Christmas Lights Spectacular 2019 Saturday and Sunday, 5.30pm to 10.30pm, Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin. Daily until January 26.

Kids Christmas Party 6pm to 8pm, Pelican RSL Club, 1 Piriwal Street, Pelican. Entry is free, all welcome.

Carols Under The Stars 6pm to 9pm, Federal Park Wallsend. Music by the New Vine Church Band and Waratah Womens Choir. Santa will visit and food, coffee and drinks will be available.

Seaham Park Christmas Carols 5.30pm, Seaham Park, Warren Street, Seaham. Santa will arrive with Seaham Rural Fire Service.

Beauty and The Beast on Ice 2pm and 5.30pm, Hunter Ice Skating Stadium, Warners Bay.

Christmas Crafternoon 1.30pm to 3.30pm, Museum of Art and Culture (MAC), First Street, Booragul. Make your own cards and wrapping paper using simple printmaking techniques. Cost $5; tickets at eventbrite.com.au.

Christmas Wreath Workshop 10.30am, Newcastle Food & Flower Markets, 1 Rural Drive, Sandgate. Book on the markets' website.

Feast Fest Stockton 4pm to 8pm, Pitt Street Reserve, Eastern Road, Stockton. Food trucks, $5 tasting plates, a jumping castle and more.

Carols on the Green 6pm to 9pm, Kahibah Sports Club. Sing along to your favourite Christmas carols performed by local schools, a visit from Santa, face painting, a jumping castle and more.

Bison Hay Muster Maitland 8am to noon, address day prior on Facebook. Meet and hand feed the bison herd. Entry is one bale of hay per vehicle.

Indoor Plant Sale Saturday and Sunday, The Jungle Collective, 25-31 Bishopsgate Street, Wickham. Tickets at eventbrite.com.au.

Carols By the Lake 2019 6pm to 9.30pm, Croudace Bay Park, Croudace Bay. Pre-show entertainment begins at 6pm and the carols band will be on-stage from 7.30pm. Market stalls, sausage sizzles, a sideshow alley, entertainer The Pretty Amazing Jono and more.

Caves Festival of Kites 10am to 5pm, in the park off Mawson Close, Caves Beach. Kite flying display by the Australian KiteFlyers Society.

Kahibah Village Christmas Party 4pm to 6pm, 1-7 Glebe Street, Kahibah. Music, entertainment, games, Christmas craft, food and drinks. Bring a rug or chair.

Celebrate Christmas in Our City Queens Wharf, 150 Wharf Road, Newcastle. Live performances from Brainwaves - a choir for survivors of stroke - and the Novatones.

Carols Under The Stars 6pm, New Vine Church, Maryland. Carols, a sideshow alley, visit from Santa and more.

Christmas in Brass 2019 2pm to 4.15pm, Cardiff Senior Citizens Centre. Cardiff Northlakes Brass Band. Tickets at the door.

Hyundai A-League Round 10 Newcastle Jets vs Melbourne City at McDonald Jones Stadium, Broadmeadow. Also, Westfield W-League Newcastle Jets vs Sydney FC. Gates open 3.30pm; WWL kick-off 4pm; A-League kick-off 6.30pm.

Newcastle City Choir presents A Carols Concert for Camp Quality 2pm to 4pm, Uniting Church, 29 Highfield Street, Mayfield. Admission $15, includes afternoon tea.

Blue Christmas Service 4pm to 6pm, Jesmond Park Uniting Church, 15 Robert Street, Jesmond. For some, Christmas is the saddest time of the year. Here is a safe space for those people.

Christmas Carols at Mums' Cottage 5pm to 9pm, 29 St Helen Street, Holmesville. Christmas markets, carols, music and dancing, raffles, lucky door prizes and a visit from Santa.

Garden Organic Compost Giveaway 4pm until gone, North Rothbury Tidy Towns Twilight Markets, Ayrefield Miners Memorial Park, Rothbury Street, North Rothbury. Cessnock Council will be giving away 144 bags of premium compost to residents from the Maitland, Cessnock and Singleton council areas. Bring ID or a rates notice.

Art Space 10.30am to noon, Museum of Art and Culture (MAC), First Street, Booragul. Young children and their families can enjoy simple art activities guided by friendly MAC staff. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Bookings not required.

The Stable Door - The Christmas Story 5pm to 9pm, 95 Freemans Drive, Morisset. Night markets, Tower of Terror, children's craft, facepainting, petting farm, walk-through nativity scene.

