Good morning Newcastle, and welcome back to the Newcastle Digest.

Hope everyone is safe and unaffected by the fires and extreme heat we saw over the weekend, an unfortunate taste of summer. We’re now under two weeks out from Christmas, and if you haven’t finished your shopping yet, you’ve probably already noticed the shopping centres are starting to get hectic.

Have a great rest of your week.

One Café a Week: Elmas on Clyde – Hamilton North
This week, I stopped into Elmas on Clyde in Hamilton North, the café that’s taken over the old Clyde Street Café site and turned it into something completely new. I went on a weekday morning, and it was pretty quiet, with plenty of seating inside.

We grabbed a coffee and the Clyde Street breakfast roll plus raisin toast, all of which were really good. The menu has a few interesting items you don’t usually see on a café list, including a peanut butter and pickles option I’m definitely going back to try. The space itself is worth a look too, with bits of history from the old ELMAs building displayed around the café.

Easy visit, good food, good coffee, and a menu with a few things you won’t find anywhere else.

📍 Unit 40/54 Clyde St, Hamilton North

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The Wiggles: Tree of Wisdom Big Show – Newcastle Entertainment Centre | 10 December (Gates 8am, Show 10am)
Pre-Christmas arena spectacular with bubbles, lights, DJ Dorothy dance parties and Big Red Utes. More info.

Chrissy Crafts at the Baths – Newcastle Ocean Baths | 10 December 4pm – 7pm
Free community event with festive craft activities and coastal vibes, presented by City of Newcastle. More info.

Betty’s Christmas Book Fair – Betty Loves Books, The Station, Newcastle | 13 December 9am – 3pm
Christmas book fair with bargains, gifts, giveaways and 20% off all new books. More info.

Christmas Family Fun Day – Shoal Bay Country Club, Shoal Bay | 12 December
Mega toy raffle, Santa visit, kids disco, games and more.

Newcastle Permanent’s Christmas Under the Stars – King Edward Park, Newcastle | 13 December from 5pm
Christmas carols, kids activities, food trucks and an outdoor screening of Elf with free popcorn. More info.

Christmas Family Fun Day – Alder Park Sports Club | 14 December 12pm
Mega toy raffle, face painting, live music, jumping castle and bistro specials for a family Christmas celebration. More info.

Lake Mac Carols – Speers Point Park | 14 December from 3pm
Live entertainment, family activities, food trucks, Santa visit and Auslan-interpreted carols presented by Lake Macquarie City Council. More info.

Feast Fest: The Twilight Food Festival – Blacksmiths Beach | 13 December 4pm – 8pm
Food trucks, beer and wine, kids zone, unique stalls, live music and a pet-friendly festive evening by the water. More info.

Creative Christmas – Young People’s Theatre, Hamilton | 13–14 December
Family-friendly show set in the North Pole Mail Room featuring Mr and Mrs Claus and the Postal Service Elves, scripted by YPT’s Year 9+ Script Writing Class. More info.

The Xmas Takeaway – 57 Bull St, Cooks Hill | 5–21 December
Two showrooms of handcrafted pottery and ceramic works by Newcastle Studio Potters, perfect for unique Christmas gifting. More info.

The Christmas Spectacular – Civic Theatre, Newcastle | 10 December
A dazzling show of music, dance, circus and festive fun starring Prinnie Stevens, featuring Santa and stunning performances. More info.

Christmas Movie Trivia – The Gladdy, 36 Mitchell St, Stockton | 10 December
Christmas movie trivia night with festive film questions, ugly sweaters, prizes and holiday laughs. More info.

Digitales: Storytime and Art – Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima, Lake Macquarie | 11 December
Digital storytime on the big screen followed by creative art-making and shadow play for children aged 2–5. More info.

RnB Night – Shoal Bay Country Club, Shoal Bay | 12 December from 8.30pm
Free-entry RnB party with dancing and late-night vibes.

Call of the Wild – Civic Theatre Newcastle | 12 December
National College of Dance presents a fusion of classical and contemporary dance with over 300 dancers, original music and choreography. More info.

