SATURDAY
Maitland Aroma Coffee and Chocolate Festival Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm, Maitland Riverside Carpark. Ward off the winter chill with the best local coffee roasters, a delectable range of chocolates, wines, desserts, local cuisine and fresh produce. This year will see the return of a host of popular features and events, including coffee roasters, market stalls, children's activities, and live entertainment.
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2016 Chris Watson Motorcycles Yamaha Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships Saturday and Sunday, 10am onwards, Barleigh Ranch track off Italia Road, Eagleton. Riders will chase championship honours in two-, three- and four-wheel racing. Admission is $20 per car on Saturday and $30 per car on Sunday.
Hunter Electric Vehicle Symposium Dinner 5.30pm, Club Macquarie, Argenton. Organised by climate solutions think tank Beyond Zero Emissions as part of the Hunter EV Festival.
Beat Bender Saturday, 6pm to 11pm, and Sunday, 2pm to 5pm, at The Lock-Up. A celebration of creative collaboration, music, performance and art. Kira Puru, DJ Phil Smart and Bandaluzia Flamenco with Bobby Singh will perform alongside some of Newcastle’s most talented musicians, DJs, sound artists, performance and visual artists. Live music, dance, a silent disco, live art installations, video works, performance art, tech art, karaoke art, food truck treats by Poco Loco, weird stuff and festive vibes. Children under 10 admitted free.
Hunter Valley Electric Vehicle Festival Saturday and Sunday, Newcastle Kart Racing Club, Cameron Park. High school students and privateers build and race their electric bikes for the coveted EV Prize. This year primary school students are building solar-powered cars and racing them on a 20-metre straight or oval track for the all-new Mini EV Prize. Check out the latest and greatest in electric vehicles, clean energy and alternative transport. Details online at hunterevfestival.net.
![An entrant in last year's Hunter Valley Electric Vehicle Festival. An entrant in last year's Hunter Valley Electric Vehicle Festival.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/37hLjTSaqSzzPeeWNnNkKKB/afbb4d70-99cb-4b4e-8bf1-f845c8d089f1.jpg/r0_0_1024_683_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Newcastle Music Festival Until August 21. Nan Price Memorial Scholarship, a competition for young pianists: 10am, Saturday, Newcastle Grammar School Performance Space. Our Music – A panel game for classical musicians, with David Banney, Paul Bevan, Colin Spiers, Jennifer Barnes, Deborah Humble and Erin Sweetman: 7.30pm, Saturday, The Unorthodox Church of Groove. Newcastle Youth Orchestra in Rehearsal: 11am, Sunday, Newcastle Museum. ANZACS – A Generation Lost in Legend, Newcastle University Choir: 2pm, Sunday, Great Hall, University of Newcastle. Festival Strings Big Rehearsal: 2pm, Sunday, Sandy Warren Hall, Newcastle Grammar School, Union Street campus. High Tea with Opera Hunter: 4.30pm Sunday, Adamstown Uniting Church. For further details go online to newcastlemusicfestival.org.
SUNDAY
Hunter Valley Zoo’s 10th Birthday 9am to 4pm, Lomas Lane, Nulkaba. Free BBQ and jumping castle; plus daily shows where you can get up close to most of the animals, or, you can feed them with food bags purchased from the office to feed farmyard animals, kangaroos and lorikeets.
Wallsend Winter Fair 9am to 4pm, Nelson Street, Wallsend. The fun kicks off at 9am with the Grand Parade, led by marching, pipe and brass bands. There will be about 120 specialty stalls to browse as well as local businesses offering unique arts, crafts, gifts, clothing, jewellery and more. Local musicians, school bands, choirs and dance schools will perform on two stages and there will be amusement rides. A free, family-friendly event.