Sunday Sessions at The Station 1pm to 7.30pm, corner Watt and Scott streets, Newcastle.

Christmas Carols in the Carpark 6pm to 7.30pm, Swansea District Baptist Church, 15 Strathmore Road, Swansea.

Christmas Wreath Workshop 11am to 1pm, 48 Watt Street, Newcastle. Tickets $130 includes bubbles, nibbles and all materials. Book at rosehipflowers.com.au.

If you missed out on Hog Watts at 48 Watt Street this year, tickets are still available to Harry Watter & The Full Moon's Curse, January 17 to 19. But be quick.

Lake Macquarie City Farmers Market Saturday, 7.30am to 1pm, Speers Point Park, Speers Point.

Belmont Swansea United FC Christmas Twilight Markets Saturday, 4pm to 9pm, Blacksmiths Oval, 38 Gommera Street, Blacksmiths.

Homegrown Christmas Market Saturday, 9am to 3pm, The Station, corner Scott and Watt streets, Newcastle. Plus Santa photos; name tag workshop with Diana Jones.

Market/Car Boot Sale Saturday, 8.30am to 1.30pm, Therry Centre Community Hall, corner King Street and New England Highway, East Maitland. Raising funds to help repair the roof of the hall.

Kurri Kurri Community Markets Saturday, 7am to 1pm, Rotary Park, Kurri Kurri.

Newcastle Food & Flower Markets Christmas Market Saturday, 8am to 2pm, 1 Rural Drive, Sandgate.

Handmade in the Hunter Markets Saturday, 9am to 3pm, Kevin Sobels Wines, 5 Halls Road, Pokolbin.

Hamilton Clocktower Markets Saturday, 8am to 2pm, James Street Plaza, Hamilton.

Hunter Street Organic Markets Saturday, 9am to 3pm, Hunter Street Mall, Newcastle.

Hunter Wine Country Markets Saturday, 9am to 3pm, De Bortoli Wines, 532 Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin.

Newcastle City Farmers Market Sunday, 7am to 1pm, Newcastle Showground, Broadmeadow.

Adamstown Lions Market Sunday, 7am to 1pm, corner Brunker and Glebe roads, Adamstown.

Stardust Bazaar Xmas Edition Sunday, 3pm to 7pm, The Lass O'Gowrie Hotel, 14 Railway Street, Wickham.

Toronto Lions Markets Sunday, 8.30am to 1.30pm, Toronto Lions Park, Toronto.

North Rothbury Tidy Towns Twilight Markets Sunday,4pm to 8pm, Ayrefield Miners Memorial Park, Rothbury Street, North Rothbury. Follows Lockout Re-enactment at 3pm at the Rothbury Riot memorial site on Wine Country Drive.

Maitland Christmas Market Day Sunday, 8am to 2pm, Maitland Showground, Blomfeld Street, Maitland.

The Sunday Muster Christmas Market Sunday, 9am to 1pm, 1 Weakleys Drive, Thornton.

Maker X The Edwards Christmas Market Sunday, 4pm to 7pm, 3/148 Parry Street, Newcastle.

The Owens Collective Sunday: The Sunday Artists' Salon will pop up at The Owens Collective for one day only. Expansion, until December 14.

Blackstone Gallery The Night Of: An Exhibition by Soren Hillis and Marguerite Tierney.

Curve Gallery Summer Exhibition, until February 1.

Onwards Studio Shelter Amidst the Ancient River Reds, by Brett Piva.

The Lock Up All Things Are Water, by Tom Blake, Dale Collier, Ellen Dahl, Michaela Gleave, Hannah Jenkins, Todd McMillan, Talia Smith and Angela Tiatia, until January 26.

Hunter Wetlands Centre Native and Wild, by Natural History Illustration Club, until December 22.

Watt Space Gallery Waiting for Equality, until March 4.

Finite Gallery Patchwork 3, until January 27.

The All Story Everything is Invented, by Cameron Emerson-Elliott, until December 16.

Belmont Library Nature's Beauty: See the World Through the Eyes of an Artist, by Jessica Curry, until February 20.

Newcastle Art Gallery Between Two Worlds, by Guo Jian, Rowena Foong and Peter Gardiner, until February 16.

Newcastle ArtSpace five.point.six, by Steve Tickner, until December 22.

MAC Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie Us, We and Be Us.