Mixed-Media Assemblage Workshops – MAC yapang, Booragul | 12 December
Mixed media assemblage workshop using found and recycled materials with artist Emma Florence May. More info.

Newcastle Coffee School – Sprocket Roasters, Lambton | 13 December
Coffee course taught by experienced instructors for anyone who loves coffee. Cost: $120. More info.

Christmas Wreath Flower Workshop – Picture Point Studio Gallery, Warners Bay | 13 December
Workshop using fresh Australian native flowers and foliages for festive wreaths. Cost: $170–$180

Tunnels by Night: History and Ghost Tour – Fort Scratchley, Newcastle East | 13 December
Interactive ghost hunt and history tour through the Fort Scratchley tunnels using ghost-hunting devices. More info.

Spirited Potters: Christmas Cocktails & Ceramics – Bar Mellow, Newcastle West | 13 December
Ceramic-making workshop with cocktails, guided by Anywhere Ceramics. All materials included. Tickets $139pp.

Bottomless Brunch – Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle | 14 December
Long lunch with eight shared courses and bottomless drinks, plus optional cocktail upgrade. More info.

Curated Christmas Blending Class – Earp Distilling Co., Carrington | 14 & 21 December
Blend Christmas botanicals into vodka, gin or rum and take home a 200mL bottle. Cost: $49pp

Christmas at Miss Porter’s House Museum – 434 King Street, Newcastle West | 14 December 1pm – 4pm
Edwardian Christmas experience with cards, decorations, toys and homemade Christmas goodies for sale. Cost: Adults $12, Concession $10, Family $34, NT members and children under 5 free

Newcastle Bass Floor Biggest Christmas Party Race Day – Newcastle Racecourse, Broadmeadow | 13 December 11am – 6pm
Christmas race day party with hospitality venues, entertainment and a visit from Santa. More info.

Shaw and Partners Iron Series – Newcastle Beach | 13–14 December from 7am
World’s best ironmen and ironwomen competing in surf and endurance races, plus a Nipper Challenge.

The Clyde St Arts Open Market – Clyde St Arts, Hamilton North | 12 December 4.30pm – 9.30pm
One-night-only open studios, art sales, market stalls, food trucks, live music, DJs and vintage karaoke bus. More info.

Newcastle Christmas Market – The Station, Newcastle | 13 December
Christmas market with Santa, kids entertainment, face painting, Christmas craft, roving entertainers, handmade and design stalls, street food, live music and more. More info.

A Merry Little Christmas – The Levee Shared Zone, Maitland | 13 December 10am – 2pm
Village fair with a select range of market stalls from the local region, Santa, produce, beverages, decorations and gift stalls. More info.

Merewether Christmas Markets – Dixon Park Playground, Merewether | 14 December
Christmas market with food vendors, makers and creators, live music, face painting, fashion, handmade treasures and the Make-A-Wish Waves for Wishes surf event. More info.

Made & Found Redhead Christmas Market – Redhead | 14 December
Local-made goods, preloved wardrobes, vintage treasures, street food, live tunes and a community market atmosphere. More info.

Do you want me to share an event in the Newcastle Digest?

I have put together a little guide to some of the Christmas events happening around town on Instagram that gained a bit of attention. Check it out here.

I will make sure I keep the newsletter updated each week with the Christmas events that are on.

Here are some more in-depth articles on what’s on this Christmas, created by others in the area:

Newy With Kids list
Newcastle Live list

Tower Cinemas is officially open again, bringing Newcastle’s only city-centre cinema back to life after seven years. First opened in 1976, the venue has returned carefully restored, keeping its original character while adding modern touches, including reclining seats, a licensed bar, and upgraded sound and screens.

It’s a big win for the CBD and for locals who’ve missed having a proper cinema in the heart of the city. Whether you’re heading in for a blockbuster, something a bit different, or just popcorn and a night out on King Street, it feels good to have Tower Cinemas back doing what it does best.

To see what's on and more, check out their website here.