Scott Street, Newcastle (book at eventbrite.com.au; and Sunday). Maitland's True Crime Tour 7.30pm, Railway Street, Maitland (book at eventbrite.com.au).
Shrek The Musical Final shows at 1.30pm and 7.30pm, Civic Theatre.
Saturday Night Showcase 6.30pm, Newcastle Comedy Club.
SUNDAY
Boutique Markets 9am to 2pm, Tocal Homestead, Paterson.
Toronto Lions Markets 8am to 1pm, Lions Park, Main Road, Toronto.
Homegrown Markets 10am to 2pm, Speers Point Park.
Adamstown Lions Markets 7am to noon, cnr Brunker and Glebe roads, Adamstown.
Newcastle City Farmers Market 7am to 1pm, Newcastle Showground.
Nelson Bay Legacy Markets 9am to 3pm, Neil Carroll Park, Nelson Bay.
Fort Scratchley Guns Firing 1pm and 5.15pm to celebrate the visiting cruise ship Coral Princess. Nobby's Drive, Newcastle East.
Grazing the Gardens 9am to 4pm, Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Heatherbrae. Live music and picnics in picturesque surrounds.
Hunter Science Festival 10am to 3pm, Newcastle Museum. Also, Brain & Biomes Exhibition.
NRL Round 23: nib Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders, 4pm to 6pm, McDonald Jones Stadium, followed by NRLW Round 1: nib Newcastle Knights v Brisbane Broncos, 6pm.
MUSIC
Alex The Astronaut 6pm, Saturday, Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West. The Sydney indie-folk songwriter recently released her impressive second album How To Grow A Sunflower Underwater. Charlie Collins on support.
Split Feed 8pm, Saturday, Cambridge Hotel (warehouse), Newcastle West. This could be the final hurrah from the Newcastle punk band. Fellow local bands Jacob and Resident on the bill.
Lloyd Spiegel 7pm, Saturday, Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield. The acoustic guitar bluesman is joined on stage by Lisa Baird (trombone) and Tim Burnham (drums).
ART
ASW Local Landscapes. Stevenjankovic, until August 21.
The Creator Incubator The Mountain Stands Still. Gavin Vitullo. Opening 5pm, August 20.
Timeless Textiles United Tribes ... Gathering: Susan Doherty.
The Owens Collective Spring, featuring works by Vera Zulumovski, Edward Milan, Michelle Brodie and Annmarie Murland. Ends August 21.
Straitjacket Gallery Leslie Fitzsimmons, Jo Dyer.
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