![Some of the action at last year's Wallsend Winter Fair. Some of the action at last year's Wallsend Winter Fair.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/37hLjTSaqSzzPeeWNnNkKKB/ba2b8bbe-67db-4f61-8ece-5bf12dcac409.jpg/r0_0_4114_2944_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Impossible Daffodil Market 4pm to 9pm, The Edwards, Newcastle West. The Impossible “Daffodil” Market will be spreading the love in support of Daffodil Day, with free face painting for the kids, bouquets of fresh daffodils and a mega-raffle full of prizes donated from the boutique vendors. Entry is free.
Anzacs – A Generation Lost In Legend 2pm, the University of Newcastle’s Great Hall. A new work by eminent New Zealand composer Janet Jennings who has set to music poems by New Zealand war poets, giving voice to the ANZAC soldiers who served during World War I. The performance will feature prominent Newcastle soloists Kathryn Dreis, Paul Morris and Alex Sefton with the Lakeside Brass, and conductor Dr Christopher Allan. Tickets available at stickytickets.com.au; Macleans Booksellers Hamilton; Music Solutions Warners Bay (cash sales only) or by phoning 4954 8781.
Newcastle Wedding Festival 10am to 2pm, Newcastle Entertainment Centre. The Hunter Valley’s leading wedding professionals all on one level. Admission is $10 per person (proceeds to Westpac Rescue Helicopter); two $1000 prizes to be won; first 200 registered brides receive a free bag containing wedding magazines.
Cardiff Neighbourhood Day and Car Boot Sale 10am to 2pm, Cardiff Bowling Club. Grab some bargains and enjoy Barefoot Bowls.
Open Day at Miss Porter’s House 1pm to 4pm, 434 King Street, Newcastle. Cost: adults $8; family $20; pensioners and children five years and over $5; National Trust Members and children under five admitted free.
![Weaver Rainie Williams Weaver Rainie Williams](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/37hLjTSaqSzzPeeWNnNkKKB/22070bff-bb81-4b40-9876-990c2fb68212.jpg/r0_0_682_684_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
SAVE THE DATE
The Stitches & Craft Show, August 18 to 21, Newcastle Entertainment Centre. There will be displays; specialist retailers; Crafty Cat; the Western Sydney Woodturners’ Association Inc; Tandy Leather; a Medieval Project by renowned Australian textile artist Dijanne Cevaal; quilt exhibition; workshops and classes in weaving, card making, jewellery making and sewing.
MARKETS
Handmade in the Hunter Markets Saturday, 9am to 3pm, Kevin Sobels Wines, Pokolbin.
Healing Haven Markets Saturday, 9am to 2pm, Dudley Public School.
Wine Country Markets Saturday, 9am to 3pm, De Bortoli Wines, Pokolbin.
Kidspot Baby & Kids Market Sunday, 9am to noon, Newcastle Basketball Stadium, Broadmeadow. Quality pre-loved baby and children’s goods.
Sacred Tree Markets Saturday, 10am to 3pm, d’Albora Marina, Nelson Bay.
Lake Macquarie City Farmers Market Saturday, 8am to 1pm, Speers Point Park.
Newcastle City Farmers Market Sunday, 8am to 1pm, Newcastle Showground, Broadmeadow.
Hunter Street Organic Food Market Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 3pm, Hunter Street Mall, Newcastle.
Clocktower Markets Saturday, 8am to 2pm, James Street Plaza, Hamilton.
Adamstown Lions Market Sunday, 8am to noon, corner Glebe and Brunker roads, Adamstown.
ARTS & CULTURE
A Day of Korean Cinema Saturday, Hunter Room at Newcastle City Hall. 3pm to 4.20pm: Crossroads of Youth; 5pm to 6.50pm: How To Steal A Dog. Tickets at ticketbo.com.au/koreancinema.
Lake Macquarie Art Gallery Your Collection: Off The Wall; Presence And Absence. Until September 25. Click: Schools in Focus – Swansea High School. Until October 2. Soul Food Lake Macquarie, 10.30am to noon, readings, audio-visual pieces and live music exploring the theme “Syllables and Sounds”.
