Newcastle builds momentum as a major events destination on the back of strong crowds and ticket sales

newy.com.au – Newcastle has a packed calendar of sport, music and live performances lined up as City of Newcastle promotes the city as a major events destination.

The council says strong ticket demand, repeat bookings and large crowds are helping build Newcastle’s profile with promoters while delivering economic benefits for local businesses and jobs linked to tourism and events.

Tickets are expected to sell strongly for the upcoming Women’s State of Origin match at McDonald Jones Stadium, after almost 22,000 rugby league fans attended the fixture in Newcastle last year.

At the Civic Theatre, Australian comedian Kitty Flanagan has added two extra shows to her existing run of four dates this week due to demand.

Music fans are also preparing for the return of the Howlin’ Country music festival at Foreshore Park on 14 February, with Grammy winner Lainey Wilson and Nashville-based Newcastle singer songwriter Morgan Evans named as headline acts.

Newcastle’s surf lineup will expand in March, with some of the world’s best male and female surfers due to compete in a World Surfing League Challenger Series event that will headline Surfest.

City of Newcastle’s Sports Infrastructure Working Group chair Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz said organisers were responding to strong local interest, describing the drawcard for promoters and audiences as broad and growing. “Sold out shows, record crowds and repeat bookings by organisers demonstrate the huge demand in Newcastle for events that engage all ages and demographics, and cater to a range of tastes,” she said.

Cr Winney-Baartz said major international events also helped expand the city’s reach beyond the region. “Major international-level events also help put Newcastle on the map with global audiences, providing opportunities to capture tourism, economic growth and job creation by catering to locals and attracting fans from around the country and across the world,” she said.

Looking further ahead, international rugby league stars are expected in October and November for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, with matches featuring Fiji, Cook Islands and New Zealand, as well as a semi-final double header, while Newcastle will also host Rugby World Cup pool matches in October 2027 including Japan v Samoa, Fiji v Spain, Uruguay v Portugal and Italy v Georgia.

Community and Culture Strategic Advisory Committee chair Councillor Jenny Barrie said Newcastle had become “a must stop destination for promoters looking for a world-class city to stage major events or be included on their national headline tour schedules”, citing collaboration with Destination NSW and Venues NSW as part of council’s approach.

Check out visitnewcastle.com.au/whats-on for updated information on upcoming events.