We’ve farewelled Queen Elizabeth II, we’re about to kickstart the spring school holidays and we’re waiting for the beach weather to shine on us, so what should we do to fill the weekend?
Here’s our top pick:
Film
Enjoy all the energy of the Sydney Festival 2022 without having to travel down the highway. By heading to the Newcastle Museum across the weekend visitors can partake in all the star attractions of the annual event – on the big screen.
The city’s hub of history will be screening four films at the weekend as part of the New Annual Festival, and there’s bound to be something for every member of the family.
Saturday 1pm: 宿 (stay) a theatrical story celebrating the fates of three women, worlds apart, whose lives become intertwined, set to dance and music.
Saturday 2.30pm: Audiences can immerse themselves in The Pulse as 22 bodies and 26 voices move as one in an epic show of strength and song. The moving choral score meets the beauty of physical display, as this unique work explores how we –as people, communities, or clusters of particles – respond to the changes that are continually happening around us.
Sunday 1pm: Enjoy the Italian Baroque with Circa, presented by Australian Brandenburg Orchestra in a collaboration with Brisbane’s Circa Contemporary Circus. Music and movement will accompany death-defying acrobats in an hour-long performance celebrating the history and culture of the Italian cities of Florence, Naples, Venice and Rome.
Sunday 3pm: The younger family members can get up close and personal with some primeval creatures at Erth’s Prehistoric Picnic – 65 million years in the making.
Smart
There will be a plethora of entertainment options at Speers Point Park this weekend as part of Lake Macquarie’s 2022 Living Smart Festival.
Some of the titbits you might not want to miss are an electric vehicle display, an upcycle zone conducting workshops in converting household items into usable treasures, a school garden bed competition, a bike repair stall, yoga in the park and a range of kids’ activities.
Hunter Valley
Wupa@Wanaruah is a free Aboriginal art and culture exhibition sprawling six different venues in the Hunter Valley. The trail is a self-guided tour that allows visitors to experience the Aboriginal history and culture of the region at their own pace. The trail takes visitors from the Hunter Valley Resort to Drayton Family Wines, Crowne Plaza, Mecure Hunter Valley Gardens, Tambulaine Winery and Mecure Newcastle Airport.
Sculptures
The Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary exhibition from now until 25 September. The free, all-ages community event will feature an array of works, from large to small and serious to whimsical, from local and international sculptors. Pieces will be displayed across six indoor galleries, two vineyards, as well as in the townships of Wollombi and neighbouring Laguna.
Art
For many artists, capturing a point in time is a compelling endeavour. The Life, Still exhibition brings together works of art from the Maitland Regional Art Gallery Collection that celebrate the beauty, stillness and rapture of the present moment. Open from 10am to 2pm.
Chalk
A creative celebration of colour and energy that is fun for all ages, Chalk the Walk, returns to the streets of Newcastle from this week, featuring seven inspiring and internationally acclaimed artists that have transformed the city’s CBD into an interactive 3D street art gallery until 2 October.
Markets
On Sunday Speers Point Park will be home to Homegrown Markets from 10am to 2pm, with organisers promising a large array of regular stalls as well as some incredible debuts. Everything from dog treats, preloved clothing, hand-made accessories, and pot plants, will share the grassed area with live music, coffee, and hot food.
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