The Old Fireshed Gallery Wollombi Sorry Mother, by Wayne Krause, until December 22.

Newcastle Library Local History Lounge Newcastle In Print, until February 22.

Art Systems Wickham You'll Fest Annual Christmas Exhibition, until December 21.

Cooks Hill Galleries Summer Breeze, by Rod Bathgate.

CStudios Art Gallery End of Year Exhibition 2019.

SEEN@Swansea Submerged: Australia's shipwreck stories.

Newcastle Studio Potters & Back To Back Galleries Christmas Takeaway, until December 22.

Port Stephens Community Arts Centre Christmas Display; Summer Holidays, until January 14.

Maitland Regional Art Gallery Snakeabout, Teresa Purnell, until February 2. Unfolding Time, Penelope Seidler's Gift to Maitland, until February 16. Remnants Before The Tasman, by Brett Piva, until May 31. Legacy: Reflections on Mabo, until January 26. Warlock, by Dale Forward; Learning to Speak, by Edward Milan; Kalliope Calliope, by Nicola Hensel and John Turier, until February 16. Sunday: Free Art Sunday.

Into The Woods Jr When a baker and his wife learn they cannot have a child because of a witch's curse, they begin a journey to break the curse, meeting many fairy tale characters; adapted from the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. Hunter Drama, at the Civic Playhouse, Newcastle. Saturday at 10.30am, 2pm and 7pm; Sunday at 10.30am and 2pm. 4929 1977.

Lily, the Felon's Daughter Tongue-in-cheek melodrama by Tom Taggart with a young girl having to deal with family criminal actions when she is attracted to a handsome young man. Maitland Repertory Theatre, at its theatre. Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm (final shows). 4931 2800.

Santa Claus the Pantomime Bad Fairies capture Santa Claus and imprison him far away from the North Pole to stop him from delivering presents to children; bright comedy with colourful characters and songs. Atwea College Creative Arts and Music, at the CAS Performance Space, Hamilton. Saturday at 7pm, Sunday at 2pm and 7pm. trybooking.com.

Stepping Out Return season of the sold-out light-hearted musical comedy by Richard Harris that has eight very different people trying to learn to tap dance and making self-discoveries along the way. Newcastle Theatre Company, at the NTC Theatre, Lambton. Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, Sunday at 2pm. 4952 4958.

5 Sawyers Saturday, DJ Perry Carter. Sunday, Love That Hat.

Anna Bay Tavern Saturday, Kellie Cain. Sunday, Murray Byfield.

Argenton Hotel Sunday, Chad Shuttleworth Duo.

Bar Petite Saturday, Madelyn.

Battlesticks Bar Saturday, Jeremy Bilson. Sunday, Dean Kyrwood.

Beach Hotel Saturday, Jamstone, The Black Sails. Sunday, Misbehave.

The Beerhaus Saturday, Pete McCredie. Sunday, Glen Harrison.

Belmont 16s Saturday, Loko, Pete Hibbert. Sunday, Backbeat.

Belmont Hotel Saturday, Big Pete. Sunday, Kellie Cain.

Belmore Hotel Saturday, Big Night Out. Sunday, Karen O'Shea.

Beresfield Bowling Club Saturday, Ash Mountain.

The Bradford Saturday, Outlaw Avenue.

Bulahdelah Bowling Club Saturday, Bee Gees Tribute Show.

Burwood Inn Saturday, Ngariki.

Cambridge Hotel Saturday, LiquiMolly, UPGrayd, Fadrz, HP Source. Sunday, Trophy Eyes, Eat Your Heart Out, Introvert, Indigo Bloom (main room), Tasman Keith (warehouse).

Catho Pub Saturday, Misbehave. Sunday, Under Scrutiny.

Caves Coastal Bar & Bungalows Saturday, Soda Band. Sunday, Howard Shearman.

Cessnock Leagues Club Saturday, The Gleesons.

Clare Castle Hotel Sunday, The 3.

Club Charlestown Saturday, Code Red.

Club Macquarie Saturday, The Years.

Club Maitland City Saturday, Matty G.

Colliery Inn Saturday, Bernie. Sunday, Reg Sinclair.

Commercial Hotel Morpeth Saturday, Chad Shuttleworth.

The Corner Saturday, Tim Rossington, Soul Shakedown. Sunday, Brennan Fell Trio.

Criterion Hotel Carrington Sunday, Liquid Joy.

Customs House Sunday, Matt McLaren, Felix Quinn Band.