Cooks Hill Galleries The Specialists. Until August 29.
CStudios Art Gallery John Earle’s paintings, ceramics and fine art prints. Until August 28.
The Emporium Solo Exhibition of Works by Lorna Ballantyne-Epp plus resin art workshops, info at eventbrite.com.au.
Inner City Winemakers Lukos Hey’s Perspectives of Australia. Until September.
Maitland Regional Art Gallery Mytho-Poetic: Print & Assemblage Works by Glen Skien; Form, Ruth Feeney. Until August 28. Remembering Vietnam – 50 years after the Battle of Long Tan. Until September 4. Robert Brain: an Autobiographical Tapestry; Silence Equals Consent – Variations on Theme of Strings, Elizabeth Maxwell. Until November 20. Frugal Forest. Until October 9.
Art Systems Wickham Responsive – Andy Devine and Grant Vercoe. Until August 21.
Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre Sunday, 2pm. Orchestra Nova presents “Music Inspired by Literature” featuring works by Beethoven, Dvorak, Schubert and Grieg. 39 Lake Street, Warners Bay.
THEATRE
Big Cats Romantic comedy about an elderly widow facing her home’s demolition, and Love and Other Flushes. DAPA Theatre, Hamilton. Saturday 2pm and 7.30pm.
Blood Bank A young man waiting to give blood for his ill brother and an attractive young woman sitting beside him become involved in a surprising love story; comedy by Newcastle’s Christopher Harley. Stooged Theatre, Civic Playhouse. Saturday 2pm and 8pm.
Rolling Thunder Vietnam – Songs That Defined A Generation Return of the show that brings together stories about the impact of the Vietnam War on people’s lives in the 1960s and 70s and rock songs from the era. Blake Entertainment, Civic Theatre. Saturday 2pm and 7.30pm.
The Three Little Pigs Bright children’s musical show. Young People’s Theatre, Hamilton. Saturday 2pm and 7pm, until August 20.
Titus A military leader seeks revenge against those responsible for the deaths of two of her children, leading to bloody conflicts in William Shakespeare’s play. Reamus Youth Theatre, Maitland Repertory Theatre. Friday and Saturday 8pm, from August 12 to 27, with 2pm Sunday matinees on August 14 and 21.
MUSIC
5 Sawyers Sunday, Jason Lowe.
Argyle House Saturday, Aftr Hrs.
Bar 121 Saturday, The Shedmasters.
Bar Petite Saturday, CrocQ.
Beach Hotel Saturday, Trataka. Sunday, The V Dubs.
Belmont 16s Saturday, The Klassics, Cruzers. Sunday, Backbeat Duo.
Belmont Bowling Club Sunday, Live Baby Live – INXS tribute.
Beresfield Bowling Club Saturday, Hurricane Fall.
Blackbutt Hotel Saturday, Shivoo.
The Bradford Saturday, Project XI. Sunday, The Roman Sandals.
Cambridge Hotel Saturday, Paces.
Cardiff RSL Club Saturday, Code Red.
Catho Pub Saturday, Jamie Martens. Sunday, All Access 80s.
Central Charlestown Leagues Club Saturday, Pete Hibbert.
Cessnock Performing Arts Centre Saturday, John Paul Young & The All Star Band.
Charlestown Bowling Club Saturday, Roxy.
![Novocastrian Ben Mingay stars in Rolling Thunder Vietnam, at the Civic Theatre Newcastle on Saturday. Novocastrian Ben Mingay stars in Rolling Thunder Vietnam, at the Civic Theatre Newcastle on Saturday.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/37hLjTSaqSzzPeeWNnNkKKB/31c12fc5-625a-47af-9512-e7f5830aa88a.jpg/r0_259_3327_2388_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Club Kotara Saturday, Solid Gold Party Nite with Dave Cochrane.
Colliery Inn Saturday, Pete & Kate Sneddon.
Commercial Hotel Morpeth Saturday, Emily Rex Duo.
