Step back in time at Wallsend's 150th anniversary celebration

2024 marks 150 years since Wallsend became a municipality and the sesquicentenary will be celebrated with a hallmark event on August 17.

The recently resurfaced Nelson Street will be closed for the celebration from 1-6pm, while Wallsend Park will host art workshops and food stalls.

Musical and cultural performances, rides, children's activities and storytelling will take place throughout the event precinct.

Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the event would follow a similar but slightly different format to the Wallsend Winter Fair, which previously drew 20,000 people to the CBD.

"We haven't had a Wallsend Winter Fair for quite some time, so it's really important for us to pay tribute to what has been an exceptionally successful community event here in Wallsend, but also add different components to it to reach it further out into the community," she said.

Wallsend Business Improvement Association member Luke Whitby said he hoped residents "get around" the event.

"We've got a lot of young families moving to the area and Wallsend has come a long way," he said.

"I've noticed with Wildflower [Espresso] what they've been able to create with their community, it's a really good vibe now and I feel like that's starting to filter through to not only just Wallsend but the nearby suburbs too.

"So hopefully by having the event it's going to really bring people together and help people connect."

Wallsend Historical Society will project historical photos onto buildings, showing the town from its mining days.

"I have seen some of the historical photos that they'll be using of Wallsend as it was being settled as originally a bit of a shanty town and mining village that was associated with the coal mines nearby and how quickly it grew at that time due to the demand for labour," Cr Nelmes said.

"The very interesting history of Wallsend is the amount of workers that were actually established here, over 7,500 workers lived in and around Wallsend during those years.

"They were... related to the extraction of some very high quality coal that played a significant role in the development of the Port of Newcastle."

Ward 4 Labor councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk said the event would be a great way for residents to learn about the history of where they live.

"We have a number of migrants coming into the city... so a lot of new families coming in who are really looking at to get out and celebrate the area and learn a bit more about what the area is and what it has been," she said.

"So it's really important to have all of those aspects: the Indigenous history, the heritage, after colonisation, what it has been with businesses, what it is today.

"So really important for people to see that and feel welcomed."