Cypress Lakes Saturday, Daniel Arvidson.

Denman Hotel Sunday, Craig Thommo.

Duke Of Wellington Saturday, Kristy James Duo.

East Cessnock Bowling Club Saturday, Andrew G.

East Maitland Bowling Club Saturday, The Viper Creek Band. Sunday, Zane Penn.

Easts Golf & Leisure Club Sunday, Big Pete.

Edgeworth Bowling Club Sunday, Boney Rivers.

Edgeworth Tavern Saturday, Glamstars.

Family Hotel Newcastle Saturday, Liquid Joy, Honey Hayze.

Finnegans Hotel Saturday, Holly J.

Gallipoli Legion Club Sunday, King Shakey Band.

Gateshead Tavern Sunday, Brazilian Brothers.

George Tavern Saturday, Jackson Broadway.

Grand Junction Hotel Saturday, Dyer Maker, Blue Tide Band, Lili Crane. Sunday, The Milestones.

Great Northern Hotel Newcastle Saturday, Counterpart.

Gunyah Hotel Saturday, Dos Eager.

Hamilton Station Hotel Saturday, The Neptune Power Federation, The Motherlode, Sand Viper.

Harrigan's Pokolbin Saturday, All Access 80s.

Hexham Bowling Club Saturday, The Snape Trilogy.

Honeysuckle Hotel Saturday, Soundabout. Sunday, Bobby C.

Hotel Delany Saturday, Mak.

Imperial Hotel Maitland Saturday, Phonic Trio.

Iron Horse Inn Saturday, Tim Harding.

Jewells Tavern Saturday, Something From Nothing - Foo Fighters Tribute Band.

Kent Hotel Saturday, State FX. Sunday, Thread.

King Street Hotel Saturday, Rodjar.

Kurri Kurri Bowling Club Saturday, Anthony Lee.

Lake Macquarie Yacht Club Sunday, Jacinta.

Lakeside Village Tavern Saturday, Revampt.

Lass O'Gowrie Hotel Saturday, A Heaps Gay Xmas.

Lizotte's Saturday, Diesel, James Van Cooper. Sunday, James Morrison.

Lucky Hotel Saturday, CrocQ. Sunday, Sunday Republic.

Mary Ellen Hotel Saturday, Greg Bryce Band.

Mattara Hotel Saturday, Kazzie.

Mavericks On The Bay Saturday, Boney Rivers. Sunday, ROX.

Mayfield Bowling Club Saturday, Spy V Spy, Urban Guerrillas, The Perils, The Stoids, Lo Vegas.

Mayfield Ex-Services Saturday, Cruzers.

Mayfield Hotel Saturday, Tyler John.

Mezz Bar at Wallsend Diggers Saturday, Brien McVernon & The Rockets From Oz, DJ 88. Sunday, Max Jackson.

Miller Park Sports Club Sunday, Cotton Sax & Strings.

Murray's Brewery Saturday, Alex Lewinski. Sunday, TK.

Nag's Head Hotel Saturday, Wayne Dufty.

Neath Hotel Saturday, Mick Jones.

Nelson Bay Bowling Club Saturday, Club Remix.

Newcastle City Hall Saturday, Ian Moss, Lachlan Edwards.

Newcastle Hotel Saturday, Holmes John.

NEX Saturday, Paparazzi.

Northern Star Hotel Saturday, Austin Mackay.

Paxton Bowling Club Saturday, Karen O'Shea.

Pedens Cessnock Saturday, Gen-X.

Pippis At The Point Saturday, Mardmax. Sunday, Kaylah Anne.

Prince of Merewether Hotel Saturday, Ferris. Sunday, FRMGs.

Queens Wharf Hotel Saturday, Oran Vir, The Gaudrys. Sunday, The Years, Wharf Life.

Quill & Compass Saturday, Klub Congo & The Piranha Tamers, Lonesome & Ernest.

Royal Federal Hotel Branxton Friday, Shivoo. Saturday, The V-Dubs.

Royal Hotel Singleton Sunday, Kristo & King.

Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto Sunday, Sunday Soul Sessions.

Rutherford Hotel Saturday, Murray Byfield.

Seabreeze Hotel Saturday, Pocket Aces. Sunday, Alison Forbes.

Shaft Tavern Saturday, Ryan Daley.

Shoal Bay Country Club Saturday, Georgie James, Riff Raff. Sunday, Kelly Hope.