Criterion Hotel Carrington Sunday, Jim Overend.
Criterion Hotel Weston Saturday, Three Of A Kind.
Crown & Anchor Hotel Saturday, Matt Semmens. Sunday, Jason Bone.
Customs House Saturday, Perry Carter. Sunday, CrocQ.
Drone Newcastle Saturday, Liberties, Hollow Heart, Young Wolf, Baltimore, Solemnly Swear, Chaos Warrior, John Howard.
Duke Of Wellington Saturday, Bobby C.
Edgeworth Tavern Saturday, Roar Boar.
Exchange Hotel Saturday, Smokin Rosie.
Family Hotel Maitland Saturday, Soulplay. Sunday, Michael Passfield.
Finnegans Saturday, DJ Delicious, Kid Kaos.
Foghorn Brewhouse Saturday, The Andy Show. Sunday, David McCredie.
Grain Store Saturday, Ryan Daley.
Grand Junction Hotel Sunday, Dan Brodie, James Thomson & The Strange Pilgrims.
Great Northern Hotel Teralba Saturday, Chad Shuttleworth.
Hamilton Station Hotel Sunday, Ben Leece, Spencer Scott, Boots Porter, Liz O'Brien.
Harrigan’s Pokolbin Saturday, Katrina Burgoyne, Modern History. Sunday, James and Bruce.
Honeysuckle Hotel Saturday, Gareth Hudson Trio. Sunday, Hurricane Fall, Mike Vee.
Hotel Delany Saturday, Sundays Record.
Iron Horse Inn Saturday, The Urge.
Jewells Tavern Saturday, Dean Dee.
The Junction Hotel Saturday, Hayden Johns.
Kent Hotel Saturday, Rubber Bullet. Sunday, Thread Blues Band.
King Street Hotel Saturday, Ape Drums.
Lake Macquarie Yacht Club Sunday, Jeremy Bilson.
The Landing Saturday, Melody Feder.
Lambton Park Hotel Saturday, Soul Shakedown Party ft DJs The Scorcher, Chuan and Komodo.
Lass O’Gowrie Saturday, Truman Smith Band, Bad Time Boys, Milli Casey. Sunday, Vacations, Dom Kelly.
Lizotte’s Saturday, One Love – The Music of Bob Marley.
The Lock Up Saturday, Beat Bender ft. Kira Puru, Phil Smart & Girl Friday. Sunday, Beat Bender ft. Bandaluzia Flamenco, Bobby Singh.
Lucky Hotel Saturday, Chris Phillips. Sunday, Lauren Arms.
Mark Hotel Saturday, Jake Folbigg. Sunday, Melbourne Street.
Mary Ellen Saturday, The Smarts. Sunday, Mark Wells.
Merewether Surfhouse Sunday, Jerome, Howard Shearman.
Mezz Bar Saturday, Tommy Gun. Sunday, Karen O’Shea.
Murray’s Brewery Sunday, Jake Folbigg.
Nag’s Head Hotel Saturday, The Steves.
Northern Star Hotel Saturday, Pat Capocci solo.
Pedens Saturday, Foggy Swamp Blues Band.
Pippis At The Point Saturday, Twinsanity. Sunday, Katrina Burgoyne.
The Pourhouse Saturday, Darren Rolling Keys.
Premier Hotel Saturday, Jamie Martens. Sunday, The Years.
Prince of Wales Hotel Saturday, Deuce. Sunday, Eoin Smith, Ben Travis.
Queens Wharf Hotel Saturday, Lauren Arms, Matteo Verde. Sunday, Mike Horbacz.
Small Ballroom Saturday, Brendan Maclean, Rachel Maria Cox, Daniel Turner.
Stag and Hunter Hotel Saturday, Dan Brodie, James Thomson & The Strange Pilgrims, De’May. Sunday, Passport to Airlie Band Comp – Heat 1.
Star Hotel Saturday, The Big Bang. Sunday, Brooke Harvey.
