FRIDAY
Float Your Boat 2023 Rug up and enjoy this annual competition for boat owners to dress their boats with lights and take part in a flotilla parade for cash prizes. Cast a vote for the People's Choice Award. Toronto Foreshore: 5pm-5.45pm, family party with Shimmy Shimmy Ya; 6pm-9pm, live music by Talk of the Town; 6pm, fire twirling; 7pm, LED twirling and dancing; 8pm, fire twirling; 5pm-9pm, get a photo in front of the Fairy Light Wall, play and learn with free art and craft from the Crud Muffins and have a chat to the Navy Cadets. Also, plenty of food vendors. The boats will travel from Empire Marina Lake Macquarie to Toronto, Coal Point and Wangi Wangi (western side of Lake Macquarie).
SATURDAY
Float Your Boat 2023 Warners Bay Foreshore: 5pm- 5.45pm, family party with Shimmy Shimmy Ya; 6pm-9pm, live music by Talk of the Town; 6pm, fire twirling; 7pm, LED twirling and dancing; 8pm, fire twirling; 5pm-9pm, get a photo in front of the Fairy Light Wall, play and learn with free art and craft from the Crud Muffins and have a chat to the Navy Cadets. Grab a bite from various food vendors onsite including Southern Smoke, The Cob Shop, Newcastle Spiral Spuds, Food by Zed, Youngs Food Trikes, Andy's Dumplings, Spring Potato, Gozleme, Gourmet Coffee Cruiser, Lake Mac Ice Cream, Lulu's Gelato and Mini Dutch Pancakes or grab a seafood box from Dawsons Oysters on King Street. The boats will travel from Empire Marina Lake Macquarie to Warners Bay, Eleebana, Valentine and Belmont (eastern side of Lake Macquarie).
Snow Time in the Garden 9.30am to 4.30pm, Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin. Enjoy a fun-filled day at the gardens with attractions like the Mega Snow Play Zone, a 45-metre ice toboggan slide and ice-skating rink, the Venetian carousel, the teacup ride and the ferris wheel. Roving performers include The Amazing Jono. Also on Sunday. For more information or to purchase tickets visit huntervalleygardens.com.au/events/snow-time-in-the-garden
Newcastle Museum 10am to 5pm, all weekend, 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle. Includes The Birds of Australia exhibition, presented on STORYBOX, an interactive storytelling cube, and bringing to life the iconic bird illustrations of John and Elizabeth Gould together with First Nations storytelling and knowledge. Free.
SHOWROOM: Tantrum's Emerging Artist Industry Day 11am to 7pm, Tantrum Youth Arts, 101 City Road, Merewether. Tantrum's annual industry day for emerging artists. Jump into valuable learning with a producing masterclass and networking skills workshop, plus hear from industry professionals and other emerging artists on how they got started as independent makers. Tickets at events.humanitix.com/showroom/tickets
Hunter Valley Wine & Beer Festival Tag along with mum and dad and enjoy train rides, an animal petting zoo, face painting, a jumping castle, and lots of food options. 11am to 5pm, Rydges Resort Hunter Valley.
Barrington Picnic Train Travel from Maitland to Gloucester on a 1950s steam locomotive. Details at picnictrain.com.au
Wild Learning Portrait Painting Party for Kids and Grown Ups 2.30pm to 4pm, Wild Learning, 11 Wollombi Road, Cessnock. A workshop suitable for kids aged 6-12 and their favourite grown-ups. Tickets $18 at wildlearning.corsizio.com. Creative Kids NSW vouchers can be used.
HomeCo. Kotara's EOFY Car Park Sale Parents can grab a bargain and the kids can be entertained from 9am to 1pm. There's a baby animal farm, Bricks for Kidz Lego Workshop, an Extreme Mobile Game Theatre; free face painting, and roaming entertainers (jugglers, a Hoola Hoop artist and a balloon artist) plus lots of giveaways.
Ice Skating - Public Skate Session 11.30am to 1.30pm, Hunter Ice Skating Stadium, Warners Bay. All skill levels welcome. An area is set aside for beginners where they can use skating frames to assist with balance. Spectators admitted free and can enjoy a cuppa in Starpucks Cafe.