Shortland Hotel Saturday, Jesse Vee.

Singleton Diggers Saturday, 80s To The Max.

Soldiers Point Bowling Club Saturday, Grand Daddy Cool.

Stag and Hunter Hotel Saturday, Dave Wells, Amy Vee. Sunday, Owen Campbell.

Swansea Hotel Saturday, City Beats. Sunday, Jarred Taylor Duo.

Swansea RSL Club Saturday, Spank N The Monkey. Sunday, Dave McCredie.

Swansea-Belmont Surf Life Saving Club Sunday, Lisa Hunt.

Swansea Workers Club Saturday, Solid Gold Party. Sunday, Georgie James.

Sydney Junction Hotel Sunday, The V-Dubs.

Tea Gardens Hotel Saturday, Finn.

Tilligerry RSL Sunday, Darren.

Toronto Hotel Sunday, Greg Bryce.

Toronto Workers Saturday, Flattrakkerrs.

Town Hall Hotel Saturday, Alison Forbes.

Victoria Hotel Hinton Saturday, Matt Semmens. Sunday, Mick Jones.

Vincent St Kitchen & Bar Cessnock Saturday, Sounds Of Sunday.

Wangi Hotel Saturday, Brazilian Brothers. Sunday, Oran Vir.

Wangi Wangi RSL Club Saturday, Smokin Rosie.

Warners At The Bay Saturday, Hi-Fi Days.

Warners Bay Hotel Saturday, Overload.

Wests Cardiff Saturday, Trancemission.

Wests Nelson Bay Friday, Loko. Saturday, Whiskey Business Duo. Sunday, Tim Harding.

Wests New Lambton Saturday, Gen-R-8.

Wickham Park Hotel Sunday, Dastardly Bastards.

Windale-Gateshead Bowling Club Friday, Angie.

Windsor Castle Hotel Saturday, Craig Thommo.

Abominable (G) A magical Yeti must return to his family.

Black Christmas (MA) A group of students are stalked by a stranger during their Christmas break. A remake of the 1974 horror film.

Blinded By The Light (PG) A feel-good crowd pleaser from the director of Bend It Like Beckham, it tells the true story of a teenage boy in 1980s England whose life is transformed by the music of Bruce Springsteen. (Regal)

Finke: There and Back (M) Blood, sweat, and dollars spill across the centre of Australia at the iconic Finke Desert Race.

Fisherman's Friends (M) Ten fisherman from Cornwall are signed by Universal Records and achieve a top ten hit with their debut album of Sea Shanties. Based on the true-life story of Cornish folk band, Fisherman's Friends. (Lake Cinema)

Ford V Ferrari (M) The film chronicles the relationship between visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby and the fearless British-born driver Ken Mile, who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company.

Frozen II (PG) Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa's powers in order to save their kingdom.

Home Alone (PG) An 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas must defend his home against idiotic burglars.

Jojo Rabbit (M) A lonely German boy's world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother is hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler, Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.

Judy (M) Legendary performer Judy Garland arrives in London in the winter of 1968 to perform a series of sold-out concerts. (Regal)

Knives Out (M) When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate.

Last Christmas (PG) Kate harumphs around London, a bundle of bad decisions accompanied by the jangle of bells on her shoes, another irritating consequence from her job as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop.

Little Women (PG) Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Mamangam (MA) Based on the medieval fair called Mamankam, which was celebrated every 12 years between 800 AD and 1755 AD, the story is about a brave warrior of Malabar and his loyal soldiers.

Playing With Fire (PG) A crew of rugged fighters meet their match when attempting to rescue three rambunctious kids.

Playmobil: The Movie (G) When her younger brother Charlie unexpectedly disappears into the magical, animated universe of Playmobil, unprepared Marla must go on a quest of a lifetime to bring him home.

Ride Like A Girl (PG) The story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. (Regal)

The Addams Family (PG) You may think your family is weird but the outlandish, bizarre, and completely iconic Addams Family, will have you thinking again.

The Gentlemen (MA) American expat Mickey Pearson has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he's looking to cash out of the business forever, it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.

The Good Liar (MA) Career con artist Roy Courtnay can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do widow Betty McLeish online. As Betty opens her home and life to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her, turning what should be a cut-and-dry swindle into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life.

The Queen's Corgi (PG) Rex, the British monarch's most beloved dog, loses track of his mistress and stumbles across a clan with dogs of all kinds confronting and fighting each other.