Stockton Bowling Club Saturday, DJ Symon. Sunday, Phil McKnight.
Stockton RSL Club Saturday, Voodoo Rhythm Shakers.
Swansea Hotel Saturday, Phonic. Sunday, Code Red.
Swansea RSL Club Saturday, Earthbound.
Toronto Diggers Saturday, Firewall.
Toronto Workers Saturday, Barnstormin' – Jimmy Barnes Tribute Show. Sunday, Robbie Urquhart.
Warners At The Bay Saturday, Kings of Kong.
Wests Cardiff Saturday, Loko.
Wests New Lambton Saturday, Mark Wells Duo.
Wickham Park Hotel Saturday, Phase III. Sunday, Lennie Live, Dai Pritchard Band.
MOVIES
Absolutely Fabulous The Movie (M) Blamed for a major incident at a launch party, Edina and Patsy become entangled in a media storm and are pursued by the paparazzi.
Bad Moms (MA) When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.
![A scene from Bad Moms, out now in cinemas. A scene from Bad Moms, out now in cinemas.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/37hLjTSaqSzzPeeWNnNkKKB/a0173d9a-c4e1-4e67-bccb-29ae20bc553b.jpg/r0_0_650_365_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ghostbusters (PG) Director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today.
Goldstone (G) Indigenous Detective Jay Swan arrives in the frontier town of Goldstone on a missing persons enquiry.
Jason Bourne (M) Now remembering who he truly is, Bourne tries to uncover hidden truths about his past.
Lights Out (M) A woman is haunted by a creature that only appears when the lights go out. A feature adaptation of the 2013 short film, Lights Out by David Sandberg.
Love & Friendship (PG) Lady Susan Vernon takes up temporary residence at her in-laws' estate and, while there, is determined to be a matchmaker. (Event Newcastle)
Maggie’s Plan (M) Maggie 's plan to have a baby is derailed when she falls in love with John, a married man, destroying his volatile marriage. (Regal)
Me Before You (PG) A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she's taking care of. (Regal)
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (MA) Two brothers place an online ad to find dates for a wedding and the ad goes viral.
National Theatre: A View from the Bridge (E) The great Arthur Miller confronts the American dream in this dark and passionate tale. In Brooklyn, longshoreman Eddie Carbone welcomes his Sicilian cousins to the land of freedom. (Event Newcastle)
Our Kind of Traitor (MA) An ordinary English couple befriend a flamboyant and charismatic Russian who is a kingpin money-launderer. (Event Newcastle)
Sausage Party (MA) An animated movie about one sausage's quest to discover the truth about his existence.
Star Trek Beyond (PG) The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.
Sing Street (PG) A boy growing up in Dublin during the 1980s escapes his strained family life by starting a band to impress the mysterious girl he likes. From the writer/director of Once.
Suicide Squad (M) A secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency.
The Daughter (M) New Australian film about a man who returns home to discover a long-buried family secret, and whose attempts to put things right threaten the lives of those he left home years before. (Regal)
The Legend of Tarzan (M) Having acclimated to life in London, Tarzan is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.
The Man Who Knew Infinity (PG) The first movie to ever be allowed to film inside the hallowed halls of Trinity College, this is an uplifting tale of shared visions and overcoming adversity. (Regal)
The Meddler (M) After the death of her husband, a woman (Susan Sarandon) moves from New Jersey to Los Angeles to be closer to her daughter (Rose Byrne). (Regal)
The Nice Guys (MA) A mismatched pair of private eyes investigate the apparent suicide of a porn star in 1970s Los Angeles. Stars Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling. (Regal)
Train to Busan (MA) A mysterious viral outbreak pushes Korea into a state of emergency and the government declares martial law. Those on an express train to Busan, a city that has successfully fended off the viral outbreak, must fight for their own survival.
WINNER
The winner of the Cirque du Soleil Kooza tickets is J. Mcfarland, of Lorn.