Social Fabric: Afghan 'Dress Flowers' Workshop for Children 10.30am to noon, Lovett Gallery, Newcastle. Participants will meet an Afghan-Australian artisan and learn about the making and use of "dress flowers" (colourful decorative hand-embellished patches that are added to traditional festive Afghan dresses). There will be a dress flower hunt among the dresses in the gallery and the opportunity to make dress-flower-inspired craft. Suitable for ages 5 to 12. Children must be accompanied by an adult assistant. Bookings essential (tickets only required for children) by emailing library@ncc.nsw.gov.au
Cinderella by St Philip's Christian College 2pm and 7pm, Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Inspired by the acclaimed 1997 teleplay starring Brandy and Whitney Houston, this version of the magical fairytale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance. Join Cinderella as she attends the ball and shows us that it's possible to make all your dreams come true.
Young Archie Lake Macquarie 10am to 3pm, Charlestown Square. A celebration of young Australian artists between the ages of five and 18 who were asked to submit a portrait of 'someone who is special to them and plays a significant role in their life'.
Kids Disco Noon to 2pm, Kahibah Sports Club. Interactive games, dancing, face painting and balloon art. Tickets $8, book at trybooking.com.
150 Years Under Lock and Key Guided Tour 11am to 12.30pm, Maitland Gaol. Bookings essential, children must be accompanied by a supervising adult. Also on Sunday.
HVAFARC Petbarn Newcastle West Adoption Day 10am to 2pm, Petbarn Newcastle West.
Dobell Festival ART PLAY 10am and 11am, SEEN@Swansea, 228/234 Pacific Hwy, Swansea. Simple art activities guided by friendly art educators. Tickets must be booked for the adults and children attending the session. Entry by gold coin donation.
Multicultural Fiesta Multicultural Fiesta 11am to 5pm, Hunter Multicultural Communities, Waratah Community Reserve, 2a Platt Street, Waratah. Performers from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, live music, food stalls, multicultural dance, and a petting zoo and jumping castle for the kids. Entry is free.
Port Stephens Library Literary Picnic: Your Story Adventure Children's Writing Workshop with Kaz Delaney 10am to 11.30am, Tomaree Library. Kaz is an award winning young adult and children's author. Her writing workshop is for children aged eight to 12.
SUNDAY
Edgeworth Trains The park is open from 9.30am, miniature train rides (steam and diesel) from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Hosted by Lake Macquarie Live Steam Locomotive Society. Velinda Street, Edgeworth. Cost is $2.50 per train ride. Children under two years old are free.
Dungog Picnic Train Travel from Maitland to Dungog on a steam train. Details at picnictrain.com.au
Free Art Sunday 11.45am to 12.30pm, Maitland Regional Art Gallery. Activities designed for kids of all ages, and as a family, you can all join in and get creative. Art Sunday is staffed by art tutors who encourage parents and children to add to their experience of the gallery by accessing hands-on art-making activities in a family-friendly environment.
Wickham Markets 7am to 1pm, Wickham Park. There will be prizes for best-dressed pets, which could be fun.
Ice Skating - Newcastle Northstars vs Adelaide Adrenaline 4pm, Hunter Ice Skating Stadium, Warners Bay.
Wild Learning Create With Colour Workshop - Aboriginal Dot Art with Aunty Michelle 10am to 1.30pm, Wild Learning, 111 Wollombi Road, Cessnock. Paint your own rainbow serpent piece on canvas. Cost $60.
MORE IDEAS
Whale Watching Grab a headland or a beach and point your binoculars east. Or, you could jump on a whale watching cruise from Nelson Bay.
Shameless Selfie Studio 255 Hunter Street, Newcastle. Play and pose in 20 interactive photo booths. Book at shameless-selfiestudio.com.au. Also open on Sunday.
Blackbutt Nature Reserve Open all weekend, Carnley Avenue, Kotara. Wildlife, playground and more.
Fort Scratchley Tunnel Tour 10am to 4pm, Nobbys Road, Newcastle.
Hunter Wetlands Centre 9am to 4pm, 1 Wetland Place, Shortland. Magpie geese feeding; reptile encounters; dip netting; canoe hire and more.
The Station Newcastle Ride the scooter track, go on a scavenger hunt, and more.
Stockton Ferry Ride Saturday from 5am to midnight, Sunday from 8.30am to 10pm. Go to newcastletransport.info/plan-your-trip/ferry-services/
Fighter World 10am to 4pm, RAAF Williamtown.
